Transcript MSFD Descriptor 8 - EMODnet Chemistry

Michael O. Angelidis, UNEP/MAP
on behalf of the Task Group 8 on MSFD Descriptor 8
(Chair R. Law, CEFAS, UK and co-Chair G. Hanke, JRC)
Marine Strategy 2012 Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, 14-16 May 2012
Contaminants - levels
“Concentrations of contaminants
are at levels not giving rise to
pollution effects”
Contaminants are defined as
substances (i.e. chemical elements
and compounds) or groups of
substances that are toxic,
persistent and liable to
bioaccumulate, and other
substances or groups of
substances which give rise to an
equivalent level of concern.
This definition is in line with the
definition of hazardous substances
used in the Water Framework
Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD), and by
OSPAR, HELCOM and the
Barcelona Convention.
Contaminants - Effects
Pollution effects :
Direct and/or indirect adverse
impacts of contaminants on the
marine environment, such as:
 harm to living resources and
marine ecosystems, including
loss of biodiversity
 hazards to human health
 hindering of marine activities,
including fishing, tourism and
recreation and other legitimate
uses of the sea
 impairment of the quality for
use of sea water
 reduction of amenities or, in
general, impairment of the
sustainable use of marine
goods and services.
Coverage of the Descriptor
The descriptor is concerned with
the pressures exerted by chemical
pollution onto marine ecosystems
(including oil slicks). All
contaminant types and pollution
effects other than those covered by
other descriptors will be considered
Not covered:
 Nutrients (D5)
 Introduction of energy (D11)
 Health issues related to
contaminants in fish and seafood
(D9)
 Tar balls (primarily aesthetic D10
– Marine litter)
 Marine algal toxins (they are
natural products rather than
contaminants)
Relation of MSFD D8 with WFD
WFD
 Establishes requirements for good surface water chemical status,
including transitional, coastal and territorial waters.
 Chemical status is defined in terms of compliance with
environmental quality standards (EQSs) established for chemical
substances at European level. Directive 2008/105/EC sets EQSs for
the priority substances and certain other pollutants in accordance
with WFD requirements. MS are required to take actions to meet
those quality standards by 2015.
 Directive 2009/90/EC lays down, pursuant to Directive 2000/60/EC,
technical specifications for chemical analysis and monitoring
Relations MSFD - WFD:
Substances and group of substances to be considered in the MSFD
(COM DEC 2010/477/EU)
MSFD: “Relevant provisions of the WFD in territorial and/or coastal waters
have to be taken into consideration to ensure proper coordination of the
implementation of the two legal frameworks…”
MS have to consider substances that:
i.
exceed the relevant Environmental Quality Standards (WFD 2000/60/EC)
in coastal or territorial waters adjacent to the marine region or subregion, be it in water, sediment and biota,
ii.
are listed as priority substances in Annex X to Directive 2000/60/EC and
further regulated in Directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council, which are discharged into the concerned marine
region, sub-region or subdivision,
iii.
are contaminants and their total releases (including losses, discharges
or emissions) may entail significant risks to the marine environment
from past and present pollution in the marine region, subregion or
subdivision concerned, including as a consequence of acute pollution
events following incidents involving for instance hazardous and
noxious substances.
Conceptual approach
The assessment of achievement of GES
should be based upon monitoring
programmes covering:
 concentrations of chemical contaminants
 biological measurements relating to the
effects of pollutants on marine organisms
To avoid occurrence of adverse effects at various
levels of organisation (organism, population,
community, and ecosystem), monitoring schemes
should also indicate the approaching of critical
values as an early warning of the potential for
effects. Where possible, this should also include
effects which may be caused by synergistic or
cumulative interactions between different
contaminants.
Regional Seas Conventions activities
With regards to hazardous substances:
OSPAR and HELCOM aim to continuously reduce discharges,
emissions and losses of hazardous substances, with complete
cessation by 2020, the ultimate aim being the achievement of
concentrations in the marine environment near background values
for naturally occurring elements and substances and close to zero
for man-made synthetic substances.
The Barcelona Convention (UNEP/MAP) aims to prevent, abate,
combat and to fullest possible extent eliminate pollution of the
Mediterranean Sea. Also (LBS Protocol) to phase out inputs of
substances that are toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulation.
The Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution
(Bucharest Convention) implements an integrated Monitoring and
Assessment Programme.
Criteria
Level
• Concentrations of contaminants in
water, sediment and biota are
below assessment thresholds
identified on the basis of
toxicological data
• Levels of pollution effects are
below assessment thresholds
representing harm at organism,
population, community and
ecosystem levels
Trend
• Concentrations of contaminants in
water, sediment and biota, and the
occurrence and severity of
pollution effects, should not be
increasing
BOTH attributes needed for GES
Criteria - Concentrations
GES description on concentrations of contaminants (PRESURES):
 Environmental concentrations of contaminants are below
Environmental Quality Standards (EQSs) derived under the
Water Framework Directive .
Environmental targets:
 Concentrations of naturally occurring pollutants (as heavy
metals) should be close to background reference levels.
 Concentrations of synthetic pollutants should be close to zero.
Criteria - Effects
GES description on biological
effects of contaminants
(IMPACTS):
 The effects of contaminants on
selected biological processes
and taxonomic groups, where a
cause/effect relationship has
been established, are kept within
agreed levels
Environmental targets:
 The intensity of biological or
ecological effects due to
contaminants is below the
toxicologically-based standards
Data availability - monitoring
 Contaminants concentrations in sediment and biota
but scope and scale varies
 Biological effects monitoring less developed
Therefore
 GES will be based on relatively small number of contaminants
and biological effects
 Harmonization is needed for contaminants and matrices but
where needed develop targeted monitoring programmes
 Harmonize Regional Seas Conventions monitoring approach
 Assessment criteria have to be developed and agreed upon
Methodological standards availability
 Methodological standards available at Regional Seas
Conventions
 Chemical analytical methods are standardized and subject to
quality control procedures
 Biological effects methods: small number validated and quality
controlled, but increasing
Possible improvements






