Alina Koch
Presentation
My research focuses on environmental pollutants and their impact on the environment. During my PhD I studied PFAS and their biotransfer from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems. Now I assess pesticides as they occur in the field and their direct and indirect impact on non-target organisms (i.e. aquatic alage, fungi and invertebrate communities or pollinators). Additionally, I explore assessment criteria for ecological impacts of pesticides for environmental risk assessment (ERA).
Research
PARC (2022-2028):
The European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) aims to advance research, share knowledge, and improve skills in chemical risk assessment. My involvment is in project 6.4.4. that aims to improve the environmental risk assessment (ERA) of plant protection products (PPP).
My projects contributing to PARC 6.4.4c "Effects project":
A. SAFE Fungi (Sensitivity Assessment of Fungi to Exposure, 2025-2028)
This project aims to develop ecotoxicological tests to assess the sensitivity of aquatic fungi to fungicides, starting with single-species, single-compound exposures. Key endpoints such as respiration, growth, decomposition, and reproduction will be evaluated, with later expansion to more complex scenarios involving mixtures and additional stressors.
B. BAPaqua (2022-2024)
A field study in which pesticide residue concentration were measured in aquatic invertebrate groups, biofilm, water and sediment. Data were combined with pesticide application data, taxonomic data as well as biolgical indexes to assess distrubtion and bioaccumulation between different matrices in the aquatic ecosystem.
C. Biofilm study (2022-2024)
A field study to assess impact of seasonal pesticide exposure on periphyton structure and nutritional quality in agricultural streams.
PollinERA project (2024-2028):
Understanding Pesticide-Pollinator Interactions to Support EU Environmental Risk Assessment and Policy
Main contribution: pesticide residue analysis for different pollinators and exposure matrices and development of an indicator for effects of pesticides on pollinators (PollSPEAR)
PollinERA receives funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe
Reducing pesticide transport from agricultural drainage systems using biochar filters (2023 - 2024)
Involvement in CKB’s pollinator project AirBeeSafe and other collaborations with Lund University (2022)
Research projects
- PARC (Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals), WP 6.4.4.c
- PollinERA (Understanding Pesticide-Pollinator Interactions to Support EU Environmental Risk Assessment and Policy)
Environment analysis
Responsibilties within environmenal monitoring and assessment programmes:
- Operations manager for the area of operation "Biological effects" at CKB
- Assisstent coordinator for the Non-Toxic Environment programme
Teaching
Förorenad mark - riskbedömning och åtgärder (TE0020) - lectures and seminar about "Fugacity"
Environmental issues of crop production (BI1283) - lecture about "Ecological effects of pesticides"
BioMiljö (BI1427) - lecture about "Environmental pollutants"
Educational credentials
Doctoral Student in Environmental Chemistry (2016 - 2020)
- Örebro University (Örebro, Sweden)
- Fate of PFAS pollutants in aquatic ecosystems
EuropeanDouble MSc Degree EnvironmentalScience –Soil, Water and Biodiversity (EnvEuro) (2023 - 2015)
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Uppsala, Sweden)
- University ofNatural Resources and Life Sciences (Vienna, Austria)
- Specialization: Water resources
Bachelor of Science in Geoecology (2009 - 2013)
- University ofPotsdam (Potsdam, Germany)