Rapport 5801 - Naturvårdsverket

NATURVÅRDSVERKET
Rapport 5801 Övervakning av prioriterade miljöfarliga ämnen listade i Ramdirektivet för vatten
Summary
With this report the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency wants to clarify the
conclusions concerning monitoring needs for priority substances in surface water
under the Water Framework Directive. The purpose is to make a judgement which
priority substances will constitute potential problems when comparing with the
suggested Environmental Quality Standards, and thereby may be necessary to
monitor in water according to the Water Framework Directive. Proposals for priority
are given to both a regional and national level. An earlier compilation from the
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency on concentrations in water, sediment
and biota (Hedlund, 2004a) and a recently conducted screening study for priority
substances in surface water (Sweco VIAK, 2007) have given input to the recommendations.
Nonylphenol, cadmium and tri butyl tin (TBT) are the substances of primary concern
in Swedish surface waters on both a regional and national scale. For cadmium
this can be seen with elevated levels from north to south without geographical
differences. Nonylphenol is found with the highest frequencies in urban areas in
the southern/central parts of Sweden, in spite of being phased out. TBT is still of
concern in our coastal areas but also in fresh water environments.
Substances where further investigation is needed concerning surface water are e.g.
mercury, octylphenol, PentaBDE and endosulfan. Mercury is a well-known and
important substance but more relevant for monitoring as methyl mercury in biota.
Octylphenol may be a possible replacement substance for nonylphenol and therefore
of interest. For PentaBDE and endosulfan it is important to note the lower
Environmental Quality Standards for marine waters, something which often is not
considered in performed studies.
Alachlor, atrazine, chloroalkanes, chlorfenvinphos, pentachlorophenol, chlorpyriphos,
diuron and trifluralin among others are all example of substances that
have been banned in Sweden for a long time or not found in quantifiable concentrations
in water. There is therefore no reason to monitor these substances repeatedly
in Swedish surface waters.
The conclusions drawn concerning the priority substances and how to monitor
them have been based on the situation today and hitherto conducted studies. This
report might therefore be updated and transformed. A first opportunity for this will
be in the end of 2008/early 2009.
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