Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research CSIRO Land and Water
A multidisciplinary approach to contaminant research is essential if we are to fully evaluate potential risks to the health of the environment and the subsequent impacts on humans and provide cost-effective management options. Chemical contamination in waterways, estuaries, coasts, soils and groundwater can affect natural ecosystems and human health. To effectively manage liquid and solid wastes, it is increasingly important to understand the type and extent of any effects of contamination and to define acceptable limits for the concentrations of different contaminants. The Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research (CECR) brings together CSIRO s extensive expertise in research into the contamination of water, sediments and soils. The Centre s multidisciplinary teams have skills in environmental and analytical chemistry, ecotoxicology, soil science, geology, microbiology, molecular biology, risk assessment and ecology. The goal of the CECR is to underpin the maintenance and protection of Australia s land and water resources from contamination, leading to improved national regulations and guidelines which protect human and ecosystem health and allow safe use of chemicals and disposal of wastes. Research carried out at the Centre into the environmental fate, bioavailability and potential toxicity of contaminants is used in the development of decisionsupport tools and regulatory frameworks. This research improves our understanding of the behaviour and effects of contaminants, which in turn enables authorities to produce better regulatory guidelines and management strategies. The Centre also conducts projects in collaboration with industry and regulatory agencies and provides niche consultancy services for a wide range of local and international clients. > A goal of the CECR is to underpin the maintenance and protection of Australia s land and water resources from contamination > CECR scientists have developed field and laboratory assessment procedures for the assessment of acid sulphate soils
Research approach Environmental contaminants research is conducted through a wide range of projects studying the fate of contaminants once they are released, their transport in the environment, and their effects on organisms in soils, waters and sediments. We cover the full range of contaminants, both organic (e.g. pesticides, endocrine disruptors, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and inorganic (e.g. metals like mercury, cadmium and chromium, and other elements such as arsenic and selenium). Our research approach is focused on the following key areas: Using advanced analytical techniques to detect and quantify contaminants in the environment, to anticipate contaminant release and predict contaminant transport and transformation. Developing new analytical methods and models to measure and predict contaminant > CECR scientists draw on world class expertise and equipment to measure and assess contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems impacts throughout ecosystems (from the molecular to the population level) and allow better assessment and control of risk. Developing and applying chemical, ecotoxicological, biological and molecular techniques to the assessment and regulation of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Development and application of risk-based contaminant assessment frameworks and their application to terrestrial and aquatic systems. Understanding contaminant bioavailability and toxicity in waters, sediments and soils. Identifying synthetic nanoparticles and other emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals in the environment. Delivering outcomes Environmental contaminants research aims to deliver: New sensing and measurement techniques for contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. New or improved assessment tools, risk assessment procedures and regulatory frameworks for contaminants in terrestrial and aquatic systems. The capability to assess and predict the adverse effects of emerging contaminants (e.g. endocrine disrupting chemicals, nanoparticles) on Australian biota. Scientific understanding that enables beneficial reuse of waste products (e.g. biosolids and wastewater). Sensitive bioassays which can be used to assess the toxicity of specific industrial effluents, natural water systems and contaminated sediments. Procedures that reliably measure the bioavailable fraction of contaminants in soils, sediments and waters. State-of-the-art forensic procedures to identify the source of contaminants and to fingerprint geochemical samples. Detailed studies of the environmental fate and natural attenuation of contaminants, related exposure pathways and the application of predictive models. Field and laboratory assessment procedures for the assessment of acid sulfate soils in Australia and other regions. New gene microarrays to assess the impact of contaminants on estuarine benthic biota, populations and communities.
