1. THE HERACLES FRAMEWORK IN RELATION TO GROUNDWATER PROTECTION
HUMAN HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT
FOR CONTAMINATED LAND IN EU MEMBER STATES
IN RELATION TO GROUNDWATER PROTECTION
Claudio Carlon, Marco D’Alessandro, Giovanni Bidoglio
European Commission Joint Research Centre
9th Groundwater WG-C WS, Feb 14th, BrusselsJRC – Ispra

2. Presentation index Land versus Groundwater?
The HERACLES project to promote the development of common references for contaminated land
Groundwater protection issues addressed by HERACLES

3. HUMAN HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT
FOR CONTAMINATED LAND IN EU MEMBER STATES
Land*: a geographical area (single site, region, etc.), including soil, groundwater beneath the surface of the land and surface water
Contaminated land*: ...with confirmed presence of “dangerous substances” causes by man in such a level that they may pose a risk to a receptor...
*After the Contamination and Land Management WG in support of the “Soil Thematic Strategy,”

4. In contaminated land risk assessment Groundwater
Recipient and Vehicle of exposure
Drinking water,
Showering,
Irrigation,
Vapors intrusion
Surface
water ecosystem

5. HERACLES OBJECTIVE
Is a long term research framework for the collaboration of JRC with other European institutes (research institutes and other interested bodies) in developing common references for risk assessment of contaminated land
It combines pilot projects/desk studies with working groups discussion to activate a dynamic process of methodological development, demonstration activities and consultation
Scientific basis
for common references
HERACLES
Working Groups
request
research and
demonstration
HERACLES
pilot projects
desk studies

6. Collaboration with other institutes (and interested bodies)
JRC will ensure the maintenance/coordination of the HERACLES network and will be responsible for some tasks
The participation of other Institutes is open, possible at various levels and mainly on voluntary basis
The outcomes will feed into the process for the development of a European soil protection policy

7. Both human health and ecological risk assessment will be considered.
HERACLES framework
Operationally, three levels of risk assessment have been distinguished.
Both human health and ecological risk assessment will be considered.
Relative Risk Assessment aims identifying priority risk sources in order to support environmental policies at regional scale. They are based on qualitative models applied to specific environmental and exposure conditions.
Screening Risk Assessment aims at providing national/regional screening/guidance values for concentration of contaminants in soil. They are based on quantitative models applied to general conditions.
Site Specific Risk Assessment aims at providing an analysis of the risk to human health and the environment at a definite site on the basis of quantitative models applied to specific environmental and exposure conditions.

8. Outline of the HERACLES framework

9. started started Pilot and Desk studies Screening Risk Assessment
DESK (1): Review and tool box approach for soil screening (generic) thresholds
Launched by JRC, wide collaboration of EU Research Institutes.
started
Relative Risk Assessment
PILOT (1): Spatial Decision Support System for regional assessment of degraded land. Started at JRC.
started
Site Specific Risk Assessment
DESK (2): Review of approaches and operational tools for SS-ERA. Proposal under discussion
PILOT (2): Network case studies of SS-ERA. Proposal under discussion

10. of Soil Generic Contaminant Thresholds
Desk study 1
Risk Based derivation
of Soil Generic Contaminant Thresholds
Wide collaboration of EU Research Institutes.
Review of methodologies for the derivation of generic thresholds values across Europe. Reference to both soil and groundwater thresholds.
Distinction between politically driven and technically driven differences
Impact assessment of differences in threshold values
Application of the tool box concept and development of a preliminary proposal
Open consultation
Questionnaire
Country profile
Threshold values

11. Generic threshold values
Different uses
e.g. thresholds based on general (not site specific) conditions are used for:
setting priorities of intervention at regional scale
trigging further investigations
enforcing remediation interventions
targets for remediation interventions
various English translations have been adopted, such as guidelines, trigger, target, action, intervention, clean-up or cut-off values.

12. Towards a coherent framework: Screening values for different purposes
Screening Risk Assessment
Acceptable
in realistic derivation
and not affected
by site-specific variability
Acceptable
in conservative derivation
Acceptable
in realistic derivation
Negligible
Concentration
Long term
objectives
e.g. Target values
Further investigation
e.g. Trigger value
Need of remediation
e.g. Intervention values
Urgency of remediation
e.g. cut-off values

13. Which kind of common references
Build up your nation/regional toolbox!
TOOLS and DATABASE: some standards, some flexible or alternative
TOOL
Calculation of
euilibium concentration
in vegetables
TOOL
Compound
specific data
TOOL
transport
Volatile
compounds
TOOL
Bioavailability in
human body
TOOL
Reference
dose
TOOLBOXES
TOOLBOX
Human exposure
calculation
TOOL
Bioavailability in
human body
TOOL
Reference
dose
TOOLBOX
Human exposure
calculation
TOOLBOX
Human health risk assessment
Modified after Frank Swartjes, 2005

