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H2020Doctoral network2021–2025

CHRONIC · CHronic exposure scenarios driving enviRONmental rIsks of Chemicals

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2021-03-01 → 2025-08-31
EU contribution
€3,627,873
Participants
10
Scheme
MSCA-ITN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

CHronic exposure scenarios driving enviRONmental rIsks of Chemicals

CHronic exposure scenarios driving enviRONmental rIsks of Chemicals (CHRONIC) Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of chemicals has traditionally focused on short-term effects in a few species, often overlooking long-term, low-dose exposures. However, such chronic exposures—especially when combined with other stressors—can lead to population declines and ecosystem disruptions. These effects are often mediated through non-standard endpoints such as behaviour, immune modulation, and genotoxicity, which are not captured by conventional ERA methods. CHRONIC addressed this gap by training 13 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) and developing tools to integrate chronic exposure and non-standard endpoints into ERA. The project aimed to: • Train ESRs in interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral ERA approaches. • Develop mechanistic understanding of chronic toxicity. • Establish experimental tools and Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs). • Assess implications for regulatory frameworks. CHRONIC successfully delivered on its objectives by: • Equipping ESRs with scientific and transferable skills. • Advancing ERA methodologies with non-standard endpoints and multi-stressor scenarios. • Producing 12 peer-reviewed publications, including joint manuscripts. • Organizing a stakeholder workshop with SETAC. • Contributing to policy development through outreach and proposed updates to OECD guidelines. CHRONIC laid the foundation for a paradigm shift in ERA, emphasizing ecological relevance and long-term impact.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

CHRONIC aims at delivering a cohort of highly-skilled and informed future research leaders trained in understanding andintegrating, into risk-assessment practice, the long-term, low-dose chronic chemical exposure and their interactions withother environmental stressors. CHRONIC research will support improved decision-making in risk assessment based onuncertain and potentially conflicting information, and in the development of scientifically-based monitoring strategies. Thefocus on low chronic exposure to contaminants in different environmental organisms (macrophytes, invertebrates,vertebrates) and end-of-line systems (freshwater, sediment, soil) allow for a training that is broader than that achieved fromconventional narrower one-system concept generally included in PhD-programmes and in standard protection goals. Thus,CHRONIC represents a paradigm shift in ERA methods and practices needed to deal with current and future contaminantchallenges. CHRONIC will include 13 PhD projects aimed at developing tools and approaches to identify relevant nonstandardmodes of toxicity for low chronic chemical exposure and integrate these with environmental stressors. CHRONICincludes academic institutions, research centres, government institutions, SMEs, and an NGO all with extensive experiencein education and training and a high state-of-the-art scientific and technical expertise and infrastructure. The program willtherefore lay the basis for an integrated approach to environmental risk assessment that includes non-standard yetecologically relevant endpoints and low chronic exposure as key elements. CHRONIC include training-by-research, jointcourses covering technical, scientific, ethical, and transferable skills. Students will also engage actively in communication toscientific and public communities and be enrolled in an ambitious intersectional networking exchange plan to increaseemployability and provide a broad perspective to their future career plan.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • ROSKILDE UNIVERSITET · RoskildeCoordinatorDenmark
  • AARHUS UNIVERSITET · Aarhus CDenmark
  • LUNDS UNIVERSITET · LundSweden
  • STUDIECENTRUM VOOR KERNENERGIE / CENTRE D'ETUDE DE L'ENERGIE NUCLEAIRE · Bruxelles / BrusselBelgium
  • SYNGENTA CROP PROTECTION AG · BaselSwitzerland
  • UK CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY & HYDROLOGY · OXFORDUnited Kingdom
  • UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO · AveiroPortugal
  • UNIVERSITE MARIE ET LOUIS PASTEUR · BesanconFrance
  • UNIVERSITEIT LEIDEN · LeidenNetherlands
  • WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY · WageningenNetherlands

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union