Achievements Science underpinning regulatory guidelines Scientific outputs from CECR will be incorporated into national and international regulatory guidelines and frameworks to control and manage contaminants in the environment such as National Environment Protection Measures, hazardous waste guidelines, water and sediment quality guidelines and environmental investigation levels for soils. Protecting Australia s aquatic ecosystems CECR scientists - Dr Graeme Batley, Dr Stuart Simpson and Dr Jenny Stauber - won the 2006 Land & Water Australia Eureka Prize for Water Research, for developing new guidelines for the responsible management of contaminated sediments in our harbours, estuaries and rivers. Sediment quality guidelines CSIRO critically evaluated current practices for sediment sampling and manipulation, devised sensitive toxicity tests and proposed new sediment quality guidelines. The latest science and recommended assessment protocols were published in a Handbook for > CECR assesses the impacts of contaminants on aquatic and terrestrial systems Sediment Quality Assessment, which is now being used as a reference guide by state regulatory agencies and consultants throughout Australia. Pesticide Impact Rating Index (PIRI) PIRI is a decision-support tool used to rate pesticides in terms of their relative pollution potential (in groundwater or surface water), and compare different land uses at a regional scale for impacts on water quality. PIRI has been used by regulators and natural resource managers in Western Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency will be using PIRI in a Food and Environment program project involving 12 countries across Asia, South America and Africa. An independent evaluation of the benefits of PIRI by Land & Water Australia calculated the net benefit as $13.6m, with a return on investment of 37 to 1. Robust assessment of metal speciation in waters We have developed a rapid and robust method for estimating the bioavailable metal fraction in waters. The method has been validated using toxicity tests with sensitive aquatic organisms, and has recently been adopted by a large mining company to monitor copper toxicity in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea. National atlas of acid sulfate soils Working with state agencies, web-based mapping tools were developed for informed risk management of coastal soils. These tools are now available through the Australian Soil Resource Information System website www.asris. csiro.au. ASRIS won the 2005 ESRI Australia Web GIS award as the best Australian web-mapping Internet site. National Biosolids Research Program (NBRP) CSIRO recognised the need for a national, coordinated and collaborative scientific approach to the use of biosolids (treated sewage sludge) on Australian soils. The NBRP was established in 2002 with funding from a range of government and industry bodies. Research undertaken in collaboration with Curtin University of Technology and the governments of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland will enable the development of new soilspecific guidelines for biosolids (for cadmium, copper and zinc), providing a basis for the sustainable use of biosolids and organic wastes as fertilisers in agriculture throughout Australia.
Partnerships The Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research works closely with industry partners, environmental agencies and regulatory authorities at national and international levels. Examples of this successful interaction is the group s involvement in the development of the ANZECC/ ARMCANZ* (2000) sediment and water quality guidelines and the National Biosolids Research Program which involves a consortium of state, territory and federal agencies. * Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council/Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand In Australia, CECR has strong collaborative links with: The University of Adelaide University of South Australia Flinders University University of Technology Sydney University of Wollongong University of Canberra > CECR aims to identify the biogeochemistry of soils and minerals in Australian landscapes Macquarie University Griffith University Southern Cross University The University of Sydney. We also work closely with state and federal environmental agencies, such as the New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation, as well as industry partners and environmental consultants. International links span the globe and include collaborators in Europe, USA, Canada and the Asia-Pacific. Our industrial links include clients from mining, water, petroleum, power and agrochemical companies and industry associations, including the International Copper Association and the International Lead & Zinc Research Organization. Research capacity The Centre implements a multidisciplinary approach to researching contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial environments and brings together established capability and expertise in: Trace and ultratrace analysis of environmental contaminants including metals and organics. Assessing the speciation, bioavailability and toxicity of contaminants in environmental media. Application of advanced spectroscopic techniques (e.g. synchrotron) to environmental problems. Isotopic tracing techniques to study fate, transport and bioavailability of contaminants. Ecotoxicology, specialising in the response of Australian biota to contaminants in the environment. Molecular biology focussing on the application of molecular techniques to understand soil and water ecosystem processes. Identification and characterisation of biogeochemistry of soils and minerals in the regolith of Australian landscapes. Environmental and criminal forensic techniques for soils, waters and sediments. Assessing the impacts of contaminants on aquatic and terrestrial systems. CECR facilities are located at Lucas Heights, New South Wales and Urrbrae, South Australia. CSIRO Land and Water CSIRO Land and Water providing the scientific excellence to enable the sustainable management of our land and water resources CSIRO Land and Water is Australia s largest research provider in the land and water resources domain. Together with our many clients and research partners, and through the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, we are striving to address some of our nation s most pressing environmental challenges. CSIRO offers world-class facilities, leading edge technology, product development, project management and professional development opportunities to meet the needs of research, industrial and commercial partners. Our multidisciplinary teams have expertise in areas as diverse as hydrology, hydrogeology, soil science, biology, aquatic ecology, atmospheric science, remote sensing, spatial science, physics, chemistry, soil and water contaminant science, ecotoxicology, economics and social sciences. CSIRO Land and Water provides the majority of the research capability to the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, thereby playing a vital role in meeting Australia s land and water management challenges. Read more about CSIRO Land and Water at www.csiro.au/org/clw.html
For further information: Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research: Dr Simon Apte Ph: +61 2 9710 6838 Fax: +61 2 9710 6837 Email: Simon.Apte@csiro.au Web: www.csiro.au/cecr/