Fellow: Inés Rodríguez Leal

Objectives

• Database on natural toxins in Europe
• Selection of in silico tools applicable to physio-chemical property prediction of natural toxins
• Priority setting for known toxins based on relevance for water cycle

Potential outcome

• Expanded database with physical and chemical properties of natural toxins
• Protocol for in silico estimation of properties for natural toxins
• Priority list for natural toxins of concern for water safety in Europe
• Quality assurance of in silico models for parameter estimations

Place of Employment and enrolment: Stockholm University (SU)

Country: Sweden

Work Package: WP2 - Emerging natural toxins with potential impact on drinking water quality

Planned secondments

• Eidgenoessisches Departement Fuer Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung (WBF), Switzerland, Dr. Thomas Bucheli, mth 24, for 6 mths. Purpose: priority setting for known natural toxins of relevance for European waters

Principal supervisor: Prof. Matthew Macleod

Fellow: Xiaomeng Liang

Project description: The diversity of natural, and potential toxic compounds, released from plants to aqueous environment is enormous, and the majority of the compounds including transformation products are unknown. Targeted analysis on few specific compounds is therefore insufficient to identify potential problematic compounds. In this project, as part of the NaToxAq Network, novel non-target screening tools for detection of natural toxins in plants and water are developed.

Objectives

• Adapt methods for extraction and fractionation of natural toxins in leachate from soils covered by plants producing natural toxins of plants and in surface water
• Optimize state-of the-art multi-dimensional analytical tools for analysis of complex mixtures of toxins in plant and water
• Develop a state-of-the-art screening tool, e.g. chromatography combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry, for detection of new natural toxins in plants and water
• Identify new natural toxins in water that correlate with vegetation in catchment area

Potential outcome

• Identification of a number of new natural toxins in soil leachate
• New methods for extraction and analysis of complex mixtures of natural toxins in run-off and surface waters
• New screening tool detection of natural toxins in water and correlation to vegetation
• Quality assurance of in silico models for parameter estimations

Place of Employment and enrolment: University of Copenhagen (UCPH)

Country: Denmark

Work Package: WP2 - Emerging natural toxins with potential impact on drinking water quality

Planned secondments

• Helmholtz-Zentrum Fuer Umweltforschung Gmbh (UFZ), Germany, Prof. Werner Brack, mth 24, for 2 mths. Purpose: identification of new natural toxins
• Eidgenoessisches Departement Fuer Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung (WBF), Switzerland, Dr. Thomas Bucheli, mth 30, for 4 mths. Purpose: experience for occurrence of natural toxins in European waters

Principal supervisor: Prof. Jan H. Christensen

Fellow: Massimo Picardo

Objectives

• Develop sensitive and robust analytical methods for LC-MS/MS for the determination of new congeners in groups of natural toxins in lake water and freshwater biota
• Identification and occurrence of non-target natural toxins determined by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)
• Screen the presence of natural toxins in water and freshwater biota from water reservoirs along climate gradients in Europe

Potential outcome

• Sensitive and robust analytical methods for groups of natural toxins
• Extended information of fate and occurrence of natural toxins in water reservoirs, and determine the potential presence of emerging groups of natural toxins
• Preliminary overview of natural toxins in water and biota in water reservoirs along climate gradients in Europe

Place of Employment: Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)

Place of Enrolment: University of Barcelona (UB)

Country: Spain

Work Package: WP2 - Emerging natural toxins with potential impact on drinking water quality

Planned secondments

• University of Barcelona (UB), Spain, Prof. Oscar Núñez Burcio, mth 6-42, for 3 mths. Purpose: PhD enrolment and PhD courses and analysis of water samples
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Fuer Umweltforschung Gmbh (UFZ), Germany, Prof. Werner Brack, mth 20, for 4 mths. Purpose: identification of new natural toxins
• Veolia Water Technologies (VEOLIA), Denmark, Dr. Liselotte Clausen, mth 24, for 1 mth. Purpose: regional sampling of water
• Aigües de Barcelona (AB), Spain, Dr. MªRosa Boleda, mth 30, for 1 mth. Purpose: extended regional sampling and analysis

