An Introduction to the Problem of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs)
Presentation Abstract
Chemicals of emerging concern (CEC) is a label primarily applied to contaminants that are known or suspected to be released to aquatic environments but not commonly regulated or monitored. The sources of CECs are diverse and the potential number of individual CECs may be in the millions. The accessibility of advanced analytical methodologies has permitted a growing number of CECs to be characterized in environmental samples. However, with improved detection comes the recognition of the widespread occurrence of many CECs, although often at very low levels. Thus, questions are also being raised with regard to the environmental importance and toxicological significance of the measurements. This also reflects the reliance on a largely retrospective approach to monitoring, which emphasizes field measurements of effects on biota and then assessing the likelihood of causation from contaminant exposure. However, rapid changes both in the number and types of CECs that may be released to the environment suggests incorporation of more prospective approaches, e.g. those that identify potentially harmful CECs before release, will be increasingly valuable. In this talk, I will provide an introduction to the sources, occurrences and categorization of CECs both in the Salish Sea and other regions along with the challenges faced for effective monitoring and risk prioritization. Recent research with select CECs such as pharmaceuticals of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class will also be presented. The SSRI’s exemplify many of the challenges faced in risk prioritization due to their resistance to degradation during wastewater treatment, potential for unexpected patterns of bioaccumulation and synergistic interactions with other CECs.
Session Title
Session S-08C: Occurrences and Impacts of Emerging Contaminants
Conference Track
Emerging Contaminants and Emergencies
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2-5-2014 8:30 AM
End Date
2-5-2014 10:00 AM
Location
Room 606
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Pollutants--Bioaccumulation--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Pollutants--Research--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
An Introduction to the Problem of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs)
Room 606
Chemicals of emerging concern (CEC) is a label primarily applied to contaminants that are known or suspected to be released to aquatic environments but not commonly regulated or monitored. The sources of CECs are diverse and the potential number of individual CECs may be in the millions. The accessibility of advanced analytical methodologies has permitted a growing number of CECs to be characterized in environmental samples. However, with improved detection comes the recognition of the widespread occurrence of many CECs, although often at very low levels. Thus, questions are also being raised with regard to the environmental importance and toxicological significance of the measurements. This also reflects the reliance on a largely retrospective approach to monitoring, which emphasizes field measurements of effects on biota and then assessing the likelihood of causation from contaminant exposure. However, rapid changes both in the number and types of CECs that may be released to the environment suggests incorporation of more prospective approaches, e.g. those that identify potentially harmful CECs before release, will be increasingly valuable. In this talk, I will provide an introduction to the sources, occurrences and categorization of CECs both in the Salish Sea and other regions along with the challenges faced for effective monitoring and risk prioritization. Recent research with select CECs such as pharmaceuticals of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class will also be presented. The SSRI’s exemplify many of the challenges faced in risk prioritization due to their resistance to degradation during wastewater treatment, potential for unexpected patterns of bioaccumulation and synergistic interactions with other CECs.
