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A groundbreaking study from the SPRINT project, funded by the European Union&#39;s Horizon program, has unveiled a concerning reality: pesticide residues are pervasive in both agricultural environments and residential settings, raising concerns for environmental and human health. These findings, which have significant implications for European Union decision-makers, emphasise the urgent need for comprehensive regulatory measures to address the potentially far-reaching impacts of the co-occurrence of pesticides.
For decades, pesticides have been employed globally to bolster agricultural productivity, yet the cumulative effects of their residues have been largely overlooked. The scientific community are increasingly unveiling an alarming trend: pesticide residues, often assessed for risk on a substance-by-substance basis, are in fact extensively mingling in ecosystems. This issue is not confined to agricultural fields and waterbodies but also in the very homes of farmworkers and of their neighbours.
The SPRINT project undertook a <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0259748">field sampling campaign</a> in 10 European countries that identified pesticide residues at all study sites . The first <a href="(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412023005536?via%3Dihub)">peer-reviewed paper</a> presenting the sampling results has recently been published. This unique dataset has raised concerns about the consequences of such a wide distribution of pesticide residues.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Recetox_SPRINT_Rezidua_15ce9451b5/Recetox-SPRINT-Rezidua.jpg" alt="Recetox: New Research Reveals Pesticide Mixtures Widespread in Environment, Urging Enhanced Regulatory Measures."/>
The SPRINT team analysed 200+ pesticide residues in over 600 environmental samples from both organic and conventional farms. The sampled matrices included soil, water, sediments, crops, outdoor air, and indoor dust. Remarkably, the study reveals that 86% of the tested samples contained pesticide residues and 76% mixtures of pesticides. The total number of different pesticides detected in the different matrices ranged from 76 in outdoor air, 78 in crops, 99 in sediments, 100 in soil to 197 in indoor dust. Most of these pesticides are on the approved EU list, but recently and long banned residues represent a significant part of the pesticide mixtures. Glyphosate residues are the most frequently detected with high concentrations over all environmental samples studied.
The indoor dust findings are particularly striking, as this might have possible implications on the health of individuals living in farmhouses and rural areas. Dust in one house contained residues from 121 different pesticides. Although the study did not assess the specific level of exposure experienced by the inhabitants, it is concerning that over two-thirds of the residues identified in the dust are classified according to the Pesticide Properties Database (PPDB)*, as being “highly hazardous” to mammals and are linked to adverse human health effects. Based on the results, the study proposed a new prioritization hazard-based indicator of pesticides for ecosystem and human health assessments that may be applied in the achievement of the pesticide reduction goal of the Farm to Fork Strategy.
Professor Violette Geissen from Wageningen University &amp; Research, SPRINT project coordinator, underscoring the far-reaching significance of these findings, said &quot;Our research highlights that the issue of pesticide mixtures transcends the agricultural field areas; it reaches the very households of those working on farms and their neighbouring communities. The results show that not only are mixtures of pesticide residues rather common in both agricultural and residential settings, but also that they can be highly complex, and variable in these settings. We need a more nuanced understanding of the impact of chemical mixtures in the field and related exposure-response data to better understand the ecosystem and human health risks. We urgently require integrated risk assessments that mirror the real-world complexity of these widespread pesticide mixtures.&quot;
The SPRINT project&#39;s next phase will delve into assessing ecosystem and human health risks posed by the identified pesticide mixtures. Equipped with the comprehensive data, the project aims to develop a novel indicator tailored for regulatory purposes, thus providing EU decision-makers with information to support tools to tackle the mounting challenges posed by pesticide mixtures.
About the SPRINT Project: The SPRINT project, funded by the European Union&#39;s Horizon program, stands at the forefront of scientific inquiry into the impacts of pesticide mixtures on agriculture and human health. With a multidisciplinary approach and unprecedented data collection efforts, the project aims to develop a Global Health Risk Assessment Toolbox to assess the impacts of pesticides on environmental and human health and to propose several transition pathways to reduce the use and risk of pesticides.
*The Pesticide Properties Database (PPDB) is a comprehensive relational database of over 1800 pesticides and their metabolites. It has principally been developed to support risk assessments. Data held includes registration information, physical chemical properties, toxicological endpoints, human health data and commercial information.

