Branch in Pszczyna – Toxicology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory
Toxicology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory
The laboratory consists of the following sections:
- Laboratory of Diagnostics and Alternative Methods
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry
- Laboratory of Soil Organisms Toxicology
- Laboratory of Vertebrates And Aquatic Organisms Toxicology
- Laboratory of Beneficial Arthropods Toxicology
The laboratory is made up of a highly qualified team of specialists from various disciplines. Our professional staff, combined with the modern equipment at our disposal, enables us to provide research services of the highest quality.
We conduct comprehensive ecotoxicological studies on a wide range of organisms, including plants, aquatic and soil microorganisms, as well as vertebrate and invertebrate animals. We also perform studies on the fate and behaviour of substances in the environment to assess the hazards posed by chemical substances found in plant protection products, biocidal products, medicinal products, industrial and municipal wastewater, food and feed additives, and other industrial chemicals and mixtures.
The purpose of these studies is to determine the impact of the test material on the test organisms allowing the assessment of its harmfulness in relation to the environment. The studies are conducted under the Good Laboratory Practice quality system according to methods: OECD, EU, ISO, EPA, SANTE, SANCO, SETAC, ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2, IOBC, BART, EPPO, and the results are used for registration, licensing as well as other regulations in the field of industrial chemicals.
We also carry out toxicological studies, prioritizing alternative testing methods (in chemico, in vitro, or ex vivo) over vertebrate animal testing whenever possible. These studies assess the safety of chemical and biological substances contained in medicinal products, medical devices, plant protection products, biocidal products, food and feed additives, cosmetics, industrial waste, and industrial chemicals. Their purpose is to determine the potential risks these substances pose to human and animal health. Our research enables the development of models that trace the behaviour of chemicals within an organism and explain mechanisms underlying toxic effects. The studies are conducted under Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) in accordance with OECD, EU, SCCS, ISO, EMA, and FDA guidelines, and the results are used for registration, licensing, and other regulatory processes concerning industrial chemicals.
List of ecotoxicological studies
Aquatic toxicity studies
| Freshwater algae and cyanobacteria, growth inhibition test. | OECD Nr 201/EU C.3 |
| Lemna sp. growth inhibition test. | OECD Nr 221/EU C.26 |
| Sediment–free Myriophyllum spicatum toxicity test. | OECD Nr 238 |
| Water–sediment (Myriophyllum spicatum) macrophytes spicatum toxicity test. | OECD Nr 239 |
| Daphnia magna., acute immobilisation test. | OECD Nr 202/ EU C.2 |
| Daphia magna. reproduction test. | OECD Nr 211/EU C.20 |
| Sediment–water chironomid toxicity using spiked sediment. | OECD Nr 218/EU C.27 |
| Sediment–water chironomid toxicity using spiked water. | OECD Nr 219/EU C.28 |
| Sediment–water chironomid life-cycle toxicity test using spiked water or spiked sediment. | OECD Nr 233/ EU C.40 |
| Chironomus sp., acute immobilisation test. | OECD Nr 235 |
| Fish Cell Line Acute Toxicity – The RTgill-W1 cell line assay. | OECD Nr 249 |
| Fish embryo acute toxicity (FET) test. | OECD Nr 236 |
| Fish, acute toxicity test. | OECD Nr 203/EU C.1 |
| Fish, early-life stage toxicity test. | OECD Nr 210 |
| Fish, short-term toxicity test on embryo and sac-fry stages. | OECD Nr 212/EU C.15 |
| Fish, juvenile growth test. | OECD Nr 215/EU C.14 |
| Bioaccumulation in fish: aqueous and dietary exposure. | OECD Nr 305/EU C.13 |
