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Current status and trends in the analysis of GMO and new genomic techniques
No full textThe detection and identification of genetically modified organisms (GMO) are crucial for effective market controls in accordance with existing regulatory requirements. Therefore, detection methods are constantly being developed and improved. Since their recent emergence, organisms produced using new genomic techniques add a new set of analytical challenges. Such organisms frequently contain only minor genetic modifications which are difficult to detect and practically impossible to identify by using current analytical methods. To discuss the current status and trends in this field, the ‘International Conference on GMO Analysis and New Genomic Techniques’ was held in Berlin, Germany, in March 2023. More than 500 participants from all continents and more than 50 different countries attended the conference. The conference provided an opportunity to share important analytical fundamentals as well as new concepts and developments. It also facilitated in-depth discussions on specific challenges related to detection and identification methodologies, and the opportunity for a face-to-face exchange among experts from around the world was highly appreciated. In addition, the German Government funded a capacity-building activity conducted in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.JRC.F.7 - Digital Healt
Fate and Composition of Textile Waste from Italy, the Czech Republic and Romania
Get PDFThis study investigates the characteristics of post-consumer textile (PCT) waste collected separately as well as disposed of in municipal waste in terms of its reusability and recyclability. The geographic focus of this study is on previously under-researched EU Member States in South and Eastern Europe. An international consortium of partners collected 18 tonnes of waste from three countries: the Czech Republic, Romania, and Italy (with separately collected Italian textile waste being sorted in Bulgaria) between November 2023 and June 2024. Currently, literature provides limited information on the quantities and qualities of textile waste in these areas. However, it is urgently needed due to the increasing volumes of PCT waste being disposed of and separately collected across Europe and the pressing need to enhance sustainable waste management practices.
The study findings show that textiles intended for re-use and recycling are mostly sorted for re-wear in the EU (40%), with further equal shares (22% - 23%) for re-use outside the EU and open/closed loop recycling. It was assessed that most (~75%) textiles exported for reuse outside the EU are without noticeable defects. However, a significant portion, approximately 25%, does have noticeable defects. The share of local re-wear in the EU is higher than previously reported, suggesting different sorting standards applied in East-Europe than in other EU regions. On average, >65% of these textiles are mostly fibre blends or cotton-rich materials, and have a composition that would enable mechanical or chemical fibre-to-fibre recycling from a technical perspective.
On average 7.1% of textiles by volume were found in mixed municipal waste samples (TMW), with up to 14% of the mixed municipal waste consisting out of textile waste in Romania. This share that is higher than the commonly assumed 5-6% based on studies in West-European Member States. Hence, local re-use (see above; up to 40% on average) may not necessarily lead to a long-term reduction in textile waste, particularly when involving low-value textiles end up ultimately in mixed waste. These findings suggest that a proper sorting up to acceptable quality standards is an essential element for sustainable textile waste management. The textile waste ending up in mixed waste also represents a limited potential for re-use (below 10%) and recycling (24.5%), but pre-treatment and the separation of non-textile fractions in the waste may further increase recyclability.
