The Ecotoxicology Laboratory at the Ecology Center of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) was established in 1991 through a partnership agreement with the Alberto Pasqualini Refinery – PETROBRAS. Its initial objective was to evaluate and characterise the toxicity levels of liquid effluents and their receiving water bodies from this industrial complex. Since then, the laboratory has conducted aquatic pollution biomonitoring using toxicity tests to determine the effects of contaminants on inland water bodies. These assays are based on standardised technical protocols developed by nationally and internationally recognised research and environmental control institutions.
Between its founding and 2009, the Ecotoxicology Laboratory implemented a series of ecotoxicological testing methods for monitoring the toxicity of industrial effluents. During this period, resources obtained through contracted analytical services supported various research activities. At that time, the laboratory also became one of the first at UFRGS to implement and be audited according to the ISO NBR 17025 standard.
As of 2009, the laboratory redirected its focus exclusively to research activities, aiming to advance scientific knowledge in the field of ecotoxicology.
In 2011, the laboratory began relocating to a new facility within the Ecology Center. The newly renovated structure, made possible by a renewed partnership with Petrobras, enabled the implementation of Danio rerio (zebrafish) cultures and the establishment of toxicity assays using embryos, larvae, and juveniles. Over the following decade, studies with this species became a central pillar of the laboratory’s research efforts.
More recently, the laboratory entered a new phase by adopting Pimephales promelas (Fathead Minnow) as its primary test organism. This transition aimed to broaden the use of a model species recognised for its high toxicological sensitivity and ease of handling in laboratory conditions, in alignment with both national and international technical guidelines. As a result, activities with Danio rerio were temporarily suspended, marking a methodological evolution in the laboratory’s research scope.