Suomen ympäristökeskus

 

This document provides the guidelines, minimum requirements and performance characteristics intended to guarantee that manufactured systems intended for on-site/field use (i.e. outside the laboratory) provide reliable and reproducible results. This document specifies the requirements for technologies that enable on-site detection and quantification of Legionella spp. and L. pneumophila using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay (qPCR). It specifies general methodological requirements, performance evaluation requirements and quality control requirements. This document is intended to be used by manufacturers of these technologies so that they produce detection systems that end users can operate safely and effectively. End users will be guided by this document to adhere to manufacturer’s instructions, to ensure user competency and to perform the necessary controls. Technical details specified in this document are given for information only. Any other technical solutions complying with the performance requirements are suitable. This document is intended to be applied in the bacteriological investigation of all types of water (hot or cold water, cooling tower water, etc.), unless the nature and/or content of suspended matter and/or background microorganisms interfere with the determination. This interference can result in an adverse effect on both the detection limit and the quantification limit. The results are expressed as the number of genome units of Legionella spp. and/or L. pneumophila per millilitre (or litre) of sample. Although the method described in this document is applicable to all types of water, some additives, such as chemicals used for water treatment, can interfere with and/or affect the sensitivity of the method. The qPCR methods do not give any information about the physiological state of the Legionella. However, there are on-site qPCR methodologies which are able to distinguish intact bacteria from free DNA.

 

This document concerns the restoration of rivers, including their channels, riparian zones, and floodplains. The word ‘river’ is used as a generic term to describe permanently flowing and intermittent watercourses of all sizes, with the exception of artificial water bodies such as canals. Some aspects of landscape restoration beyond the boundaries of what are often considered typical river processes are also considered. This document focuses on ‘nature-based solutions’, which are ‘actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits’ (https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/2016-036.pdf). A clear framework of guiding principles to help inform the planning and implementation of river restoration work is provided. These principles are aimed both at individuals and organizations wishing to restore rivers, and stress the importance of monitoring and appraisal. This document makes reference to existing techniques and guidance, where these are appropriate and within the scope of this document. This document provides guidance on: — the core principles of restoration — the aims and overall outcomes of river restoration — the spectrum of typical approaches to river restoration (the ‘restoration mode’) with a focus on those that are nature-based and restore both physical and ecological aspects — identifying opportunities for restoration and possible constraints, with a focus on physical and natural rather than socio-economic aspects — the different scales of restoration and how restoration works across different catchments and landscapes — the importance of monitoring and appraising restoration work across the range of approaches and scales.

 

 

This document specifies a method for the determination of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] and trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] in water by liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICP-MS) after chelating pretreatment. This method is applicable to the determination of Cr(VI) and Cr(III) dissolved in wastewater, surface water, groundwater, or drinking water from 0,20 µg/l to 500 µg/l of each compound as chromium (Cr) mass. Samples containing Cr at concentrations higher than the working range can be analysed following appropriate dilution of the sample.

 

This document sets out key principles for the investigation of microplastics in drinking water and water with low content of natural suspended solids using a microscopy technique coupled with vibrational spectroscopy. This method is applicable to: This method is intended to determine and characterize large numbers of particles in the sample in automatic mode. The method does not apply to the characterization of substances intentionally added to or adsorbed on the surface of microplastics. The method does not apply to the determination of the geometric shape of microplastics. The method is applicable to water with low quantity of organic matter and other suspended matter as ISO 6107 definition (1-100 mg/l or lower if interfere with the determination), i.e Given the very low concentrations of microplastics usually present in these waters, special attention shall be paid to potential sources of contamination during the samples preparation.

 

This document specifies a method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of microparticles of plastic or elastomeric materials in water using a microscopy technique coupled with vibrational spectroscopy. The aim is to generate reliable and comparable data on the potential presence of microplastics in clean waters with micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (µFTIR) and micro-Raman spectroscopy. For simplification, the addressed materials will be named "microplastics" in the document. The method allows: • Determination of the size distribution of microplastics (1 µm to 5 000 µm); • Identification of the composition of microplastics by characterizing, the type of polymer (PE, PP, PET, PTFE, PS, PVC, PC, PMMA, elastomers … The method is applicable to: • Ultrapure water in accordance with ISO 3696; • Water intended for human consumption (drinking water); • Bottled water; • Untreated groundwater.