Periodic Reporting for period 3 - ZeroPM (ZeroPM: Zero pollution of Persistent, Mobile substances)
Reporting period: 2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30
Persistent and mobile substances are those that that do not degrade in the environment and can readily be transported by groundwater or through drinking water purification treatment plants. They pose a growing threat to water quality in Europe and worldwide, particularly in regions with poor monitoring or treatment technologies available. The most widely known type of persistent and mobile substances are PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), which is nearly ubiquitous in Europe's drinking water supplies. In some areas, like the Rastatt area in Germany, this has exceeding safe drinking limits, causing residents to import water and upgrade their water treatment facility. But PFAS is just one group pf PM substances. There are many, many more, and their presences is increasing. Recently new hazard categories for these substances has been introduced in Europe: Persistent, Mobile and Toxic (PMT) and very Persistent, very Mobile (vPvM). The importance of limiting the release of PMT/vPvM substances is based on growing evidence that they are increasingly accumulating over time and space, entering drinking water sources, food supplies, re-circulating in water cycles and making water treatment more expensive. There is increasing concern for these new substances on their consequences to the general population, and for future generations.
To protect the environment and human health from persistent and mobile substances, the H2020 project ZeroPM: Zero pollution of Persistent, Mobile substances, interlinks three strategies: prevention, prioritization and removal. ZeroPM, through its multidisciplinary team, has been developing various tools to guide policy, technological development and the market to minimize use, emissions and pollution of PFAS and other PMT/vPvM substances.
To protect the environment and human health from persistent and mobile substances, the H2020 project ZeroPM: Zero pollution of Persistent, Mobile substances, interlinks three strategies: prevention, prioritization and removal. ZeroPM, through its multidisciplinary team, has been developing various tools to guide policy, technological development and the market to minimize use, emissions and pollution of PFAS and other PMT/vPvM substances.
Prevention: ZeroPM has been establishing ways to identify safer and more sustainable alternatives to PFAS and PMT/vPvM substances. Work has also focused on essential use of PFAS, both the application of the concept to several case studies as well as the social aspect of essentiality. Quantitative and qualitative data have been collected from experts and non-experts related to PFAS perceptions, and how to drive communication to increase the success of policy and innovation to safer alterantives. ZeroPM has mapped the relevant policy landscape that supports the prevention of PMT/vPvM substance, and is developing policy briefs to aid European lawmakers to be ahead of the curve by protecting society through proactive regulatory and innovative action. ZeroPM has developed various tools to guide the way to safer alternatives to PFAS, including a ZeroPM Alternative Assessment Database, PFAS guide to help companies identify PFAS in their supply chain and products, as well as a SIN list of priortized PMT/vPvM substances to substitute and develop risk mitigation measures. A key focus of the project is to interact with industry to enable pathways to innovation related to the broad PFAS restriction and safer alternatives to PMT/vPvM substances.
Prioritization:A digital global chemical inventory has been established, synthesizing chemical registries from around the world of chemicals on the market. This is inventory is presented as the beta version of a searchable database on database.zeropm.eu for which international users can identify which potential persistent and mobile substances may be registered in their region. This work has been complimented by identifying the emission likelihood of substances on the global market. Transformation data is an important aspect for the project and we have worked on the addition of new structures and transformation product data for PFAS and PM substances, and work is in development for better prediction of persistent or dead-end transformation products. Further a database of PFAS have been made available, called the PubChem PFAS Tree which enables users to navigate the PFAS universe. To better understand the risk of substance groups in water resources, effort has focused on coding a fugacity model to look at relevant exposure scenarios. Human in vitro-in vivo extrapolation physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model have been applied to select PFAS, triazines and triazoles. In the laboratory, the hazard tool box is being built for various endpoints of PM substances. Work is now continuing looking at developmental and immunotoxic effects in zebrafish embryos. Finally, effect-directed analysis (EDA) has been performed on surface water and well water samples to identify bioactive PMT/vPvM substances.
Removal: Pilot scale technologies are being installed at three test sites (Rastatt, Upper Rhine and Mytilene) in existing water treatment works or in a pilot plant to be installed during the project. Much testing and optimization has been done as part of establishing the pilot plant at the waterworks the Rastatt test site, using innovative methods involving regenerative ion-exchange resins. Experimental work has identified suitable passive sampling materials that will be used in devices installed at test sites Upper Rhine and Mytilene to determine concentrations of PFAS, triazines and triazoles in water and wastewater. As part of the pilot plant being developed in Mytilene, lab scale anaerobic digestion (AD) experiments have been conducted to evaluate the role of different conductive materials and application of voltage. Hydrothermal carbonization experiments have also been performed to check the role of temperature, pressure and pH. Results show that adding granular activated carbon can facilitate the transformation of PFAS substances during anaerobic digestion.
