Emerging substances of very high concern (SVHC) such as PFAS, organophosphates, benzene derivatives, heavy metals, and cyanotoxins are increasingly being detected in Dutch wastewater and surface water. Due to their persistence, toxicity, and potential for bioaccumulation, these substances pose risks to ecosystems, public health, and compliance with national and international legislation. Students from the minor AquaCycle, Avans, Breda used the TOXmini which is a portable, easy-to-use qualitative screening system for a broad spectrum of toxic substances, reducing the number of samples requiring quantitative analysis. In this project, a protocol for monitoring and analysis of substances of high concern has been developed, implementing the TOXmini as the central step to detect sources of contamination for influent, effluent and surface waters.
