| Publication Year | 2021 |
| Publisher | Arhus University, DCE – Danish Centre for Environment and Energy |
| Report Homepage | https://dce.au.dk/en/udgivelser/vr/nr-401-450/abstracts/no-446-prioritization-of-emerging-contaminants-for-a-nordic-screening-study |
| https://dce2.au.dk/pub/SR446.pdf | |
| ISBN ISSN | 978-87-7156-598-0 2245-0203 |
Abstract
This report expands upon the work of Woldegiorgis et al. (2019), employing similar methodologies with minor revisions to facilitate a pan-Nordic assessment of chemical use, exposure, and monitoring. The analysis has been updated to incorporate data from 2018 to 2020 and involves a prioritization process consisting of five filtering steps, beginning with an initial set of 1,872 compounds. Out of these, 194 compounds passed the first filter, 23 proceeded through the fourth filter, and ultimately, 16 compounds were identified after the final monitoring filter. The resulting screening lists need to be analyzed with expert-judgement and supplemented with problematic compounds that did not pass the 3-5 filters.
A comparison of the 16 proposed chemical candidates with the 13 proposed candidates for screening presented in Table 18 of Woldegiorgis et al. (2019) reveals that 10 of these candidates are also prioritized in the current study. Two chemicals, i.e. CAS 2425-85-6 Pigment Red 3 and CAS 2814-77-9 Pigment Red 4 are the only prioritized chemicals not assessed before, as they are new additions in the CoRAP list.
The analysis provides an objective, semi-quantitative risk based prioritization screening of compounds for consideration in a monitoring context in the Nordic region. The method can be adjusted and further developed, e.g. scores and cut-offs can be adjusted and other properties can be added e.g. mobility. The database analysis could moreover be further developed by including databases outside the EU system e.g. via the OECD e-chem portal and the US EPA ToxCast and chem-dashboard. In the not too distant future the analysis could be expanded in a machine-learning/artificial intelligence (AI) environment.
The report aims to assist the Joint Nordic Screening Group in evaluating and prioritizing chemicals within national aquatic environmental monitoring programs. Specific objectives include: 1) identifying knowledge gaps and monitoring needs for emerging substances expected in the aquatic environment, based on lists of potentially hazardous chemicals; and 2) proposing a pan-Nordic screening study for prioritized substances.