Effect-based methods are key. The European Collaborative Project SOLUTIONS recommends integrating effect-based methods for diagnosis and monitoring of water quality

Abstract

The present monitoring and assessment of the chemical status of water bodies fail to characterize the likelihood that complex mixtures of chemicals affect water quality. The European Collaborative Project SOLUTIONS suggests that this likelihood can be estimated with effect-based methods (EBMs) complemented by chemical screening and/or impact modeling. These methods should be used to identify the causes of impacted water quality and to develop programs of measures to improve water quality. Along this line of reasoning, effect-based methods are recommended for Water Framework Directive (WFD) monitoring to cover the major modes of action in the universe of environmentally relevant chemicals so as to evaluate improvements of water quality upon implementing the measures. To this end, a minimum battery of bioassays has been recommended including short-term toxicity to algae, Daphnia and fish embryos complemented with in vitro and short-term in vivo tests on mode-of-action specific effects as proxies for long-term toxicity. The likelihood of adverse impacts can be established with effect-based trigger values, which differentiate good from poor water quality in close alignment with Environmental Quality Standards for individual chemicals, while taking into account mixture toxicity. The use of EBMs is suggested in the WFD as one avenue to establish the likelihood of adverse effects due to chemical pollution in European water systems. The present paper has been written as one component of a series of policy briefs to support decisions on water quality monitoring and management under the WFD.

Future water quality monitoring: improving the balance between exposure and toxicity assessments of real-world pollutant mixtures

“…Clearly, using ecological data to determine the link to specific chemical pollutants will remain elusive and of limited resolution for the foreseeable future due to the lack of diagnostic power of existing methods and/or the presence of multiple stressors, e.g., in urbanized areas. Bioassays are a complementary method to improve the detection of potential adverse effects from toxicologically relevant compounds and to help account for combination effects from mixture exposure [1,13,18,70]. Moreover, if we strive to exit from the uncertainty bias (i.e., drive effect assessments by uncertainty factors to bridge the knowledge gaps), it is vital to add effect-based observations to the samples being assessed for chemical contamination.…”

Strengthen the European collaborative environmental research to meet European policy goals for achieving a sustainable, non-toxic environment

“…This may be illustrated by the monitoring of toxic stressors in European water bodies as performed in SOLUTIONS. Starting with the collation and investigation of modes of action and toxicogenomics of known water contaminants [38,39], an effect-based monitoring strategy and the corresponding toolbox [24] were developed, rigorously evaluated and adapted using selected chemicals [40], mixtures [41] and field samples [42]. Through extensive stakeholder dialogue, policy-related working groups, workshops, via scientific and popular publications plus close collaboration with relevant science-policy interaction networks such as NORMAN, the new concepts were discussed, refined and integrated in the decision-making processes regarding the review of WFD [43].…”

“…It has been written on the basis of the experience of the large EU-funded projects SOLUTIONS, MARS and GLOBA-QUA. The extensive scientific results of the three projects are documented in about 200 publications each, accessible via the websites https ://www.solut ions-proje ct.eu/, http://www.mars-proje ct.eu/, http://www.globa quaproje ct.eu/en/home/, and have been exploited to derive a series of policy briefs published in this journal [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. We made no attempts to summarize these results here but drew conclusions for the requirement of future European research under systematic involvement of major stakeholders using a small selection of general achievements of the projects to underline these conclusions.…”

Increase coherence, cooperation and cross-compliance of regulations on chemicals and water quality

“…Consider new policy instruments beyond the exceedance or non-exceedance of EQS for individual compounds that demand for and reward progressive improvement of water quality. With effect-based monitoring [9], chemical screening [10] and models [11] to identify potentially hazardous chemicals, componentbased methods for mixture risk assessment [12] and ecological tools [13] results from the SOLUTIONS project provide the necessary means to detect and quantify the progress.…”

“…• Collaborative efforts for advanced monitoring and data sharing: Modern analytical tools, e.g. Effect-Directed Analyses (EDA), Non-Target Screening (NTS), and arrays of bioassays are increasingly applied to identify chemical compounds with potentially adverse effects on the aquatic environment [9,10]. Applied methods often require significant resources and knowledge and results may depend on the choice of a specific method for an individual case.…”