T14 / IRT-14

Emerging contaminants’ in soil and groundwater – ensuring long-term provision of drinking water as well as soil and freshwater ecosystem services

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Czech Republic
  • Europe
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom

Austria


Belgium


OVAM
Griet Van Gestelgriet.van.gestel@ovam.bewww.ovam.beYesyesyes
Emerging contaminants The interests of OVAM regarding emerging contaminants lie on the interface between science and policy. Matters of concern and challenges are large: risks for human health and ecosystems, risk for further spreading (e.g. by dredging of sediments), lack of guidance for local and regional authorities, uncertainty about liability, … There is a need for guidance on how to deal with new substances in practice: on sampling, analysis and risk analysis, on how to manage, prevent and remediate contamination of soil, (ground)water and sediment. Problems on liability and legislation are not less important. For the moment , the approach of OVAM is to give priority to substances of highest ‘overall’ risk, and for which remediation or prevention is feasible. The scale of use of the substance, the way and extent to which it was spilled into the environment, the persistence, mobility and toxicity are taken into account to estimate the ‘overall’ risks. Hereby, we are relying on our experience with the inventory, the management and remediation of soil and groundwater pollution with more common substances. However, given the size of the problem, transnational co-operation will be essential to tackle it. Therefore, we want to collaborate with researchers, problem owners, and other policy makers on this theme. possibly, currently fundingnbal@ovam.be

Czech Republic


Europe


Finland


Nessling Foundation
Research Director Minttu Jaakkolaminttu.jaakkola@nessling.fihttp://www.nessling.fi/?lang=enyespossiblynoNessling Foundation supports scientific research and communication solving environmental challenges. The total sum granted annually is about 3 million EUR. In addition to general calls in every autumn, Nessling Foundation has opened four special calls during the past 10 years to react the current research needs in environmental protection. Focus is on finding solutions to problems that have high societal relevance. Foundation emphasizes impactful research and researchers’ interaction capacity. Nessling Foundation participates in co-funding in Post Docs in Companies (PoDoCo) project with other foundations. Co-funding is also possible in thematic special calls.
Microplastics in soilpossiblyantti.rehunen@ymparisto.fi
Nessling Foundation
Research Director Minttu Jaakkolaminttu.jaakkola@nessling.fihttp://www.nessling.fi/?lang=enyespossiblynoNessling Foundation supports scientific research and communication solving environmental challenges. The total sum granted annually is about 3 million EUR. In addition to general calls in every autumn, Nessling Foundation has opened four special calls during the past 10 years to react the current research needs in environmental protection. Focus is on finding solutions to problems that have high societal relevance. Foundation emphasizes impactful research and researchers’ interaction capacity. Nessling Foundation participates in co-funding in Post Docs in Companies (PoDoCo) project with other foundations. Co-funding is also possible in thematic special calls.
Microplastics in soilpossiblyantti.rehunen@ymparisto.fi

France


Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Marion BARDYmarion.bardy@agriculture.gouv.frhttp://www,agriculture.gouv.frunknownyesyesHow to manage the multifunctionality of agricultural soils, also takes into account in the decision making - transverse to several themes. What means of action / levers for actors managing agricultural ecosystems
Knowledge of soils and adaptation of management practices on catchment areas See AFB for research on catchment areas + transfer of contaminants to surface and ground wateryesmc.dictor@brgm.fr

Germany


Italy


Regione Emilia Romagna
Nicola Dall'Olionicola.dallolio@regione.emilia-romagna.itwww.regione.emilia-romagna.ityespossiblyyesRegione Emilia Romagna is interested in co-funding and being a partner of H2020 projects and other UE funding programme
Reduce groundwater nitrates pollution and pesticides pollution both in soil and water. Currently funding by RDP 2014-2020currently fundingmatteo.tabasso@siti.polito.it
Ministry of The Environment, Land protection and Sea
Laura D'Apriledaprile.laura@minambiente.itwww.minambiente.itNOnono
The theme is particularly interesing for Italy because of some serious cases of contamination of groundwater (eg Miteni, Trissino) This is also a priority issue for the environmental monitoring system. A common policy on priority emerging contaminants and on health risk assessment would be desirable.possiblymatteo.tabasso@siti.polito.it

