Prioritisation of water pollutants: the EU Project SOLUTIONS proposes a methodological framework for the integration of mixture risk assessments into prioritisation procedures under the European Water Framework Directive

Michael Faust (1) , Thomas Backhaus (2) , Rolf Altenburger (3) , Valeria Dulio (4) , Jos van Gils (5) , Antoni Ginebreda (6) , Andrea Kortenkamp (7) , John Munthe (8) , Leo Posthuma (9, 10) , Jaroslav Slobodnik (11) , Knut Erik Tollefsen (12) , Annemarie van Wezel (13) , Werner Brack (3)

1 Faust & Backhaus Environmental Consulting GbR
2 GU - University of Gothenburg
3 UFZ - Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltforschung = Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research
4 INERIS - Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques
5 DELTARES FOUNDATION DELFT NLD
6 IDAEA - Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research
7 Brunel University London [Uxbridge]
8 IVL - Swedish Environmental Research Institute
9 RIVM - National Institute for Public Health and the Environment [Bilthoven]
10 Radboud University [Nijmegen]
11 EI - Environmental Institute
12 NIVA - Norwegian Institute for Water Research
13 VU - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam [Amsterdam]

Current prioritisation procedures under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) do not account for risks from chemical mixtures. SOLUTIONS proposes a multiple-lines-of-evidence approach to tackle the problem effectively. The approach merges all available evidence from co-exposure modelling, chemical monitoring, effect-based monitoring, and ecological monitoring. Full implementation of the proposed methodology requires changes in the legal text in adaptation to scientific progress.

Keywords: WATER POLLUTANTS; PRIORITY SUBSTANCES; COMBINED EXPOSURE; MIXTURE TOXICITY; CUMULATIVE RISKS; EUROPEAN CHEMICALS LEGISLATION; WFD REVISION

Domains: Environmental Sciences

Michael Faust, Thomas Backhaus, Rolf Altenburger, Valeria Dulio, Jos van Gils, et al.. Prioritisation of water pollutants: the EU Project SOLUTIONS proposes a methodological framework for the integration of mixture risk assessments into prioritisation procedures under the European Water Framework Directive. Environmental Science Europe, 2019, 31, pp.66. ⟨10.1186/s12302-019-0239-4⟩. ⟨ineris-03319078⟩