SCHEER - Scientific Opinion on "Draft Environmental Quality Standards for Priority Substances under the Water Framework Directive" - Fluoranthene

SCHEER WG on Water Framework Directive
SCHEER members: Marian Scott (Chair), Marco Vighi (Rapporteur), Thomas Backhaus, Teresa Borges, Peter Hoet, Pim de Voogt, Rodica Mariana Ion
External experts: Andrew Johnson, Jan Linders
Contact:SANTE-SCHEERec [dot] europa [dot] eu (SANTE-SCHEER[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
On request from: European Commission
Adopted on: 22 November 2022

The dossier on Environmental Quality Standards for “Fluoranthene” is reviewed by the SCHEER according to the general mandate on EQS dossiers.

The SCHEER did not receive any additional questions related to this substance.

Based on the available acute and chronic ecotoxicological data, the dossier shows that the MAC-QS-values are lower than the AA-QS-values. Therefore, the MAC-QS-values are set equal to the AA-QS-values. The following values can be endorsed by the SCHEER: AA-QS_fw,eco = MAC-QS_fw,eco = 0.12 μg L^-1 and AA-QS_sw,eco = MAC-QS_sw,eco = 0.012 μg L^-1. These results are based on the SSD-curves of the combined freshwater and marine water datasets.

The sediment ecotoxicology section has been revised based on comments of the SCHER in 2011. Although the dossier rounded the AA-QS from 2.05 to 2.0, the SCHEER is of the opinion that the value should be 2.1 mg kg^-1_dw. The SCHEER endorses the values for freshwater and marine water of AA-QS_fw,sed = 2.1 mg kg^-1_dw and AA-QS_sw,sed = 2.1 mg kg^-1_dw.

The SCHEER agrees with the secondary poisoning section in the dossier and endorses the determined values: QS_{biota,secpois,ww} were 8.92 mg kg^-1_ww (rounded to 8.9 mg kg^-1_ww) for fish, 8.0 mg kg^-1ww for crustaceans, and 2.59 mg kg^-1_ww (rounded to 2.6 mg kg^-1_ww) for bivalves). The related QS_water,biota are determined at 4.96 μg L^-1 (rounded to 5.0 μg L^-1) for fish, was equal to 0.993 μg L^-1 (rounded to 1.0 μg L^-1) for crustaceans, and 1.71 μg L^-1 (rounded to 1.7 μg L^-1) for bivalves. These values are endorsed by the SCHEER. With respect to human health and based on a study with benz[a]pyrene and read across a virtual Safe Dose (VSD) of 5.0 10^-4 mg kg^-1_bw d^-1 is applied to estimate the QS_biota,hh =6.1 μg kg^-1_biota and the back-calculated water-based QS_{water, hh food}= 7.6 x 10-4 μg L^-1. The SCHEER endorses these values. For the exposure via drinking water, the general drinking water standard for fluoranthene (QS_dw,hh = 0.1 μg L^-1) has been adopted. The SCHEER agrees with this conclusion.

The SCHEER suggests the QS_{water, hh food} = 7.6 x 10^-4 μg L^-1 as the most critical EQS for the substance fluoranthene.

Keywords:

Fluoranthene, Water Framework Directive, environmental quality standards

Opinion to be cited as:

SCHEER (Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks), Final Opinion on Draft Environmental Quality Standards for Priority Substances under the Water Framework Directive - fluoranthene, 22 November 2022.