OVERALL RESULTS

250 emerging contaminants were detected in LIFE APEX samples through wide-scope target screening analysis

97 at least in two LIFE APEX Tiers

Detection of parent compounds & (bio)transformation products

• 46 (bio)TPs

• Should be included in environmental monitoring

• Risk assessment of parent compound/TPs

Evidence of potential biomagnification phenomena

• 19 PFAS

• PFOS à highest concentration levels & %FoA

• Highest Concentration (16.7 mg/Kg) à PFOS (Otter, NL)

• Detection of PFAS branched isomers à PFOS & PFHxS

• Conc. (marine specimens) < Conc. (freshwater specimens)

Tier 2: time-trend analysis results

The case of Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)

2010 --> 2018 - trend to lower concentrations of PFOS

Attributed to PFOS & PFOA replacement compounds (GenX, ADONA)?

Tier 3: European picture of PFAS in otters

• PFAS European distribution in otters

• UK -> significant higher PFAS contamination

LIFE APEX achievements

• First pan-European study making use of existing AP&P samples

• Monitoring data on thousands of emerging contaminants using advanced analytical techniques

• Archived HRMS data available for retrospective screening of any new compound of interest

• Archived HRMS data available for retrospective screening of any new compound of interest

• Prioritization & Risk Assessment of the detected emerging contaminants. Detection of predominant mixtures

LIFE APEX publications

• Gkotsis et al., “Assessment of contaminants of emerging concern in European apex predators and their prey by LC-QToF MS wide-scope target analysis”, Environment International, 2022, 170, 107623 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2022.107623).
• Badry et al., ”Making use of apex predator sample collections: an integrated workflow for quality assured sample processing, analysis and digital sample freezing of archived samples”, Chemosphere, 2022, 309, 136603 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136603).
• Movalli et al.,  “The role of natural science collections in the biomonitoring of environmental contaminants in apex predators in support of the EU’s zero pollution ambition”, Environmental Sciences Europe, 2022, 34, 88 (https:/doi.org/10.1186/s12302-022-00670-8).
• Badry et al., “Using environmental monitoring data from apex predators for chemicals management: towards harmonised sampling and processing of archived wildlife samples to increase the regulatory uptake of monitoring data in chemicals management”, Environmental Sciences Europe, 2022, 34, 81 (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-022-00664-6).
• Treu et al., “Using environmental monitoring data from apex predators for chemicals management: towards better use of monitoring data from apex predators in support of prioritisation and risk assessment of chemicals in Europe”, Environmental Sciences Europe, 2022, 34, 82 (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-022-00664-6).
• Androulakakis et al., “Determination of 56 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in top predators and their prey from Northern Europe by LC-MS/MS”, Chemosphere, 2022, 287, 131775. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131775).
• Movalli et al., “Progress on bringing together raptor collections in Europe for contaminant research and monitoring in relation to chemicals regulation” Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Trend Editorial, 2019, (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05340-6).

After LIFE APEX plan

LIFE APEX approaches have already been taken up, for example, under the OSPAR and HELCOM conventions, to deliver data on contaminants in (apex) biota species in the north-east Atlantic and the Baltic Sea.

Collaborations following LIFE APEX approaches

Collaborations with research institutes & NHMs on emerging contaminants in top predator species

30 livers of white-tailed sea eagles

26 eggs of Peregrine falcon, Eurasian curlew, Little and Eagle owl

11 livers of black-tailed godwit

This research has received funding from the European Union through the program LIFE17 ENV/SK/000355 “Systematic use of contaminant data from apex predators and their prey in chemicals management” and the implementation of selected project’s actionswas financially supported by the Green Fund.