David Schwesig - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by David Schwesig
The Royal Society of Chemistry eBooks, Aug 24, 2010
The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the most important legislative instruments... more The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the most important legislative instruments in the water field. The overarching objective of the policy is the achievement of a “good status” in all waters of European Member States by the end of 2015. Important milestones include the analysis of pressures and impacts, a characterisation of water bodies and monitoring programmes.The effectiveness of these monitoring programmes and hence of the overall WFD implementation will depend highly on the ability of Member States’ laboratories to measure the status of water bodies. The chemical status of water bodies is linked to compliance with EU Environmental Quality Standards defined in a daughter directive. In order to assess the chemical status, a number of priority substances and priority hazardous substances have to be monitored. Requirements on the analytical methods to be used for chemical monitoring are laid down in terms of technical specifications by another daughter directive.In some cases, the requirements on analytical methods (e.g. limit of quantification and measurement uncertainty) for chemical monitoring under WFD pose a real challenge, even for state-of-the-art analytical techniques. This has initiated a number of European activities in the development of guidance documents, harmonisation efforts and demand-driven research.The main tasks, challenges and research needs related to chemical monitoring of water bodies under the WFD are presented, including an outlook on how these issues are tackled. This is completed by the presentation of actual chemical monitoring results from surface waters from the Republic of Ireland.
Springer eBooks, Feb 16, 2006
Development of Harmonized Protocols for Method Validation for Monitoring and Bio-Monitoring of Em... more Development of Harmonized Protocols for Method Validation for Monitoring and Bio-Monitoring of Emerging Pollutants. Poster.
This study was performed to elucidate the distribution, concentration trend and possible sources ... more This study was performed to elucidate the distribution, concentration trend and possible sources of total mercury (Hg T) and methylmercury (MeHg) in sediment cores (<63 μm particle size; n=75) of Sundarban mangrove wetland, northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, India. Total mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in a Leco AMA 254 instrument and MeHg by gas chromatographyatomic fluorescence spectrometry (GC-AFS). A wide range of variation in Hg T (0.032-0.196 μg g −1 dry wt.) as well as MeHg (0.04-0.13 ng g −1 dry wt.) concentrations revealed a slight local contamination. The prevalent low Hg T levels in sediments could be explained by sediment transport by the tidal Hugli (Ganges) River that would dilute the Hg T values via sediment mixing processes. A broader variation of MeHg proportions (%) were also observed in samples suggesting that other environmental variables such as organic carbon and microbial activity may play a major role in the methylation process. An overall elevated concentration of Hg T in surface layers (0-4 cm) of the core is due to remobilization of mercury from deeper sediments. Based on the index of geoaccumulation (I geo) and low effects-range (ER-L) values, it is considered that the sediment is less polluted by Hg T and there is less ecotoxicological risk. The paper provides the first information of MeHg in sediments from this wetland environment and the authors strongly recommend further examination of Hg T fluxes for the development of a detailed coastal MeHg model. This could provide more refine estimates of a total flux into the water column.
Water Science & Technology: Water Supply, Dec 1, 2011
Knowledge of the amount of bank filtrate in raw water is crucial for drinking water suppliers usi... more Knowledge of the amount of bank filtrate in raw water is crucial for drinking water suppliers using water wells in close proximity to rivers, in particular if those rivers are strongly affected by anthropogenic activities, e.g. receiving effluents from waste water treatment plants. Analysis of organic micropollutants as tracer compounds is costly and time-consuming, and results may be biased by processes such as sorption, degradation or even by other input pathways such as land use activities. In this study, the use of gadolinium (Gd) as an alternative conservative tracer to indicate the amount of bank filtrate in raw water from drinking water wells close to rivers was investigated. In two case studies in Germany and Luxembourg, river water and water from drinking water wells at several distances from the rivers was sampled and analysed for anthropogenic Gd as well as for some of the organic trace pollutants conventionally used as tracer compounds. The amount of bank filtrate as calculated from Gd was compared with the estimates derived by conventional tracers and by hydrological flux modelling. The results indicated that the measurement of Gd may provide a promising alternative to monitor infiltration of river water in ground water used for production of drinking water.
Обсуждаются структура и динамика полей течений и температуры воды в прибрежной зоне крупного басс... more Обсуждаются структура и динамика полей течений и температуры воды в прибрежной зоне крупного бассейна, рожденных сезонными изменениями условий теплообмена на его поверхности. Показано, что структура полей воспроизводится обеими моделями адекватно, скорости течений различаются незначительно, но при этом гидростатическая модель дает более гладкое поле скоростей и заметно большие горизонтальные градиенты температуры. This article addresses the structure and dynamics of current and temperature fields in the coastal zone of a large water body generated by seasonal variations of heat-exchange conditions at the water surface. Numerical solutions of three-dimensional hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic models MIKE3FlowModel in shallow and deep parts of the basin are compared. It is shown that the structure of fields is reproduced adequately by both models and water currents are similar; however, the hydrostatic model produces a smoother current field and significantly larger horizontal temperat...