Netherlands


implementation programme soil and subsurface
Leo Hamerlinck (via Linda Maring)linda.maring@deltares.nlhttps://www.bodemplus.nl/onderwerpen/bodem-ondergrond/bodemconvenant/thema/kennis/uitvragen/uitvraag-2017/aanbestedingsvormen/xxxpossiblypossiblyThis programme has budget untill (10 mln between 2017-2020) for soil and subsurface. They use the Dutch knowledge agenda soil and subsurface (which is the same as the dutch contribution to the INSPIRATION agenda) as leading research questions. They set out different calls (next call is on climate / rural area, nature / infrastructure or energy, max 150 KEUR, 50% cofininancing needed, deadline Nov 29 2017 ) They are open for collaboration in europe. how and on which topics is not specified yest. Probably theyw ant to arrange this via the Knowledge and Innovation Program Soil and Subsurface (also entered in this database)
yeslinda.maring@deltares.nl

Poland


Janusz Janeczek
National Science Centre, ul. Królewska 57 30-081 Kraków, Polandjanusz.janeczek@us.edu.plhttps://www.ncn.gov.pl/kontakt?language=enchairman of the Council of the NCNyespossiblyProf. Jan Skowronek will be attending the conference on the behalf of prof. Janeczek. They co-operate closely, because prof. Janeczek is a member of Scientific Board of IETU
Geochemistry of urban areas is needed to be investigated and results of the investigation should be taken under consideration during urban designing and shaping. This is particularly important for evaluating the groundwater quality in industrial and heavily populated regions.sta@ietu.katowice.pl

Portugal


Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Maria MaiaMaria.Maia@fct.ptwww.fct.ptPermission for what?yesyes
possibly, already funded, currently fundingtpanago@ualg.pt
Center on Spatial and Organizational Dynamics
Thomas Panagopoulostpanago@ualg.pthttp://cieo.pt/mission.phpyespossiblyyes
outside our remittpanago@ualg.pt
António José Conde Buzio Sampaio Ramos
218814000antonio.ramos@adcoesao.pthttp://www.adcoesao.pt/AD&Cpossiblypossibly
outside our remittpanago@ualg.pt

Romania


Slovakia


Slovenia


Spain


Sweden


The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agrucultural Sciences and Spatial Planning
Elisabet Goranssonelisabet.goransson@formas.sewww.formas.seyespossiblypossiblyMay be a change of Contact person
possiblyyvonne.ohlsson@swedgeo.se

Switzerland


Swiss National Science Foundation SNSF
c/o Marco Pützmarco.puetz@wsl.chwww.snf.chnonono
possiblymarco.puetz@wsl.ch
Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN
c/o Marco Pützmarco.puetz@wsl.chwww.bafu.admin.chnonono
possiblymarco.puetz@wsl.ch

United Kingdom


Greater knowledge about the properties of ‘emerging’ contaminants, and mixtures, their distribution in groundwater and soil, their toxicity to humans as well as soil and freshwater ecosystem services is needed to ensure public health and long-term provision of ecosystem services. Methods of analyzing emerging contaminants are needed.

  • For founders
  • For endusers
  • For researchers
  • For citizens
Agreed ways of detecting, analysing, monitoring, risk assessing and where necessary remediating emerging contaminants will ensure adequate measures are taken.
Land owners and developers will benefit from being able to demonstrate their land is safe for use. Users of emerging contaminants will have a consistent basis for managing their liabilities. Regulators will have a consistent basis from which to implement environmental and human health protection legislation.
There are several challenges in understanding and then managing the behaviour of emerging contaminants. Designed to be recalcitrant (e.g. firefighting agents), to interact with human or animal biochemistry (e.g. pharmaceuticals) and often occurring in mixtures at low concentrations in the environment they pose challenges of measurement, assessment and control.
Citizens have benefitted from, and in many cases still use, products containing or comprising less known contaminants. A better understanding of the properties and impacts of such emerging contaminants and the combined effects of mixtures of pollutants will ensure public health is protected and the soil and water environments are not harmed or are restored.

We need to understand better the impacts of ‘emerging contaminants’ to develop cost-effective management opportunities for safeguarding freshwater and soil related ecosystem services. ‘Emerging contaminants’ (e.g. fire fighting agents, endocrine disrupters, pharmaceuticals & personal care products) may worsen groundwater quality and reduce soil ecosystem services . However, their impacts on different temporal and spatial scales, the effects of mixtures and cost-effective strategies to minimize their discharge or to remediate contamination remains uncertain. Environment specimen banks can provide samples for retrospective analysis (www.umweltprobenbank.de). More samples in multiple media are needed.

