CRIT - Centre for Research and Innovation in Toxicology
Technical University of Catalonia (UPC)

The Centre for Research and Innovation in Toxicology (formerly Environmental Toxicology Laboratory) was created on January 1993, within the INTEXTER of the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC-Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya). Laboratory activities specialize in Health and Environment. The laboratory is associated to the Dept. of Environment of the Catalonian Government, since 1996, and it is recognized by the Government of Catalonia Departmen of Agriculture, and Department of Health.

The CRIT has obtained the Certification of compliance with the principles of Good Laboratory Practices for ecotoxicology assays, awarded by the Spanish National Accreditation Body (ENAC)

R+D Activities

Academic Research

• Aquatic Ecotoxicology (water and soil) of potential contaminants and environmental quality studies
• Studies of persistence and accumulation of chemical contaminants (dyes, metals, pesticides..) in wastewaters, aquatic ecosystems and living organisms.
• Analytical Environmental Toxicology of chemical contaminants.
• Physiological and Histo-pathological effects in aquatic organisms
• “in vitro” toxicity techniques with established fish and mammal cell lines, cell cultures and alternative systems.
• Biochemical and enzymatic studies related to the presence of xenobiotics
• Organizer of Inter-laboratory Comparison studies of the bacterial luminescence toxicity assay, Daphnia and Alga toxicity assay, the microcystins determination assay (algal toxins), and the adsorbable organic halogen assay (AOX).

Analytical Ecotoxicology

• Assessment of environmental toxic effects for chemical contaminants
• Ecotoxicology methods development.
• Bioaccumulation / Biodegradation / toxicity studies
• Determination of chemical and biological contaminants in different matrices: (water, soil, wastes, sediments, industrial products, consumer products and other materials, etc.)
• Study and development of specific biosensors and biomarkers.
• Epidemiology and ecology of Enterococci with special reference to cultures resistant to antibiotics in animals, humans and the environment.

Selected Publications

• J.M.Ribo, Ballestero, D. Pino, M.ª. and, Riva, M.C. (2009) Validation of an Avoldance test for Soil Environmental Quality Assessment. Presented at the  SETAC Europe 19th Annual Meeting. Göteburg. Sweden.
• M.C. Riva, C. Gibert, P. Alañon, J.M. Ribo (2007). Acute Toxicity of leather processing effluents on Vibrio Fischerii and Brachydanio rerio. AFINIDAD, 64(528),182-188.
• J.M. Ribo, M.C. Riva, (2006) Interlaboratory comparison study for microcystin determination in water samples. Presented at the SETAC 16th European Annual meeting. Den Haag.
• Y. Filali-Meknassi, C. Barata, M.C. Riva. (2005) Disruptores endocrinos estrogénicos en las aguas residuales. Mecanismos de mitigación en el tratamiento del agua. AFINIDAD 62 (516) 10 - 18.
• C. Barata, J, C. Navarro, I. Varo, M. C. Riva, S. Arun, C. Porte, (2005). Changes in antioxidant enzyme activities, fatty acid composition and lipid peroxidation in Daphnia magna during the aging process. Comparative Biochemistry and Phisiology Part B 140, 81-90
• M Farré, F. Arranz, J. Ribó, D. Barceló , (2004). Interlaboratory study of the bioluminescence inhibition tests for rapid wastewater toxicity assessment. Talanta 62 549–558.
• J.M. Ribo; M.C. Riva, (2003). Quality Assurance of Ecosystem health assessment methods: The bacterial luminescence assay as an example. Proceedings of Senspol Workshop “ Monitoring in polluted environments for Integrated Water-Soil Management, pp.20-25. Kracow ( Poland)
• Osuna-Flores, I., Riva, M.C. (2002). Organochloride Pesticide Residue Concentrations in shrimps, sediments and surface water from Bay of Ohuira, Topolobampo, Sinaloa, Mexico. Bull. Environ. Contam. Tox. 68: 532-539
• J.M. Ribo, M.Canela and E. Griful, (2001). Repeatability and Reproducibility of the luminescent bacteria bioassay. Environmental Toxicology. 16, 127-135.
• B. Vallés, M.C. Riva, C. Sampera, M.A. Canela, E. Griful (2000). Toxicity values for cationic surfactants. Tenside Surfactants Detergents, 37(5) 290-296.

For more information vist: www.crit.upc.edu