Core 1: Environmental contaminants and nutrients

Core Chair: Prof. J. de Boer

> Browse the research projects in Core 1 HERE!

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Mission and aims

The strategic aim of the Core 1 research programme is to study the environmental occurrence, behaviour, fate and effects of micropollutants. To explain the biological effects and the hazards of pollutants for adjacent environmental compartments, it is important to understand the complexity of factors and processes that control biological availability and mobility. The research therefore involves the characterisation of complex environmental samples in order to determine, explain, or predict a wide variety of ecotoxicological responses, including physiological effects and genetic adaptation. Major operational aims are to contribute to the development of environmental technologies to abate or prevent adverse effects, the development of quality standards that are scientifically based, and supporting environmental risk assessment in general.

Research Priorities 2002 – 2006

The research priorities of the Core 1 research programme are currently centred around three main themes: (1) persistent organic micropollutants, (2) endocrine disrupters, (3) heavy metals. Emphasis will be given to the integration of chemical and biological (including molecular) approaches for the characterisation of micropollutants; to the elucidation of their interaction with biopolymeric substances, to the effect of chemical behaviour in the environment on bioavailability and mobility of pollutants, to the heterogeneity in exposure of target organisms, and to linking environmental emissions and fate of micropollutants to effects at the individual, populations and ecosystems level. Ecogenomics and toxicogenomics become more and more important in this Core. Priorities regarding environmental technology are focused on recovery of valuable products, re-use of treated wastewater and wastes and abatement of environmental emissions. Integration of biology and chemistry with respect to understanding processes on the molecular level will be expanded. With regard to risk assessment, for all considered pollutant groups the translation of advances made with regard to processes and pollutant behaviour towards quality standards and risk assessment will receive attention. This will involve multidimensional transport modelling, methodology issues of upscaling towards larger, heterogeneous environments, the implementation of advances in a GIS environment and quantification of uncertainties.

Participating research groups in Core 1 and major disciplines

Wageningen Universiteit and Research Centre

Soil quality Prof.dr. W. van Riemsdijk
Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science Dr. H.P. van Leeuwen
Environmental Technology Prof.dr. W. Rulkens
Microbiology Prof.dr. W. de Vos, Prof.dr. A. Stams
Toxicology Dr. A. Murk
Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Prof.dr. M. Scheffer, Prof.Dr. A. Koelmans
Agricultural Engineering and Physics, Systems and Control Prof.dr. G. van Straten

Vrije Universiteit