Dr. Ir. C.A.M. (Kees) van Gestel

Curriculum Vitae & Publications

Research interests

My research interest is in the ecotoxicological effects of chemicals on soil invertebrates. In soil, the availability of chemicals to soil organisms is highly dependent on their interaction with soil particles and the resulting concentrations in the soil pore water. Organisms may affect their exposure to chemicals by the way they interact with the soil, with some organisms like earthworms literally eating themselves through the soil while others just walk on the soil or feed on leaf litter. In soil, pollution rarely is restricted to single chemicals, with chemicals interacting with each other at different levels. Finally, live in soil is dynamic, asking for a dynamic approach when assessing bioaccumulation and effects of chemicals in soil organisms. My research therefore especially focuses on aspects like bioavailability, routes of exposure, toxicokinetics and mixture toxicity. I am also interested in application of our results in the risk assessment of new and existing chemicals.

Selected Publications

Van der Wal, L., T. Jager, R.L.J. Fleuren, A. Barendrecht, T. Sinnige, C.A.M. Van Gestel and J.L.M. Hermens (2004). Solid-Phase Microextraction to predict bioavailability and accumulation of organic micropollutants in terrestrial organisms after exposure to a field-contaminated soil. Environmental Science and Technology 38, 4842-4848.

Vijver, M.G., C.A.M. Van Gestel, R.P. Lanno, N.M. Van Straalen and W.J.G.M. Peijnenburg (2004). Internal metal squestration and its ecotoxicological relevance: A review. Environmental Science and Technology 38, 4705-4712

Van Gestel, C.A.M. (2008). Physico-chemical and biological parameters determine metal bioavailability in soils. Science of the Total Environment 406, 385-395.

Van Gestel, C.A.M., J.E. Koolhaas, T. Hamers, M. Van Hoppe, M. Van Roovert, C. Korsman and S.A. Reinecke (2009). Effect of metal pollution on earthworm communities in a contaminated flooplain area: linking biomarker, community and functional responses. Environmental Pollution 157, 895-903.

Van Gestel, C.A.M., M.J. Jonker, J.E. Kammenga, R. Laskowski and C. Svendsen (Eds.). (2011). Mixture toxicity. Linking approaches from ecological and human toxicology. SETAC Press, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola.
 

Research lines

Uptake and effects of metals in soil invertebrates in relation to substrate properties, routes of exposure, internal concentrations and physiology
Soil invertebrates are exposed to metals via different routes (soil, pore water, food), with speciation in the pore water affecting metal uptake and toxicity. The following questions are studied: What are routes of metal uptake in different soil invertebrates? Which metal fraction is available for uptake? Can metal uptake (kinetics) be linked to speciation in soil and distribution in organisms? Which factors determine metal uptake and toxicity in soil invertebrates?

Participants: Masoud M. Ardestani, Erkai He, Bernadeta Soedarini, Kees van Gestel, Rudo Verweij, Nico van Straalen

Bioassays and biomarkers for the assessment of the potential ecological risk of polluted soils
To assess the risk of soil contamination, a combination of chemical analyses and bioassays is applied, sometimes extended with field observations and biomarker measurements on exposed organisms (lab, field). Questions addressed among others include: How toxic is the soil? Which set of bioassays is most suitable for assessing toxicity? How available are chemicals in soil? Can toxicity be predicted from chemical composition? Which biomarkers may be used to assess toxicity?

Participants: Kees van Gestel, Rudo Verweij, guest researchers

Toxicity of metal-based nanoparticles to soil invertebrates 
The rise of nanotechnology leads to an increased emission of nanomaterials to the environment. Soil invertebrates may be exposed to nanoparticles accumulating in the soil. This research line focuses on metal-based nanoparticles. Since these nanoparticles may dissolute leading to free metal ions, it links to research on metal bioavailability. It also focuses on nanoparticle-specific toxicity to soil invertebrates, distinguishing effects of nanoparticles from those of the free metal.

Participants: Pauline Waalewijn-Kool, Paula Tourinho (University of Aveiro), Kees van Gestel, Rudo Verweij, Nico van Straalen

Toxicity and metabolism of organic chemicals in soil invertebrates 
Soil arthropods have an enormous biotransformation capacity for organic chemicals, facilitating efficient excretion. Biotransformation may, however, produce more toxic metabolites. Long-term consequences therefore are not predictable and require investigation in multi-generation tests. Soil invertebrates are exposed to organic chemicals via different routes (soil, soil pore water, food), with pore water being most relevant. This enables development of QSARs (Structure-Activity Relationships) predicting toxicity based on pore-water concentrations from chemical properties.

Participants: Daniel Giesen, Kees van Gestel, Nico van Straalen

Toxicity of chemical mixtures to soil invertebrates 
Environmental pollution hardly ever is restricted to a single chemical. Exposure to mixtures therefore is rule rather than exception. This research line focuses on assessing the toxicity of chemical mixtures (metals, organic chemicals) to soil invertebrates, including aspects of toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. Realizing that chemicals may affect each others’ toxicity by interactions at different levels (exposure, uptake, internal processing, intoxication), a dynamic approach of mixture toxicity will be applied.

Participants: Mieke Broerse, Kees van Gestel,