Principal supervisor: Dr. Marinella Farré

Fellow: Bettina Gro Sørensen

Objectives

• Comprehensive literature review on toxins and toxic effects of invasive species
• Effect-based screening of toxins in extracts of selected invasive species using an array of cell based reporter gene assays addressing endocrine disruption (AR, ER, GR, RAR, RXR), mutagenicity, adaptive stress responses (oxidative stress, inflammatory response and DNA repair) and immunotox effects
• Identification of new toxins using effect-directed analysis and structure elucidation by LCQExactive MS/MS and in silico methods for prediction of physico-chemical properties, fragmentation, and toxicity

Potential outcome

• Selection of priority invasive species for investigation based on potential risks and knowledge gaps derived from existing data
• Integrated approach for effect-directed identification of toxins in aqueous plant extracts
• Toxicity fingerprints (with on cell-based reporter gene assays) for most relevant invasive species under climate change
• New toxins identified in key invasive species

Place of Employment and enrolment: Helmholtz-Zentrum Fuer Umweltforschung Gmbh – UFZ (UFZ)

Country: Germany

Work Package: WP2 - Emerging natural toxins with potential impact on drinking water quality

Planned secondments

• Masaryk University (MU), Czech Republic, Dr. Klára Hilscherova, mth 20, for 2 mth. Purpose: bioanalytical tools
• Eidgenoessisches Departement Fuer Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung (WBF), Switzerland, Dr. Thomas Bucheli, mth 26, for 4 mths. Purpose: experience with occurrence of natural toxins in streams and rivers

Principal supervisor: Dr. Werner Brack

Fellow: Muluta Yohannes Nanusha

Objectives

• Comprehensive literature review on river basins and lakes with high potential to be impacted by potentially toxic invasive species supported by climate change in close collaboration with ESR4
• Prioritisation of natural toxins found in literature and compiled in database (ESR1) and extended by newly identified toxins (ESR4) and translation to a LC-MS/MS target/suspect list
• Adaptation of sampling and analytical methods for prioritized toxins
• Seasonal quantitative screening and assessment of target toxins in prioritized European lakes and river basins
• Identification of links between land use and the occurrence of specific invasive species and corresponding natural toxins in water

Potential outcome

• Review on spatial distribution of toxic invasive species potentially impacting quality of drinking water resources in Europe
• Routinely applicable monitoring tools for a priority set of important natural toxins in water
• Monitoring data on season-dependent toxin patterns and quantitative load of selected European water resources with natural toxins ready for upload in persisting European databases, particularly IPChem (European Commission) and NORMAN databases
• Policy recommendations on the occurrence of natural toxins in relationship to land use and possible risks for drinking water quality

Place of Employment and enrolment: Helmholtz-Zentrum Fuer Umweltforschung Gmbh – UFZ (UFZ)

Country: Germany

Work Package: WP3 - Emission and distribution of natural toxins in drinking water resources

Planned secondments

• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), USA, Research hydrologist Dana W. Kolpin, mth 16, for 4 mths. Purpose: evaluation of databases, approaches and experiences on natural toxins in the US
• University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, Prof. Jan H. Christensen, mth 30, for 2 mths. Purpose: application of multi-dimensional screening tools (ESR 2) on European water samples

Principal supervisor: Dr. Werner Brack

Fellow: Daria Filatova

Objectives

• Develop sensitive and robust analytical methods based for the determination of cyanotoxins
• Develop screening approaches based on immunochemistry and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for the rapid determination of cyanotoxins in water
• Screen the presence of cyanotoxins and establish the trends of temporal and spatial variation in cyanotoxin production and degradation products in different regions of Europe

