1. (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

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

4. 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

5. 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 ).
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)

6. “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

7. 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

9. 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).

10. lowest concentration
highest concentration

12. 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)

16. 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

17. Future Developments: Additional Environmental Compartments and Fate Models
Euro 138,000
Euro 295,000
Euro 558,000

18. Future Developments: Conversion of Stand-Alone Software to Server Application with Central DatabaseK 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

19. 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.

20. 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!

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

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

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