Marine chemical contaminants – support to the harmonization of MSFD D8 methodological standards: Matrices and threshold values/reference levels for relevant substances

According to the Article 17(2) of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), Member States have to review and update their marine strategies every six years. This requires updates of the MSFD Articles 8, 9 and 10 by 2018. The current report provides an overview of the substances, matrices and threshold values that Member States intend to use for the assessment of the Descriptor 8 in this MSFD reporting cycle. This compilation aims at evaluating gaps and discrepancies between Member States and identifying aspects that need further harmonization. It also helps understand which issues should be addressed to achieve consistency with the new MSFD Commission Decision (EU 2017/848). The information has been gathered from the contributions of the MSFD Expert Network on Contaminants, an informal network established to support MSFD implementation. This work is part of a process to help regulators to assess relevant contaminants in their jurisdictional area, thus aiming at EU national authorities but also at Regional Sea Conventions in the shared marine basins.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Chemicals of emerging concern in marine specimens of the German Environmental Specimen Bank

Background Descriptor 8 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (Directive 2008/56/EC) addresses the good environmental status with regard to pollution of marine waters by chemical contaminants. Commission decision (EU) 2017/848 lays down the criteria and methodological standards on good environmental status of marine waters. Member States, in regional or subregional cooperation, shall establish lists of relevant contaminants beside those already covered by the Water Framework Directive (WFD). To provide information on emerging contaminants in marine biota, the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) has compiled data of blue mussels and eelpouts from coastal sites in the North and Baltic Seas. Substances identified by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) as of emerging concern for the marine environment have been used as a starting point. Results and conclusions The study presents data of 19 emerging flame retardants and degradation products, 40 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and three cyclic volatile methylsiloxanes (cVMS). Among the emerging flame retardants, only Dec 602 was detected in all samples of 2015. Dec 604, Cl10-antiDP, 1,5-DPMA, EH-TBB, PBEB, TBP-AE, BATE, BTBPE and HBBz were constantly < limit of quantification (LOQ). Time trends were barely detected. Legacy PBDE still dominates in most samples. PFAS concentrations were usually higher in samples from the North Sea sites compared to samples from the Baltic Sea. PFOS dominated in most samples. Increasing trends over time were detected for PFNA, PFDA and PFDoDA at the Baltic Sea site and for PFDA at one North Sea site. Concentrations of the cVMS D4, D5 and D6 were below the detection limit at the ESB sampling sites. Based on the results, it should be considered to include the emerging flame retardants DP and Dec 602 and the long-chain perfluoroalkyl substances PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA and PFDoDA in a regular monitoring in the North and Baltic Seas

Assessment of seafood contamination under the marine strategy framework directive: Contributions of the German environmental specimen bank

Descriptor 9 (D9) of the European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive refers to the compliance of contaminant levels in fish and other seafood of a defined marine region or subregion with human health threshold values. This requires georeferenced samples that are often difficult to obtain when relying on commercial fisheries or programs designed for monitoring human exposure. The present study examines whether georeferenced samples of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) fillet of the German environmental specimen bank (ESB) can be used in this context. The suitability of the ESB samples, procedures, and analytical methods is evaluated with respect to D9 requirements. Based on ESB data for the D9 relevant contaminants Pb, Cd, Hg, Σ4 PAHs, PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like (dl)-PCBs, and indicator non-dl-PCBs and the potentially relevant substances TBT, PFOS, PBDE, and HBCDD, the Good Environmental Status for D9 is assessed at the ESB sites in the North and Baltic Seas. The overall evaluation indicates that ESB samples are suitable for D9 assessment with the limitation that only coastal areas of the North and Baltic Seasare covered. Over a period of up to 30 years, concentrations of the D9 relevant contaminants were well below the maximum levels allowed for human consumption