Potential outcome

• Sensitive and robust analytical methods for the determination of cyanotoxins and their degradation products in the water reservoirs
• Rapid screening immunochemical methods for the high-throughput determination of cyanotoxins in surface water, and process water
• Overview of temporal and spatial variation in formation of cyanotoxins and degradation products in different regions of Europe

Place of Employment: Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior Deinvestigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)

Place of Enrolment: University of Barcelona (UB)

Country: Spain

Work Package: WP3 - Emission and distribution of natural toxins in drinking water resources

Planned secondments

• University of Barcelona (UB) Spain, Prof. Oscar Núñez Burcio, mth 6-42, for 3 mths. Purpose: PhD enrolment and PhD courses and analysis of water samples
• Fera Science Ltd (Fera), UK, Dr. Carmel Ramwell, mth 30, for 6 mths. Purpose: Access to British waters and water reservoirs and additional equipment for analysis and toxicology

Principal supervisor: Dr. Marinella Farré

Fellow: Vaidotas Kisielius

Objectives

Forests and rangelands have a special role as water protection areas all over Europe. As low-input systems, these ecosystems are generally believed to protect water resources from environmental pollutants. However, many naturally occurring plants and fungi are also producers of a wide range of toxins. Glucosidic toxins are quite common among this group, e.g. the cyanogenic glycosides prunasin and amygdalin from trees or ptaquiloside and caudatoside from ferns. The glucosidal toxins are quite mobile in the environment, but their fate and the environmental distribution is largely unknown. Especially at ecosystem level.

• Hence, the purpose of this project is to identify risk factors for the release of glucosidal natural toxins to water sources in rangelands and forests in Europe, e.g. by:Doing an explorative literature review on the presence of glucosidic natural toxins in rangelands and forests and identifying high risk ecosystems, and
• Validate relevant analytical methods for simultaneous quantification of 3-10 toxins in different matrices (plant/soil/water), in order to
• Conduct a field study on the temporal and spatial variation in production and release of the selected toxins in a range of different European forest and rangeland ecosystems with emphasis on the transfer from plant to the environment. The results will be supported by a
• Laboratory based study on the environmental fate and effect of selected toxins (soil/surface water/groundwater)

If time permits, modelling release to and fate of glycosidic toxins in water sources as function of ecosystem diversity and climate change (coordinated by the NaToxAq network).

Potential outcome

• Selection of 2-3 species (herb/tree) with high environmental load of glycosidic toxins in rangeland/forest in most regions of Europe
• Model for formation of the toxins under natural conditions (all plant compartments; different climatic zones)
• Model for release of toxins from all plant compartments as function of variable climatic parameters
• Fate of the toxins in terrestrial environments (soils, shallow groundwater, surface water)
• Identification of risk factors for release in a climate change perspective

Place of Employment: Metropolitan University College (MUC)

Place of Enrolment: University of Copenhagen (UCPH)

Country: Denmark

Work Package: WP3 - Emission and distribution of natural toxins in drinking water resources

Planned secondments

• University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, Prof. Hans Chr. B. Hansen, mth 6-42, for 5 mths (part time). Purpose: PhD enrolment, PhD courses, academic supervision, soil analysis
• Agilent Technologies (AT), Germany, Dr. Michael Rodamer, mth 16, for 2 mths. Purpose: advanced analytical techniques and company training/ mentoring

Principal supervisor: Dr. Lars Holm Rasmussen

Fellow: Jawameer Hama

Objectives

• Locate toxin producing vegetation for areas with both sedimentary and fissured rock aquifers in regions of Europe
• Quantification of selected plant toxins in soil pore water and aquifers in sedimentary and fissured rock aquifers in regions of Europe
• Explain the occurrence of plant toxins and mechanisms of leaching to the groundwater for selected compounds in relation to seasonal and microclimate variation

Potential outcome

• Overview of intensive farmland for crops producing natural toxin and potential new areas for toxin forming crops in regions with different aquifer geology
• Occurrence and concentration levels of known crop produced toxins in aquifers under selected crops dependent of the aquifer properties
• Understanding seasonal and microclimate influence to formation and transportation of crop produced toxins to aquifers

