Forum Summary of environment-related research areas developed in the frame of the 5th Framework Programme of the European Commission Thematic programmes The four Thematic Programmes constitute the First Activity of FP5 and are aiming respectively to (1) improve the quality of life and management of living resources; (2) create a user-friendly information society; (3) promote competitive and sustainable growth; and (4) preserve the ecosystem. Each Thematic Programme is organised in the form of Key Actions Generic Technologies and Research Infrastructures. Each Key Action is problem-oriented and targeted to the objectives of the respective Programme. The aim is to link them to major and social objectives with relevant national and international initiatives and to integrate activities and disciplines (from basic research to development and demonstration) in close consultation with the scientific community the industry and the users.Generic Technologies aims to develop the European technological capacity and to stimulate a flow of ideas and knowledge to complement the Key Actions. They focus on a limited number of areas not covered by the Key Actions and on potential multi-sectoral applications. The Research Infrastructure activities promote an optimal use and wide access to existing research infrastructures and develop transnational cooperation in a rational and cost eVective context. This Community added value is complementary to national and multinational initiatives (e.g. networking). Horizontal programmes These correspond to the Second Third and Fourth Activities of FP5 which are dealing with (1) International Role of Community Research; (2) Innovation and Participation of SMEs; and (3) Human Potential and Socio-economic Research.These activities are based on coordination support and accompanying measures of Thematic Programmes and support other Community policies. A brief description of environmentrelated activities covered by two thematic programmes is given below. Some information is also given on horizontal programmes. 2. Environment in the programme on �Quality of life and management of living resources� The programme focuses on immediate socio-economic and market needs in areas such as improving our food controlling disease harnessing the power of the biological cell the sustainable development of agriculture and fisheries and a healthy and independent old age.One of the key actions deals specifically with environment as described below. Full details on this action are accessible via the Internet (see address above) and through the programme help-desk life@dg12.cec.be Key Action 4 �Environment and health The following priorities will be considered (1) diseases and allergies related to or influenced by the environment their prevention and treatment; and (2) development of new methods of diagnosis risk assessment and processes to reduce causes and harmful environmental health eVects. 48N J. Environ. Monit. 1999 1 Following the decision of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 December 1998 The European Commission has launched its Fifth Framework Programme for Research Technological Development and Demonstration (RTD) which will run from 1999 to 2002.The activities will be carried out in the frame of four thematic programmes and three horizontal ones. The first calls for proposals were published in March 1999. Detailed information on the work programme of each activity is available through the Internet at the following address http://www.cordis.lu/fp5 and through direct contact with the programme�s helpdesks. The present summary gives an outline of environment-related research activities covered by 5th FWP. 1. Introduction The Fifth Framework Programme (1999� 2002) is simply designed to support and enhance scientific and technological excellence while being relevant to main EU policies and to European added value. The objectives are defined according to socio-economic and competitive needs placing more emphasis on the results and focusing on a limited number of topics.In comparison to the Fourth Framework Programme (1994� 1998) a simplified structure is proposed consisting of four Thematic Programmes and three Horizontal Programmes Thematic Programmes Quality of life and User-friendly Competitive and Preserving the living resources information society sustainable growth ecosystem Programme 1 Programme 2 Programme 3 Programme 4 Key Actions+Generic Technologies+ Research Infrastructure Horizontal Programmes International Role of Innovation and Human Potential & Community Research Participation of SMEs Socio-Economic Research Coordination and Specific Actions 3. Environment in the programme on �Competitive and sustainable growth� Activities developed under this programme should help to prepare the policy making industrial and related service sectors for the challenges of the new millennium.Environment-related activities are mainly focusing on material research (e.g. waste recycling) and reference materials in the frame of two generic activities described below. Additional information on the programme can be obtained at the following address growth@dg12.cec.be Generic Activity 1 �Materials and their technologies for production and transformation This activity covers four main objectives (1) cross-cutting generic materials technologies; (2) advanced functional materials; (3) sustainable chemistry; and (4) expanding the limits and durability of structural materials. Generic Activity 3 �Measurements and testing The RTD priorities are (1) instrumentation; (2) methodologies for measurements and testing; and (3) support to the development of Certified Reference Materials (CRMs).It should be noted that environment-related research is not covered by the two first items (which are covered in the programme 4 described below) whereas the development of environmental CRMs is covered by the activity. 