Issue 1, 2010

Implementation of E.U. Water Framework Directive: source assessment of metallic substances at catchment levels

Abstract

The E.U. Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to prevent deterioration of water quality and to phase out or reduce the concentrations of priority substances at catchment levels. It requires changes in water management from a local scale to a river basin scale, and establishes Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) as a guideline for the chemical status of receiving waters. According to the Directive, the standard and the scope of the investigation for water management are more stringent and expanded than in the past, and this change also needs to be applied to restoring the level of metals in water bodies. The aim of this study was to identify anthropogenic emission sources of metallic substances at catchment levels. Potential sources providing substantial amounts of such substances in receiving waters included stormwater, industrial effluents, treated effluents, agricultural drainage, sediments, mining drainage and landfill leachates. Metallic substances have more emission sources than other dangerous substances at catchment levels. Therefore, source assessment for these substances is required to be considered more significantly to restore their chemical status in the context of the WFD. To improve source assessment quality, research on the role of societal and environmental parameters and contribution of each source to the chemical distribution in receiving waters need to be carried out.

Graphical abstract: Implementation of E.U. Water Framework Directive: source assessment of metallic substances at catchment levels

Article information

Article type
Focus
Submitted
20 Apr 2009
Accepted
03 Aug 2009
First published
04 Sep 2009

J. Environ. Monit., 2010,12, 36-47

Implementation of E.U. Water Framework Directive: source assessment of metallic substances at catchment levels

H. Chon, D. Ohandja and N. Voulvoulis, J. Environ. Monit., 2010, 12, 36 DOI: 10.1039/B907851G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Spotlight

Advertisements