Influence of pH and humic acid on coag-ulation of kaolinite: A dynamic light scattering study // ... more Influence of pH and humic acid on coag-ulation of kaolinite: A dynamic light scattering study // J. Colloid Interface Sci. 1998. № 202. P. 95—103. Об авторах Наталья Владимировна Таблер — д-р естественных наук, Рейн-Вестфальс-кий институт воды, Германия. E-mail: n.kharlanova@iwa-gmbh.de Дэвид Швезиг — д-р геохимии, Рейн-Вестфальский институт воды, Германия. E-mail: d.schwesig@iww-online.de Валерий Алексеевич Фунтиков — д-р хим. наук, проф., Балтийский феде-ральный университет им. И. Канта, Калининград. E-mail: funtikovva@mail.ru
Water Supply, 2011
Knowledge of the amount of bank filtrate in raw water is crucial for drinking water suppliers usi... more Knowledge of the amount of bank filtrate in raw water is crucial for drinking water suppliers using water wells in close proximity to rivers, in particular if those rivers are strongly affected by anthropogenic activities, e.g. receiving effluents from waste water treatment plants. Analysis of organic micropollutants as tracer compounds is costly and time-consuming, and results may be biased by processes such as sorption, degradation or even by other input pathways such as land use activities. In this study, the use of gadolinium (Gd) as an alternative conservative tracer to indicate the amount of bank filtrate in raw water from drinking water wells close to rivers was investigated. In two case studies in Germany and Luxembourg, river water and water from drinking water wells at several distances from the rivers was sampled and analysed for anthropogenic Gd as well as for some of the organic trace pollutants conventionally used as tracer compounds. The amount of bank filtrate as cal...
Issues in Environmental Science and Technology
The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the most important legislative instruments... more The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the most important legislative instruments in the water field. The overarching objective of the policy is the achievement of a “good status” in all waters of European Member States by the end of 2015. Important milestones include the analysis of pressures and impacts, a characterisation of water bodies and monitoring programmes.The effectiveness of these monitoring programmes and hence of the overall WFD implementation will depend highly on the ability of Member States’ laboratories to measure the status of water bodies. The chemical status of water bodies is linked to compliance with EU Environmental Quality Standards defined in a daughter directive. In order to assess the chemical status, a number of priority substances and priority hazardous substances have to be monitored. Requirements on the analytical methods to be used for chemical monitoring are laid down in terms of technical specifications by another daughter directive.In some cases, the requirements on analytical methods (e.g. limit of quantification and measurement uncertainty) for chemical monitoring under WFD pose a real challenge, even for state-of-the-art analytical techniques. This has initiated a number of European activities in the development of guidance documents, harmonisation efforts and demand-driven research.The main tasks, challenges and research needs related to chemical monitoring of water bodies under the WFD are presented, including an outlook on how these issues are tackled. This is completed by the presentation of actual chemical monitoring results from surface waters from the Republic of Ireland.
The main objective of this research project (“Fate Sees”) was to verify on a European-wide scale ... more The main objective of this research project (“Fate Sees”) was to verify on a European-wide scale the occurrence of as many as possible organic and inorganic chemical contaminants in WWTP effluents, in order to get a European overview. In the year 2010, effluents from 90 European waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) were collected and analysed in total for 160 organic chemicals and 20 inorganic trace elements. The analyses were complemented by applying also effect-based monitoring approaches aiming at estrogenicity and dioxin-like toxicity analysed by in vitro reporter gene bioassays, and yeast and diatom culture acute toxicity optical bioassays.
It is predicted that climate change will result in big changes to the global distribution of rain... more It is predicted that climate change will result in big changes to the global distribution of rainfall, causing drought and desertification in some regions and floods in others. Already there are signs of such changes occurring, with particularly serious consequences for poorer countries. The need for international cooperation in managing the effects of climate change, and other influences on the hydrological cycle, is becoming urgent. Future wars may well be fought over water. This book is part of a series focusing on key issues in environmental science and technology. Focusing on the sustainability of water supplies to the growing populations throughout the world, this volume consists of articles contributed by a group of experts drawn from around the globe. Issues covered include: policy making in the European Union; rural water supplies in Africa; chemical monitoring and analytical methods; water use in agriculture; social justice in supplying water; potable water recycling, and ...