New Research Reveals Pesticide Mixtures Widespread in Environment, Urging Enhanced Regulatory Measures

A new study recently published by an international team of scientists has uncovered a significant yet previously overlooked environmental concern. It revealed that soils, particularly in populated and industrialized areas, are not just passive repositories for polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) but active contributors to air pollution and its transport to remote locations. This phenomenon contributes to the deterioration of air quality and enhances its adverse effects on human health and the ecosystem in both populated and remote locations.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/RECETOX_Study_reveals_soil_s_role_in_air_pollution_and_human_health_hazard_bf2388c78f.jpg" alt="RECETOX: Study reveals soil&#39;s role in air pollution and human health hazard"/>
PACs (PAHs, oxygenated-PAHs, and nitrated-PAHs) are widely distributed toxic air pollutants that are products of combustion processes ubiquitous in human and industrial activities. These air pollutants are eventually deposited and stored in soils. Mostly in summer, they volatilize from the soils and re-evaporate into the air. That way, the direction of air-soil mass exchange is reversed, soils become secondary sources of these pollutants in the air, and the pollutants are transported further away from their source region to previously unpolluted remote locations.
<a href="https://www.recetox.muni.cz/en/research/principal-investigators/prof-gerhard-lammel">Gerhard Lammel</a> from RECETOX Centre emphasizes the importance of these findings: “Such re-emissions might add significantly to the concentrations of PACs in ambient air of source areas, albeit this contribution is not yet quantifiable. Despite European efforts to reduce PAH emissions over recent decades, this study indicates that emission inventories may overlook one type of emissions i.e., secondary emissions.”
Furthermore, the research highlights the &#39;grasshopper effect,&#39; where these toxic compounds can travel long distances from their source areas, extending their hazardous impacts on the environment and human health.
For more information, please <a href="gerhard.lammel@recetox.muni.cz">contact</a> prof. Dr. Gerhard Lammel.
The research was supported by the Czech Science Foundation (20-07117S); the Max Planck Society; Research Infrastructure ACTRIS-CZ (No. LM2023030) and RECETOX (No. LM2023069) financed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and the OP RDE (the CETOCOEN EXCELLENCE project No. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/17_043/0009632).
<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170495">Link</a> to published article.

Study reveals soil's role in air pollution and human health hazard

The international conference on environment and health in Central Europe, organized on the occasion of the Czech Presidency of the Visegrad Four (V4), took place on Monday, 11 March 2024, at the library of the Masaryk University campus in Brno, Czech Republic. Organised jointly by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Health in cooperation with the RECETOX Centre of Masaryk University, the conference brought scientists and experts from nine Central European countries (extended V4+ format) to Brno, together with representatives of the best European research institutes dedicated to research on environmental exposures and public health, as well as high level representatives of the World Health Organisation and director of the European Environment Agency.
More than 100 participants agreed that to protect people&#39;s health in the Central European region from the negative consequences of chemical exposures, we need to strengthen cooperation between the environment and health sectors, share available data and use it in decision-making processes. However, it must also be acknowledged that there is a lack of data in this region, which has many historical and cultural specificities, and the problems of Central Europe are not visible at the European level.
It is therefore necessary to strengthen cooperation among Central European countries and to formulate common regional priorities and strategies. Further, It is possible to use ongoing projects and partnerships to promote these priorities at European level, but also to seek financial resources at national and international level. The countries agreed on the need for long-term investment in research infrastructures for long-term environmental and population studies, laboratory capacities and database systems.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/RECETOX_Lukas_Ryznar_Konference_V4_o_zivotnim_prostredi_a_zdravi_ve_stredni_Evrope_1_2a1a05d189.jpg" alt="RECETOX/Lukáš Rýznar: Conference on Environment and Health in Central Europe."/>
The need to restore trust in science, which is declining with the development of new communication channels and social networks, was also strongly voiced. There is a need to educate youth and children and to make them literate in environmental and lifestyle issues and their impact on human health and the functioning of society, but especially in critical thinking and the ability to sort information.
In order to do this, new multidisciplinary educational modules need to be developed not only for children but also for teachers in primary and secondary schools. However, there are also gaps in university education, because in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, there is virtually no training of experts in epidemiology and environmental health, areas that are essential for the development of a comprehensive concept of public health, but also for the development of precision medicine.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/RECETOX_Lukas_Ryznar_Konference_V4_o_zivotnim_prostredi_a_zdravi_ve_stredni_Evrope_2_a91c7f00b9.jpg" alt="RECETOX/Lukáš Rýznar: Conference on Environment and Health in Central Europe."/>
In order to develop a personalised approach to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic conditions, a better understanding of the relationships between genetic predispositions, environmental and social stressors and individual behaviour is needed. Collaborative efforts are also needed in the region to develop this education. There is an opportunity to jointly develop not only bachelor&#39;s or master&#39;s degree programmes, but also training modules for use in the lifelong learning of professionals in public health, occupational medicine and clinical medicine.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/RECETOX_Lukas_Ryznar_Konference_V4_o_zivotnim_prostredi_a_zdravi_ve_stredni_Evrope_3_efc95ab291.jpg" alt="RECETOX/Lukáš Rýznar: Conference on Environment and Health in Central Europe."/>
Much attention was paid to participatory programmes and public involvement in research activities that can be used not only to obtain data on population health and behaviour, but also to educate children and adults. The use of new smart technologies, such as personal sensors and samplers, is useful for this purpose.
The Czech Republic, for example has one of the oldest biomonitoring programmes in Europe operated by the National Institute of Public Health in Prague, and in Brno itself, whose Living Laboratory has been running not only the CELSPAC population studies for many years, but also participatory programmes for school children and adults, were cited as examples of good practice at these meetings.
The RECETOX Centre at Masaryk University, which has been coordinating for several years the building of the EIRENE global infrastructure for research on the effects of environmental exposures on human health, has also contributed to this.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/RECETOX_Lukas_Ryznar_Konference_V4_o_zivotnim_prostredi_a_zdravi_ve_stredni_Evrope_5_74d85940a8.jpg" alt="RECETOX/Lukáš Rýznar: Conference on Environment and Health in Central Europe."/>
The conclusions of the conference were presented yesterday at a follow-up meeting of Central European Environment Ministers, where the priorities of the individual countries were further discussed. One of the topics discussed at both conferences was the possibility of promoting a European research mission on the healthy physical and mental development of children and young people in the face of complex environmental, socio-economic and political crises.
This conference represents an important step towards strengthening international cooperation and dialogue between different sectors to ensure a safe and healthy environment for the citizens of Central Europe.
<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/RECETOX_Lukas_Ryznar_Konference_V4_o_zivotnim_prostredi_a_zdravi_ve_stredni_Evrope_6_08f3581092.jpg" alt="RECETOX/Lukáš Rýznar: Conference on Environment and Health in Central Europe."/>

