Reference materials and methods for emerging pollutants

Project Information

REVAMP

Grant agreement ID: 956374

DOI

10.3030/956374

Project closed

EC signature date 7 July 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 31 December 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 1 062 479,52

EU contribution

€ 1 062 479,52

Coordinated by

STICHTING VU
Netherlands

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - REVAMP (Reference materials and methods for emerging pollutants)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Each year, the chemical industry issues some 2 000 new chemicals. How these new chemicals will eventually impact humans and the environment remains unknown due to the limited efficiency of the chemical metrology sector. It is therefore necessary to improve the capacity of the sector. The EU-funded REVAMP (Reference materials and validated methods for emerging pollutants) project will offer innovative training to four early-stage researchers (ESRs). It will propose scalable solutions that rapidly identify, develop, produce and implement new certified reference materials and methods for assessing new and existing chemical compounds, for chlorinated paraffins (CPs) and perfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS). The ESRs will combine scientific research and industrial practice to solve specific challenges at the interface of organic and analytical chemistry and toxicology.

The REVAMP project aims to provide cutting-edge training to four young researchers in the field of chemical metrology – fostering enhanced sustainability of the chemical metrology sector. This will be achieved through the development of scalable solutions to rapidly identify, develop, produce and deploy new certified analytical standards (CRMs) and methods for the assessment of the huge amount of existing and emerging chemical compounds with toxicity potential used in several (high volume) applications (as it is the case for CPs), used as flame retardants in plastics, and poly- and PFASs.

Together, the ESRs will combine academic research and industrial knowledge to overcome specific challenges at the interface of organic and analytical chemistry and toxicology, applied to the chemical metrology cycle, including: i) screening of target compounds, ii) development of CRMs and methods, iii) large production of CRMs and toxicological assessment, iv) validation and v) market deployment. REVAMP training is implemented via close collaboration of leading organisations and includes a mobility plan based on secondments of ESRs between both the academic and industrial participants.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In REVAMP four Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) were successfully hired. The four ESRs focus on the processes for the identification, synthesis, and analysis of chlorinated paraffins (CP) congeners, mixtures, and labelled standards and alternative and emerging PFASs. A suspect list for emerging PFASs was created to prioritize the list of PFAS to be synthesized. New PFAS standards were synthesized. In addition to native standards also deuterated labelled PFAS standards were synthesized. Another approach to prioritize PFAS was followed by performing non-target and suspect screening of PFAS in WWTP influents to identify new PFAS compounds for which analytical standards do not exist. For the CPs, first single-chain LCCPs have been synthesized. Biotransformation assays on single-chain CPs were performed to identify their metabolites and in a next step to be synthesized. In total 11 biotransformation products were identified.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Given the unknown properties of many chemicals, including CPs and PFASs, and the ever-increasing environmental concern, the regulatory and policymaking sector is facing an urgent need for innovative, sensitive and specific solutions regarding analytical methodology as well as certified reference materials (CRMs). The need for CRMs and methods stems from the fact that many technical, economic and political decisions are based on results of analytical measurements. In order to obtain reliable data, it is necessary to: use appropriate validated analytical methods, conduct analyses in a professional manner, i. e. by accredited laboratories and use of systematic quality control of analytical work and use effective CRMs. REVAMP will provide CRMs for CPs and PFASs, which are two great examples of types of HPV PBT/PMT classes of chemicals for which CRMs are urgently needed.

The successful implementation of REVAMP will contribute to the transformation of the sector where leading CRMs producers can produce targeted analytical standards in the most effective and timely way; the academic research can do more accurate research, bringing value together with other companies, laboratories, regulatory and law-making bodies, and NGOs. These intersectoral players bring the products and methods of measurement together to the market and to regulatory authorities, for the accurate and effective monitoring/control of the harmful chemicals of concern.

The REVAMP outcomes will strengthen the innovation capacity by developing new CRMs and novel methodologies, and REVAMP will have a significant impact on public-private collaboration to strengthen EU’s innovation capacity

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