4. The programme �Preserving the ecosystem� This programme is the best suited platform for submitting environmentrelated projects it is centred around two main parts namely �Environment and Sustainable Development� (Part A) and �Energy� (Part B). Only those actions relevant to environmental monitoring are described here. Additional information can be obtained through the programme help-desk at eecs@dg12.cec.mail Key Action 1 � Sustainable management and quality of water This key action covers several items such as (1) water management in cities; (2) waste water treatment and re-use prevention of diVuse pollution; (3) prevention and abatement of water pollution from contaminated land landfills and sediments; (4) integrated water resources and wetland management at watershed scale; and (5) management of water resources in water-stressed regions.Key Action 2 �Global change climate and biodiversity This key action focuses on several items such as (1) improving the knowledge of global change climate and biodiversity; (2) analysing the impacts; and (3) responding to the global issues. Key Action 3 �Sustainable marine ecosystems In this key action the following activities will be considered (1) marine processes ecosystems and interactions; (2) monitoring and managing coastal processes and the coastal zone; and (3) operational forecasting in coastal shelf and slope areas.5. Horizontal programmes As mentioned in the Introduction horizontal actions are developed by three programmes in close coordination with the thematic programmes. In this frame environmental-related research may be envisaged for example in the form of projects in partnership with Third Countries organisations (programme �International RTD co-operation� E-mail inco@dg12.cec.be) projects aiming to encourage and facilitate the participation of small and medium enterprises in RTD activities (programme on �Innovation and the participation of SMEs�) and projects for improving human potential through training and mobility (programme �Improving the human research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base� E-mail improving@dg12.cec.be).6. Conclusions Implementation of RTD activities is generally carried out through calls for proposxed dates) related to key actions open calls (e.g. for SME specific measures fellowships and accompanying measures). The modalities for the diVerent actions are described in detail in the work programmes of the diVerent Thematic and Horizontal Programmes. Preparing a proposal to be submitted for funding in one of the specific programmes of the 5th FWP requires a good reading of the respective work programmes. As summarised above each programme describes in detail the various types of activities in which RTD projects may be submitted.Proposers should not �reinvent the wheel� and stick closely to the areas described to enhance the chance of their proposals being selected. It should be noted that each proposal will be evaluated by three independent experts contracted by the Commission; the evaluators will judge the submitted projects in the light of the respective work programme and following well defined evaluation criteria. It is hence strongly recommended that proposers closely follow the instructions given in the guide for preparing proposals and consider the main evaluation points listed (Guide for Proposers Part 2); proposers should be able to respond to all questions expressed in the evaluation guidelines while reading their project proposal� in other words the evaluation guidelines should be considered as a �red line� for identifying the most critical points to the considered when finalising a proposal.As mentioned above general information on all Key/Generic activities and other activities is accessible via the Internet and the programme�s help-desk. Proposers may contact EC Scientific OYcers for specific questions; it should be noted however that contacts should be restricted to well formulated questions (which cannot find a response in the available documents) and not general ones; in other words please read the work programmes and related documents carefully before directly contacting EC personnel! Philippe Quevauviller Brussels Belgium J. Environ. Monit. 