Spatial coverage of European Seas
Open sea and off-shore environment
Screening for emerging pollutants
Passive sampling
Multi-sensor buoys and marine stations
Biogeochemical Modelling (coupling biogeochemical, ecological,
sedimentary, hydrodynamic and atmospheric models),
 Bioaccumulation and bioamplification Models (How and why
chemical contaminants bioaccumulation differs among
contaminants, species, food chains and environments using
kinetic parameters of uptake, transfer and excretion)
Research needs

Understanding ecosystem responses to pollution
Causal relationships and mechanistic processes between contaminants and
their effects on biota. Especially mixture effects and interactions between
contaminants and other environmental stressors

Knowledge of the marine foodwebs with regard to contaminants
Transfer of contaminants through thefod chain: Bioaccumulation,
biomagnification, additive, synergistic and antagonistic effects

Contaminant uptake and effects to top predators

Sources identification and quantitative apportionment
Fluxes and interfaces exchanges (sea/air, water/sediment)

Monitoring methods improvement
Cost effective methods for greater amount of contaminants

Deep sea research
Cost effective sampling; sensors on board of Autonomous Underwater
Vehicles

Passive sampling techniques (temporally integrated technique for priority
and emerging pollutants

Biological effects techniques
Summary
 The approach is to rely on the levels established by the
WFD (EQSs).
 The target is based on a quantitative description.
 There is a gap in the biological effects of contaminants
(insufficient knowledge to define targets).
Further needs
Agreement at (sub-) regional level on the development of
supplementary EQSs and relevant matrix (e.g. for sediment,
biota) and Environmental Assessment Criteria (EACs)
Agreement at (sub-) regional level on biological effects of
contaminants
Development of associated indicators (at the appropriate
level)
Thank you