Sediment network

Proposal and Announcement Spanish Sediment Network

163© ecomed publishers, D-86899 Landsberg, Germany and Ft. Worth/TX • Tokyo • Mumbai • Seoul • Melbourne • ParisJSS – J Soils & Sediments 33333 (3) 163 – 164 (2003)

Proposal and Announcement

Spanish Sediment Network

Javier Viguri1*, MªJesús Belzunde2, Angel del Valls3

1 University of Cantabria, Chemical Engineering Department, Cantabria, Spain2 AZTI, Technological Institute for Fisheries and Food, Basque Country, Spain3 University of Cadiz, Faculty of Marine and Environment Sciences, Cadiz, Spain

* Corresponding author: Javier R. Viguri, Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Química Inorgánica,Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales y Telecomunicación (ETSIIT), Avenida Los Castros, s/n, 39005 santander, Spain([email protected]; http://departamentos.unican.es/quimica/)

stances to be applied as chemical quality of water, sedimentand biota, and demands proposals for quality standards, start-ing from the site investigation and characterisation of each massof water. At this European level, the integration of the sedimentmanagement actions has been implemented, among other ac-tions by the European Network SedNet and its future continu-ity by the SedNet-excel Network.

The 2002 SedNet Inaugural Conference at Venice has allowedto establish a first contact between different Spanish groupsinvolved in sediments. The absence of coordination at Spanishlevel in this subject, and the recent accident of the tanker 'Pres-tige', point out the demand for a Spanish framework to coordi-nate information, priorities and approaches in RTD and man-agement activities related to sediments. This situation hasmotivated the authors of this paper to set up this proposal ofnetwork to coordinate joint activities among the different re-search groups in Spain focussing on the research activities onsediments and its ecosystem, and to transfer results to potentialend-users in an international context (Fig. 1).

Main Characteristics of the Spanish Sediment Network ProposalProposal to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology. RTD Natural Resources Programme (2000–2003). Special Actions. Thematic Priority:Environmental TechnologiesApplicant: University of Cantabria. Chemical Engineering Department. Cantabria. [email protected]. Partners: AZTI. Technological Institute for Fisher-ies and Food. Basque Country. University of Cadiz (UC). Faculty of Marine and Environment Sciences. CádizNetwork based on: 1) Natural Environment Integration: Atlantic and Mediterranean Areas. 2) Methods Integration: Research Resources 3) Interna-tional Integration: SedNet CollaborationObjective: Platform to exchange knowledge and transfer actions between Spanish RTD Organisations and potential end-users in an InternationalcontextContext of the Objective:• Integral Management of European Coastal Areas: Solid scientific knowledge, references and information about specific problems in a local and

regional context• 6th EU Environment Programme 2001–2010: integration of local policy framework in a global context• 6th EU RTD FP 2002–2006: Development of environmental quality values, including prenormative research• RTD Spanish National Programme Natural Resources: Sediment Characterization Technologies

1 Needs and Relevance

Sediments are a basic ingredient to the morphologic evolutionof the coastal area and suppose an important socio-economicresource. Due to their nature, sediments are a trap for contami-nants which are introduced to the environment by specific anddiffuse sources located at river basins, estuarines and marineareas. The pollutants can be ready to pass to the food chain orcan be mobilised by anthropogenic or natural means. For thesereasons, the sediments have been proven an efficient tool toidentify environmental impacts, and due to the exposure timeto industrial effluents, they are valid for long term studies.

Sediments are a resource to be managed in appropriate formmaking it necessary to achieve a good quality of sediments. Inthis sense, rules and guidelines exist to evaluate the sedimentquality as well as decision-making frameworks. However, theseactions do not harmonise at an international level. In Spain,the Ministry of Public Works through the CEDEX, publishedthe 'Recomendations to dredged material management' in 1994,based on a chemical list (inorganic and organic chemicals) andtoxicity test.

