(Procter & Gamble, Brussels) GREAT-ER: a new tool for management and risk assessment of chemicals in river basins Dr. Simon Webb (Procter & Gamble, Brussels) Third Meeting of the Expert Advisory Forum (EAF 3) on Priority Substances and Pollution Control 4th March 2002 Brussels

GREAT-ER Geography referenced Regional Exposure Assessment Tool for European Rivers

What is GREAT-ER ? GREAT-ER is environmental software designed as a new support tool for EU chemical risk assessment and basin infrastructure management, developed by ECETOC for the European Detergent Industry (AISE/CESIO) and the UK Environment Agency GREAT-ER predicts chemical concentrations in river basins across Europe GREAT-ER combines environmental models with a GIS (Geographical Information System) to produce clear maps which visualise chemical concentrations and water quality

Why GREAT-ER ? Current models (e.g., EUSES) generate exposure concentrations averaged over an entire fictive region. Current tools (e.g., EU TGD and EUSES) offer one deterministic result that can vary in accuracy (factor 10 - 1000). Spatial, temporal and demographic variations should be used in a probabilistic approach. A system is needed for river basin and water quality management tools (e.g., for EU Water Framework Directive)

“Fictive” “Real” GREAT-ER Refinement Multimedia fugacity model PEC 70% treated AIR 30% untreated WATER SOIL AQUATIC BIOTA “Fictive” SEDIMENT “Real” Atmospheric Transport and Deposition Treated Discharge GREAT-ER Refinement Erosion & Runoff WWTP PEC Pseudo-Diffuse Discharges Untreated Discharge

mechanistic and/or empirical Mode 1 Deterministic core of the model with 3 different complexity levels lumped decay rate k Mode 3 mechanistic and/or empirical process descriptions biodeg. - sorb/diss - DO photodeg. degradation rate kdeg - depth, SS - extinction hydrolysis - pH volatilization rate kvol chemical + river properties volatilization - wind speed - flow velocity - depth settling rate ksed settling Mode 2 - SS, sorption - sediment characteristics - depth

GREAT-ER Outputs 1) GIS maps of river network with colour-coded chemical concentrations 2) Profiles of river concentrations 3) Aggregated PEC values (‘average values’, cf. EU ‘PEC’ regional).

lowest concentration highest concentration

GREAT-ER Calibration and Validation Programme In order to calibrate and verify the model predictions two-year monitoring studies were carried out in rivers and at sewage treatment plants in: UK (4 rivers) Italy (1 river) Germany (1 river)

Future Developments: Pan-European Expansion of Pilot Areas Finished: UK : Aire, Calder, Went & Rother Germany: Itter, Unter-Main Italy : Lambro Belgium: Rupel Ongoing: France: Mayenne Germany: Elbe, Rhine & Main Spain: Llobregat

Future Developments: Additional Environmental Compartments and Fate Models Euro 138,000 Euro 295,000 Euro 558,000 http://www.cefic.org/lri

Future Developments: Conversion of Stand-Alone Software to Server Application with Central Database K E Analysis Spatial Data Models Non-spatial Data Source Inventory SQL- Database Common Database API ArcView GUI Map Object WWW Server Modern modular architecture Internet Browser Euro 334,000

Water Framework Directive (WFD) - Some Key Elements Integrated river basin management (= natural geographical/hydrological unit). “Good Status” objective. All emissions and discharges controlled (ELVs). Control of pollutants requires knowledge of concentrations in the receiving aquatic environment and benchmraking against effects thresholds (EQSs) “Combined Approach”. Priority (“Riskier”) chemical pollutants.

GREAT-ER & the WFD Based on river basins/catchments. GIS produces site-specific exposure estimations. Facilitates benchmarking of exposure against effects thresholds (EQSs). Ideal tool for Priority Substances. Soon upgraded for other compartments/exposure pathways (run-off, atmospheric, estuaries). “What-if” Scenarios (simulation of amelioration measures i.e., WWTP infrastructure). Existing and increasing accepted tool. Fully documented and free!

Click on the GREAT-ER icon on the PC From this map of Europe… Click on the GREAT-ER icon on the PC

select the following chemical data (link with IUCLID) river basin scenario name

Sewage treatment plants CALDER RIVER BASIN (YORKSHIRE, UK) Sewage treatment plants