Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ZeroPM (ZeroPM: Zero pollution of Persistent, Mobile substances)
Reporting period: 2023-04-01 to 2024-09-30
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 (PM) 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. The importance of limiting the release of PM substances is based on growing evidence that they are increasingly accumulating over time and space, entering drinking water sources and re-circulating within anthropogenic and natural water cycles. Consequently, even for persistent and mobile substances where their toxic hazards have not yet been identified, there is concern that their long-term legacy potential for exposure may lead to unexpected consequences to the general population, even over inter-generational time scales.
To protect the environment and human health from persistent and mobile substances, the H2020 project ZeroPM: Zero pollution of Persistent, Mobile substances will interlink and synergize prevention, prioritization and removal approaches. ZeroPM, through its multidisciplinary team, will establish an evidence-based multilevel framework to guide policy, technological and market incentives to minimize use, emissions and pollution of entire groups of persistent and mobile substances including PFAS.
To protect the environment and human health from persistent and mobile substances, the H2020 project ZeroPM: Zero pollution of Persistent, Mobile substances will interlink and synergize prevention, prioritization and removal approaches. ZeroPM, through its multidisciplinary team, will establish an evidence-based multilevel framework to guide policy, technological and market incentives to minimize use, emissions and pollution of entire groups of persistent and mobile substances including PFAS.
Prevention: ZeroPM has been establishing ways to identify safer and more sustainable alternatives to PFAS and PM 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. These surveys indicate that there are clear differences between the experts and non-experts about their knowledge of PFAS. ZeroPM has mapped the relevant policy landscape that supports the prevention of PMT/vPvM substance emissions to the environment as communicated in a project policy brief. Gaps and opportunities within the current framework are being identified. The ZeroPM regulatory watch (https://zeropm.eu/regulatory-watch/(opens in new window)) has been launched and provides monthly updates on relevant EU legislation and policies. ZeroPM has developed and released an online "PFAS guide" (pfas.chemsec.org) which will assist companies in mapping and phasing out the use of PFAS in their products and processes. A key focus in the first half of the project is to interact with industry to enable pathways to innovation related to the broad PFAS restriction.
Prioritization: To identify what substance groups of PM substances to prioritize, 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. 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 (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/classification/#hid=120(opens in new window)). 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 PM 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 (HTC) 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: To identify what substance groups of PM substances to prioritize, 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. 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 (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/classification/#hid=120(opens in new window)). 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 PM 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 (HTC) 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 persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) substances. Moreover, the project has worked on cost-effective remediation solutions, particularly for treating PFAS and PMT substances in water.
Scientifically, ZeroPM has published numerous influential articles addressing the assessment, environmental threats, and replacement of PFAS and other PMT substances. Key tools like the ZeroPM Alternative Assessment Database and ZeroPM Global Chemical Inventory, now available online, further contribute to these efforts.
On a societal level, ZeroPM fosters optimism about improving life quality by offering better tools to understand and reduce the risks associated with PMT substances. Collectively, these efforts support the EU’s Zero Pollution ambition by minimizing the use of PMT substances except when essential and developing strategies for better management and removal of legacy PMT substances.
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 persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) substances. Moreover, the project has worked on cost-effective remediation solutions, particularly for treating PFAS and PMT substances in water.
Scientifically, ZeroPM has published numerous influential articles addressing the assessment, environmental threats, and replacement of PFAS and other PMT substances. Key tools like the ZeroPM Alternative Assessment Database and ZeroPM Global Chemical Inventory, now available online, further contribute to these efforts.
On a societal level, ZeroPM fosters optimism about improving life quality by offering better tools to understand and reduce the risks associated with PMT substances. Collectively, these efforts support the EU’s Zero Pollution ambition by minimizing the use of PMT substances except when essential and developing strategies for better management and removal of legacy PMT substances.