Water monitoring of emerging pesticides in France : Organization of a screening study from prioritization to measurements
Résumé
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) has set up a European list of 41 Priority Substances (PS) which have to be regularly monitored in European waters. Moreover, it requires Member States to establish national lists of substances to be monitored at river basin level. Despite these provisions, it is widely recognised by the scientific community that several substances of emerging concern are currently overlooked and as a result they are not adequately monitored by national authorities. As part of the implementation of the National Action Plan on Micropollutants in the Aquatic Environment (October 2010), the French Ministry of Ecology decided to implement an innovative and comprehensive approach to improve national monitoring programmes under the WFD. This includes the setting-up of a watch list of substances to be investigated at the national level in order to acquire missing information about the level of exposure of emerging contaminants in the aquatic environment and allow regular updating of the list of River Basin-Specific Pollutants to be regularly monitored. Concurrently, an Action Plan on Drug Residues in Water, co-led by the Ministries of Ecology and Public Health, was published in May 2011. This action plan supports prioritisation of pharmaceuticals for which screening studies are needed in view of the implementation of emission reduction measures.