- Formulating criteria for categorising annotated data to be integrated in the EWS format.
- Generation of proofs-of-concepts and tools of relevance to risk assessors and policy makers at national and EU level. Innovative (self-)sampling combined with innovative approaches are of utmost importance for identification of new and existing potentially hazardous substances at an early stage.
- Conceptualisation and illustration of cutting-edge tools for establishment of an EWS. End-users include ECHA, EFSA, EEA, national environmental and chemical agencies, national food safety authorities, NORMAN, researchers, industry, NGOs, national consumer protection organizations and the general public.
Key messages
- The project will illustrate the usefulness of early warning monitoring tools both for environmental and biomonitoring;
- Criteria for acceptance and prioritization of early warning signals will be defined.
Overview
This project is supporting the establishment of an Early Warning System (EWS) to identify and prioritise new and existing potentially hazardous substances, addressing key needs in EU regulatory policies ↗ and chemical risk management ↗. It is ensuring that data generated by innovative methods – including non-targeted screening combined with effect based methods – are used to detect substances that may pose risks to human health and the environment.
By demonstrating the usefulness of EWS tools in various types of samples – environmental samples (e.g. soil, sediment, dust), animals (e.g. fish), human samples (e.g. blood), food (including drinking water) and consumer products (such as waste streams and recycled materials) - the project is highlighting their broad applicability.
Chemicals and toxicological data are created and shared in databases. Computational tools can be used to evaluate their exposure and hazard characteristics to allow substances to be prioritised based on their potential risks.
By improving detection and prioritisation, the project is strengthening the EU's capacity to respond to emerging chemical threats. It is supporting evidence-based decision-making, guiding regulatory action and ultimately improving chemical safety to better protect people and the environment.
Achievements & Results
- The project will illustrate the usefulness of early warning monitoring tools both for environmental samples (e.g. soil, sediment, sludge, dust), human samples (e.g. blood), food (incl. drinking water) and products (incl. waste streams, recycled products).
- The project will identify in particular chemical properties, toxicological endpoints and high resolution mass spectrometry features relevant for the EWS.
- Criteria were formulated for the categorisation of annotated data to be integrated in the EWS format.
- A perspective article on innovative approaches as a contribution to an EWS will be published.
- This project will generate proofs-of-concepts and tools of relevance to risk assessors and policy makers at national and EU level contributing to an EU EWS and supporting EU agencies (EEA ↗, EFSA ↗, ECHA ↗).
Policy relevance
Innovative (self-)sampling combined with integrated suspect, nontarget screening and effect directed analysis approaches are of utmost importance for identification of new and existing potentially hazardous substances at an early stage. Cutting edge tools will be conceptualised and illustrated for establishment of an EWS and contribute to early warning system and harmonised framework from environment-food-human. End-users include ECHA, EFSA, EEA, national environmental and chemical agencies, national food safety authorities, NORMAN network ↗, researchers, industry, NGOs, national consumer protection organisations and the general public.
Related Publications
Innovative tools for chemical risk assessment are emerging in a variety of fields, including non-target chemical analysis, omics and computational methods.
These computational tools are crucial for early warning systems (EWS) to detect hazardous chemicals.
The paper proposes a computational early warning system (EWS) workflow that streamlines new and emerging risk chemical (NERC) identification, tackling current knowledge gaps and increasing screening efficiency.
Proactive risk management is supported by the development of computational early warning system (EWS) tools for the quick identification of novel and emerging risk chemicals, which improve regulatory capacity for early detection and evaluation of potentially hazardous chemicals.
Innovative tools suitable for chemical risk assessment are being developed in numerous domains, such as non-target chemical analysis, omics, and computational approaches. These methods will also be critical components in an efficient early warning system (EWS) for the identification of potentially hazardous chemicals. Much knowledge is missing for current use chemicals and thus computational methodologies complemented with fast screening techniques will be critical. This paper reviews current computational tools, emphasizing those that are accessible and suitable for the screening of new and emerging risk chemicals (NERCs). The initial step in a computational EWS is an automatic and systematic search for NERCs in literature and database sources including grey literature, patents, experimental data, and various inventories. This step aims at reaching curated molecular structure data along with existing exposure and hazard data. Next, a parallel assessment of exposure and effects will be performed, which will input information into the weighting of an overall hazard score and, finally, the identification of a potential NERC. Several challenges are identified and discussed, such as the integration and scoring of several types of hazard data, ranging from chemical fate and distribution to subtle impacts in specific species and tissues. To conclude, there are many computational systems, and these can be used as a basis for an integrated computational EWS workflow that identifies NERCs automatically.
An Early Warning System for chemicals in the environment can offer a proactive approach to hazard identification and risk management.
Effect-based methods can provide evidence-based information on the risks associated with chemicals and trigger the appropriate mitigation actions.
An Early Warning System for chemicals in the environment will facilitate the identification of hazards and potential risks through a proactive approach, leading to the timely enaction of regulations, restrictions and policies.
Existing regulatory frameworks often prove inadequate in identifying contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and determining their impacts on biological systems at an early stage. The establishment of Early Warning Systems (EWSs) for CECs is becoming increasingly relevant for policy-making, aiming to proactively detect chemical hazards and implement effective mitigation measures. Effect-based methodologies, including bioassays and effect-directed analysis (EDA), offer valuable input to EWSs with a view to pinpointing the relevant toxicity drivers and prioritizing the associated risks. This review evaluates the analytical techniques currently available to assess biological effects, and provides a structured plan for their systematic integration into an EWS for hazardous chemicals in the environment. Key scientific advancements in effect-based approaches and EDA are discussed, underscoring their potential for early detection and management of chemical hazards. Additionally, critical challenges such as data integration and regulatory alignment are addressed, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement of the EWS and the incorporation of analytical advancements to safeguard environmental and public health from emerging chemical threats.