Description
Presently, the airborne pollutants are monitored through National Network for Air Quality Monitoring (RNMCA) but the process is costly and could not provide any data about heavy metals accumulations within the biotic or abiotic environment. The objective of the project is strengthened capacity of environmental authorities to implement and enforce the strategy and EU legislation on ambient air quality monitoring in Romania. The outcome of the project will be strengthened the national capacity for airborne heavy metals monitoring and management in Romania. The project main outputs: • developing a complex database of heavy metals bioaccumulations at national level • developing an warning system at high concentration of airborne heavy metals • developing guidelines for species use in biomonitoring programs • developing environmental exposure scenarios The project main target group is the central authority for environmental protection and the local environmental protection authorities, but the project outputs are of interest also for research institutes, universities, or other type of organization with environmental activities and the general public.
Summary of project results
The airborne pollutants are monitored through National Network for Air Quality Monitoring (RNMCA) but the process is costly and could not provide any data about heavy metals accumulations within the biotic or abiotic environment. The objective of the project is strengthened capacity of environmental authorities to implement and enforce the strategy and EU legislation on ambient air quality monitoring in Romania. Through the implementation of the project “Long-term National Monitoring System of Bioaccumulation of Airborne Heavy Metals (BIOMONRO)” a national monitoring system of airborne heavy metals depositions/ accumulation, using live organisms, was created. The system uses 143 sites for active monitoring and 420 sites for passive monitoring, each being represented in every county of Romania.The national system for monitoring the accumulation of airborne heavy metals is a cheap tool (does not require expensive infrastructure or highly specialized personnel for data collection), multipurpose (can also be used to monitor bioaccumulation of hazardous substances or other environmental waste), durable (provides long-term monitoring) and efficiently in order to improve monitoring of hazardous substances into the environment and also support tool for decision making. The beneficiaries of this complex tool are primarily National Agency for Environmental Protection (which, according to Law 104/2011, is responsible for monitoring of air quality in Romania), local environmental protection agencies, research institutes, universities, any other type of organization with environmental activities (not least the public that according to Law 104/2011 has the right to be informed on ambient air quality). The outcome of the project is strengthened national capacity for airborne heavy metals monitoring and management in Romania. The project main outputs: • a complex database of heavy metals bioaccumulations at national level developed • warning system at high concentration of airborne heavy metals developed • guidelines for species use in biomonitoring programs developed • environmental exposure scenarios developed
Summary of bilateral results