The conference "Cities of the Future - Transitions to the Urban Water Services of Tomorrow (... more The conference "Cities of the Future - Transitions to the Urban Water Services of Tomorrow (TRUST)" thus provided an opportunity to present and discuss leading-edge developments in the area of urban water services with an international audience of water utility personnel, researchers, engineers, technology providers, city planners, consultants, regulators and policy makers. It focused on the techniques, technologies and management approaches aiming at enabling and supporting the transition towards more sustainable urban water futures, but also zoomed-in on the socio-economic requirements and aspects of this transition. More than 120 participants from about 20 countries joined the three days event at Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany) to enjoy and discuss more than 40 presentations and about 20 posters.We are now happy to present and publish this volume with many manuscripts of the presentations given at the conference. We are confident that the promising results presented at the conference will resonate in the water sector and in the long term contribute to more sustainable water services in our Cities of the Future.Schwesig, D.; Cabrera Rochera, E.; Estruch Juan, ME. (2015). Proceedings of the Cities of the Future - Transitions to the Urban Water Services of Tomorrow (TRUST). http://hdl.handle.net/10251/5464
Science of The Total Environment, 2019
Surface waters, especially in densely populated areas, are facing multiple anthropogenic pressure... more Surface waters, especially in densely populated areas, are facing multiple anthropogenic pressures. Micro pollutants are of growing concern. Improved analytical methods are used to focus on substances like ICM with a (high) potential of hazardous effects against water organisms or the water quality in general ICM are essential for instance in computer tomographic examinations in medical facilities. Discharge of ICM to the sewer system occurs via human urine excretions. Common waste water treatment plants do not eliminate these substances completely. Therefore, increasing concentrations are found in the rivers worldwide. The project MERK'MAL explored a potentially cost-effective measure to reduce ICM in the River Ruhr, located in Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia. The results from this pilot study show that urine bags are an effective measure to reduce ICM concentrations. During the urine collection with bags measurements of ICM concentrations have shown a reduction, compared to the baseline concentration that was measured at the same sampling point in the effluent of the corresponding waste water treatment plant. The ICM reduction ranged between 20 and 34% for the mean values and between 7 and 33% for the median value. Additional payment equivalent costs per examination with ICM are approx. 3.36 €, full costs including imputed costs are expected in a cost range of 5.38 € to 6.09 € per examination. The extension of the study is envisioned, helping to sustainably enhance water quality in the River Ruhr in terms of ICM concentrations.
Ecosystem Services, 2018
Driven by Europe's pressing need to overcome its water quality and water scarcity challenges, the... more Driven by Europe's pressing need to overcome its water quality and water scarcity challenges, the speed of innovation in the water sector is outpacing that of science. The methodologies available to assess the impact of innovative solutions to water-related challenges remain limited and highly theoretical, which sets boundaries on their application and usefulness to water practitioners. This hampers the uptake of new technologies and innovative management practices, thus foregoing potential gains in resource efficiency and nature protection, as well as wider benefits to society and the economy. To address this gap, the DESSIN project developed a framework to evaluate the changes in ecosystem services (ESS) associated with technical or management solutions implemented at the water body, sub-catchment or catchment level. The framework was developed with a specific focus on freshwater ecosystems to allow for a more detailed exploration of practical implementation issues. Its development, testing and validation was carried out by conducting ESS evaluations in three different urban case study settings. The framework builds upon existing classification systems for ESS (CICES and FEGS-CS) and incorporates the DPSIR adaptive management scheme as its main structural element. This enables compatibility with other international initiatives on ESS assessments and establishes a direct link to the EU Water Framework Directive, respectively. This work furthers research on practical implementation of the Ecosystem Services Approach, while pushing the discussion on how to promote more informed decision-making and support innovation uptake to address Europe's current water-related challenges.
Vom Wasser, 2004
Recently, the German Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt) has issued a recommendation f... more Recently, the German Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt) has issued a recommendation for a sequential sampling procedure suitable for the surveillance of lead, copper and nickel concentrations in tap water of domestic distribution systems after a well-defined stagnation period. The intention of this procedure is to enable a standardized acquisition and interpretation of concentration data of these metals according to the German Drinking Water Ordinance. An economical and state-of-the-art implementation of this sampling procedure requires a close cooperation of health authorities, laboratories, consumers, and owners of the domestic water distribution system. First results indicate that in the first sample fraction drawn immediately after a stagnation period of four hours, concentrations of nickel exceed the limit value of the German Drinking Water Ordinance in a number of samples. Most probably, this effect is due to the release of nickel from the metallic material of the tap itself. It could be shown that after a short flushing concentrations of nickel usually dropped significantly below the limit value.
