Organisationseinheit: Deutschland, Umweltbundesamt, Fachgebiet II.2.5-Labor für Wasseranalytik
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Publikationen
Long-term trends and patterns of legacy and emerging cosmetic UV filters in German waters
(2026) Winter, Eric; Koschorreck, Jan; Brendler, Luise; Backhaus, Thomas; Duffek, Anja
Organic UV filters contained in sunscreens and other cosmetics can potentially end up in the aquatic environment. Various studies have demonstrated that UV filters are widespread in water bodies, yet there is a lack of comprehensive understanding of their spatial and temporal distribution in Germany. The objective of this study is to investigate the occurrence of this group of substances in suspended particulate matter (SPM) and water samples, and to explore potential links to market changes reported in the literature. We developed an analytical target method in which SPM was extracted using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), the extracts were purified, and then analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with a quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass analyzer. The method detected 10 of 12 organic UV filters in SPM samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB). Avobenzone (BMDBM) and iscotrizinol (DBT) showed average concentrations of 105 ng/g dry weight (dw) and 34 ng/g dw, respectively, in 2022. DBT showed a comprehensive significant upward trend at all Rhine stations monitored between 2005 and 2022. Diethylaminohydroxybenzoylhexyl benzoate (DHHB) also showed a clear and statistically significant upward trend at these stations, with a notable increase since 2017 at the Koblenz station. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) non-target screening (NTS) data confirmed the presence of additional polar organic UV filters in SPM and water samples, specifically camphor benzalkonium methosulfate (CBM), 4-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), ensulizole (PBSA), and sulisobenzone (BP-4). We recommend using a combination of target and NTS methods to achieve a comprehensive assessment of water pollution. © 2026 The Authors
MIND: a proposed strategic and collaborative platform for advancing chemical environmental risk assessment
(2026) Devos, Yann; Axelman, Johan; Aldrich, Annette; Bandow, Nicole; Duquesne, Sabine; Pieper, Silvia; Treu, Gabriele; Christensen, Kristina; Mølgaard, Natasha; Hornek-Gausterer, Romana
Several scientific initiatives are underway to modernise and advance chemical environmental risk assessment (ERA), supporting the shift from conventional practices toward more mechanistic, integrated, and systems-based approaches. These developments aim to enhance ecological realism, improve predictive capacity, reduce reliance on animal testing, and foster greater alignment across sectors, ultimately contributing to better protection of biodiversity and the environment. Yet, translating these innovative approaches into regulatory practice remains challenging due to fragmented efforts and limited alignment between research and policy. To address this gap, the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) is fostering structured dialogue and stakeholder engagement to align research and innovation with regulatory needs. Within PARC, a proposed solution is the development of the MIND platform—Map, Integrate, Network, Drive—envisioned as a strategic and collaborative space that connects people, practices, and resources across disciplines and regulatory domains. MIND aims to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing and integration, gradually connecting fragmented initiatives to build a more integrated and interoperable ERA knowledge ecosystem. By encouraging collaboration, improving data sharing, and enhancing policy relevance, MIND seeks to accelerate the uptake of advanced ERA approaches in regulatory practice, with a particular focus on safeguarding biodiversity. Over time, this may contribute to Europe’s sustainability objectives and the ambitions of the European Green Deal. © 2026 The Author(s)
Early warning systems for chemical risks in Europe: methodological components for signal detection, prioritization, uncertainty management and follow-up
(2026) Karakoltzidis, Achilleas; Alygizakis, Nikiforos; Andersson, Patrik L.; Antignac, Jean‑Philippe; Badry, Alexander; Bandow, Nicole; Béen, Frederic; Belova, Lidia; Benfenati, Emilio; Carere, Mario; Chatzimpaloglou, Anthoula; Covaci, Adrian; Dervilly, Gaud; Dulio, Valeria; Fessard, Valérie; Gabriel, Catherine; Hollender, Juliane; Karakitsios, Spyros; Kärrman, Anna; Kosjek, Tina; Bizec, Bruno Le; Lacchetti, Ines; Lai, Foon Yin; Lamoree, Marja; Løfstedt, Magnus; Margalef, Maria; Mottaghipisheh, Javad; Mu, Wenjuan; Niarchos, Georgios; Papageorgiou,Thanasis; Papaioannou, Nafsika; Sarigiannis, Dimosthenis A.; Thomaidis, Nikolaos S.; Schulze, Tobias; Schymanski, Emma L.; Selvestrel, Gianluca; Thorsén, Gunnar; Trier, Xenia; Ohe, Peter Carsten von der; Ahrens, Lutz