V4+ Conference on Environment and Health in Central Europe

<h3>Environmental monitoring networks and sampling programmes</h3>
Due to their global geographic distribution, utilization in a wide range of environmental compartments, and long-term use, they provide a comprehensive tool for researchers and policymakers.
Our most important networks include the integrated NAO (National Atmospheric Observatory) in Košetice, MONET (MOnitoring NETwork) and AQUA-GAPS (Global Aquatic Passive Sampling).
<h3>Integrated Monitoring at the National Atmospheric Observatory (NAO)</h3>
The Košetice Observatory was established in 1988 and is operated by the <a href="http://portal.chmi.cz/?l=en">Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI)</a>, with the primary objective of measuring and evaluating long-term trends in background environmental pollution in the Czech Republic and Europe. The station serves as part of the Central and Eastern European arm of the Stockholm Convention‘s <a href="http://chm.pops.int/Implementation/GlobalMonitoringPlan/Overview/tabid/83/Default.aspx">Global Monitoring Plan</a> (GMP) for persistant organic pollutants (POPs).
It is part of the <a href="https://www.emep.int/">European Monitoring and Evaluation Program</a> (EMEP) under the umbrella of CLRTAP (Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution). and other programs such as ICP-IM (International Cooperative Program on Integrated Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Ecosystems), ICOS-RI (Integrated Carbon Observation System Research Infrastructure), GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch), GAPS (Global Atmosphere Passive Sampling Network) and MONET. It forms the national node of the European Research Infrastructure for the observationof Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases <a href="https://www.actris-ri.cz/en/">(ACTRIS-CZ)</a> together with Recetox, the <a href="https://www.icpf.cas.cz/en/">Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals</a> of the Czech Academy of Science, and the <a href="http://www.czechglobe.cz/en/about-us/">Global Change Research Institute</a> of the Czech Academy of Science.
RECETOX has been involved for over 30 years in the measurement of POPs concentrations in the air, atmospheric deposition, water, sediments, soil and biota. Historically, monitoring was mainly focused on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), But at the moment, with the development of new measuring techniques and the needs of global monitoring, the concentration of dioxins (PCDDs/Fs), Brominated flame retardants (PBDEs), currently used pesticides (CUPs) and other substances are also monitored.
The acquired data is unique in scope and is used to model long-term trends, development of atmospheric models, they are part of international databases, they are reported in the framework of fulfilling the obligations of the Czech Republic resulting from international agreements and can also be utilized for Prediction of potential risks. The infrastructure of the station also provides exceptional facilities for research, development and calibration of new measuring equipment and techniques, as well as for teaching and student activities within the Bachelor, master and doctoral theses of the study programmes of Environment and Health and Mathematical Biology and Biomedicine.
<h3>MONET (Monitoring NETwork)</h3>
MONET was established in 2003 in the Czech Republic through a successful collaborative pilot study with the University of Lancaster (UK), and Health Canada. What originally began as a Czech regional project, aimed at monitoring ambient air for persistant organic pollutants (POPs), gradually expanded, and currently comprises more than 450 sampling stations in 44 countries, on three continents – Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Description of MONET sampling methods, which include passive air sampling, active air sampling, passive water and soil sampling techniques can be found <a href="http://monet.recetox.muni.cz/index-en.php?pg=sampling-techniques">here</a>. All persistent organic pollutants data generated by MONET can be found on the <a href="https://www.genasis.cz/index-en.php">Genasis</a> database.
<h3>AQUA-GAPS (Global Aquatic Passive Sampling)</h3>
AQUA-GAPS was set up in 2017 as a global decentralized monitoring network to determine the presence of toxic chemicals in aquatic environments and gain insight on their geographic distribution as well as temporal trends. The network supports the Stockholm Convention’s Global Monitoring Plan (GMP) by generating harmonized data on POPs/PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid). It is “network of networks,” open to participants from around the globe. With the help of local partners, passive polyethylene-based samplers are now deployed in more than 30 sites worldwide.
