We have extensive experience in the derivation and implementation of Environmental Quality Standards (EQS), Water Quality Guidelines (WQGs), Water Quality Criteria (WQC) and other types of ‘limit values’, including for biota and sediments, within national and international regulatory regimes. We have developed water quality standard values for metals, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, pesticides, biocides and endocrine active substances, for both governmental and commercial clients. We are very familiar with the differing approaches to limit value development employed across different geographical jurisdictions (UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Australia) and have re-developed limit values derived under one jurisdiction to fit with the local requirements of another jurisdiction.
We are experts in:
• The use of assessment factor, species sensitivity distribution, time-to-event and fully probabilistic statistical approaches to derive limit values for substances in surface waters (freshwater, saltwater and drinking water), biota, sediments, soils and wastes.
• The derivation of limit values for both data rich and data poor substances, including the use of biological field data and weight of evidence approaches.
• The use of non-testing approaches, such as Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships, within an EQS derivation framework.
• The derivation and implementation of (bio)availability-based tools for trace elements in regulatory frameworks for soils and waters.
• Developing implementation frameworks for the use and interpretation of limit values.
The implementation and final ‘use’ of limit values is often overlooked in the desire to derive a value by which to assess potential chemical risks. However, this step is often the difference between having a metric that is biologically relevant or something that is impractical and ecologically irrelevant.
Examples of projects:
Derivation of limit values
• Development of Water Framework Directive Annex VIII EQS’s for the UK and other countries.
• Review and update of proposed EU EQS for potential implementation in the UK post-Brexit, for the Environment Agency, including PBDEs, clarithromycin and fipronil.
• Development of EQS for water and sediment for aquaculture medicines, for the Scottish fish farming industry.
• Development of EQS for diclofenac (fresh/ marine waters and biota and avian secondary poisoning) for a global pharmaceutical client.
Implementation and guidance
• Provided guidance on use and development of Soil Screening Values for the Environment Agency.
• Use of QSAR and read across for developing Environmental Quality Standards for the European Commission.
• Development of an approach and procedures for the assessment and transposition of EU EQS into Canadian Water Quality Guidelines.
• Assessment of available ecotoxicity data on PAHs for use by the Canadian jurisdictional governments in the development of Canadian Water Quality Guidelines.
• Development of implementation guidance on the use of EQS for sediment, biota and metal bioavailability for the European Commission.
• Development of an approach to implement metal bioavailability-based WQG (in collaboration with Australian and New Zealand regulatory scientists).
Tools
• Developed and updated simplified metal bioavailability tools for EQS for regulatory and industry clients
• Development of a framework for the consistent and evidence-driven assessment of metabolites and transformation products in EQS derivation for the UK Environment Agency
If you would like support in any of these areas please contact us.