| 21-day fish assay: a short-term screening for oestrogenic and androgenic acitivity in zebrafish. | OECD Nr 230/EU C.37 |
Toxicity studies for soil organisms
| Terrestrial plant test, seedling emergence and seedling growth test. | OECD Nr 208 |
| Terrestrial plant test, vegetative vigour test. | OECD Nr 227 |
| Earthworm, acute toxicity test. | OECD Nr 207/ EU C.8 |
| Earthworm, reproduction test. (Eisenia fetida/Eisenia andrei) | OECD Nr 222 |
| Collembolan, reproduction test in soil. (Folsomia candida) | OECD Nr 232 |
| Predatory mite Hypoaspis (Geolaelaps), reproduction test in soil. | OECD Nr 226 |
| Soil microorganisms: nitrogen transformation test. | OECD Nr 216/ EU C.21 |
| Soil microorganisms: carbon transformation test. | OECD Nr 217/ EU C.22 |
Toxicity tests for pollinators and beneficial arthropods
| Honeybees, acute oral toxicity test (Apis mellifera) | OECD Nr 213/ EU C.16 |
| Honeybees, acute contact toxicity test (Apis mellifera) | OECD Nr 214/ EU C.17 |
| Honeybees, larval toxicity test (Apis mellifera) – single exposure | OECD Nr 237 |
| Honeybees, larval toxicity test (Apis mellifera) – repeated exposure. | OECD GD 239 |
| Honeybees (Apis mellifera), chronic oral toxicity test (10-day feeding). | OECD Nr 245 |
| Study of honeybees' flight ability to return to the hive after a single oral exposure to sublethal doses of chemicals. | OECD GD 332 |
| Bumblebees (Bombus spp.), acute oral toxicity test. | OECD Nr 247 |
| Bumblebees (Bombus spp.), acute contact toxicity test. | OECD Nr 246 |
| A laboratory test or extended laboratory test for evaluating the effects of plant protection products on the parasitic wasp, Aphidius rhopalosiphi De Stephani-Perez. | SETAC; ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2; IOBC/BART/EPPO |
| A laboratory test or extended laboratory test for evaluating the effects of plant protection products on the predatory mite, Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten. | SETAC; ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2; IOBC/BART/EPPO |
| A laboratory test for evaluating the effects of plant protection products on the spider, Pardosa. | SETAC; ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2; IOBC/BART/EPPO |
| A laboratory test or extended laboratory test for evaluating the effects of plant protection products on the seven spotted ladybird beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. | ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2, IOBC, BART, EPPO |
| A laboratory test or extended laboratory test for evaluating the effects of plant protection products on the green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea. | ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2, IOBC, BART, EPPO |
| Aged residue test on the parasitic wasp, Aphidius rhopalosiphi De Stephani-Perez. | ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2, IOBC, BART, EPPO |
| Aged residue test on the predatory mite, Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten. | ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2, IOBC, BART, EPPO |
| Aged residue test on the seven spotted ladybird beetle, Coccinella septempunctata L. | ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2, IOBC, BART, EPPO |
| Aged residue test on the green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea. | ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2, IOBC, BART, EPPO |
| A test for evaluating the chronic effects of plant protection products on the rove beetle Aleochara bilineata (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) | SETAC; ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2; IOBC/BART/EPPO |
| A method for testing effects of plant protection products on the carabid beetle Poecilus cupreus (Coleoptera, Carabidae) | SETAC; ESCORT 1, ESCORT 2; IOBC/BART/EPPO |
Fate and behaviour in the environment
