Does the dose make the poison? The influence of biotic and abiotic factors on the toxicity of copper in mussels

Paracelsus stated in the 16 century that “the dose makes the poison“. Modern marine environmental risk assessment (ERA) is still primarily based on this principle through the use of tightly controlled laboratory experiments performed according to international standards. Previous research has indicated that several biotic and abiotic factors may influence the toxicity of pollutants or the sensitivity of various species. Therefore, the relationship between the dose and effect may not be straightforward and current ERA could therefore not accurately reflect the actual risk of chemical contaminants.