ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY

Toxic substances in the environment are detrimental both for the ecosystem as well as for human health. Examples for such pollutants are insecticides, pesticides, and drugs, but also naturally occurring poisonous substances. These biological and chemical agents can have harmful effects on the environment by affecting wildlife species and plants.

On the other hand, these substances can also prevail in nature, for example by accumulating in drinking water or by being absorbed by animals and plants. Consequently, they can negatively influence our health via the food chain. It is mandatory to identify these environmental toxins and to be able to monitor their levels in order to prevent harm to the ecosystem and to avert toxin-induced diseases.

The switchSENSE^® technology can be used as a sensitive biosensor technology to monitor levels of pollutants and to examine their mechanism of action.