Berger, Urs (Analytical Environmental Chemistry (Department of Applied Environmental Science)) http://su.avedas.com/converis/ws/public/feed/simple/atom/Person/242/Contract 2012-12-18T14:20:33Z 2012-12-18T14:20:33Z Urs Berger, Michael McLachlan http://su.avedas.com/converis/contract/809 2012-12-18T14:19:12Z 2010-05-22T02:00:39Z

Semifluorinated n-alkanes (SFAs) are compounds present in ski-waxes and other products. They are dispersed into the environment by deposition on snow during skiing. Nothing is known abouth their environmental fate after this, although other fluorinated compounds like perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) are recognized as environmental contaminants of concern. Limited preliminary information suggests that SFAs will accumulate in the cooler regions of the globe, and that they may degrade to the well known and toxic PFCAs. This project proposes to investigate what happens to SFAs after their deposition on the snow surface. To accomplish this goal a) analytical methodologies will be developed to measure SFAs in the environment; b) SFA behaviour in the snowpack will be investigated using a unique experimental facility in Canada; c) environmental degradation of SFAs will be assessed with laboratory experiments linked to state-of-the-art analytical methodologies for identifying degradation products; d) levels of SFAs and metabolites will be measured in environments frequented by skiers. The knowledge gained will allow regulatory authorities to assess wheter SFAs should be scrutinized as potential POP or POP precursors.

Urs Berger, Michael McLachlan 2010-05-22T02:00:39Z Michael McLachlan, Elena Gorokhova, Lillemor Asplund, Urs Berger, Gerard Cornelisson, Ian Cousins, Cynthia de Wit, Britta Eklund, Brita Sundelin http://su.avedas.com/converis/contract/2208 2012-12-18T14:20:33Z 2010-05-22T02:01:54Z

The project's aims are: 1) to solidify ITM?s position as a world leader in identifying and evaluating organic contaminants in the marine environment; 2) to provide the Swedish government with the scientific knowledge to take a leading role in international debate, negotiations and policy-making concerning organic contaminants. ITM leads an international project (SCREEN-POP) to develop a tiered screening system for identifying chemicals according to PBT and POP characteristics, starting with in-silico ranking of 40 000 chemicals according to their expected concentrations in top predators and humans. The top-ranked chemicals will be screened for in the environment, including development of analytical methods if needed. We apply for additional funding to support and expand development of this screening system to include persistent transformation products of the chemicals, support our world-leading research on perfluorinated compounds as well as include biological effects studies to evaluate the risk posed by newly identified contaminants. Based on their chemical structure, potential mechanisms for interference with biochemical processes will be identified and used to select appropriate test systems at different levels of biological organisation. The test systems on ecologically relevant species in the Baltic Sea that are well established at ITM will be an important part of the toolbox, but the test spectrum will be expanded via collaboration with other research groups.

Michael McLachlan, Elena Gorokhova, Lillemor Asplund, Urs Berger, Gerard Cornelisson, Ian Cousins, Cynthia de Wit, Britta Eklund, Brita Sundelin 2010-05-22T02:01:54Z Michael McLachlan, Urs Berger, Ian Cousins, Christoph Humborg http://su.avedas.com/converis/contract/2224 2012-12-18T14:20:33Z 2010-05-22T02:01:55Z

Perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have been produced for more than 50 years and are today ubiquitous in the environment. Ionic PFAS are surfactants and tend to accumulate in the water phase. Due to their unique physico-chemical properties, theories on PFAS’s transport pathways and fate in the environment remain controversial. The proposed project envisages a mass balance for PFAS in the Baltic Sea. So far, only very scarce information is available on the concentrations, distribution and patterns of PFAS in the Baltic region. Water samples from the major rivers discharging into the Baltic will be analysed, along with sewage treatment plant effluents, Baltic Sea water, sediment, and precipitation. This will allow us to identify the main sources of PFAS into the Baltic (source regions and potential point sources), and to draw conclusions on the relative importance of atmospheric transport, transformation, and deposition of PFAS precursors. A multimedia chemical fate and transport model of the Baltic Sea will be initialized using the measured PFAS concentrations in seawater and sediment and the external inputs from point sources, rivers, and precipitation. The model will be used to predict future trends, based on different assumptions for future emissions. The project results will be disseminated in a workshop for scientists and regulatory bodies.

Michael McLachlan, Urs Berger, Ian Cousins, Christoph Humborg 2010-05-22T02:01:55Z