Bio-based techniques for water analysis

Intensive industrialization, along with the agricultural and domestic use of an increasing number of chemicals, has led to the release of numerous toxic compounds into the environment. This causes widespread pollution of aquatic ecosystems. The polluting nature of a substance varies depending on, among other factors, the quantities released into the environment, the resulting toxic and ecotoxic effects, and the environment’s ability to naturally eliminate it.

Since 2000, the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC has required all Member States to establish monitoring and treatment programs aimed at restoring the good chemical and ecological status of water bodies across Europe. It includes, in particular, a common transboundary management plan and a timeline for implementation. A list of so-called priority substances, which must be monitored to assess progress toward these objectives, has been established. It is supplemented by a list of substances subject to monitoring, the composition of which is regularly updated (Decision 2025/439 of February 28, 2025).

In order to address the analytical challenges associated with identifying pollutants and assessing aquatic toxicity, laboratory methods—following spot sampling—are the only recognized approaches [P 3 900] . These conventional chemical analysis methods rely on sophisticated and expensive instrumentation (e.g., LC/MS, LC/MS/MS, GC/MS, or LC/ICP-MS). They require the sample to be returned to the laboratory, but allow for the reanalysis of samples that tested positive on-site (bioassays, in situ analyzers) to perform a more detailed characterization (identification of the compounds present). These techniques are the subject of intensive research and are constantly evolving, in response to regulatory changes, but also to the growing pressure to reduce their cost and environmental impact.

Given the need to achieve ever-lower detection limits and the increasing complexity of samples, it has become necessary to develop more selective separation and sample preparation methods, as well as pre-concentration techniques for analytes that meet these criteria. It is also becoming urgent to develop more effective field analysis methods to monitor the evolution and location of pollution in real time. However, this approach is not encouraged by legislation