NORMAN

NORMAN Expert Group meeting: Linking environmental quality standards and passive sampling
Brno, 3 - 4 July 2013

A NORMAN Expert Group meeting was organised on 3-4 July 2013 in Brno (Czech Republic) with invited experts in ecotoxicology (Member States’ experts for the derivation of EQS in support of WFD) and experts in passive sampling (analytical aspects) to discuss the possible routes for making WFD EQS compatible with passive sampling results.

The Expert Group meeting was hosted by RECETOX, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic.

Passive sampling is not yet applied in compliance monitoring because the Environmental Quality Standards are not defined for the compartments sampled by this method. The development of environmental quality standards for passive sampling is particularly relevant when considering the new Directive 2013/39/EC, which sets EQS in biota for priority substances with bioaccumulation potential. Because multiple factors affect the pollutant levels found in the sampled matrix (fish), data from chemical monitoring in biota are expected to be very variable. This will complicate the evaluation of chemical status of water bodies and assessment of pollutant trends. Data variability caused by sampling can be significantly reduced by application of passive samplers, a promising alternative to biota monitoring for the purpose of compliance checking and trend assessment.

Participation in this meeting was by invitation only. However, the conclusions of the meeting will be widely disseminated in a position document which will clarify where passive sampling fits into the schemes that are currently applied for assessment of the chemical and ecological status of water bodies under the Water Framework Directive.

Expert group meeting flyer

WORKSHOP PROGRAM AND PRESENTATIONS

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Chair: Foppe Smedes and Branislav VRANA

Chair: Ian M. Davies