Place of Employment and Enrolment: University of Copenhagen (UCPH)

Country: Denmark

Work Package: WP3 - Emission and distribution of natural toxins in drinking water resources

Planned secondments

• Helmholtz-Zentrum Fuer Umweltforschung Gmbh (UFZ), Germany, Prof. Werner Brack, mth 16, for 2 mths. Purpose: coordinate sampling with ESR5
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), State of Iowa, USA, Research hydrologist Dana Kolpin, mth 24 for 4 mths. Purpose: sampling and comparison with aquifers from US agricultural states
• Eidgenoessisches Departement Fuer Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung (WBF), Switzerland, Dr. Thomas Bucheli, mth 32 for 2 mths. Purpose: chemical properties and mobility of toxins to aquifers

Principal supervisor: Dr. Bjarne W. Strobel

Fellow: Carina Schönsee

Objectives

Place of Employment: Eidgenoessisches Departement Fuer Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung (WBF)

Place of Enrolment: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH)

Country: Switzerland

Work Package: WP4 - Fate and Transport of natural toxins in aquatic and terrestrial environments

Planned secondments

• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Switzerland, Prof. Kristopher McNeill, mth 6-42, 3 mths. Purpose: PhD enrolment, physico-chemical properties
• University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, Prof. Hans Chr. B. Hansen, mth 24, for 3 mths, purpose: determination of sorption and complexation constants
• Stockholm University (SU), Sweden, Prof. Matthew MacLeod, mth 34, for 3 mths. Purpose: fate and exposure pathways

Principal supervisor: Dr. Thomas Bucheli

Fellow: Regiane Sanches Natumi

Objectives

The aim of this PhD project is to investigate the stability and possible transformation processes of emerging natural toxins in surface waters. The objectives of the project include:

• Evaluation of abiotic hydrolysis rates and their dependence on aquatic conditions (e.g., temperature, pH, ionic strengths)
• Determination of photochemical transformation mechanisms incl. direct photolysis and indirect photochemical transformation by interaction with dissolved organic matter and reactive oxygen species
• Linking chemical transformation to functional changes, e.g. loss of toxicity

Potential outcome

This project will advance our knowledge on

• degradation pathways and kinetics,
• environmental half-lives, and
• link of chemical modification to functional changes of natural toxins

Place of Employment: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG)

Place of Enrolment: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH)

Country: Switzerland

Work Package: WP4 - Fate and Transport of natural toxins in aquatic and terrestrial environments

Planned secondments

• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Switzerland, Prof. Kristopher McNeill, mth 6-42, 3 mths. Purpose: PhD enrolment, analytical facilities
• University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, Prof. Hans Chr. Bruun Hansen, mth 25, for 3 mths. Purpose: photochemical degradation of other natural toxins
• St. Galler Stadtwerke (SGS), Switzerland, Dr. Rolf Stettler, mth 30, for 1 mth. Purpose: sampling of water and implementation

Principal supervisor: Dr. Elisabeth ML Janssen

Fellow: Daniel Bernardo Garcia Jorgensen

Objectives

• Compilation of soil properties, fate data and production data (from ESR7)
• Lysimeter studies of ptaquiloside and thujone under forest vegetation and studies of cyanogenic glucosides in cropped systems
• Parameterization of plant- soil-water model (DAISY) to estimate fate and leaching of toxins to tile drains or to groundwater
• Verification of model under different climates in Europe

Potential outcome

• Plant-to-soil transfer of plant produced natural toxins
• Transformation and leaching of polar natural toxins under different vegetation types and soil
• Integration of plant-to-soil toxin transfer data (source emission module), and fate data into transport model
• Evaluation of robustness and applicability of model to climate scenarios in Europe

Place of Employment and enrolment: University of Copenhagen (UCPH)