| Ready biodegradability: closed bottle | OECD Nr 301D/ EU C.4-E |
| Ready biodegradability: manometric respirometry | OECD Nr 301F/ EU C.4-D |
| Inherent biodegradability: Zahn-Wellens/ EMPA test | OECD Nr 302B/ EU C.9 |
| Activated sludge, respiration inhibition test | OECD Nr 209/EU C.11 |
| Aerobic and anaerobic transformation in soil | OECD Nr 307/EU C.23 |
| Leaching in soil columns | OECD Nr 312 |
| Development and validation of an analytical method in water, soil, sediments and plant and animal materials | SANTE/2020/12830 |
| Determination of the residues of chemical substances in water, soil, sedimemt, plant and animal materials | SANTE/2020/12830 metoda własna |
| Stability of pesticide residues in stored commodities | OECD Nr 506 |
| Bioaccumulation in Terrestrial Oligochaetes | OECD Nr 317 |
Physical and chemical properties
| Water solubility | OECD 105/EU A.6 |
| Solubility in organic solvents | CIPAC MT 181 |
| Adsorption – desorption using batch equilibrium method | OECD 106/EU C.18 |
| Partition coefficient (n-octanol/water): shake flask method | OECD 107/EU A.8 |
| Hydrolysis as a function of pH | OECD 111/EU C.7 |
| Partition coefficient (n-octanol/water), HPLC method | OECD Nr 117 |
| Estimation of the adsorption coefficient (KOC) on soil and on sewage sludge using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) | OECD 121/EU C.19 |
Ecosystem structure study
| Simulated freshwater lentic field test (outdoor microcosms and mesocosms) | OECD GD 53, ENV/JM/MONO(2006)17 |
Lista badań toksykologicznych
In vitro, ex vivo, in vivo eye corrosion/ irritation studies
| Isolated chicken eye test method for identifying I) chemicals inducing serious eye damage, II) chemicals not requiring classification for eye irritation or serious eye damage. | OECD Nr 438 |
| Short time exposure in vitro test method for identifying I) chemicals inducing serious eye damage II) chemicals not requiring classification for eye irritation or serious eye damage. | OECD Nr 491 |
| The test method used within the study on the model of reconstructed human cornea-like epithelium (RhCE), used for identifying chemicals not requiring classification and labelling for eye irritation or serious eye damage. | OECD Nr 492 |
| Reconstructed human cornea-like epithelium (RHCE) test method for eye hazard identification. | OECD Nr 492B |
| Acute eye irritation/ eye corrosion test. | OECD Nr 405/EU B.5 |
In vitro, ex vivo, in vivo skin corrosion/ irritation studies
| In vitro skin corrosion: transcutaneous electrical resistance test (TER) | OECD Nr 430/EU B.40 |
| In vitro skin corrosion: reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) test method. | OECD Nr 431/EU B.40 |
| In vitro skin irritation. The test on the model of reconstructed human epidermis. | OECD Nr 439 |
| Acute skin irritation/ corrosion test. | OECD Nr 404/EU B.4 |
| Biological evaluation of medical devices – Test for skin irritation in vitro. | ISO 10993-23 |
In vitro, in chemico, in vivo skin sensitisation studies
| Skin sensitisation: local lymph node assay (LLNA): BrdU-ELISA. | OECD Nr 442B |
| In chemico skin sensitisation, direct peptide reactivity assay (DPRA). | OECD Nr 442C/EU B.59 |
| In vitro skin sensitisation: the test method with use of ARE-Nrf2 Luciferase. | OECD Nr 442D |
| In vitro skin sensitisation: Human cell line activation test (H-CLAT). | OECD Nr 442E |
| Skin sensitisation study. | OECD Nr 406/EU B.6 |
| Delayed hypersensitivity assessment test using the closed-patch method (Buehler Test). | ISO 10993-10 |
In vitro cytotoxicity studies
| In vitro cytotoxicity test. | ISO 10993-5 |
In vitro phototoxicity
| Phototoxicity – In vitro 3T3 NRU phototoxicity test. | OECD Nr 432 |
| In vitro Phototoxicity – Reconstructed Human Epidermis Phototoxicity test method. | OECD Nr 498 |
In vitro Pyrogen Test
| Monocyte Activation Test | ISO/ Farmakopea |
In vitro, in vivo studies identifying endocrine-disrupting substances
