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Environmental risk limits for xylene (m-xylene, o-xylene and p-xylene)(2009-04-23)This report documents the RIVM derivation of environmental risk limits (ERLs) for xylenes in water, groundwater and soil. This group of substances contains m-xylene, o-xylene and p-xylene. These substances are used as solvents in the printing, rubber and leather industries. For deriving the ERLs, RIVM used up-to-date ecotoxicological data in combination with the most recent methodology, as required by the European Water Framework Directive. This resulted in ERLs for fresh surface water that are reduced compared to earlier derived ERLs. However, monitoring data from the river Rhine in the period 2001 - 2006 do not show an exceedance of the new ERLs. ERLs were not derived for the sediment compartment, because sorption to sediment is below the trigger value to derive such risk limits, resulting in minimal exposure of water organisms to xylenes via the sediment. ERLs are not legally binding, but provide the scientific basis for setting the Environmental Quality Standards, a task which falls under the authority of the Dutch interdepartmental 'Steering Group Substances'. The government adopts these quality standards when implementing the national policy on substances and the European Water Framework Directive. Four different risk limits are distinguished: 'Negligible Concentrations' (NC); the concentration at which no harmful effects are to be expected ('Maximum Permissible Concentration', MPC); the 'Maximum Acceptable Concentration' for ecosystems - specifically in terms of short-term exposure (MACeco); and the concentration at which possible serious effects are to be expected ('Serious Risk Concentrations', SRCeco).
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Environmental Risk Limits for Nine Trace Elements(2005-07-08)In this report, we present an update of environmental risk limits (ERLs), based on the literature, for nine trace elements, namely, beryllium (Be), vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), barium (Ba) and thallium (Tl). The updated ERLs, established for these elements in freshwater, groundwater, soil and sediment, are to supplement 1992 datasets for risk limit derivation. The updated ERLs for water and groundwater have turned out to be generally lower than existing limits as a result of both new information on toxicity and changes in the methodology used to derive risk limits. Risk limits derived for soil are now based on soil toxicity data for the elements investigated, whereas the existing values for soil were all based on ERLs for water using equilibrium partitioning (EqP). Due to lack of data, ERLs for sediment are still based on EqP and generally show minor changes when compared to existing limits. The maximum permissible concentration (MPC) in rivers and lakes in the Netherlands was found to be exceeded by average measured concentrations of Be, V, Co and Ba, but not of Se and Sb. A qualitative comparison shows that the MPC in groundwater is exceeded for Be, V, Co, Se and Ba concentrations but not for Mo, Sn, Sb and Tl concentrations, although some data on deeper groundwater are missing. No measurement data could be found for the soil, sediment and marine water compartments
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Environmental risk limits for organophosphorous pesticides(Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu RIVM, 2008-10-30)The RIVM has derived environmental risk limits (ERLs) for seven organophosphates in freshwater and marine waters. Organophosphates are pesticides which are used in agriculture and horticulture. This group of substances contains azinphos-ethyl, azinphos-methyl, coumaphos, heptenophos, mevinphos, tolclofos-methyl and triazophos. They belong to the category other relevant substances for the Water Framework Directive. For deriving the environmental risk limits, RIVM used the most up-to-date ecotoxicological data in combination with the most recent methodology, as required by the European Water Framework Directive. No risk limits were derived for the sediment compartment, because sorption to sediment is assumed to be negligible. Environmental risk limits, as derived in this report, are scientifically derived values, based on (eco)toxicological, fate and physico-chemical data. They serve as advisory values for the Dutch Steering Committee for Substances, which is appointed to set the Environmental Quality Standards (EQSs). ERLs are thus preliminary values that do not have any official status. Four different risk limits are distinguished: negligible concentrations (NC), the concentration at which no harmful effects are to be expected (maximum permissible concentration, MPC), the maximum acceptable concentration for ecosystems specifically in terms of short-term exposure (MACeco), the concentration at which possible serious effects are to be expected (serious risk concentrations, SRCeco).
