Medical University of Vienna (MUW), Institute of Cancer Research, Austria

MUW, Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) is the largest research institution at the academic level in Austria concerned with research on a variety of aspects of malignant diseases. The Environmental Toxicology Group focuses also on investigations of acute toxic and genotoxic effects of waters and soils. A broad variety of methods which fall mainly into the field of genetic toxicology are established. The group participates in international efforts to validate and standardise micronucleus assays with exfoliated buccal cells; it was also actively involved in the UNEPP and worked on the establishment of plant bioassays which are widely used for the detection of toxins in environmental compartments. One of the largest environmental research projects concerning the contamination of a ground water with chemical carcinogens was planned and conducted by the group. In a project concerning the impact of water filtration methods on the removal of pharmaceuticals from an oncological ward a broad variety of data concerning the acute toxic and gentoxic effects of waters containing cytostatic drugs and chemical analytical data were generated in the frame of this project. Present activities of the group concern investigations of the efficiency of membrane filtration techniques in regard to removal of genotoxins from waters and the impact of ozonation on toxic properties of communal waste waters.