| Stably Transfected Human Estrogen Receptor-α Transactivation Assay for Detection of Estrogenic Agonist and antagonist Activity of Chemicals using the hERα-HeLa-9903 cell line. | OECD Nr 455 |
| Uterotrophic Bioassay in Rodents A short-term screening test for oestrogenic properties. | OECD Nr 440 |
| Hershberger bioassay in rats. Short-term screening test of (anti-) androgenic properties. | OECD Nr 441 |
| H295R Steroidogenesis Assay | OECD Nr 456 |
In vitro, in vivo acute toxicity
| Use of the 3T3 neutral red uptake cytotoxicity test to estimate starting doses for acute oral systemic toxicity tests. | OECD Series on Testing and Assessment No. 129 (2010) (ENV/JM/MONO(2010)20) |
| Acute oral toxicity test. | OECD Nr 420/EU B.1 BIS |
| Acute oral/ intraperitoneal/ subcutaneous/ intravascular toxicity test - acute toxic class method | OECD Nr 423/EU B.1 TRIS |
| Acute dermal toxicity test. | OECD Nr 402/EU B.3 |
| Acute inhalation toxicity test. | OECD Nr 403 |
| Acute inhalation toxicity – acute toxic class method. | OECD Nr 436/EU B.52 |
| Maximum tolerated dose test (MTD). | |
| Single dose toxicity study in rodents. | ISO 10993-11 |
In vivo subacute, subchronic and chronic studies
| Dose range finding test (DRF). | |
| Repeated dose 28-day oral/ intraperitoneal/ subcutaneous toxicity study in rodents. | OECD Nr 407/EU B.7 |
| Repeated dose dermal toxicity: 21/ 28 day study. | OECD Nr 410/EU B.9 |
| Repeated dose 90-day oral toxicity study in rodents. | OECD Nr 408/EU B.26 |
| Subchronic dermal toxicity: 90-day study. | OECD Nr 411/EU B.28 |
| Chronic toxicity studies. | OECD Nr 452/EU B.30 |
| Combined chronic toxicity/ carcinogenicity studies. | OECD Nr 453/EU B.33 |
In vivo neurotoxicity studies
| Neurotoxicity study in rodents. | OECD Nr 424/EU B.43 |
In vivo developmental and reproduction studies
| Prenatal developmental toxicity study. | OECD Nr 414/EU B.31 |
| Reproduction/ developmental toxicity screening test | OECD Nr 421 |
| Combined repeated dose toxicity study with the reproduction/ developmental toxicity screening test. | OECD Nr 422 |
| Extended one-generation reproductive toxicity study in rats. | OECD Nr 443/EU B.56 |
| Two-generation reproduction toxicity study. | OECD Nr 416/EU B.35 |
In vitro, in vivo genotoxicity studies
| Bacterial reverse mutation test (AMES test, microplate format). | based on OECD Nr 471/ EU B.13/14 |
| In vitro micronucleus test on the mammalian cell line. | OECD Nr 487 |
| In vitro mammalian cell gene mutation tests using the HPRT genes. | OECD Nr 476 |
| In vivo mammalian erythrocyte micronucleus test. | OECD Nr 474/EU B.12 |
| In vivo mammalian cell gene mutation test using the thymidine kinase gene. | OECD Nr 490/EU B.67 |
| In Vivo Mammalian Alkaline Comet Assay. | OECD Nr 489 |
In vivo carcinogenicity studies
| Carcinogenicity study | OECD Nr 451/EU B.32 |
| Combined chronic toxicity/ carcinogenicity studies. | OECD Nr 453/EU B.33 |
In vivo local tolerance studies
| Local tolerance test. | CPMP/SWP/2145/00, ISO 10993-10 |
Toxicokinetics/pharmacokinetics study.
| Badanie toksykokinetyki (część doświadczalna na szczurach) | OECD Nr 417/EU B.436 |
Other services
| Toxicological studies conducted according to the procedures agreed with the customer |
| Haematological studies |
| Biochemical studies |
| Hormone identification |
| Tissue and organ collection |
| Preparing histopathology slides and their scanning |
Since 2000, we have been holding Good Laboratory Practice Certificates obliging us to use strictly defined research procedures, and the results obtained in the studies have a high practical and scientific value. We were the first in Poland to receive full AAALAC International accreditation granted by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International Council. This accreditation confirms compliance with the highest standards related to ensuring the welfare of laboratory animals.