Litterfall from trees has been identified as an important pathway for deposition of mercury (Hg) ... more Litterfall from trees has been identified as an important pathway for deposition of mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in forested catchments, but very little is known about the role of ground vegetation in deposition and cycling of Hg compounds. This study was conducted to identify the origin of Hg compounds in the ground vegetation, and to estimate the role of its litterfall with respect to pools and fluxes of Hg in a coniferous forest in the German Fichtelgebirge mountains. Above and below ground biomass of the dominant ground vegetation (Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa and Calamagrostis villosa) were sampled at several plots successively during the growing season. The fluxes to the soil via litterfall of the ground vegetation were calculated using contents of Hg and MeHg in the annual fractions of aboveground biomass. With fluxes of 0.4-7.8 mg Hg total ha −1 a −1 and 0.01-0.04 mg MeHg ha −1 a −1 (depending on the plant species) this pathway contributes only a few percent to the total deposition of both compounds in the catchment. To identify the uptake pathways of Hg compounds, the same plant species were grown in a pot experiment with addition of isotope labelled Hg compounds (202 Hg 2+ , Me 198 Hg) to a clean sand substrate. Only small proportions of 202 Hg and Me 198 Hg in the substrate were taken up by the plants, but in all cases the proportion translocated into aboveground biomass after uptake was greater in case of Me 198 Hg. Thus, internal recycling in the plant-soil system is a source especially for MeHg in the ground vegetation. However, as compared to the input of Hg compounds by tree litterfall and storage in the forest floor, Hg total and MeHg in ground vegetation are of minor importance. High volatilization of added Hg isotopes raises the question of a re-emission of Hg compounds by the transpiration flux of the ground vegetation.
Mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (CH 3 Hg +) are global pollutants, but little information is avail... more Mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (CH 3 Hg +) are global pollutants, but little information is available on their distribution and mobility in soils and catchments of Central Europe. The objective of this study was to investigate the pools and mobility of Hg and CH 3 Hg + in different forest soils. Upland and wetland forest soils, soil solutions and runoff were sampled. In upland soils the highest contents of total-Hg were found in the Oh layer of the forest floor (>400 ng g −1) and the storage of non geogenic total-Hg (calculated for 60 cm depth) was about 120 mg/m 2. The storage of total-Hg was one order of magnitude lower in wetland soils as compared to the upland soils. By far the largest proportion of total-Hg in soils was bound in immobile fractions. The depth gradients of CH 3 Hg + did not correspond to those of total-Hg and the highest contents of CH 3 Hg + in upland soils were observed in the litter layer of the forest floor and in the Bsv horizon. The CH 3 Hg + content of the wetland soils was generally much higher in comparison with upland soils. CH 3 Hg + in solution was found in the forest floor percolates of upland soils and in wetland soils, but not in soil solutions from mineral soil horizons. Gaseous losses of Hg as well as methylation of Hg are likely in wetland soils. The latter might be highly relevant for CH 3 Hg + levels in runoff.
Comparability and reliability of monitoring data are essential for any meaningful assessment and ... more Comparability and reliability of monitoring data are essential for any meaningful assessment and for the management of environmental risks. For emerging pollutants, there is concern regarding the comparability of data at the European level. Methods used for the monitoring of emerging pollutants have often not been properly validated either in-house or at the international level. Such methods are often not well established in the scientific community, and far from being harmonised or standardised. In addition, they may only be applicable to specific conditions (matrix, organism) which may further complicate data comparability. Within the EU-funded coordination action "NORMAN - Network of Reference Laboratories for Monitoring and Bio-monitoring of Emerging Pollutants", a common European approach to the validation of both chemical and biological methods for the respective monitoring and bio-monitoring of emerging pollutants (or their effects) in a broad range of matrices has been developed. This guidance document addresses three different validation approaches, in increasing order of complexity. These are : 1. Within-laboratory validation (research level) ; 2. Basic external validation (transferability at expert level) ; 3. Inter-laboratory validation (routine level). The concept of these three approaches is strictly hierarchical, i.e. a method must fulfil all criteria of the lower level before it can enter the validation protocol of a higher level. In the case of a specific monitoring task, this protocol will guide the user through the following steps : I. Evaluation and classification of existing methods with respect to their potential, both in terms of validation, and the selection of an appropriate validation approach ; II. Development of a method, in terms of extending its application ; III. The validation procedures to be undertaken in order to effectively demonstrate the validation status of a selected method according to the three approaches adopted. The scope of the harmonised protocol covers quantitative and qualitative biological and chemical test methods for the analysis of water, air, soil and biota. The protocols have been tested in three case studies, each one matching one of the three validation levels. Based on the feedback from the case studies, the protocols have been improved. Future validation studies (for methods to monitor emerging pollutants) by the NORMAN network will make use of the protocols, and it is intended to implement the protocols at the level of European Standardisation (e.g. as CEN guidance document).
