Key messages

• Sixty-seven institutions are collaborating under the PARC initiative to enhance the utility of innovative analytical methods and tools for monitoring and surveys, supporting next-generation chemical risk assessment.  
• A network of harmonised laboratories operating standardised innovative methods for chemical exposure characterisation should be established for use as a tool within a European early warning system for chemical risks.
• Less conventional sampling, non-targeted mass spectrometry acquisition and effect-directed analysis show promise to advance chemical exposure characterisation but numerous scientific barriers limit their incorporation into regulatory frameworks.
• Uniform reporting practices need to be established and enforced to ensure transparency, reproducibility and comparability of generated results. Mandatory data sharing and metadata reporting, protocol sharing, and quality management procedures should be stipulated. Requirements include establishing fit-for-purpose identification scales, method performance criteria and software quality standards alongside mechanisms to assess compliance.  
• Continuous development of diverse and complementary analytical and computational methodologies is required to, and will improve the detection, annotation, quantification and prioritisation of chemicals and chemical features that pose current or emerging risks, safeguarding public health. 

Overview

The diversity of chemicals entering the environment is increasing, with some posing significant harm to ecosystems and human health. New analytical approaches, such as innovative sampling techniques, non-targeted profiling using high-resolution mass spectrometry, and effect-directed analysis, offer promising tools for detecting, identifying, and prioritising chemicals of concern ↗.

• Non-targeted profiling uses advanced instruments to scan samples broadly, detecting both known and previously unidentified chemicals.
• High-resolution mass spectrometry is a technique that accurately measures the mass of molecules, helping identify chemicals at very low concentrations.
• Effect-directed analysis combines chemical testing with biological responses to identify harmful substances.

Within PARC, 40 researchers from 30 institutes across 10 EU member states have outlined the scientific challenges in adopting these methods for regulatory use. These challenges include detecting and annotating chemicals (assigning identities to detected compounds), quantifying their levels, prioritising their risks, and ensuring results are scalable and easily reportable for widespread use.

The researchers recommend ways to incorporate these innovative tools into environmental and human monitoring programs. Doing so could significantly improve the characterisation of chemical exposure, provide better support for modern risk assessment methods, and contribute to early warning systems to protect health and the environment. 

Achievements & Results

The key needs and recommendations identified for leveraging innovative methodologies to support the development of next-generation chemical risk assessment were published here ↗.  

Recommendations from the publication were given further visibility being summarised in Chemical Watch News & Insight ↗. These included urging regulatory bodies like the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA ↗) to encourage companies to share mass spectral data. Such data can significantly enhance the ability to detect and identify chemicals, thereby improving monitoring programs and supporting chemical risk assessment.

Following discussion with ECHA, a working group is underway to develop a step-by-step strategy of how to implement some of the identified recommendations.  

Policy relevance

Only a few countries have integrated exploratory analysis into regulatory frameworks for human, food, or environmental monitoring to support chemical risk assessment. This project identified key scientific barriers that must be addressed to incorporate advanced techniques like non-targeted analysis and effect-directed analysis into monitoring programs and early warning systems. These findings have been communicated to regulatory bodies and policymakers, providing valuable insights to guide priority-setting and assess the feasibility of adopting these innovative approaches in policy frameworks.