<h3>Services</h3>
The environmental sampling networks and sampling programs utilize the following equipment and techniques, which are available for partner organizations and to the general public as part of projects, contract research, training programs and training.
<h3>Equipment</h3>
<h5>Air sampling</h5>
<ul>
<li>Polyurethane foam (PUF) disc passive air sampler</li>
<li>XAD-resin based passive air sampler</li>
<li>Personal air sampler – Baghirra</li>
<li>Low-volume active sampler – Baghirra</li>
<li>Photovoltaic active sampler – Baghirra</li>
<li>Medium-volume active sampler – Leckel</li>
<li>High-volume active sampler - Digitel, Graseby-Anderson, Baghirra</li>
<li>Cascade impactor - Sioutas, Tisch Environmental, Moudi</li>
<li>Multi-directional active sampler - Baghirra</li>
<li>Sequential active sampler – Baghirra</li>
<li>Automatic optical dust analyzator Palas</li>
</ul>
<h5>Atmospheric deposition</h5>
<ul>
<li>Active sampler - Baghirra</li>
<li>Sampler for collection of dry and wet deposition</li>
<li>Throughfall depositon sampler</li>
</ul>
Water
<ul>
<li>Passive sampler of non-polar substances</li>
<li>Passive sampler of polar substances</li>
<li>Conventional sampling method (spot/bottle/grab sampler)</li>
<li>Sampler for direct collection of liquids into sample container</li>
<li>Sampler for the collection of liquids in pre-evacuated samples</li>
<li>Zonal sampler</li>
<li>Active sampler</li>
</ul>
<h5>Sediment</h5>
<ul>
<li>Sampler for collection of intact sediment profile – core, piston</li>
<li>Grab sediment sampler</li>
<li>Silt sampler</li>
</ul>
<h5>Soil</h5>
<ul>
<li>Manual drills for collection of different soils</li>
</ul>
<h5>Indoor environment</h5>
<ul>
<li>Dust collection sampler</li>
<li>Indoor air sampler</li>
<li>Automatické optické prachové analyzátory Grimm</li>
</ul>
<h5>Other equipment</h5>
<ul>
<li>Mobile weather station</li>
<li>Multiparameter water quality meter</li>
<li>Rubber motorboat</li>
</ul>
<h3>Training</h3>
RECETOX has extensive knowledge in the design and execution of complex scientific projects which require expertise in collection and preparation of samples originating from various environmental matrices. We collaborate with the public and commercial sectors, as well as conduct our own research and development of new measuring instruments and techniques.
Our know-how in sampling and sample preparation is shared as part of our study program at Masaryk University, in trainings within the international Summer School, at national and international conferences and workshops, during open days, as well as during primary and secondary school excursions.
Furthermore, we offer tailor-made individual or group in-house training programs at our laboratories in RECETOX. Trainings can also take place at the customer&#39;s laboratories or in the field and include preparation of customized standard operating procedures (SOPs).
<h3>Consultation</h3>
Our employees can provide you with detailed information, and offer extensive advice on the preparation of a sampling plan, selection of appropriate sampling equipment, implementation of a sampling campaign or case studies, preservation and transport of samples, processing of samples for analysis, interpretation of results, design of appropriate measures, development of new sampling techniques, legislation and safety.

Monitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Ambient Air by Passive Sampling

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RECETOX (Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment) is an independent department of the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University in Brno, which has been established in 1983. RECETOX is focused on the research and education in cross-cutting area of Environment and Health. It addresses interactions among chemicals, environment, and biological systems, including consequences at local, regional, and global levels.

RECETOX - Centrum pro výzkum toxických látek v prostředí

19th Czech - Slovak Spectroscopic Conference (CSSC) & Mössbauer Spectroscopy in Material Science (MSMS)

V4+ Conference on Environment and Health in Central Europe

Study reveals soil's role in air pollution and human health hazard

New Research Reveals Pesticide Mixtures Widespread in Environment, Urging Enhanced Regulatory Measures

Luděk Sehnal: I see the foreign experience as essential. In Australia, I found the scientific topic of a lifetime.

Monitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Ambient Air by Passive Sampling

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