Water Research, 2010
This study provides the first pan-European reconnaissance of the occurrence of polar organic pers... more This study provides the first pan-European reconnaissance of the occurrence of polar organic persistent pollutants in European ground water. In total, 164 individual groundwater samples from 23 European Countries were collected and analysed (among others) for 59 selected organic compounds, comprising pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, pesticides (and their transformation products), perfluorinated acids (PFAs), benzotriazoles, hormones, alkylphenolics (endocrine disrupters), Caffeine, Diethyltoluamide (DEET), and Triclosan. The most relevant compounds in terms of frequency of detection and maximum concentrations
The Royal Society of Chemistry eBooks, Aug 24, 2010
The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the most important legislative instruments... more The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the most important legislative instruments in the water field. The overarching objective of the policy is the achievement of a “good status” in all waters of European Member States by the end of 2015. Important milestones include the analysis of pressures and impacts, a characterisation of water bodies and monitoring programmes.The effectiveness of these monitoring programmes and hence of the overall WFD implementation will depend highly on the ability of Member States’ laboratories to measure the status of water bodies. The chemical status of water bodies is linked to compliance with EU Environmental Quality Standards defined in a daughter directive. In order to assess the chemical status, a number of priority substances and priority hazardous substances have to be monitored. Requirements on the analytical methods to be used for chemical monitoring are laid down in terms of technical specifications by another daughter directive.In some cases, the requirements on analytical methods (e.g. limit of quantification and measurement uncertainty) for chemical monitoring under WFD pose a real challenge, even for state-of-the-art analytical techniques. This has initiated a number of European activities in the development of guidance documents, harmonisation efforts and demand-driven research.The main tasks, challenges and research needs related to chemical monitoring of water bodies under the WFD are presented, including an outlook on how these issues are tackled. This is completed by the presentation of actual chemical monitoring results from surface waters from the Republic of Ireland.
Springer eBooks, Feb 16, 2006
Development of Harmonized Protocols for Method Validation for Monitoring and Bio-Monitoring of Em... more Development of Harmonized Protocols for Method Validation for Monitoring and Bio-Monitoring of Emerging Pollutants. Poster.
This study was performed to elucidate the distribution, concentration trend and possible sources ... more This study was performed to elucidate the distribution, concentration trend and possible sources of total mercury (Hg T) and methylmercury (MeHg) in sediment cores (<63 μm particle size; n=75) of Sundarban mangrove wetland, northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, India. Total mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in a Leco AMA 254 instrument and MeHg by gas chromatographyatomic fluorescence spectrometry (GC-AFS). A wide range of variation in Hg T (0.032-0.196 μg g −1 dry wt.) as well as MeHg (0.04-0.13 ng g −1 dry wt.) concentrations revealed a slight local contamination. The prevalent low Hg T levels in sediments could be explained by sediment transport by the tidal Hugli (Ganges) River that would dilute the Hg T values via sediment mixing processes. A broader variation of MeHg proportions (%) were also observed in samples suggesting that other environmental variables such as organic carbon and microbial activity may play a major role in the methylation process. An overall elevated concentration of Hg T in surface layers (0-4 cm) of the core is due to remobilization of mercury from deeper sediments. Based on the index of geoaccumulation (I geo) and low effects-range (ER-L) values, it is considered that the sediment is less polluted by Hg T and there is less ecotoxicological risk. The paper provides the first information of MeHg in sediments from this wetland environment and the authors strongly recommend further examination of Hg T fluxes for the development of a detailed coastal MeHg model. This could provide more refine estimates of a total flux into the water column.
Water Science & Technology: Water Supply, Dec 1, 2011
Knowledge of the amount of bank filtrate in raw water is crucial for drinking water suppliers usi... more Knowledge of the amount of bank filtrate in raw water is crucial for drinking water suppliers using water wells in close proximity to rivers, in particular if those rivers are strongly affected by anthropogenic activities, e.g. receiving effluents from waste water treatment plants. Analysis of organic micropollutants as tracer compounds is costly and time-consuming, and results may be biased by processes such as sorption, degradation or even by other input pathways such as land use activities. In this study, the use of gadolinium (Gd) as an alternative conservative tracer to indicate the amount of bank filtrate in raw water from drinking water wells close to rivers was investigated. In two case studies in Germany and Luxembourg, river water and water from drinking water wells at several distances from the rivers was sampled and analysed for anthropogenic Gd as well as for some of the organic trace pollutants conventionally used as tracer compounds. The amount of bank filtrate as calculated from Gd was compared with the estimates derived by conventional tracers and by hydrological flux modelling. The results indicated that the measurement of Gd may provide a promising alternative to monitor infiltration of river water in ground water used for production of drinking water.
Обсуждаются структура и динамика полей течений и температуры воды в прибрежной зоне крупного басс... more Обсуждаются структура и динамика полей течений и температуры воды в прибрежной зоне крупного бассейна, рожденных сезонными изменениями условий теплообмена на его поверхности. Показано, что структура полей воспроизводится обеими моделями адекватно, скорости течений различаются незначительно, но при этом гидростатическая модель дает более гладкое поле скоростей и заметно большие горизонтальные градиенты температуры. This article addresses the structure and dynamics of current and temperature fields in the coastal zone of a large water body generated by seasonal variations of heat-exchange conditions at the water surface. Numerical solutions of three-dimensional hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic models MIKE3FlowModel in shallow and deep parts of the basin are compared. It is shown that the structure of fields is reproduced adequately by both models and water currents are similar; however, the hydrostatic model produces a smoother current field and significantly larger horizontal temperat...
