EU Wide Monitoring Survey of Polar Persistent Pollutants in European River Waters

This study provides the first EU-wide reconnaissance of the occurrence of polar organic persistent pollutants in European river waters. 122 individual water samples from over 100 European rivers, streams or similar water bodies from 27 European Countries were analysed for 35 selected compounds, comprising pharmaceuticals (e.g. carbamazepine, diclofenac), antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole), pesticides (e.g. 2,4-D, mecoprop, bentazone, terbutylazine), perfluorinated compounds PFCs (PFOS, PFOA), benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), hormones (estrone, estradiol), and alkylphenolics (bisphenol A, nonylphenol). Only the dissolved (liquid) water phase, and not the suspend material was investigated. Around 40 laboratories actively participated in this sampling and monitoring exercise organised by the Joint Research Centre¿s Institute for Environment and Sustainability (JRC-IES) of the European Commission (EC) in autumn 2007. The selection of sampling sites was done by the participating EU Member States. The most frequently and at the highest concentration levels detected compounds were benzotriazole, caffeine, carbamazepine, tolyltriazole, and nonylphenoxy acetic acid (NPE1C). Other important substances identified were naproxen, bezafibrate, ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, PFOS, PFOA, sulfamethoxazole, isoproturon, diuron, and nonylphenol. The highest median concentrations of all samples were measured for benzotriazole (226 ng/L), caffeine (72 ng/L), carbamazepine (75 ng/L), tolyltriazole (140 ng/L), and NPE1C (233 ng/L). Relatively high perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) levels were detected in the Rivers Danube, Scheldt, Rhone, and Wyre, and ¿elevated¿ perfluorooctansulfonate (PFOS) concentrations in the Rivers Scheldt, Seine, Krka, Severn, Rhine, and Llobregat. A higher median concentration for all river samples was found for PFOS (6 ng/L), compared to PFOA (3 ng/L). Only about 10 % of the river water samples analysed could be classified as ¿very clean¿ in terms of chemical pollution, since they contained only a few compounds in very low concentrations. The most pristine water samples came from Estonia, Lithuania, and Sweden. For the target compounds chosen, we are proposing limit values in surface waters which are not based on eco-toxicological considerations; these warning levels are (for most compounds) close to the 90th percentile of all water samples analysed. A first EU-wide data set has been created on the occurrence of polar persistent pollutants in river surface waters to be used for continental scale risk assessment and related decision support.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Monitoraggio ambientale mediante l'impiego di suoli e di muschi per le discariche di Rio Riazzone, Rio Vigne e Poiatica di Reggio Emilia

The purposes of this environmental monitoring was to estimate the concentrations of the elements (Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Ti, V, Zn, Pt and Rh) during two years in 15 stations in three landfills located in the hills of Reggio Emilia and to value the flows of element depositions (gram element/hectare area/year). In addition the origin of the element depositions was identified, discriminating between anthropogenic origin and soil-substrate origins. For more complete information, soils and mosses were also collected to know the level of concentration in a wide are around the landfills. The results obtained for the elements investigated using mosses and superficial soils did not amphasise any specific anomalies.JRC.H.6-Spatial data infrastructure

Validation of a horizontal method for trace elements in soil, sludge and biowaste

Validation of an analytical method is a necessary step in controlling the quality of quantitative analysis. Method validation is an established process, which is the provision of documentary evidence that a system fulfils its pre-defined specification or the process of providing that an analytical method is acceptable for its intended purpose. To implement a validated method for the analysis of 22000 soil samples stemming from 2009 LUCAS Soil Survey as well as from sewage sludge and treated biowaste samples from to FATE-Programme, a validation study was conducted with the following objectives: (i) to validate these methods for the determination of heavy metals by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Could Vapour-Atomic Adsorption Spectrometry (CV-AAS) techniques, respectively, according to the ISO 17025 requirement and (ii) to implement these methods for the determination of heavy metals in soil, sludge and compost samples on a routine basis. The two methods were validated using Certified Reference Materials (CRMs): BCR 141R ‘Calcareous Loam Soil’, BCR 142 ‘Light Sandy Soil’, “San Joaquin Soil” SRM 2709 and LCG 6181 ‘sewage sludge’. The calibration curves, detection and quantification limits, trueness as well as repeatability were determined. The budget uncertainty was also estimated (including a full uncertainty budget and Ishikawa-diagram). The observed expanded uncertainty were establish for Ag (4.0%, Al (6.1%), As(7.6% ), Ba (5.3%), Cd (4.5%), Co(7.4%), Cr (5.8%), Cu (3.5%), Fe (5.4%), Mg (6.5%), Mn (4.1%), Mo (2.5%), Ni (5.4%), Pb (7.0%), Sb (6.8%), Se (3.1%), Ti (8.3%), V (4.3%), Zn (5.9%), P (14.2%), K (20.0%).JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Il Suolo della Provincia di Pavia (Parte due)

