Prof. Dr. Rik Eggen

Research area

Research Overview
The major focus of Rik Eggen’s research is studying mechanisms of effects of micropollutants on aquatic organisms in complex ecosystems. Combining lab experiments, pilot facilities and field work mechanisms are studied from the molecular level up to ecosystem responses including multiple stressor effects. Based on this research (bio)analytical tools and mitigation options are being developed. Current projects in Rik Eggen’s team are all of interdisciplinary nature, including environmental and environmental health, engineering and social sciences. In collaboration with stakeholders, research results get implemented in practice, result in new legislations and mitigation measures towards improving human and environmental health. Research projects run in developed and low and middle-income countries.

Research Projects
EcoImpact
Despite many data exist on micropollutants effects on specific organisms, the ultimate question ‘do MPs significantly impact the structure and/or function of natural aquatic ecosystems’ is unanswered. Answering this major question is difficult because of the many confounding factors that influence biological responses. Motivated by the upgrading of wastewater treatment plants in Switzerland, which offers multiple real world experiments, our approach to address this question is to combine large scale field surveys, manipulative field experiments, and laboratory experiments.

   Eggen RIL, Hollender J, Joss A, Schärer M and Stamm C (2014) Reducing the Discharge of Micropollutants in the Aquatic Environment: The Benefits of Upgrading Wastewater Treatment. Environ. Sci. Technol. 48, 7683-7689
    Stamm C, Räsänen K, Burdon F, Altermatt F, Jokela J, Joss A, Ackermann M and Eggen RIL (2016) Unraveling the impacts of micropollutants in aquatic ecosystems: crossdisciplinary studies at the interface of large-scale ecology. Advances in Ecological Research Vol. 55, 183-223

Pestrop
Pesticides are intensively used in agriculture worldwide and account globally for considerable health impact, with hardly any studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of Pestrop, combining environmental monitoring, epidemiology, clinical examinations and exposure assessment with institutional and policy analysis, is to deepen the under standing of the environmental, health and regulatory dimensions of pesticide use in agriculture in LMICs.
   Weiss FT, Leuzinger M, Zurbrügg C and Eggen RIL (2016) Chemical Pollution in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Report, 161 pages.