Influence of pH and humic acid on coag-ulation of kaolinite: A dynamic light scattering study // ... more Influence of pH and humic acid on coag-ulation of kaolinite: A dynamic light scattering study // J. Colloid Interface Sci. 1998. № 202. P. 95—103. Об авторах Наталья Владимировна Таблер — д-р естественных наук, Рейн-Вестфальс-кий институт воды, Германия. E-mail: n.kharlanova@iwa-gmbh.de Дэвид Швезиг — д-р геохимии, Рейн-Вестфальский институт воды, Германия. E-mail: d.schwesig@iww-online.de Валерий Алексеевич Фунтиков — д-р хим. наук, проф., Балтийский феде-ральный университет им. И. Канта, Калининград. E-mail: funtikovva@mail.ru
Water Supply, 2011
Knowledge of the amount of bank filtrate in raw water is crucial for drinking water suppliers usi... more Knowledge of the amount of bank filtrate in raw water is crucial for drinking water suppliers using water wells in close proximity to rivers, in particular if those rivers are strongly affected by anthropogenic activities, e.g. receiving effluents from waste water treatment plants. Analysis of organic micropollutants as tracer compounds is costly and time-consuming, and results may be biased by processes such as sorption, degradation or even by other input pathways such as land use activities. In this study, the use of gadolinium (Gd) as an alternative conservative tracer to indicate the amount of bank filtrate in raw water from drinking water wells close to rivers was investigated. In two case studies in Germany and Luxembourg, river water and water from drinking water wells at several distances from the rivers was sampled and analysed for anthropogenic Gd as well as for some of the organic trace pollutants conventionally used as tracer compounds. The amount of bank filtrate as cal...
Issues in Environmental Science and Technology
The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the most important legislative instruments... more The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is one of the most important legislative instruments in the water field. The overarching objective of the policy is the achievement of a “good status” in all waters of European Member States by the end of 2015. Important milestones include the analysis of pressures and impacts, a characterisation of water bodies and monitoring programmes.The effectiveness of these monitoring programmes and hence of the overall WFD implementation will depend highly on the ability of Member States’ laboratories to measure the status of water bodies. The chemical status of water bodies is linked to compliance with EU Environmental Quality Standards defined in a daughter directive. In order to assess the chemical status, a number of priority substances and priority hazardous substances have to be monitored. Requirements on the analytical methods to be used for chemical monitoring are laid down in terms of technical specifications by another daughter directive.In some cases, the requirements on analytical methods (e.g. limit of quantification and measurement uncertainty) for chemical monitoring under WFD pose a real challenge, even for state-of-the-art analytical techniques. This has initiated a number of European activities in the development of guidance documents, harmonisation efforts and demand-driven research.The main tasks, challenges and research needs related to chemical monitoring of water bodies under the WFD are presented, including an outlook on how these issues are tackled. This is completed by the presentation of actual chemical monitoring results from surface waters from the Republic of Ireland.
The main objective of this research project (“Fate Sees”) was to verify on a European-wide scale ... more The main objective of this research project (“Fate Sees”) was to verify on a European-wide scale the occurrence of as many as possible organic and inorganic chemical contaminants in WWTP effluents, in order to get a European overview. In the year 2010, effluents from 90 European waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) were collected and analysed in total for 160 organic chemicals and 20 inorganic trace elements. The analyses were complemented by applying also effect-based monitoring approaches aiming at estrogenicity and dioxin-like toxicity analysed by in vitro reporter gene bioassays, and yeast and diatom culture acute toxicity optical bioassays.
It is predicted that climate change will result in big changes to the global distribution of rain... more It is predicted that climate change will result in big changes to the global distribution of rainfall, causing drought and desertification in some regions and floods in others. Already there are signs of such changes occurring, with particularly serious consequences for poorer countries. The need for international cooperation in managing the effects of climate change, and other influences on the hydrological cycle, is becoming urgent. Future wars may well be fought over water. This book is part of a series focusing on key issues in environmental science and technology. Focusing on the sustainability of water supplies to the growing populations throughout the world, this volume consists of articles contributed by a group of experts drawn from around the globe. Issues covered include: policy making in the European Union; rural water supplies in Africa; chemical monitoring and analytical methods; water use in agriculture; social justice in supplying water; potable water recycling, and ...