Chemical pollution can affect ecosystems and human health, highlighting the need for approaches that identify, evaluate, and prioritize emerging chemical risks before they become established public-health issues requiring regulatory actions. This review and perspective article examines methodological components required for Early Warning Systems (EWSs) for chemical risks, with particular attention to the European policy context. It examines methodological components for chemical EWSs rather than proposing a fully implemented system. It considers how state-of-the-art and emerging methods can support signal generation, signal strengthening, prioritization, uncertainty assessment, communication, and follow-up. The reviewed components include matrices and sampling strategies; chemical monitoring, suspect screening, and non-target screening; effect-based methods, New Approach Methodologies, and effect-directed analysis; exposure and hazard modelling; QSAR, read-across, AI-supported and data-mining tools; expert evaluation; and governance processes that link scientific signals to proportionate follow-up. The conceptual workflow is used as an example of how these components may be organized into a signal-handling process, while EU-level developments provide the broader policy and governance context. The actionable value of a chemical EWS does not depend on any single method, but on structured integration of complementary evidence streams. An effective EWS should combine sensitive weak-signal detection with transparent prioritization, explicit uncertainty assessment, FAIR and interoperable data infrastructures, and clearly assigned responsibilities for communication and follow-up. © The Author(s) 2026.
Use cases from the German NTSPortal on the systematic use of high-resolution mass spectrometry non-target screening data in environmental monitoring and chemicals management
(2026) Kronsbein, Anna Lena; Wallis, Ronya Mona; Winter, Eric; Bandow, Nicole; Jewell, Kevin S.; Dierkes, Georg; Wick, Arne; Koschorreck, Jan
Background
Society aims for a pollutant-free environment, reflected in initiatives under the European Green Deal, which seek to reduce hazardous substances and promote safe, sustainable chemical use. Comprehensive exposure data are needed to identify sources, understand mixtures and eliminate sources of chemical pollution. High-resolution mass spectrometry non-target screening (HRMS NTS) is increasingly used in environmental regulatory context to chemically characterise the environment as completely as possible and retrospectively screen for known and emerging substances.
Results
This study provides use cases for monitoring and chemicals management with data from the German NTSPortal, a database and visualisation tool for HRMS NTS data from surface water and suspended particulate matter of major German rivers. Its internal spectral library enables substance identification comparable to standardised target analysis, supporting regulatory acceptance of HRMS NTS data for prioritisation and mixture assessment. To demonstrate its potential to research and regulation, we characterised the spatial and temporal distribution of riverine chemical mixtures and present selected use cases relevant to EU environmental, emission, and chemical legislation. Despite pronounced spatial variability, mixture composition based on presence–absence data remained stable over time, with 855 of 1721 substances detected at least once and 247 occurring ubiquitously. Declining trends for regulated substances such as carbendazim and climbazole illustrate the effectiveness of regulatory measures. Overall, the results showed that NTS data repositories can help overcome fragmented exposure information and enable more consistent use of monitoring data across policy areas, including evaluation of the revised Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and One Health concepts.
Conclusions
Data from the German NTSPortal enabled a multi-matrix and temporal characterisation of riverine chemical mixtures, revealing both stable mixture compositions over time and persistent, catchment-specific substances. These data facilitated high-resolution mixture assessments across space and time, alongside trend analyses that meet regulatory needs in environmental monitoring and chemical risk assessment. Further temporal, spatial, chemical and matrix-spanning expansion of HRMS NTS repositories will enhance their value for environmental monitoring programmes. Strengthening interoperability, implementing FAIR data principles, and developing advanced tools for prioritisation, quantification and toxicity prediction, including AI-based approaches, will be crucial to fully realise the regulatory potential of NTS portals in the future. © The Author(s) 2026.
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