SafeSludge · Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment of Sewage Sludge Application in Land Use – Impacts on Terrestrial Organisms and Derivation of Risk Thresholds for Emerging PFAS (SafeSludge)

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Project objective

This project (SafeSludge) addresses critical regulatory and environmental challenges linked to the reuse of sewage sludge, with a particular focus on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of highly persistent and under-regulated contaminants. Although nature-based systems such as sludge treatment reed beds (STRBs) are increasingly used in Europe, especially in Denmark, knowledge of the occurrence, transformation, and ecological risks of PFAS in sludge and amended soils remains scarce, leaving a significant regulatory gap.The project pursues three main objectives: (i) characterize the occurrence, chemical diversity, and variability of emerging PFAS in STRB-treated sludge using non-targeted screening, (ii) elucidate their environmental fate, transformation pathways, and biological interactions in sludge–soil systems through controlled microcosm experiments with plants, earthworms, and soil microbial communities, and (iii) derive ecotoxicological thresholds and develop predictive risk models to inform safe sludge reuse and regulatory standards.To achieve these goals, the research integrates advanced chemical analytics (LC-HRMS, LC-MS/MS), MALDI-MSI, ecotoxicological bioassays, molecular microbiology, and environmental risk modelling. The outcomes will deliver the first robust baseline on emerging PFAS in STRBs, provide mechanistic insights into their fate and impacts on terrestrial organisms, and establish science-based thresholds to guide EU policy development.This project directly supports the MSCA Work Programme, advancing excellence in interdisciplinary research, promoting sustainable circular resource use, and contributing to the EU Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the Soil Health Strategy.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• AARHUS UNIVERSITET · Aarhus CCoordinatorDenmark

Links

• View on CORDIS
• DOI: 10.3030/101274556