INRAM
Integrated Risk Assessment and Monitoring of
Micropollutants in the Belgian coastal zone
Introduction
Claessens Michiel1, Rappé Karen2, Monteyne Els3, Wille Klaas4, Noppe Herlinde4, Vincx
Magda2, Roose Patrick3, De Brabander Hubert4 & Janssen R. Colin1
The INRAM project is an integrated project funded by the Belgian Science Policy to develop practical techniques and procedures to detect
the risks of micropollutants occurring in the Belgian coastal zone. The underlying objective of the INRAM project is to develop a novel,
multidisciplinary methodology – based on a suite of chemical, biological and ecological measurements – to evaluate the health of marine
ecosystems. To this end, an extended list of micropollutants will be analyzed in water, sediment and suspended solids of 18 sampling
stations in the Belgian coastal harbours, the Belgian Continental Shelf and the Scheldt Estuary. In addition, body burdens of these
compounds will be determined in biota (mussels, oysters, shrimps and flatfish). These will be linked with in situ biometric and biomarker
responses in resident and transplanted organisms. Field samplings and in situ studies run over four years (January 2007 – December
2010). The field study allows an identification of potential problem chemicals which will be evaluated through laboratory exposures. Finally,
an integrated ecological risk assessment will be performed to assess the health of the Belgian marine ecosystem.
Approach
Risks for human health
Chemical analysis
Sampling:
- 18 coastal/harbour/Scheldt stations
- collection of water, sediment, biota and
suspended solids
>>> 1. Occurence and distribution of micropollutants
2. Priority substances for ecotoxicity
testing
Methods
Passive sampling
Water
Sediment
Biota
Estimation of human health hazard based on
bio-accumulation data in consumer organisms
Integrated Ecological Risk Assessment
Use of consumer organisms as test species
Ecotoxicity studies
Ecological monitoring
Laboratory ecotoxicity studies:
- ecologically relevant test species
representative for the marine ecosystem
- exposure to real environmental mixtures
at relevant (low) concentrations
- Population studies on sampled biota
- Cage experiments in the harbours and the
North Sea with mussels and oysters
- Measurement of a suite of biomarkers
- Measurement of general condition
indicators
Field studies with caged organisms in the
harbours and the North Sea
Mussels
Oysters
Flatfish
Occurence and distribution of micropollutants
Tributyltin
Dibutyltin
Monobutyltin
9
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Sum of 22 PAHs
180
160
Concentration (ng.L-1)
Concentration (ng.L-1)
8
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
ZB01
ZB02
ZB03
ZB04
0
ZB01
ZB02
Station
ZB03
ZB04
Stations
>>> PAHs and organotins have been analysed in the water column. Except at station ZB03, all Ecotoxicological
Assessment Criteria (EAC) and Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) for TBT were exceeded by a factor of
10 to 70. For PAHs, all EQS were exceeded for all the components.
First Results
W04
Cage experiments in the harbours
Ecotoxicity of environmental micropollutant mixtures
Zeebrugge harbour micropollutant mixtures Oyster 24H Larval development test
100,0
90,0
Blanks
ZB02
80,0
ZB03
W01
70,0
%
60,0
ZB04
50,0
40,0
30,0
ZB03
20,0
10,0
0,0
Normal
Abnormal
Dead
ZB03
>>> Severe effects on oyster larval development were observed in
the harbour of Zeebrugge with a significant increase of mortality
towards the inner harbour
ZB02
ZB03
ZB02
sampling period I
sampling period II
sampling period III
sampling period IV
ZB02
>>>
W05Growth and health condition of mussels decrease significantly
towards the inner harbour
ZB01
Zeebrugge harbour
W02
OO04
W06
OO03
OO02
S01
OO01
Oostende harbour
W03
Analysis of samples and ecotoxicological
and ecological experiments ongoing
NP03
NP02
Nieuwpoort harbour
S22
Sampling stations in the Scheldt estuary
NP01
Partners
1Laboratory for Environmental
Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology
Ghent University, Belgium
For more information: http://www.vliz.be/projects/inram
2Marine
Biology Section
Ghent University
Belgium
3Management
Unit of the North
Sea Mathematical Model
Belgium
4Laboratory
for Chemical Analysis
Ghent University
Belgium
5Flanders
Marine Institute
Belgium
Funded by Belgian Federal
Science Policy
Contact: michiel.claessens@ugent.be