The conference "Cities of the Future - Transitions to the Urban Water Services of Tomorrow (... more The conference "Cities of the Future - Transitions to the Urban Water Services of Tomorrow (TRUST)" thus provided an opportunity to present and discuss leading-edge developments in the area of urban water services with an international audience of water utility personnel, researchers, engineers, technology providers, city planners, consultants, regulators and policy makers. It focused on the techniques, technologies and management approaches aiming at enabling and supporting the transition towards more sustainable urban water futures, but also zoomed-in on the socio-economic requirements and aspects of this transition. More than 120 participants from about 20 countries joined the three days event at Mülheim an der Ruhr (Germany) to enjoy and discuss more than 40 presentations and about 20 posters.We are now happy to present and publish this volume with many manuscripts of the presentations given at the conference. We are confident that the promising results presented at the conference will resonate in the water sector and in the long term contribute to more sustainable water services in our Cities of the Future.Schwesig, D.; Cabrera Rochera, E.; Estruch Juan, ME. (2015). Proceedings of the Cities of the Future - Transitions to the Urban Water Services of Tomorrow (TRUST). http://hdl.handle.net/10251/5464
Science of The Total Environment, 2019
Surface waters, especially in densely populated areas, are facing multiple anthropogenic pressure... more Surface waters, especially in densely populated areas, are facing multiple anthropogenic pressures. Micro pollutants are of growing concern. Improved analytical methods are used to focus on substances like ICM with a (high) potential of hazardous effects against water organisms or the water quality in general ICM are essential for instance in computer tomographic examinations in medical facilities. Discharge of ICM to the sewer system occurs via human urine excretions. Common waste water treatment plants do not eliminate these substances completely. Therefore, increasing concentrations are found in the rivers worldwide. The project MERK'MAL explored a potentially cost-effective measure to reduce ICM in the River Ruhr, located in Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia. The results from this pilot study show that urine bags are an effective measure to reduce ICM concentrations. During the urine collection with bags measurements of ICM concentrations have shown a reduction, compared to the baseline concentration that was measured at the same sampling point in the effluent of the corresponding waste water treatment plant. The ICM reduction ranged between 20 and 34% for the mean values and between 7 and 33% for the median value. Additional payment equivalent costs per examination with ICM are approx. 3.36 €, full costs including imputed costs are expected in a cost range of 5.38 € to 6.09 € per examination. The extension of the study is envisioned, helping to sustainably enhance water quality in the River Ruhr in terms of ICM concentrations.
Ecosystem Services, 2018
Driven by Europe's pressing need to overcome its water quality and water scarcity challenges, the... more Driven by Europe's pressing need to overcome its water quality and water scarcity challenges, the speed of innovation in the water sector is outpacing that of science. The methodologies available to assess the impact of innovative solutions to water-related challenges remain limited and highly theoretical, which sets boundaries on their application and usefulness to water practitioners. This hampers the uptake of new technologies and innovative management practices, thus foregoing potential gains in resource efficiency and nature protection, as well as wider benefits to society and the economy. To address this gap, the DESSIN project developed a framework to evaluate the changes in ecosystem services (ESS) associated with technical or management solutions implemented at the water body, sub-catchment or catchment level. The framework was developed with a specific focus on freshwater ecosystems to allow for a more detailed exploration of practical implementation issues. Its development, testing and validation was carried out by conducting ESS evaluations in three different urban case study settings. The framework builds upon existing classification systems for ESS (CICES and FEGS-CS) and incorporates the DPSIR adaptive management scheme as its main structural element. This enables compatibility with other international initiatives on ESS assessments and establishes a direct link to the EU Water Framework Directive, respectively. This work furthers research on practical implementation of the Ecosystem Services Approach, while pushing the discussion on how to promote more informed decision-making and support innovation uptake to address Europe's current water-related challenges.
Vom Wasser, 2004
Recently, the German Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt) has issued a recommendation f... more Recently, the German Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt) has issued a recommendation for a sequential sampling procedure suitable for the surveillance of lead, copper and nickel concentrations in tap water of domestic distribution systems after a well-defined stagnation period. The intention of this procedure is to enable a standardized acquisition and interpretation of concentration data of these metals according to the German Drinking Water Ordinance. An economical and state-of-the-art implementation of this sampling procedure requires a close cooperation of health authorities, laboratories, consumers, and owners of the domestic water distribution system. First results indicate that in the first sample fraction drawn immediately after a stagnation period of four hours, concentrations of nickel exceed the limit value of the German Drinking Water Ordinance in a number of samples. Most probably, this effect is due to the release of nickel from the metallic material of the tap itself. It could be shown that after a short flushing concentrations of nickel usually dropped significantly below the limit value.