This study concludes that the material composition of PCT makes it a largely recyclable stream. Hence, waste characteristics are not a barrier to enable an environment for the capturing and the processing of the increased volumes of textile waste into recycled fibres for apparel, or other open and closed-loop recycling techniques. However, proper sorting at the household and sorting centre level are paramount for further increase feedstock availability for recycling.JRC.B.5 - Circular Economy and Sustainable Industr
EUROMOD Country Report - Hungary
Get PDFThe EUROMOD Country Reports have the double function of describing the scope of the EUROMOD simulations, including the underlying assumptions, and providing the validation of these simulations against official statistics. The Country Report for Hungary is prepared by the HU EUROMOD National Team each year, and made available by the JRC on time for the EUROMOD stable release of the model at the beginning of each year.JRC.B.2 - Fiscal Policy Analysi
EUROMOD Country Report - Ireland
Get PDFThe EUROMOD Country Reports have the double function of describing the scope of the EUROMOD simulations, including the underlying assumptions, and providing the validation of these simulations against official statistics. The Country Report for Ireland is prepared by the IE EUROMOD National Team each year, and made available by the JRC on time for the EUROMOD stable release of the model at the beginning of each year.JRC.B.2 - Fiscal Policy Analysi
Zero pollution monitoring and outlook 2025
No full textPollution continues to pose a significant threat to ecosystems, the economy and public health. The European Green Deal (EGD), and particularly the zero pollution action plan (ZPAP), have modernised and expanded the European Union (EU)'s pollution-combatting regulatory framework. The second edition of the Zero pollution monitoring and outlook (ZPMO) report provides a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of pollution reduction efforts across different sectors. It outlines areas where the EU has made significant progress, as well as those which require further action. It builds on a wide range of data, offers key insights into the sources and impacts of pollution across the EU, and highlights both achievements and challenges as the EU works to meet the targets set out in the ZPAP. As noted in the first Zero pollution monitoring assessment (ZPMA) in 2022, notable progress has been made in several areas including air quality, and reductions in pesticide and antimicrobial use. Nevertheless, agriculture, transport and waste remain important sources of pollution. The EU's excessive consumption of natural resources is leading to pollution at a scale that is unsustainable and its impacts exceed the planetary boundaries. This pollution also leads to significant impacts on third countries, due to imported goods. Furthermore, ongoing pressures on ecosystems highlight the urgency of reducing resource consumption and boosting circular economy initiatives while more rigorously enforcing existing environmental policies.JRC.D.2 - Ocean and Wate
Phytoplankton functional types in the Black Sea. A regionalized algorithm for improving ecosystem monitoring by integrating In-Situ HPLC pigment analysis and satellite observations
No full textPhytoplankton in the Black Sea plays a key role in regional biogeochemical cycles, but its complex optical environment pose significant challenges for the remote sensing-based monitoring. This study develops a regionalized algorithm for phytoplankton functional types (PFTs) and size classes (PSCs) specifically tailored for the Black Sea. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) pigment data from 690 stations collected over 12 bio-optical campaigns (2006–2019), we applied hierarchical clustering, principal component analysis, and network-based community detection to identify dominant phytoplankton groups and characterize their spatial and temporal variability. We derived region-specific coefficients for estimating PFT abundances from pigment signatures and developed algorithms linking chlorophyll-a to PFT distributions. Applying these algorithms to a satellite-derived chlorophyll-a dataset from 1998 to 2024, we generated long-term climatologies revealing clear spatial patterns: microplankton dominated the nutrient-rich northwestern shelf, comprising up to 70–80 % of total chlorophyll-a; nanoplankton exhibited a relatively uniform distribution across the basin (~30–40 %), while picoplankton prevailed offshore, particularly in oligotrophic central and southern regions, contributing over 60 % of chlorophyll-a there. Our model outperformed existing global algorithms by reducing estimation errors and bias, particularly for cryptophytes and haptophytes—key functional groups in the Black Sea. Comparison with long-term microscopy data confirmed the model’s robustness in capturing seasonal dynamics and ecological gradients. This work provides an improved framework for monitoring phytoplankton functional diversity in optically complex coastal basins like the Black Sea.JRC.D.2 - Ocean and Wate
An empirical exploration of the unintended effects of circular economy policies in the European Union: the case of textiles
