The NORMAN network on emerging substances:
status and future plans
www.norman-network.net
valeria.dulio@ineris.fr
NORMAN network – Emerging Substances
Former FP6 research project
Non-profit association since 2009
45 Members in 2010 (8 Founding
Members + 37 Ordinary members)
Activities funded by its members: via
annual membership fees + in-kind
contribution
Focus on synergies with the various
activities funded at the national level in
the field of EP
June 2010: signature of Collaboration
Agreement between NORMAN and JRC
Strong link with DG ENV (WFD CIS
WG-E / CMEP)
NORMAN Mission
• Exchange of information on emerging substances
– Assessment of occurrence in the environment (monitoring data)
and associated risk
– Identification of relevant pollutants among emerging substances
• Harmonisation of methods for:
– Measurement of concentration levels in the environment
– Assessment of effects
– Decision-making authorities – must be able to compare and
interpret the data
• Emerging substance a pollutant of concern need for
regular monitoring sufficient capability across the EU
for measuring it at the routine level
Environmental contaminants:
“knowns and unknowns”
• “Conventional” pollutants e.g. PCBs, metals, PAHs
We know how to measure them and we have data to assess the risks
• “Known” emerging pollutants: e.g. PFCs, PPCP, nanomaterials
We know that they are present in the environment, but we don’t have
enough data to assess the risks
• “Unknown” emerging pollutants : ???
We know they are present in the environment (causing effects, including
as mixtures) but we don’t know yet WHAT they are (?)
NORMAN focus
Adapted from Francis S. Collins, 2008
Main targeted policies?
• Water Framework Directive
–
–
–
–
–
Support to DG ENV WG-E and CMEP activities
River Basin-Specific Pollutants
New priority substances
Quality and comparability of results at EU scale
Implementation of bioassays / biomarkers in monitoring programmes
• Marine Strategy Framework Directive
• Upgrade of Drinking Water Directive – Water Safety Plans
• REACh
– Occurrence in the environment
Chemical monitoring and emerging pollutants
(CMEP) activity – sub-group of WG E
• CMEP mandate:
• “The NORMAN network will be closely associated with this activity, as
well as other relevant research initiatives on emerging pollutants. The
activity will provide:
– Quickly reliable and EU-wide information about levels and
occurrence of emerging environmental pollutants which can
eventually support the identification of new priority substances.
– Information on performance of existing analytical methods for
emerging pollutants and any other information deemed relevant for the
activities of the WGE on this field.
– Information exchange on the use of alternative effect-based
monitoring methods (e.g. biomarker, bioassays, EDA) needed for
investigative monitoring and to better evaluate the link between
chemical and ecological status and the effects of mixture of
pollutants and emerging pollutants.”
NORMAN Strategy
TARGET & select:
- PRIORITISATION of
emerging SUBSTANCES
- Target screening / monitoring
Data comparability:
-Common Protocol for
methods validation
-Interlaboratory studies
Data sharing / info
exchange:
-Databases
-Workshops
-Bulletin
Identification of relevant toxicants via FIELDBASED approaches
- Biological tools in combination with chemical
analysis
Setting priorities among emerging substances
(known emerging pollutants)
Substance by substance assessment
Emerging compounds cited in the literature
Exposure
assessment
Hazard
assessment
Classification by action categories
Cat1
Cat2
Cat3
Cat4
Cat5
Cat6
Ranking within each category
•Classification into action categories followed by ranking
Identification of relevant toxicants
(unknown emerging pollutants)
• Monitoring and modelling-based prioritisation can only
partly solve dilemma of the complexity of contamination
• Two Working Groups dealing with effect-based analysis:
– WG-2 “The value of bioassays /
biomarkers in water quality
monitoring: strategies for
interpretation of results” (INERIS /
IVM / RIVM)
– WG-3 “Effect Directed Analysis –
(UFZ) – kick-off meeting, Leipzig
19-20 Oct
Water Framework Directive
River Basin Specific Pollutants Identification and
Monitoring
10-11 June 2010 Stresa, Italy
A JRC IES –
NORMAN
initiative in
support of the
WFD
implementation
EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIMEN BANKS,
Berlin – 21 Jun 2010
Overviews FUNDING
EUROPEAN SPECIMEN
Environment Human
BANKING
Archive Prioritisation
Chemical safety management
Standards NORMAN
• Data quality / comparability: harmonisation and
validation of analytical methods
NORMAN validation
protocol
IWW
→ Provides a check list of criteria / indicators for
validation of measurement methods: research lab,
expert lab and routine lab level
• Validation protocol developed during NORMAN
project
• Is now the basis for New Work Item Proposal
submitted to the French mirror group of CEN TC
230 (Water Analysis) – AFNOR
• Objective: CEN Technical Specifications
Passive sampling –
NORMAN Expert Group and Europe-wide harmonisation
•
An innovative monitoring tool for the time-integrated measurement
of bioavailable contaminants in water and sediment
• Activities of NORMAN
– A position paper “Passive sampling of emerging
pollutants in the aquatic environment: state of the art and
perspectives” published in 2010
– An interlaboratory calibration study will take place in
2011 (field campaigns in spring – summer)
• variability in data by comparing results from various passive samplers sent
by participating laboratories exposed to water at a single (reference) site
• Target substances: polar pesticides, pharmaceuticals, biocides, steroid
hormones, brominated flame retardants
Other activities 2011
• Challenges for sampling and analysis of emerging
contaminats (EG meeting: NIVA)
• New brominated flame retardants as emerging
contaminants in the environment (EG meeting: IVL)
• Validation of organic phosphorous flame retardants
analysis in the environment (ILS: IVM)
• Engineered nanoparticles in water (EG meeting: BfG)
• Development and Implementation of a High Resolution
Accurate MassBank for NORMAN (UFZ)
• Methodological approaches for evaluation of mixture
effects to human health in drinking water (EG meeting:
KWR)
Why is this needed?
• To break the vicious circle:
«not monitored, therefore not regulated» /
«not regulated, therefore not monitored»
• Not possible to answer all open questions at
national/single country level
Production and exchange of
Reliable and high quality data is
crucial for all these activities!!