Background: Deteriorating groundwater quality and reduced soil ecosystem services are serious issues in various European countries. Immission of ‘emerging contaminants’, e.g. pesticides used in agriculture, chemical substances used in industrial production or from waste and sewage may worsen the problem. However, by now it is often unclear what are the impacts of these substances on different temporal and spatial scales, how impacts may be altered by mixing of those contaminants and what are cost-effective strategies to minimize their discharge or to remediate contamination.
Goal: Better understand the impacts of ‘emerging contaminants’ to develop cost-effective management opportunities for safeguarding freshwater and soil related ecosystem services
Rationale from the themes: Demand: Europe demands soil ecosystem services and groundwater resources to satisfy the need for drinking water and to produce healthy food. Moreover, contaminated groundwater may impact surface waters and the sea, thereby putting fish and seafood production as well as recreational services provided by these ecosystems at risk. At the same time, increasing productivity in agriculture may demand the development and application of new fertilizer and pesticides that may cause the emission (and mixing) of substances with yet often unknown consequences for ecosystems, the provision of ecosystem services and ultimately human health.
Natural Capital: Soils, aquifers and rivers play important roles in freshwater provision; inter alia by waste and pollutant degradation. Some contaminants can be decomposed by microorganisms, metals can be chemically and biologically converted (e.g. redox reactions). So the potential of natural attenuation should take into account in describing effects and impacts of these contaminants. Contamination, in particular caused by (mixing of) ‘emerging contaminants’ may pose a serious threat to ecological functioning of ecosystems and thus the provision of ecosystem services. To effectively exploit the potential of soils, aquifers and rivers to provide freshwater and related ecosystem services, it is necessary to understand the soil functions, which are basic to the services, their interrelation and reaction to pressures such as increasing demand, fertilization, changed crops. We need to understand the limits to which soils can be exploited without endangering the stability of the soil system.
Land Management: Developing innovative solutions and respective institutional capacities to deal with (mixed) ‘emerging contaminants’ in soils and groundwater requires adapted, holistic and systemic approaches to land management. Setting up regulations on critical loads and what substances should be allowed to use, where and when needs a consideration of net impact of different management alternatives. An implementation of (stricter) regulations and adapted management measures will have tremendous impact for small- and large-scale farmers, industrial producers as well as drinking water facilities and consumers that need to be moderated by governance and policy mechanisms.

Net Impact: There is a lack of information about the impact of ‘emerging contaminants’ on groundwater (as well as on soils, sediments and surface water bodies) and the impact of mixed pollutants coming from a range of different sources. There is also a lack of knowledge about contaminants properties and their distribution in the different environmental matrices. Furthermore, there is lack of knowledge on the impacts of these contaminants on drinking water quality and human health, the use of groundwater for other purposes than drinking water production (e.g. irrigation) and on freshwater related ecosystem services, such as food production or recreation. In this regard it will be necessary to develop methods of (integrated) valuation of different impacts (e.g. health, drinking water treatment, agriculture production, food provision, cultural ecosystem services) of different management alternatives.
So what? The lack of knowledge about ‘emerging’ and mixed contaminants properties, their distribution in the different environmental matrices, in particular in groundwater and soils, the interaction of those contaminants with human health as well as soil and freshwater related ecosystem services has to be filled in order to avoid risks for public health and to ensure long-term provision of ecosystem services. Definition of what are emerging contaminants are needed as well as methods of analyzing and assessing. Therefore threshold values for these contaminants have to elaborate (methods, pathways, food-chain, and human health) for substances but also for mixtures. Environment specimen banks can provide samples retrospective to analyze if and when an emerging substance was found first in the environment (www.umweltprobenbank.de). More samples (media) than existing are needed.
Links to other fields: Next to pollution of groundwater, also soils and sediments are of importance to understand the impact of (mixed) ‘emerging contaminants’ on human health and soil and freshwater ecosystem services and may be subject to specific research efforts.


Activities: knowledge transfer, knowledge creation, demonstration, networking

Goals: No poverty, Good health Quality, Education, Clean water & sanitation, Decent work and economic growth, Industry innovation and infrastructure, Responsible consumption, Life below water, Life on land



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