At European level, the European Water Framework Directive(EWFD) established a framework for the protection of inlandsurface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and ground-water, which prevents further deterioration and protects andenhances the status of aquatic ecosystems. Starting from thecatchment area, the EWFD proposes a combined emission andimmission approach, applicable to sediments, as a strategy forthe coastal pollution prevention and management. In the fieldof water policy, the EU has published a list of priority sub- Fig. 1: Context of the proposed Spanish Sediments Network

International Framework (SedNet, IPPC, EWFD,

RTD 6FP)

Concentration, Structure, Coordination and Diffusion of

RTD Actions in Sediments

Spanish Network International and National RTD Strategies on Sediments

Demand of

Proposal of

Integration in

Spanish Sediment Network Proposal and Announcement

164 JSS – J Soils & Sediments 33333 (3) 2003

Cadiz, University College Cork, CEFAS Burnham Laboratory, Instituteof Marine Research (IMAR). Application of the TRIAD method in differ-ent estuaries of the Atlantic Space; the main deliverable is to set up anintegrated method to be applied by the coastal area managers to assessediment quality.

••••• Ministry of Science and Technology. National Research Program2002–2005.a) 'Characterization of Dredged material by optimisation of an integra-tive approach to evaluate the environmental quality'. AZTI and Univer-sity of Cadiz. Environmental quality evaluation of 3 port areas in Spain– Bay of Cádiz, Stuary ofHuelva and Stuary of Bilbao – by application of an integrative assess-ment (contamination levels, toxic and adeverse effects under labora-tory and field conditions using biomarkers and bioaccumulation in thebenthic ecosystem).b) 'Organic micro-pollutants in Cantabria marine sediments: Environ-mental Assessment'. University of Cantabria and Basque CountryUniversity. The integral approach of the project, with methodologiesrelated to the satellite remote sensing, phisico-chemical characteri-sation and organic micro-pollutants contents in sediments, will pro-vide the relationships between the environmental risk assessmentvariables in sediments and remote sensing data, which could be usefulin the development of planning and making decisions related to thecoastal zones.

••••• Ministry of Public Works 2003–2006. 'Design and application of in-tegrated methods to assess the hazardousness of dredging materialin Spanish ports'. Environmental assessment (contamination, toxicity,bioaccumulation) of dredging material from 4 Spanish ports – Bay ofCádiz, Huelva, Bilbao and Pasajes – and suggestion in the Spanishrecommendations to the management of dredging in Spanish ports.

••••• Contracts with the Spanish Ports Authorities oriented to define abattery of bioassays to evaluate the toxicity of the dredged material.

••••• Interlaboratory Test. CEDEX, in collaboration with the University ofCádiz. Characterization of sediment quality by means of sedimentbioassays using Spanish common species in the characterization ofsediment toxicity together with classical chemical analysis. Final Meet-ing, October 2003 in Cadiz. Special issue of the bilingual journal 'CienciasMarinas' including all the data and discussions during the meeting.

2 Objectives

The objective is a Spanish platform to exchange and transfer infor-mation and knowledge related to sediments between RTD groupsand final-users in an International context. For the attainment ofthis objective, several specific objectives have been planned:• Continuous integration of network partners according to Spanish re-

gions and integration of international members according to ecoregionsfor transitional waters and coastal natural waters (Atlantic Ocean andMediterranean Sea), and ecoregions for rivers and lakes (Iberic-Macaronesian region).

• Detection and integration in the network of final-users of RTD resultsand network products.

• National database of RTD groups, projects and results related withsediments.

• Catalogue of sediment characterisation methodologies.• Dissemination of RTD related information and network products through

a web site.• Proposal of a long term Spanish network (3 years).

3 Activities and Partners

Fig. 2 shows the Spanish Network Core with partners, activi-ties and results. Starting with the core partners from the Uni-versity of Cantabria, AZTI and University of Cadiz, the struc-ture is based on the continuous integration of the RTD groupsfrom the different Spanish regions, international members fromsimilar European ecoregions (EWFD) and from SedNet, andfinal-users involved in the sediment management as port au-thorities, dredged agents, industrial activities and administra-tion. The core partners are involved in several RTD projectsand contracts related with the characterisation and manage-ment of sediments. At international and national level the groupsparticipate in the following projects:••••• Interreg B Program (Proposal March 2003). 'An Integral Evaluation

(Biological effects-based – BEBA) of Sediments quality in the Atlanticcoastal and estuarine environment'. AZTI-Foundation, University of

Fig. 2: Spanish Sediment Network structure

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