1999 1 49N Forum interdisciplinary fields contained within this scenario. For this the organisers brought together a strong international contingent of experts from nine countries.The attendees were drawn from a similarly wide international range. In addition to the formal scientific sessions there was a large poster exhibition containing about 40 new scientific contributions as well as an instrument exhibition both of which ran for the duration of the symposium. In addition to the scheduled events ample time was allowed for the 150 or so attendees to meet and talk informally. The net result was a very relaxed environment for the exchange of new ideas and information relevant to air quality measurement in all its contexts. Contributions on exposure assessment strategies identified the various motivations for exposure assessment placing air monitoring firmly within the need to measure the exposures of people to airborne contaminants via the inhalation route in a way that relates to outcome (e.g.to human health). So it was understood that air monitoring is an important component of environmental and occupational health in the wider context of public health. The needs of epidemiology were discussed most notably from the point of view that sampling strategies provide a primary scientific basis for the development of standards and exposure limits for airborne contaminants. The role of variability in exposure assessment was articulated where the importance of placing statistical considerations alongside the technical ones that have dominated the subject for so many years was stressed. One contribution developed the new argument that selfassessment of exposure might be useful in the future.Overall the new work which was presented suggested that the training of environmental and occupational hygienists and scientists needs to go beyond the technical disciplines physics chemistry and biology which are frequently regarded as the cornerstones of graduate-level education in those fields. Meanwhile the technical methods by which to carry out visualisation of exposures to aerosols gases and vapours were highlighted as providing an important body of practical tools by which hygienists in the workplace setting may explore the nature and exposures for individual workers (and groups of workers). The information gained in this way may be used to improve working practices and educate workers about how to reduce their exposure(s). The session on aerosols returned to themes developed at earlier AIRMON symposia; namely that aerosol exposures need to be measured in a way that physically presents the way in which people are exposed.The question of the role of external factors such as particle size windspeed (including moving versus calm air scenarios) and sampling flow rate were therefore addressed leading to suggestions for further updating the criteria which underpin current particle size-selective sampling and for the development of new�and more user-friendly� sampling instrumentation. The importance of micro-organisms as an important aerosol sub-group was identified their measurement diYculties were discussed and new measurement procedures were described. The special importance of very very small particles was outlined where it was noted that the very reactive properties of particles in the size range of just a few tens of 50N J.Environ. Monit. 1999 1 Forum AIRMON �99 The Third International Symposium on Modern Principles of Air Monitoring (Geilo Norway February 10th to 14th 1999) This symposium was the third in the series of such meetings the first being held at Geilo in 1993 and the second in Sa�len Sweden in 1996. This latest meeting marked the return to the location of the first and was organised jointly by the National Institute of Occupational Health of Norway (Oslo) and the National Institute for Working Life of Sweden (Umea� ). It provided an auspicious launching of the Royal Society of Chemistry�s new journal the Journal of Environmental Monitoring (JEM) in which key papers presented at this meeting will be published later this year.The rationale for the meeting was the increasing requirement for air monitoring within the preventive frameworks for identifying and controlling airborne health hazards in workplaces and in the ambient and living environments. These in turn demand the characterisation of exposures of people to chemical and biological agents involving the use of representative and valid sampling procedures and strategies in addition to accurate and reliable quantitation techniques. With this in mind the programme of plenary lectures was designed to provide comprehensive overviews of the latest developments in the multidisciplinary and nanometers which make them of great interest from an engineering point of view (e.g. new materials) are also the same ones that might make them very toxic.One type of aerosol exposure that continues to provide significant measurement challenges concerns that from machining fluid aerosols experienced in the many industries where metal working is carried out. In this context the special problems involved in measuring aerosol exposure associated with the use of the aqueous class of machining fluids were discussed. Finally the emergence of new techniques for the chemical analysis of individual particles was described and the importance of the application of such techniques in �finger-printing� aerosols in the working and ambient environments was stressed. The discussion about gases and vapours addressed concern about how air monitoring might deal with the diYcult practical question of the measurement of airborne contaminants that may exist in both the aerosol and the gaseous form.Isocyanates continue to be an important airborne contaminant in many industrial settings and still provide many measurement challenges. For these emerging new methods were summarised and compared with the ones that were used some 20 or so years ago. It was described how complex isocyanate mixtures add to the diYculties that are currently faced and how significant progress is being achieved. New methods for the sampling of inorganic gases and vaortance of aldehydes was also identified and a range of analytical