Il presente Rapporto completa lo studio effettuato sul territorio della Provincia di Pavia, già pubblicato come EUR Report nel 2006. Questo rapporto presenta in modo completo i dati di metalli pesanti e diossine ottenuti attraverso l'analisi di campioni di sedimento. I dati relativi ai suoli superficiali sono stati integrati con gli elementi Co, Mn e alcuni macroelementi. I dati ottenuti non evidenziano valori anomali per tutto il territorio indagato. Per quanto riguarda l'utilizzo dei bioindicatori e dei concetti di biodiversità, batteri e muschi, i dati sono stati ampliati presentando la distribuzione spaziale della loro concentrazione nelle aree a valenza prevalentemente industriale. In conclusione l'apporto dato da questo rapporto completa in modo significativo il Precedente EUR report. I dati ottenuti sono sovrapponibili a quanto già descritto e confermano la buona qualità dei suoli pavesi.JRC.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

QUOVADIS Project - Organization of Validation Exercises

Waste-to-energy Solid Recovered Fuels (SRF) are prepared from non-hazardous waste. Their use is regulated under EU legislation and requires specifications for commercial or regulatory purposes. SRFs are seen as important contributors to a sustainable EU waste management. Directive 2001/77/EC includes in its scope the production of electricity from biomass, being defined as the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from agriculture, forestry and related industries, as well as the biodegradable fraction of industrial and municipal waste. In this context the European Commission (EC) gave a mandate to the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) to develop and validate Technical Specification (TS) concerning SRF for energy recovery and to transform these TS into European Standards. To meet these requests, a holistic validation programme covering quality management and the validation exercises for the pre-standards of CEN¿s Technical Committee on Solid Recovered Fuels (CEN TC 343) was designed and carried out by various members of CEN TC 343, interested Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the European Commission¿s Joint Research Centre (JRC). This report gives an overview about the validation programm called QUOVADIS (from QUality Management Organisation, VAlidation of Standards, Developments and Inquiries for Solid-Recovered Fuels). In particular the results stemming from the validation intercomparisons, which were carried out according to the requirements of the ISO Standard 5725 are shown. Upon statistical treatment the respective performance characteristics in terms of repeatability and reproducibility could be obtained.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Comparison of Monitoring Approaches for Selected Priority Pollutants in Surface Water - An Initiative in support to the Water Framework Directive Chemical Monitoring Activity

Laboratories from seven EU Member States under the coordination of the Joint Research Centre and in collaboration with the Provincia di Ferrara participated in a technical on-site project during which sampling and analytical methodologies for chemical monitoring according to proposed WFD provisions have been compared. Laboratories had been invited to take samples from a river according to their standard protocols and to analyse them for PAHs, PBDE and Nonyl-, Octylphenol. It was shown that it is possible to analyse contaminants at relevant levels. Results showed also that currently only experienced laboratories can achieve the required performance, indicating the need for improvement at European level.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Monitoraggio Ambientale di un'Area Contaminata nella Provincia di Pavia

Lo scopo di tale indagine è stato quello di valutare il livello di contaminazione, l'estensione e l'entità di contaminanti presenti nei suoli superficiali a suo tempo riscontrati mediante il Progetto Pavia. Il monitoraggio ambientale ha interessato un'area di circa 12 ettari che si trova nel comune di Carpiano. Complessivamente sono state identificate 33 aree di campionamento dove sono stati prelevati campioni di suolo sino alla profondità di 30 cm. In ciascun campione di suolo, dopo adeguati trattamenti, è stata valutata la concentrazione di metalli pesanti, metalloidi, macroelementi, sostanza organica, pH, densità apparente, contenuto d'acqua. In alcuni campioni, precisamente 11, si è analizzata la concentrazione di diossine e furani e si è approntato uno studio che ha visto l'utilizzo dei batteri e dei loro prodotti. Lo studio condotto attraverso l'uso dei batteri ha evidenziato anomalie in alcuni punti ad elevata contaminazione. I risultati analitici ottenuti hanno identificato la presenza di una importante contaminazione di metalli pesanti, metalloidi, diossine e furani che interessa un area di alcuni ettari. Tale livello di contaminazione, per la presenza di sostanza organica e per valori ridotti di acidità dei suoli stessi, potrà arrecare danni ingenti all'ambiente.JRC.DDG.H.7-Land management and natural hazard

