The present project will - based on the recognized expertise of the consortium and the experience gained during ENDIS-RISKS network research on the development of novel approaches to evaluate the presence, distribution, effects and risks of potential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDs) in the Scheldt estuary - build upon the developed know-how to establish an enlarged (not only EDs, additional study areas and assessment endpoints) and more focussed characterization of the risks posed by micropollutants in the Belgian coastal zone. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the project, research can be divided into five main tasks:

The output foreseen to result from this research project is listed under expected results and deliverables. To get an idea of the status of the project, take a look at the activities.

Exposure assessment

The environmental concentrations of established priority compounds (cf. OSPAR, WFD and the UNECE lists) and emergent micropollutants (e.g. pharmaceuticals) transferred via the three Belgian coastal harbours (i.e. Zeebrugge, Ostend and Nieuwpoort) and the Scheldt estuary to Belgian coastal waters will be determined. Besides a certain number of organic micropulltutants (for an overview, click here), the four metals on the WFD priority list (i.e. Hg, Cd, Pb and As), tributyltin and some selected pharmaceuticals (their selection will be based on an in-depth literature analysis and information on their use in Belgium) will also be analyzed. Sampling locations are depicted on the map below by means of coloured dots (the yellow dots indicate the coastal harbours, where 3 - in the case of Nieuwpoort - or 4 stations were sampled). For more information on the sampling stations, click on the map.

Next to the ‘conventional’ sampling and analytical techniques, this project will further develop and evaluate the use of passive samplers in the context of marine monitoring and ecosystem health assessment. This novel approach is central to several of the innovations envisaged to result from this project. Passive samplers will be used in the context of (a) chemical analysis; (b) as a surrogate to assess bioavailability and bioaccumulation (c) as a contaminant source for dedicated ecotoxicological (laboratory) assays.

Effects and bioaccumulation assessment

Based on their known occurrence, their ecological importance and, for some species, their importance for potential transfer of the contaminants to the human or avian food chain, laboratory and field ecotoxicological studies will be performed with a number of selected species (for a list of the test endpoints, types and relevance of the model species to be used in the laboratory and in situ (field) ecotoxicological assessments, click here). A unique ecotoxicological approach combining novel assays and test endpoints (with demonstrated relevance for organism level effects and ecosystem health) with a new exposure system (reflecting environmentally relevant concentration of the contaminant mixtures) will be used. Additionally, attempts will be made to explain the observed effects (1) single compounds testing with selected and identified compounds occurring in the mixtures; (2) using relevant existing literature and (3) through the development of predictive Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships by combining effects, water chemistry and body burden data collected during the experiments. This is the first time that this type of approach will be developed and assessed in an attempt to improve our understanding of the relative toxicities of environmental contaminants present in marine surface waters.

Contaminant tissue concentrations of the laboratory- and field exposed organisms, together with some selected resident species (to be decided) will be measured. This will allow to asses the bioaccumulation of the contaminants. This information is essential for the determination of possible effects on human health through consumption of marine products and the evaluation of the effects and concentration measured in the coastal tern populations.

Ecological monitoring

The species selected for ecological assessment/monitoring and biological evaluations within the framework of the establishment of relationships between local contaminant occurrence, ecotoxicological effects, ecosystem health and potential human health effects are: mysids, mussels, oysters and the common tern. The selection of these organisms is based on their abundance, relevance and ecological importance for the Belgian coastal ecosystem. From the research with the mysids and the bivalves we expect to be able to detect differences in populations and/or biometric parameters depending on the differences of contaminations at the different study sites. These results will be coupled with the chemical monitoring and lab and field ecotoxicological data to link the results of the various tools deployed in this project with important ecological indicators of ecosystem health. Similarly, for the Common tern we will be able to link measured biometric and population level parameters to the contaminant concentration in the eggs. This will allow assessing trophic transfer of the contaminant present in Belgian coastal waters and their impact on top-predators.

Integrated risk assessment

The results of the three research tasks mentioned above will be incorporated into an integrated risk assessment for Belgian coastal waters (including harbours) of the selected contaminants. Using the results of the extensive chemical monitoring of ‘conventional’ and ‘new emerging’ micropollutants (task 1) combined with the novel laboratory and field effect assessments (task 2) and the ecological assessment endpoints (task 4) the impact of the presence of these contaminants on Belgian coastal on the health of marine ecosystems, important coastal bird populations and man (through consumption of marine products) will be assessed in a quantitative manner. Because of the novel approach used in this project it is anticipated that for the first time, the potential risks of mixtures of low level contamination by persistent micropollutants to marine ecosystems and man will be demonstrated and/or elucidated.

Development of assessment and management tools, reporting communication and valorization

Based on the results and the in-depth evaluation of all components of the research project, the following will be developed:

a toolbox of relevant and (ecologically) validated measurements and assays to be performed in the assessment of the environmental quality of coastal waters in general and that of the Belgian coast in particular;
a suite of transparent assessment procedures and evaluation criteria to allow to monitor (geographically and temporally) and make science-based environmental management decisions

Expected results and deliverables

A comprehensive and coherent dataset of concentration data of priority contaminants will be generated and made available at the national and international level.
The envisaged approaches have the potential to become standard techniques for marine monitoring and assessment.
Scientific results will be disseminated through existing channels (peer review journals, contributions on conferences…).
The final result of the project will primarily be a novel approach to integrated monitoring for the assessment of the health of the state of the marine/coastal ecosystem.