Goethe-Universität — FB15: RobustNature

Robustness and Resilience of Nature-Society Systems

The consortium Robustness and Resilience of Nature-Society Systems in the Developing Anthropocene (RobustNature) investigates how environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change interact to affect ecosystems and human well-being.

Although research on chemical pollution has been extensive, it often remains isolated within ecotoxicology, leaving critical gaps in broader ecological and social-ecological research. RobustNature addresses these gaps through interdisciplinary and cross-border collaboration to:

Quantify the effects of novel pollutants on biodiversity and ecosystem resilience
Understand societal drivers of environmental change
Identify levers for sustainable transformation, such as governance strategies and policies

Our mission is to support societal transformation by defining the safe and just operating space for environmental challenges—balancing ecological limits with social needs.

Aquatic Ecotoxicology of Road Runoff and Tire Wear Particles

Research Overview

Aquatic environmental risk assessment of road runoff and tire and road wear particles (TRWP) faces the following challenges:

Due to structural and chemical variability of TRWP, no standardized sample preparation protocols for (bio-) chemical assessment are available;
The lack of environmentally relevant effect data complicates a priori decisions on endpoints of interest to investigate. Therefore, comprehensively investigating the ecotoxicity of TRWP demands a scientific bottom-up approach, generating a broad knowledge base covering both chemical and biological effect information for different environmental model scenarios.

This GREP project aims for a quantitative ecotoxicological risk assessment of stormwater runoff sampled from highly frequented urban, country, and highway roads. For this purpose, a comprehensive multi-endpoint bioassay battery paired with hydrological, physical, and chemical characterization of the received runoff and its particulate matter will be performed.

Proposed Topics:

Being part of the larger RobustNature Excellence Initiative and the CIP Cluster of Excellence, this GREP project hosts a variety of associated satellite research projects in which GREP guest researchers can explore state-of-the-art bioanalytical and chemical-analytical methods crossing multiple disciplines within Goethe Universities Profile Area Sustainability & Biodiversity. Possible research projects could cover the following examples:

Toxicity assessment of road run-off in-vitro (µEROD, (anti-)ER/AR-CALUX, AMES-assay) or in-vivo in Danio rerio embryos: Acute fish embryo toxicity assay and extended FET endpoints (behavioural analyses, in-vivo biomarker responses, transcriptomics); comparison between different road runoff scenarios;
Multivariate analysis of large bio-analytical and chemical-analytical data sets aiming at in-silico detection of potential drivers of toxicity in complex road runoff chemical mixtures (Exploring multivariate statistics with available data sets, confirmation via toxicity testing with artificial chemical mixtures in selected bioassays (e.g., 6PPD-Quinone + X mixtures at oxidative stress responses,
Investigation of community changes in roadside biofilms using biofilm-metabarcoding (analysis of trial samples, sampling, sample preparation, sequencing, and bioinformatics)

Requirements

Literature

Wagner, Stephan, et al. "Tire wear particles in the aquatic environment-a review on generation, analysis, occurrence, fate and effects." Water research 139 (2018): 83-100.

Baensch-Baltruschat, Beate, et al. "Tyre and road wear particles-a calculation of generation, transport and release to water and soil with special regard to German roads." Science of the Total Environment 752 (2021): 141939.

Baensch-Baltruschat, Beate, et al. "Tyre and road wear particles (TRWP)-A review of generation, properties, emissions, human health risk, ecotoxicity, and fate in the environment." Science of the total Environment 733 (2020): 137823.

Hwang, Hyun-Min, et al. "Review of pollutants in urban road dust and stormwater runoff: part 1. Heavy metals released from vehicles." International Journal of Urban Sciences 20.3 (2016): 334-360.

Hwang, Hyun-Min, et al. "Review of pollutants in urban road dust: Part II. Organic contaminants from vehicles and road management." International Journal of Urban Sciences 23.4 (2019): 445-463.

For more specific preparation please contact Henner Hollert to receive up-to-date prep-material

Ecotoxicology of the Valcheta Stream in Patagonia

Key Information

Research Overview

The Valcheta Stream is located in an endorheic basin in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. This system is part of a significant aquifer network, where water infiltrates the plateau and emerges through numerous springs, giving rise to both permanent and temporary streams. While the region is relatively remote and sparsely populated, its aquatic ecosystems are increasingly exposed to a wide spectrum of pollutants. Ecotoxicological tests based on sub-lethal responses remain relatively underexplored, despite their potential as early warning indicators of ecosystem impact in Patagonian freshwaters. We will employ a combination of physiological and behavioral biomarkers in amphipods of the genus Gammarus to assess the toxicity of environmental samples from the Valcheta Stream.

We will collect amphipods from streams in the vicinity of the Campus Riedberg. In the E3T laboratories, we will expose them to solutions of resuspended sediments collected from four sites along the Valcheta Stream, each representing different contamination levels. Behavioral responses will be analyzed using the ToxmateLab device (Viewpoint, Lyon, France), a novel multimodal online monitoring system that simultaneously tracks multiple fields of view under white and infrared illumination. Following acclimatization and temperature adjustment, we will simulate short-term pulse contamination events lasting 90 minutes to identify distinct behavioral patterns, with a focus on hyperactivity and hypoactivity responses, analyzed using the ToxmateLab software. Physiological responses will be assessed by analizing stress enzymes and oxidative stress markers. Experimental specimens will be processed following standardized protocols, including homogenization in KCl with protease inhibitor cocktail, followed by centrifugation for enzymatic and lipid peroxidation analysis. Lipid peroxidation will be evaluated using the TBARS assay, while specific antioxidant and metabolic enzyme activities will be measured according to established laboratory procedures. Samples from the same sites will be kept frozen at -80ºC for comprehensive chemical analysis in collaboration with RobustNature partners at a later stage.

Requirements

The candidate must be willing to work with living organisms, specifically amphipod crustaceans, and participate in both field and laboratory work. As this work involves living animals, the candidate will be required to complete mandatory training courses on good practices and animal handling at F.15, GU. Strong commitment, reliability, and attention to detail are expected. The candidate must demonstrate strong teamwork skills, as they will collaborate within a research group. A good understanding of ecotoxicology is advantageous but not mandatory. The candidate must have the physical ability to conduct fieldwork in stream habitats.

Literature

Lozano, V.L., E.M. Paolucci, S.E. Sabatini, T. Noya Abad, C. Muñoz, F. Liquin, H. Hollert, and F. Sylvester. 2024. Assessing the Impact of Imidacloprid, Glyphosate, and Their Mixtures on Multiple Biomarkers in Corbicula Largillierti. Science of The Total Environment, 173685.

Malev, O., Sauerborn Klobučar, R., Fabbretti, E., Trebše, P. 2012. Comparative toxicity of imidacloprid and its transformation product 6-chloronicotinic acid to non-target aquatic organisms: Microalgae Desmodesmus subspicatus and amphipod Gammarus fossarum. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology, 104(3): 178-186.

Soose, L. J., Hügl, K. S., Oehlmann, J., Schiwy, A., Hollert, H., & Jourdan, J. (2023). A novel approach for the assessment of invertebrate behavior and its use in behavioral ecotoxicology. Science of The Total Environment, 165418.

Soose, L.J., Rex, T., Oehlmann, J., Schiwy, A., Krauss, M., Brack, W., Klimpel, S., Hollert, H., Jourdan, J. 2024

One like all? Behavioral response range of native and invasive amphipods to neonicotinoid exposure, Environmental Pollution 124235.