NM-300 Silver Characterisation, Stability, Homogeneity

This report describes the characteriation of NM-300, a nano-silver reference material used in the context of risk and exposure assessment studies. The material was produced in the context of the JRC IHCP activity on nano-materials. A representative set test items was handed over to the JRC IES analytical laboratory for further characterisation. First, inorganic chemical characterisation of the total silver content and the homogeneity of the Ag-distribution was done using ICP-AES. To this end, a dedicated method was developed and validated according to the requirements laid down in ISO 17025. This works were completed by different types of microscopy analyses (Scanning Electron Microscope, Transmission Electron Microscope and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis) performed in close collaboration with the German Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology e.V. (IUTA), the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) and Belgium Veterinary and Agrochemical Research Centre (VAR). This report summarises all technical details and discusses the assessments made.JRC.DG.I.5-Nanobioscience

EU Wide Monitoring Survey on Waste Water Treatment Plant Effluents

In the year 2010, effluents from 90 European waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) were collected and analysed in total for 160 organic chemicals and 20 inorganic trace elements. The analyses were complemented by applying also effect-based monitoring approaches aiming at estrogenicity and dioxin-like toxicity analysed by in vitro reporter gene bioassays, and yeast and diatom culture acute toxicity optical bioassays. The analytical work was performed in six European expert laboratories. This European-wide monitoring study on the occurrence of micropollutants in WWTP effluents represents the largest EU wide monitoring survey on WWTP effluents ever performed. It produced a comprehensive data set on many so far only locally investigated “emerging” compound classes including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), veterinary (antibiotic) drugs, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), organophosphate ester flame retardants, pesticides (and some metabolites) or industrial chemicals such as benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), polycyclic musk fragrances, x-ray contrast agents, Gadolinium compounds, and siloxanes. The obtained results show the presence of 131 target organic compounds in European wastewater effluents, in concentrations ranging from low nanograms to milligrams per liter. These results obtained from 90 different European WWTPs allow the calculation of a European median level for the chemicals investigated. The most relevant compounds identified in the effluent water samples in terms of frecquency of detection, maximum, average and median concentration levels were Sucralose, Acesulfame K (artificial sweeteners), PFOA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOS (perfluoroalkyl substances), N,N’-Diethyltoluamide (DEET; insect repellent), Benzotriazoles (corrosion inhibitors), the pharmaceuticals Bisoprolol, Carbamazepine, Ciprofloxacine, Citaprolam, Clindamycine, Codeine, Diltiazem, Diphenhydramin, Eprosartan, Fexofenadine, Flecainide, Gemfibrozil, Fluconazole, Haloperidol, Ibersartan, Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen, Oxazepam, Risperidone, Sulfamethoxazole, Telmisartan, Tramadol, Trimethoprim, Venlafaxin, the organo-phosphate ester flame retardants Tri-iso-butylphosphate (TIBP), Tributylphosphate (TBP), Tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), Tris(2-chloroisopropyl)phosphate (TCPP), Tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate (TDCP), Tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate (TBEP), Triphenyl-phosphate (TPP), 2-Ethylhexyldiphenyl-phosphate (EHDPP), the x-ray contrast media Amidotrizoic acid, Iohexol, Iopromid, Iomeprol, Iopamidol, the pesticides Terbutylazine, Terbutylazine-desethyl (metabolite), MCPA, Mecoprop, Diuron, Triclosan (antibacterial), and Gadolinium (from magnetic resonance imaging contrast media used in hospitals).JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Occurrence and levels of selected compounds in European compost and digestate samples

This report describes work conducted by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in the context of an Administrative Arrangement between DG Environment and the JRC. This work aimed at the generation, within a limited timeframe, of a large amount of analytical data, with high scientific and statistical value, for a number of compost and digestate types (afterwards referred to as COMDIG samples), to help provide a general overview and estimation of that possible variability within and between different COMDIG materials. The report includes the results of a targeted and independent screening of typical European situations of COMDIG materials with regard to the occurrence and levels of compounds of concern, many of which have never been assessed at a pan-European level. In total, 139 samples, mostly taken as grab samples and originating from 15 countries, were assessed for 22 minor and trace elements and 92 organic compounds including ingredients of personal care products and pharmaceuticals. The underlying analytical methods are carefully documented with regard to their performance characteristics. Where available, the so-called “horizontal” standards were followed. The results obtained are assessed statistically. Although the analysed single samples are insufficient to make any statement on the performance of the treatment processes leading to COMDIG samples, this collective of data provide a glimpse of the pan-European situation as regards the studied compounds.JRC.H.1-Water Resource