Identification and evaluation of pollutant immissions into the environment around chemical industry in Herzesti, Romania

Summary
Chemical risk assessment will be carried out at the example of the pesticide production industry ALCHIMEX SA.in Herzesti, Romania. In a first phase risk identification, toxicological evaluation and a exposure assessment will be implemented. Analytical methods to identify the relevant pollutants will be set up and comparison analyses in Swiss and Romanian laboratories will enable quality control.

Goal
Implementation of systematic risk assessment method, identifaction of possible exposure and risks for humans and the environment; infrastructure and know-how for identifaction of trace elements in environmental compartments.

Planned Activities
In a first step information about all products, their composition and quantities used in ALCHIMEX SA. will be collected. To identify the relevant pollutants, toxicological data and exposure assessment are applied. To quantify relevant pollutants in the environmental compartments, analytical chemical methods are set up. In the end of the first phase, some samples in and around the industrial area of ALCHIMEX SA. are collected and mesasured by Swiss and Romanian partners to validate analytical methods.

In the second phase of the project more analyses of field samples of the ALCHIMEX SA are planned and the actual and acceptable risks will be calculated. Possible remediation measures will be identified and their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed.

Partner Organisation Brief Presentation
The National Research –Development Institute for Chemistry and Petrochemistry (ICECHIM) in Bucharest is working in the field of organic systhesis products, pesticides, biotechnologies and bioresources. ICECHIM engages in chemistry for a sustainable development and will enhance in future its competences as environmetal experts (www.icechim.ro)

Expected Results Swiss Technical University and Partner
The cooperation will allow to apply the chemical risk assessment method to a relevant practical case and to adapt to specific conditions in Romania. The romanian partners will get a tool to objectively evaluate chemicals in the environment and obtain a good overview of options to treat polluted sites effectively. The romanian partners will also have more analytical methodes to identify relevant pollutants.

Validation of Project within Swiss Technical University and Partner
The existing cooperation with romanian partners shall be deepened, a know-how transfer can take place between all partners.

Project Duration
First phase: April 2006 – December 2007
Second phase: January 2008 – June 2009

Contact
Dr. Rolf Krebs
University of applied sciences
Grüental
Postbox 335
CH-8820 Wädenswil
(Phone: 044 789 97 90; e-mail: r.krebs@hsw.ch)