Country: Denmark

Work Package: WP4 - Fate and Transport of natural toxins in aquatic and terrestrial environments

Planned secondments

• Eidgenoessisches Departement Fuer Wirtschaft, Bildung und Forschung (WBF), Switzerland, Dr. Thomas Bucheli, mth 24, for 4 mths. Purpose: field lysimeter data
• VCS Denmark Ltd (VCS), Denmark, Water Quality Specialist Anne Esbjørn, mth 32, for 2 mths. Purpose: sampling, water treatment

Principal supervisor: Prof. Hans Chr. Bruun Hansen

Fellow: Marcel Schneider

Objectives

• Literature review on technologies removing natural toxins (such as cyanotoxins) from contaminated water
• Practical assessment of efficacy of selected toxin removal (cyanotoxins, LPS) by various methods (microbial, advanced oxidation processes - AOP)
• Testing novel approaches based on non-thermal plasmas and comparison with existing treatment technologies
• Characterization of transformation products and their potential (eco)toxicity

Potential outcome

• Overview and comparison of natural toxin (such as cyanotoxins) removal from waters by various conventional and advanced technologies
• Development and characterization of novel degradation protocols based on nonthermal plasmas
• Identification of transformation by-products and their potential toxicity profiling

Place of Employment and enrolment: Masaryk University (MU)

Country: Czech Republic

Work Package: WP5 - Safe Water Supply

Planned secondments

• Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (LIPS), Germany, Dr. Juergen F. Kolb, mth 20 and 26, for 2×1 mth. Purpose: development of advanced methods, testing of non-thermal plasmas
• Veolia Water Technologies (Veolia), Denmark, Dr. Liselotte Clausen, mth 22, for 3 mth. Purpose: coordination with water company, assessment of existing technologies
• Aigües de Barcelona (AB), Spain, Dr. MªRosa Boleda, mth 28, for 2 mths. Purpose: continuous sampling, water treatment
• St. Galler Stadtwerke (SGS), Switzerland, Dr. Rolf Stettler, mth 30, for 1 mth. Purpose: sampling of water and implementation

Principal supervisor: Prof. Ludek Blaha

Fellow: Natasa Skrbic

Objectives

• Mapping of land use and estimation of natural toxin production (ptaquiloside, cyanogenic toxins, WP2 toxins)(combine with ESR7+ESR8)
• Monitoring of soil, porewater and groundwater (raw water) concentrations (combine with ESR7 and ESR8)
• Fate of natural toxins and formation of metabolites through water treatment processes
• Facilitated toxin removal using surface-catalysed hydrolysis (and possibly photodegradation)
• Model to estimate natural toxin trajectories through water works

Potential outcome

• Data for natural toxin concentrations in raw water depending on land use
• Quantification of toxin dissipation processes in water treatment processes and identification of critical process factors
• Development of surface catalysed hydrolysis technology for toxin removal
• Operational model tool to estimate risk scenarios and control parameters

Place of Employment: Greater Copenhagen Utility (HOFOR)

Place of Enrolment: University of Copenhagen (UCPH)

Country: Denmark

Work Package: WP5 - Safe Water Supply

Planned secondments

• University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, Prof. Hans Chr. B. Hansen and Bjarne W. Strobel, mth 6–42, for 7 mth. Purpose: PhD enrolment and PhD courses, lab studies, analyses
• VCS Denmark Ltd (VCS), Water Quality Specialist Anne Esbjørn, mth 16 – 36, duration 1 mth. Purpose: sampling, water treatment
• Veolia Water Technologies (Veolia), Denmark, Dr. Liselotte Clausen, mth 16 – 36, for 1 mth. Purpose: sampling, water treatment, stimulated hydrolysis
• Metropolitan University College (MUC), Dr. Lars Holm Rasmussen, mth 10-16, for 2 mth. Purpose: fieldwork, sample treatment