Litterfall from trees has been identified as an important pathway for deposition of mercury (Hg) ... more Litterfall from trees has been identified as an important pathway for deposition of mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in forested catchments, but very little is known about the role of ground vegetation in deposition and cycling of Hg compounds. This study was conducted to identify the origin of Hg compounds in the ground vegetation, and to estimate the role of its litterfall with respect to pools and fluxes of Hg in a coniferous forest in the German Fichtelgebirge mountains. Above and below ground biomass of the dominant ground vegetation (Vaccinium myrtillus, Deschampsia flexuosa and Calamagrostis villosa) were sampled at several plots successively during the growing season. The fluxes to the soil via litterfall of the ground vegetation were calculated using contents of Hg and MeHg in the annual fractions of aboveground biomass. With fluxes of 0.4-7.8 mg Hg total ha −1 a −1 and 0.01-0.04 mg MeHg ha −1 a −1 (depending on the plant species) this pathway contributes only a few percent to the total deposition of both compounds in the catchment. To identify the uptake pathways of Hg compounds, the same plant species were grown in a pot experiment with addition of isotope labelled Hg compounds (202 Hg 2+ , Me 198 Hg) to a clean sand substrate. Only small proportions of 202 Hg and Me 198 Hg in the substrate were taken up by the plants, but in all cases the proportion translocated into aboveground biomass after uptake was greater in case of Me 198 Hg. Thus, internal recycling in the plant-soil system is a source especially for MeHg in the ground vegetation. However, as compared to the input of Hg compounds by tree litterfall and storage in the forest floor, Hg total and MeHg in ground vegetation are of minor importance. High volatilization of added Hg isotopes raises the question of a re-emission of Hg compounds by the transpiration flux of the ground vegetation.
Mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (CH 3 Hg +) are global pollutants, but little information is avail... more Mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (CH 3 Hg +) are global pollutants, but little information is available on their distribution and mobility in soils and catchments of Central Europe. The objective of this study was to investigate the pools and mobility of Hg and CH 3 Hg + in different forest soils. Upland and wetland forest soils, soil solutions and runoff were sampled. In upland soils the highest contents of total-Hg were found in the Oh layer of the forest floor (>400 ng g −1) and the storage of non geogenic total-Hg (calculated for 60 cm depth) was about 120 mg/m 2. The storage of total-Hg was one order of magnitude lower in wetland soils as compared to the upland soils. By far the largest proportion of total-Hg in soils was bound in immobile fractions. The depth gradients of CH 3 Hg + did not correspond to those of total-Hg and the highest contents of CH 3 Hg + in upland soils were observed in the litter layer of the forest floor and in the Bsv horizon. The CH 3 Hg + content of the wetland soils was generally much higher in comparison with upland soils. CH 3 Hg + in solution was found in the forest floor percolates of upland soils and in wetland soils, but not in soil solutions from mineral soil horizons. Gaseous losses of Hg as well as methylation of Hg are likely in wetland soils. The latter might be highly relevant for CH 3 Hg + levels in runoff.
Comparability and reliability of monitoring data are essential for any meaningful assessment and ... more Comparability and reliability of monitoring data are essential for any meaningful assessment and for the management of environmental risks. For emerging pollutants, there is concern regarding the comparability of data at the European level. Methods used for the monitoring of emerging pollutants have often not been properly validated either in-house or at the international level. Such methods are often not well established in the scientific community, and far from being harmonised or standardised. In addition, they may only be applicable to specific conditions (matrix, organism) which may further complicate data comparability. Within the EU-funded coordination action "NORMAN - Network of Reference Laboratories for Monitoring and Bio-monitoring of Emerging Pollutants", a common European approach to the validation of both chemical and biological methods for the respective monitoring and bio-monitoring of emerging pollutants (or their effects) in a broad range of matrices has been developed. This guidance document addresses three different validation approaches, in increasing order of complexity. These are : 1. Within-laboratory validation (research level) ; 2. Basic external validation (transferability at expert level) ; 3. Inter-laboratory validation (routine level). The concept of these three approaches is strictly hierarchical, i.e. a method must fulfil all criteria of the lower level before it can enter the validation protocol of a higher level. In the case of a specific monitoring task, this protocol will guide the user through the following steps : I. Evaluation and classification of existing methods with respect to their potential, both in terms of validation, and the selection of an appropriate validation approach ; II. Development of a method, in terms of extending its application ; III. The validation procedures to be undertaken in order to effectively demonstrate the validation status of a selected method according to the three approaches adopted. The scope of the harmonised protocol covers quantitative and qualitative biological and chemical test methods for the analysis of water, air, soil and biota. The protocols have been tested in three case studies, each one matching one of the three validation levels. Based on the feedback from the case studies, the protocols have been improved. Future validation studies (for methods to monitor emerging pollutants) by the NORMAN network will make use of the protocols, and it is intended to implement the protocols at the level of European Standardisation (e.g. as CEN guidance document).
Water Research, 2010
This study provides the first pan-European reconnaissance of the occurrence of polar organic pers... more This study provides the first pan-European reconnaissance of the occurrence of polar organic persistent pollutants in European ground water. In total, 164 individual groundwater samples from 23 European Countries were collected and analysed (among others) for 59 selected organic compounds, comprising pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, pesticides (and their transformation products), perfluorinated acids (PFAs), benzotriazoles, hormones, alkylphenolics (endocrine disrupters), Caffeine, Diethyltoluamide (DEET), and Triclosan. The most relevant compounds in terms of frequency of detection and maximum concentrations