Sampling in the context of the Flemish region monitoring network biota

The mandatory reporting for the European Water Framework Directive and its daughter directives includes a physicochemical, a biological (ecological quality) and a chemical part. The chemical part is mainly determined by the environmental quality standards as included in the daughter directive 2013/39/EC on hazardous substances. These environmental quality standards for priority hazardous substances usually apply to the water column as the matrix to be investigated. However, certain substances are difficult to measure in water due to their hydrophobic properties and are more likely to bind to the riverbed or accumulate in organisms. For these pollutants, it is necessary to measure the concentrations in tissue instead of in water.
This project is responsible for the sampling of fish and invertebrates, and the analysis of a number of specific substances. INBO will be responsible for the fish sampling.