methods for their determination was described. Biosensors appear to have very high sensitivity for the measurement of gases and vapours and it was suggested that these have great potential for measuring extremely low concentrations.Many air quality issues have emerged in recent years. We are finding that health eVects can occur at concentrations of airborne contaminants which compared to most workplace and ambient air quality standards are very low indeed. In this respect the importance of hydrocarbons ozone and other chemical species groups was discussed and new air monitoring challenges were identified. For many such situations where�unlike for the assessment of workplace exposures�the culture (and practicality) of personal sampling for the determination of individual exposures has not yet been fully developed dispersion modelling can provide important insights. In particular therefore as was described in one contribution such modelling can provide a means for determining the transport of airborne contaminants and hence for assessment of their temporal and spatial distributions in order to provide better estimates of the exposures of people in airsheds both large (i.e.the atmosphere) and small (i.e. indoor air situations). Indoor air quality remains of considerable interest especially since so-called �sick building syndrome� continues to be among the most commonly reported of workplace complaints. Here the role of microbegenerated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were discussed. It is known that there is generally no relationship between SBS symptoms and levels of individual or total VOCs. However it was suggested that a multivariate statistical approach on the measurement of VOCs may provide a means for the classification of �problem� and �non-problem� buildings.Overall the development of more systematic scientific approaches to the understanding of this important problem was called for. The last part of the symposium was devoted to discussion of questions concerning international regulations standardisation and quality assurance. For most of the attendees the European Union (EU) framework was clearly of primary interest and this was addressed in relation to the new EU air quality directives methods standardisation reference procedures and proficiency testing schemes. The speakers described the various mechanisms that are in place or are being developed and the extent to which harmonisation across the EU is being achieved. It would appear that much but perhaps not all of what was described is generic and so applicable to countries outside the EU.The symposium followed in the same tradition as the first two once again reflecting the commitment of its two Co-chairs Yngvar Thomassen and Jan Olof Levin (of the mentioned Oslo and Umea� institutes respectively) who have organized and hosted all three symposia in the series. Once again the tone of the symposium owed much to the contributions of these two individuals. As before the symposium was notable not only for its excellent and broad scientific content but also for the congeniality of its organisation and surroundings. There are few scientific meetings most of us attend where the lunch break begins at noon and goes on until 4.00 pm yet where it just so happens that some of the world�s best ski slopes and trails beckon just outside the door! And where during the early evening sessions freshened by our exposure to the clean winter air of Geilo we could look ahead to the bountiful tables provided by the superb kitchens of the Dr.Holms Hotel! I think I can speak for everyone who attended in thanking our hosts for yet another outstanding air monitoring symposium. We all look forward to AIRMON �02. James H. Vincent University of Michigan Department of Environmental and Industrial Health School of Public Health Ann Arbor MI 48109 U.S.A. J. Environ. Monit. 1999 1 51N Forum The Waste Testing and Quality Assurance Symposium (WTQA�99) will hold its fifteenth annual meeting in Arlington VA this summer. The symposium is sponsored by the Waste Policy Institute (WPI) with the support of the EPA. The conference will be held 1999 WTQA Conference July 18�22 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel 1700 JeVerson Davis Highway Arlington VA 22202 (tel +1 800 228 9290).Meeting pre-registration discount rates ($295) are valid through June 15 1999. Hotel room discount rates ($120+tax single or double room) are valid through June 28 1999. The theme of WTQA�99 is �Preparing for Change Under PBMS.� Performance Based Measurement System (PBMS) is a new regulatory approach to compliance monitoring that has been initiated by EPA. Under the PBMS approach facilities may use any scientifically valid technology or method to demonstrate that they are in compliance with permit or other regulatory standards rather than only having to use EPA approved methods. Through this new approach the Agency expects to reduce the incurred by regulated entities to demonstrate regulatory compliance help laboratory to improve their productivity eliminate a major barrier to the development and use of innovative faster less costly measurement technologies and methods; and in some cases improve the quality of environmental monitoring data and compliance determinations.While PBMS will give the analyst freedom in how one carries out the required data gathering it also imposes a responsibility on the regulated industry (and its