No full textWith the need for further research on methods to estimate unintended effects, specifically in the context of circular economy, and the European Union’s textile policy in the making, it is necessary to understand and account for any potential unintended effects ex-ante. This study explores the unintended effects of past and hypothetical future textile policies in order to categorise them empirically and to evaluate scientific tools for improving ex-ante impact assessments. The study combines interviews with policy development experts, a stakeholder survey and a thematic analysis of the findings, which confirm that an evident gap exists between the acknowledged importance of unintended effects and the tools used to address them. Second-order effects, defined as indirect and unintended effects prompted by changes in a socio-technical system (e.g., policy implementation and its direct effects) prove to be as equally relevant as first-order effects or direct effects. The categorisation of these effects showed that most of them were related to alterations to legal requirements influencing import-export and value chain dynamics, the exploitation of loopholes in legislation and fraud, as well as price alterations affecting household consumption patterns and business strategies. The experts’ suggestions for addressing better the unintended effects of policies in ex-ante impact assessments confirm the importance of reinforcing or expanding the use of scientific tools during policy processes, i.e. stakeholder engagement, combined micro- and macro-economic modelling, extended consideration of the European Union’s resilience and the inclusion of a behavioural and social component. It was highlighted that unintended effects are not always negative, and even when so, they do not necessarily have to discredit a policy altogether. This study contributes to informed decision-making on future circular economy policy in the European Union.JRC.B.5 - Circular Economy and Sustainable Industr
Resonant inelastic X ray scattering tools to count 5f electrons of actinides and probe bond covalency
No full textThe actinides possess a complex electronic structure, making their chemical and physical properties among the least understood in the periodic table. Advanced spectroscopic tools, able to obtain deep insights into the electronic structure and binding properties of the actinides, are highly desirable. Here, we introduce two sensitive spectroscopic tools: one determines the number of localized 5f electrons on an actinide atom, and another assesses the covalent character of actinide-ligand bonding. Both tools are based on the multiplet structure present in actinide M4 edge core-to-core resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (CC-RIXS)maps. The spectral intensity of different many-body finalstate multiplets directly depends on the local many-electron ground-state symmetry including the local 5 f spin configuration. By comparing U M4 edge CC-RIXS data for 21 U, Np, Pu and Am compounds, we demonstrate the ability to compare the number of localized 5 f electrons and bond covalency across the actinide series.JRC.G.I.2 - Nuclear Material Researc
Time-interval distributions in a digital gamma multi-channel analyzer at extreme input rates
No full textThis study explores the relationship between experimentally observed inter-event time-interval distributions (TIDs) and measured dead times for pulses generated by a HPGe gamma detector and processed by a digital spectrometer. The system utilizes a fast and slow channel, pileup rejector, trapezoid filtering, and flash analog-todigital converter. The experimentally derived TIDs were compared with theory for validation. The results demonstrate that the theoretical model reliably describes measured TIDs up to 40% dead time. However, significant distortion effects become increasingly pronounced at higher input rates. It appears that the deviation between the measured and calculated TIDs take the shape of higher-order convolutions of the TID caused by an imperfection in the timing resolution in the pileup rejection circuit. In this work, theoretical functions for the TID are expanded to reproduce measurements up to 90% dead time. This refinement in the interpretation and treatment of the measured TIDs provides improved accuracy and precision in the prediction of the true event rate and measured dead time in the counter with results comparable to those from traditional methods. Although the new theoretical TIDs reflect processes that are specific to the experimental set-up, it is expected that similar adjustments are applicable to other gamma detection systems as well.JRC.G.II.6 - Nuclear Data and Measurement Standard
A guide for assessing the hydromorphological quality of natural and artificial lakes
Get PDFThis report provides a guide for assessing the hydromorphological quality of natural and artificial lake water bodies in accordance with the requirement of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
First, 60 metrics are described for characterizing the mandatory lake hydromorphological quality elements comprising those that are hydrological (i.e., quantity and dynamics of water flow, residence time, connection to groundwater body) and those that are morphological (i.e., lake depth variation, quantity, structure and substrate of the lake bed, structure of the lake shore). The data required for their calculation, as well as tools and techniques for acquiring them (e.g., field survey, models, remote sensing …), with examples of their application are also provided. Advice is also given on how to define reference conditions and combine metrics to develop a lake hydromorphological index that complies with the WFD.
In the final section, a brief review of the literature presents current knowledge on the links between hydromorphology and biology. The document then focuses on recommendations on how to develop WFD-compliant methods adressing hydromorphology in assessing the ecological status of lakes. Some existing methods are described to provide practical examples.JRC.D.2 - Ocean and Wate