Overall, 170.21 EU-funded researcher months were completed, a 92% completion rate. 35 peer-reviewed articles have been published, with one submitted, and others in preparation. INTERWASTE researchers have made 13 conference presentations. The project held 3 meetings (in 2017, 2018, and 2019) to discuss project progress and plans.
Research highlights include:
An international comparative study applying a waste water epidemiology approach to identifying sources of and public exposure to flame retardants and PPCPs was undertaken in 7 cities. Sampling took place in 2018, chemical analysis of samples is complete, and is being interpreted with a view to scientific publication.
An interlaboratory comparison amongst INTERWASTE participants (and other institutions) for flame retardants in waste-related samples has been undertaken. This was designed to highlight both strengths and weaknesses in the capacity of the international scientific community to accurately and reliably measure the extent of environmental contamination with FRs. Results from all 12 participating laboratories have been reported and have been analysed and interpreted. As well as a project report, the outcomes have been published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at an international conference.
Several secondments have exchanged expertise in state-of-the-art techniques for the measurement of FRs and PPCPs in waste-related samples. A particular highlight has been the application of targeted and non-targeted mass spectrometric techniques to characterising the efficiency of organic contaminant removal by waste water treatment facilities.
Some secondments exchanged expertise in the use of in vitro methods that do not involve laboratory animals to study human metabolism of FRs and enhance understand their fate and impacts on the human body. New insights into the human metabolism of a group of very widely used chemicals (short chain chlorinated paraffins) have been generated, with new analytical methods for measuring these contaminants in plastic consumer items developed.
INTERWASTE has evaluated whether there are viable inexpensive, rapid and user-friendly alternative measurement methods that can replace the current "gold standard" techniques for measuring FRs in waste polymers to check whether they comply with EU limits in such articles. They have contributed to evaluations of the applicability of such techniques for monitoring compliance with EU limit values for brominated flame retardants commissioned by the Irish government and have highlighted their potential utility for monitoring compliance with any future limit values introduced for chlorinated organophosphate FRs.
