Program Overview

Program Giftfri Milj÷

The Program Giftfri Milj÷ aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the environmental status in Sweden regarding the presence and effects of harmful substances. The program focuses on achieving the environmental quality objective of a toxic-free environment and ensuring that environmental impact remains within acceptable limits.

Program Objectives

The program's primary objectives include:

• Developing methods for environmental analysis and knowledge within focus areas
• Providing a knowledge base for achieving the environmental quality objective of a toxic-free environment
• Assisting Swedish environmental authorities with national environmental work and international conventions related to environmental toxins
• Developing indicators for environmental toxins to monitor trends in environmental status
• Overseeing exposure and effects of chemicals on humans, wild mammals, and aquatic organisms
• Screening organic environmental toxins in wastewater and recipients using an integrated chemical-toxicological method

Key Program Components

• SLU Centrum f÷r kemiska bekńmpningsmedel i milj÷n (CKB), a national competence center for knowledge on environmental aspects of chemical pesticides
• Analysis, occurrence, and exposure of metals in aquatic and terrestrial environments
• Analysis, occurrence, and exposure of organic environmental toxins in aquatic and terrestrial environments
• Toxic effects and bioindicators/biomarkers for environmental toxins

Research Areas

The program encompasses various research areas, including:

• Development of molecular markers for continuous environmental analysis in aquatic toxicology
• Environmental pollutants in food and drinking water development of biomarkers for population exposure and health effects
• Environmental-induced response in forest rodents and pearl owls
• Development of a biological environmental toxin indicator diatoms

National Collaboration

The program involves national collaboration with various authorities, including:

• Naturvňrdsverket
• Jordbruksverket
• Livsmedelsverket
• Kemikalieinspektionen
• Skogsstyrelsen
• Havs- och vattenmyndigheten
• Statens veterinńrmedicinska anstalt (SVA)

Consortium Participation

SLU is one of 13 universities behind SwACCs, a consortium of Swedish universities for cooperation in research and education related to chemicals, health, and the environment.