List of equipment
Apparatus
- Liquid chromatograph with mass spectrometer (MS/MS)
- Liquid chromatographs with UV-VIS, DAD detectors
- Gas chromatographs with ECD, TSD, FID detectors
- Spectrophotometers
- TOC-L carbon analyser
- Sterilisers (autoclaves)
- Optical, stereoscopic, inverted microscopes
- Multi-parameter meters
- Flow system operating kit
- Laminar chambers
- Incubators (with shaker)
- Soil respiration and BOD testing kits
- Digital meter for ion-selective (NO3) measurements
- Micro-applicator Burkard Manufacturing Co Ltd/CE 250A
- Potter’s Tower
- Laboratory incubators
- inhalation exposure system
- metabolic cage system with e-Chillers
- behavioural testing kits: motor activity testing; assessment of animal pain response; apparatus for measuring grip strength of fore and hind limbs
- apparatus for inhalation anaesthesia of animals
- cytometer
- hematological analyser
- biochemical analyser
- histology scanner
- A unique superfusion apparatus used for testing isolated chicken eyes
according to OECD 438 - tissue processo
- paraffin embedding station
- automatic stainer for histology slides
- equipment for cell culture: BSLII chambers, microscopes, incubators, etc.
- Climate chamber
- RFID-based system to monitor bee activity
Collaboration opportunities #FutureMadeOrganic
WHAT ARE OUR CORE RESEARCH DOMAINS?
Ecotoxicology • Analytical chemistry • EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) • Safety • Sustainability • Agriculture • Green chemistry technologies • Environmental protection • Scientific projects • GLP • OECD TG • REACH
Toxicology • Pharmacy • Medical devices • Pharmaceutical products • Supplements • Cosmetics • In vivo studies • Ex vivo studies • In vitro studies • Safety • Sustainability • Environmental protection • GLP • ISO 10993 • OECD TG • REACH
WHY DO YOU NEED US?
We offer advanced ecotoxicological and toxicological studies that support the safe and responsible introduction of chemical and biological substances to the market. We analyze the impact of compounds on the environment as well as on human and animal health, combining scientific expertise with modern research methods.
Our studies are conducted across a wide range of organisms—from plants and aquatic and soil microorganisms to vertebrates and invertebrates—enabling a comprehensive assessment of the effects of substances under real environmental conditions. We evaluate, among others, plant protection products, biocides, medicinal products, food and feed additives, cosmetics, as well as industrial chemicals and their mixtures.
An ethical and innovative approach to research
We focus on alternative research methods (in chemico, in vitro, ex vivo) that reduce the use of animals and address growing regulatory and societal demands. Our approach enables the rapid, reliable, and ethical generation of data on the safety of substances.
Decision support and regulatory compliance
We provide reliable results that help to:
- identify potential hazards,
- assess environmental and health risks,
- understand mechanisms of toxicity and the fate of substances,
- support registration and decision-making processes.
We combine science, innovation, and responsibility to help create safer products and solutions that are friendly to both health and the environment.
WHERE ARE WE READY TO COLLABORATE?
Cluster 5 • Cluster 6 • Widening instruments • EIC / EIT • R&D Projects
Our Expert
Head of the Toxicology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory
WHO IS OUR GO-TO EXPERT?
Graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry at the University of Silesia in Katowice, holding a Master’s degree in chemistry. A specialist in analytical chemistry with solid experience in laboratory research and chemical analysis.
CONTACT
e-mail: katarzyna.winiarska@ipo.lukasiewicz.gov.pl
Telephone: +48 32 210 30 81 ext. 123, +48 885 387 000 150, +48 885 505 747