Prioritization:A digital global chemical inventory has been established, synthesizing chemical registries from around the world of chemicals on the market. This is inventory is presented as the beta version of a searchable database on database.zeropm.eu for which international users can identify which potential persistent and mobile substances may be registered in their region. This work has been complimented by identifying the emission likelihood of substances on the global market. Transformation data is an important aspect for the project and we have worked on the addition of new structures and transformation product data for PFAS and PM substances, and work is in development for better prediction of persistent or dead-end transformation products. Further a database of PFAS have been made available, called the PubChem PFAS Tree which enables users to navigate the PFAS universe. To better understand the risk of substance groups in water resources, effort has focused on coding a fugacity model to look at relevant exposure scenarios. Human in vitro-in vivo extrapolation physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model have been applied to select PFAS, triazines and triazoles. In the laboratory, the hazard tool box is being built for various endpoints of PM substances. Work is now continuing looking at developmental and immunotoxic effects in zebrafish embryos. Finally, effect-directed analysis (EDA) has been performed on surface water and well water samples to identify bioactive PMT/vPvM substances.
Removal: Pilot scale technologies are being installed at three test sites (Rastatt, Upper Rhine and Mytilene) in existing water treatment works or in a pilot plant to be installed during the project. Much testing and optimization has been done as part of establishing the pilot plant at the waterworks the Rastatt test site, using innovative methods involving regenerative ion-exchange resins. Experimental work has identified suitable passive sampling materials that will be used in devices installed at test sites Upper Rhine and Mytilene to determine concentrations of PFAS, triazines and triazoles in water and wastewater. As part of the pilot plant being developed in Mytilene, lab scale anaerobic digestion (AD) experiments have been conducted to evaluate the role of different conductive materials and application of voltage. Hydrothermal carbonization experiments have also been performed to check the role of temperature, pressure and pH. Results show that adding granular activated carbon can facilitate the transformation of PFAS substances during anaerobic digestion.
ZeroPM continues to be a pioneering project turning the ambitions of the EU Chemicals Strategy of Sustainability into practical solutions for persistent and mobile substances. It has made significant political, economic, scientific, and societal impacts.
Through activities like the ZeroPM Regulatory Watch, identifying policy gaps, and direct engagement with policymakers and enforcers, ZeroPM has supported the implementation of the PMT/vPvM hazard class in the CLP regulation, including exploring grouping approaches. ZeroPM has engaged with companies and investors via initiatives like the PFAS Guide and ChemSec Business Group. These dialogues have helped businesses proactively adapt to new PFAS regulations, including by developing tools for alternatives to PFAS and other harmful PMT/vPvM substances. Moreover, the project has worked on cost-effective remediation solutions, particularly for treating PFAS and PMT substances in water, and mapped out the costs of remediation of PFAS in Europe, to send a benchmark of how to improve and innovate towards reduce exposure to PFAS
ZeroPM has published numerous influential articles addressing the assessment, environmental threats, and replacement of PFAS and other PMT substances. There has been a recent focus in this work on trifluoracetic acid (TFA), which has caused concern globally for its increasing, irreversible concentrations, and potential toxicity.
On a societal level, ZeroPM fosters optimism about improving life quality by offering better tools to understand and reduce the risks associated with PFAS and PMT/vPvM substances. Collectively, these efforts support the EU’s Zero Pollution ambition by minimizing the use of PFAS and PMT/vPvM substances except when essential, and to reduce exposure when they are.
Through activities like the ZeroPM Regulatory Watch, identifying policy gaps, and direct engagement with policymakers and enforcers, ZeroPM has supported the implementation of the PMT/vPvM hazard class in the CLP regulation, including exploring grouping approaches. ZeroPM has engaged with companies and investors via initiatives like the PFAS Guide and ChemSec Business Group. These dialogues have helped businesses proactively adapt to new PFAS regulations, including by developing tools for alternatives to PFAS and other harmful PMT/vPvM substances. Moreover, the project has worked on cost-effective remediation solutions, particularly for treating PFAS and PMT substances in water, and mapped out the costs of remediation of PFAS in Europe, to send a benchmark of how to improve and innovate towards reduce exposure to PFAS
ZeroPM has published numerous influential articles addressing the assessment, environmental threats, and replacement of PFAS and other PMT substances. There has been a recent focus in this work on trifluoracetic acid (TFA), which has caused concern globally for its increasing, irreversible concentrations, and potential toxicity.
On a societal level, ZeroPM fosters optimism about improving life quality by offering better tools to understand and reduce the risks associated with PFAS and PMT/vPvM substances. Collectively, these efforts support the EU’s Zero Pollution ambition by minimizing the use of PFAS and PMT/vPvM substances except when essential, and to reduce exposure when they are.