laboratories) to demonstrate that the methods used are yielding accurate compliance determinations. The environmental community faces many new issues with respect to PBMS. AVected parties include permit writers in the federal and state agencies state and federal enforcement oYcials regulated entities the environmental laboratory community and the various laboratory accreditation programs.WTQA�99 will provide attendees with the latest information from federal and state oYcials on their progress towards implementation of PBMS. Attendees of WTQA�99 will learn how EPA is implementing PBMS in its various regulatory programs and will be able to interact with oYcials who are developing the new regulations and program operation guidance. The three day conference will begin with a plenary session on July 19 followed by concurrent technical sessions on July 20�21 1999. The conference includes a Tabletop Exhibition and will be preceded and followed by short courses. In addition to regular technical sessions on quality assurance organic and inorganic chemical analysis six special PBMS Issue Sessions focus on PBMS Status Contracting Laboratory Management Scientific and Legal Defensibility Field and Laboratory Implementation and Laboratory Auditing and Accreditation.Detailed hotel and program information is available on the Internet at http://www.wpi.org/wtqa or by sending a fax to +1 540 557 6043 attention Dr. Larry Keith. The program for the two days of the main symposium is summarized below Tuesday July 20 1999 PBMS Status and Issues (1 2 day morning)�The latest information on draft rules and regulations from the RCRA CERCLA CWA SDWA and CAA programs plus reports from NELAC ELAB ACS and the interagency Methods and Data Comparability Board. Quality Assurance (1 2 day morning)� Presentations on reduction of costs by eliminating unnecessary QC samples streamlining EPA�s DQO process PBMS at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal PBMS case study with rapid response field analytical support and more.Environmental Business in the PBMS Paradigm (1 2 day afternoon)�Features sub-sessions on Contracting (including frameworks for contracting under PBMS changes in Superfund contracting and a model agreement) and Laboratory Management Issues (including managing labs under PBMS laboratory performance expectations consensus standards roles and more). Inorganic Analysis (1 2 day afternoon)� Presentations on EPA�s Inorganic Methods Program perchlorate analysis new developments with analysis of mercury tin lead zinc and copper new developments with Method 7473 and more). Organic Analysis Poster Session (all day)�Presentations on a wide diversitys and SVOCs with Methods 3511 and 3570 Method 8261 modifications analysis of chemical nerve agents groundwater headspace sampling in the field soil cleanup technique for Toxaphene new approach for simultaneous selected ion and full ion scanning MS PBMS round robin standards for petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated dioxin and furan IA field analysis and others.Wednesday July 21 1999 PBMS Implementation (1 2 day morning)�Features sub-sessions on Ensuring Scientific and Legal Defensibility (including an overview of EPA�s approach the Comparable Fuels Rule as a model and perspectives on quality assurance private laboratories legal and enforcement issues) and Field and Laboratory Implementation Issues (including how to develop DQOs developing project-specific MQOs moving MQOs into commercial laboratories and balancing error sources for project planning).Laboratory Auditing and Accreditation under PBMS (1 2 day afternoon)� Highlights new roles of auditing and accreditation laboratory compliance programs changes in state auditor�s roles documentation requirements community issues and expectations of government laboratories. Organic Analysis (full day) Presentations on EPA�s Organic Methods Program storage stability of VOCs in soil coste Vective soil sampling techniques recovery comparisons of VOCs from soils modifications of Methods 8100 for PAHs and 3545A for diesel range organics and waste oil organics new biosensors for environmental endocrine disruptors and analysis of carbamates and more. Quality Assurance Poster Session�(full day) Presentations include auditing waste characterization methodologies performance evaluation studies contaminated marine sediment reference material and current activities in standard reference materials for organic contaminants and others.Inorganic Analysis Poster Session�(full day) Presentations on a wide diversity of topics including a universal ICPOES method for environmental analyses new technologies for metal digestions ICP-MS under PBMS using acid mine drainage to detoxify hexavalent chromium leachate applications of in-situ gamma spectrometry with radioactively contaminated soil and more. WTQA �99 will be the place to learn about critical policy issues the latest developments in monitoring methods and technologies problems that have been encountered when using existing methods and the new approaches being developed for auditing laboratories and analytical data for compliance with EPA State and National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) standards. The conference will bring together regulators analysts engineers and managers from Federal and State regulatory agencies the regulated community and the laboratory and engineering support communities. 52N J. Environ. Mon