14. e.g. protected receptors
Related issues in the risk–based derivation of soil and groundwater threshold values
e.g. protected receptors
For soil
human health
terrestrial ecosystem
aquatic ecosystem
groundwater
For groundwater
human health
aquatic ecosystem
terrestrial ecosystem
Generic thresholds for soil are often mainly driven by groundwater protection (e.g. Austria, Denmark, Germany).
Generic thresholds for groundwater are often related to drinking use only (e.g. France, Finland, Italy).
In some cases, thresholds for groundwater are partially derived from soil thresholds (e.g. The Netherlands)

15. Different pathways can be considered
Routes of exposure - human
Ingestion and direct contact
Outdoor: soil ingestion
Indoor: dust ingestion
Indoor: dermal exposure to soil derived dust
Outdoor: dermal exposure to soil
Air
Outdoor: inhalation of soil vapours
Outdoor: inhalation of soil derived dust
Outdoor: inhalation of volatilized irrigation water
Indoor: inhalation of soil originated vapours
Indoor: inhalation of groundwater vapours
Indoor: inhalation of volatilized domestic water
GroundW. Use
drinking
Showering
Irrigation
surface water use
Swimming
Surface water consumption of fish and shellfish
Diet
Res. diet: uptake of homegrown vegetables
Res. diet: Ingestion of soil attached to vegetables
Res. diet: uptake of homegrown fruits
Res. diet: ingestion of soil attached to fruits
Res. diet: consumption of meat
Res. diet: consumption of diary products
Exposure pathways
Different pathways can be considered
Pathways
Routes of exposure
Terrestrial ecosytem
GroundW.
Irrigation use
outflow
Soil
Plant uptake
Dermal contact
Ingestion
Bio-accumulation/magnification in vertebrates
Aquatic ecosytem
Groundwater inflow
Aquatic ecosystem
Bioconcetration in algae
Bioaccumulation/magnification in mussels and fishes

16. Related issues in the risk–based derivation of soil and groundwater threshold values
Point of compliance for both protection and remediation of groundwater resources?
monitoring borehole at site boundary
Off-site monitoring borehole
Receptor: e.g. abstraction well or surface water
Contaminated soil
Generic groundwater thresholds are usually immediately below the source. Site specific can usually move the point of compliance to the boundary of the site or to the receptor on the basis of current/potential use of groundwater resource?

17. Groundwater use or degree of protection
Related issues in the risk–based derivation of soil and groundwater threshold values
Groundwater use or degree of protection
Water Asbtraction
Contaminated soil ?
Generic soil thresholds usually depends on land use, but groundwater consumption is usually considered for all uses. Generic groundwater thresholds are usually very restrictive and do not depend on groundwater use or degree of protection. Degree of protection is considered at site specific level.

18. Acceptance of natural attenuation (NA) processes?
Related issues in the risk–based derivation of soil and groundwater threshold values
Acceptance of natural attenuation (NA) processes?
NA reduces mass, toxicity, mobility, volume or concentration of contaminants. In the general sense, NA includes dispersion, dilution, volatilisation, adsorption, chemical or biological stabilisation or destruction of contaminants
Contaminated soil
Water Asbtraction
NA is never considered in setting generic soil thresholds. At site specific level is considered, but in many countries dilution is not accepted if not associated to mass or toxicity reduction.

19. Related issues in the risk–based derivation of soil and groundwater threshold values
How background values (of soil or groundwater) are taken into account?
How background exposure
(not related to soil or groundwater contamination) is taken into account?
Acceptable risk? Consideration of practical implications (economic, financial and social)?
Harmonization of risk based acceptable concentration (e.g. for soil) with that of other compartments (e.g. for groundwater)?

20. Related issues in the risk–based derivation of soil and groundwater threshold values
Human Toxicological and Eco-toxicological assessment
Which data sources ?
Usually US-EPA and WHO (differ up to a factor 10 or more), in some cases national databases or Committee
General lack of data
Which effects ?
Survival, Growth, Reproduction, Mobility, Microbial mediated processes, Enzyme activities
Chemical-specific properties? Exposure factors?
relevant need for common database,
mainly for ecotox and human tox
High=1
Low=0.5
Low=0

21. Conclusion remarks About risk assessment common references
Great differences in practices and methodological development Some related to geographical, social, cultural and regulatory conditions
Coherent framework and tool-box for many methodological elements and data bases highly beneficial, both for the generic and site specific risk assessment
Soil and groundwater risk assessment are closely related at the level of assumptions, models and input values. Implications both at regulatory level and for scientific basis.
About HERACLES
It addresses the issues of risk assessment common references from the perspective of soil contamination, but will try to integrate at best soil and water related issues. It is open to the contribution of all interested Institutes and Bodies.