NORMAN

Field-relevance-based approaches for hazardous pollutants identification

Focus

There is increasing evidence of toxic stress in European river basins that results in the disappearance of sensitive species and this is only partly covered by chemical status under WFD and priority pollutant monitoring. The challenge posed by the complexity of contamination is addressed by DG Environment in an ongoing prioritisation process based on monitoring and modelling. The WG wants to support this process by providing a field-relevance-based approach to identify hazardous compounds using effect-directed analysis (EDA). This may also be a crucial methodology in investigative monitoring and will provide an additional line of evidence for prioritisation.

The activities of this working group include:

• Compiling existing EDA methodologies and making the resulting compilation accessible to scientists and end-users;
• Promoting and monitoring scientific progress in EDA and related techniques that help to identify emerging compounds with relevance to ecological status and environmental health in general;
• Bringing together European experts in EDA to exchange knowledge, methods and data by workshops, database exchange and scientific collaboration. There will be a specific focus on the establishment of a common library for LC-MSn spectra and retention data;
• Promoting and supporting the application of EDA in investigative monitoring by water agencies, consultants and water managers;
• Providing WG1 (on prioritisation) with candidate compounds and recommendations from field-relevance-based toxicant identification;
• Providing a link for WG2 (on biological tools) to chemical monitoring and compound prioritisation.

Contact: Werner Brack and Marja Lamoree

List of participants

 

 Private area