Surface water monitoring campaign as a pragmatic tool serving French regulatory needs
Résumé
In France, monitoring of chemicals in water is being carried out by Water Agencies in the French River Basins. A first state of the art of concentrations of chemicals in water bodies was done among 2007 to 2009 monitoring data, demonstrating that monitoring was effective for some pesticides/biocides but that most of the active substances were not covered by routine monitoring. Following this step, it was decided to specifically include some pesticides and/or biocides active substances in two exceptional monitoring campaigns (for groundwater in 2011-2012 and surface water in 2012, respectively) in order to collect primary information on these substances. The general process for the substances selection to be included in the campaign was based on a prioritisation lead for all types of chemicals not already covered by the 2007-2009 monitoring in order to highlight chemicals of concern. This prioritisation was conducted according to several criteria, among which use, environmental hazard, human health hazard, PBT-like properties, and suspected endocrine disrupting properties. A total of ca. 2400 substances were screened allowing highlighting of ca. 300 chemicals, including pesticides, biocides, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, etc. Furthermore, an adaptation was made specifically for French overseas departments with an additional weight given to further biocides and pesticides, namely insecticides for vector control recommended by World Health Organization. The results of the analysis of the surface water monitoring campaign are presented with a focus on pesticides and biocides. This work shall allow identification of substances potentially of concern and a better plausibility prediction of pesticides and biocides linked to environmental risks. In turn, risks possibly identified might serve in feedback regulatory needs if deemed necessary, allowing a better protection of the aquatic environment.