Principal supervisor: Dr. Sarah Christensen

Fellow: Barbara Kubíčková

Objectives

The aim of this PhD project is to investigate the mechanisms of adverse effects and health risks associated with toxins produced by cyanobacterial water blooms in surface waters. The objectives of the project include:

• Literature search on acute and chronic adverse health outcomes associated with natural toxins (with focus on compounds produced by cyanobacteria)
• Identification and prioritization of relevant risks
• Effects screening (in vitro) of toxins and novel metabolites towards selected toxicological endpoints (e.g. inflammation processes, neurotoxicity)
• Characterization of mechanisms of toxicity using advanced in vitro models with relevance towards reported health outcomes linked to natural cyanobacterial water blooms
• Combination of hazard data with information on exposure to characterize risks and potential management measures

Potential outcome

• Review on toxin acute and chronic health outcomes
• Characterization of toxicity mechanisms for selected toxicity endpoints and immune cells (various cyanobacterial compounds)
• Assessment of human health risk associated with mass development of cyanobacterial water blooms

Place of Employment and enrolment: Masaryk University (MU)

Country: Czech Republic

Work Package: WP5 - Safe Water Supply

Planned secondments

• Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Spain, Dr. Marinella Farré, mth 18, for 2 weeks. Purpose: broadening extraction and analytical expertise
• Helmholtz-Zentrum Fuer Umweltforschung Gmbh (UFZ), Germany, Prof. Werner Brack, mth 30, for 3 mths. Purpose: approaches towards characterization of the bioactive compounds
• Fera Science Ltd (Fera), United Kingdom, Dr. Carmel Ramwell, mth 33, for 1 mths. Purpose: human risk assessment methodologies

Principal supervisor: Dr. Klára Hilscherová

Fellow: Bilal Tariq

Objectives

The aim of this project is to seek to establish the spatial coverage of land cover relevant to natural toxin production, and in relation to water bodies.

The plan is to conduct a high-level review of GIS riskassessment tools to gain a broad understanding of the different approaches and to identify the approach that will be most suitable for the current project given the availability of data. He willseek to include measurements of the biomass of the vegetation and will identify likely land cover changes of vegetation as influenced by policy and/or other drivers. This information will be used to develop contrasting scenarios of land use which will then be used to predict the impact of these drivers on potential toxin contamination of drinking water sources in close collaboration with ESR16 using the information from their database. Bilal will actively collaborate with all the other ESRs to integrate the findings of the project overall.

Main duties

• Searching existing literature, datasets and models to extract relevant information on natural toxins
• Creating maps of land cover related to toxin production/fate
• Estimating land use scenarios in response to policy change/other drivers
• Collaborating with other NaToxAq ESRs to align research
• Presentation of findings at seminars/conferences and writing scientific and/or commentary articles for e.g. journals, webpage

Place of Employment and enrolment: Fera

Country: UK

Work Package: WP5 - Safe Water Supply

Principal supervisor: Dr. Carmel Ramwell

Fellow: Ellie Stone

Objectives

This project will expand an existing natural toxin database (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.8b01639 ) to include plant toxins from across Europe and reported medicinal properties by datamining a wide range of data sources, including citizen science. Information in the database will be designed to align with the land cover mapping work of ESR15 to apply a simple model to predict relative toxin transfer to water and hence concentrations. Ellie will assess the impact of land use changes on predicted concentrations of toxins in water, in conjunction with ESR15, and propose mitigation measures. She will actively collaborate with all the other ESRs to integrate the findings of the project overall.

Main duties

• Searching existing literature, datasets and models to extract data on natural toxins
• Further development of an existing natural toxin database
• Adapting a simple toxin export model in collaboration with ESR15
• Collaborating with other NaToxAq ESRs to align research
• Presentation of findings at seminars/conferences and writing scientific and/or commentary articles for e.g. journals, webpage

Place of Employment and enrolment: Fera

Country: UK

Work Package: WP5 - Safe Water Supply

Principal supervisor: Dr. Carmel Ramwell