Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology - Eawag

Microbial communities are known to be indispensable for our planet. But surprisingly little is known about how they function. Researchers at the aquatic research institute Eawag are now shedding a little light on this subject: A new method enables them to observe the interaction between microorganisms.

Although use of the fungicide hexachlorobenzene has been banned since 2004, this compound is chemically stable – and accumulates in the polar regions where humpback whales replenish their fat reserves each year. Cell line studies conducted at Eawag have now shown that, while hexachlorobenzene does not have acute toxic effects, it can cause damage to DNA in humpback whale cells.

“Innovative and successful: the start-ups and spin-offs in the ETH Domain” – this is the motto which Eawag used to present itself at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos.