ABSTRACT
Ecotoxicology is an emerging field of study, moving very rapidly and attracting a lot of public attention, particularly in regard to what it might be able to contribute to risk assessment. It is fitting to assess where we are in the development of ecotoxicology from the perspective of methodology which can support ecotoxicology research. We need ecotoxicological methods that are as sensitive as our analytical chemical methods. To deliver methods that have these three characteristics — sensitivity, relevance, and a mechanistic basis — is going to require collaboration. Extremely sensitive biological responses exist, like moth antennae responding to pheromones and cholinesterase enzyme responding to activated organic phosphates. There is no question that such biological systems are extremely sensitive, so we should aim to reduce the gap between analytical chemistry and ecotoxicology. The analytical chemist must work closely with the field ecologist, and the biochemical toxicologist must work closely with the statistician.
