Water Laboratory

What we do 

The Water Laboratory specialises in extracting information from water to better understand its quality, uses, and risks.

Its work includes the analysis of priority pollutants and emerging contaminants—such as pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs)—across natural and urban water systems (surface water, groundwater, wastewater, marine water). It also investigates antimicrobial resistance and pathogens of concern.

Findings are applied through JRC initiatives such as The Gems of Water and Water Reuse.

Equipped with advanced instrumentation (e.g., GC-MS, UPLC-MS), the lab performs both targeted analyses (for known contaminants) and non-targeted analyses (for unknown contaminants). These approaches support environmental monitoring programmes and enable the development of advanced methods to track pollution trends, strengthen regulatory compliance, and promote sustainable water management.

The laboratory also collaborates with external service providers for complementary expertise in areas such as genetic testing and bioinformatics.

Through these activities, the Water Laboratory contributes to surveillance and monitoring efforts under the One Health framework, ensuring protection of both ecosystems and human health.

Our Instruments

Sampling and sample extraction  

1. The “Mariani Box”

The “Mariani Box” is a sampling device developed in-house by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) for sustained, on-site, and time-integrated extraction of chemical contaminants from up to 10 liters aqueous environmental samples.

Purpose: It enables on-site extraction of contaminants directly from water sources, avoiding large-volume environmental samples shipment.

Key Features: Efficient capture of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic pollutants, and compatibility with high-sensitivity analytical techniques for contaminants detection and quantification.

 2. The GPC-SPE System J2 Scientific

A multi-step sample preparation technology that first uses GPC to remove large molecular weight interferences (e.g., lipids, proteins) from environmental extracts, followed by SPEs to isolate and concentrate target contaminants (e.g., organic pollutants). This combination ensures cleaner samples for instrumental analysis, improving sensitivity and reducing matrix effects.

Purpose: A streamlined workflow to eliminate lipid and large organic interferences from environmental sample extracts, ensuring compatibility with high-resolution instrumental analysis.

Key Features: Automated high-throughput processing, efficient removal of matrix interferences, and accurate separation of compounds based on molecular size and polarity.

3. SPE Extractor J2 Scientific

An automated sample preparation tool used to elute chemicals from SPE disks used in the sampling with the Mariani Box by the mean of pre-programmed workflows. It enhances efficiency, reduces manual labor, and ensures reproducibility by optimizing SPE disk/sorbent performance for diverse analytes and matrices.

Purpose: A streamlined workflow for eluting SPE disks used in the Mariani Box for water sample extraction.

Key Features: Flexible compatibility with multiple SPE formats and chemical sorbents to optimize performance across diverse sample types.

4. SPE Extractor Autotrace 280 Dionex

Automated Solid-Phase Extraction Platform.

Purpose: Facilitates high-throughput extraction of contaminants from multiple water samples with minimal manual input.

Key Features: Automated protocols, reproducible outcomes, and enhanced efficiency via minimal operator involvement.

5. ASE300 (Accelerated Solvent Extractor) Dionex

Pressurised Liquid Extraction System.

Purpose: Facilitates rapid and efficient extraction of contaminants from environmental solid matrices, including sediments, suspended particulate matter, and filters.

Key Features: Rapid extraction times, low solvent consumption, and adaptability to diverse solid matrices for broad environmental applications.

Analytical Instruments

1. HRGC-HRMS DFS Thermo

High-Resolution Gas Chromatography Coupled with Magnetic Sector Mass Spectrometry (HRGC-HRMS).

Purpose in Water Analysis: Enables precise identification and quantification of ultra-trace levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), dioxins, PCBs, and other regulated or not-regulated emerging contaminants in environmental matrices.

Key Features: ≤1 ppm mass accuracy, resolution exceeding 10,000, and an extensive dynamic range to handle complex environmental samples.

2. HRGC-QToF-ARMS 7250 Agilent

High-Resolution Gas Chromatography with Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and Atmospheric Pressure Ionization (HRGC-QTOF-MS/APPI).

Purpose in Water Analysis: A versatile platform for wide-target screening (known contaminants), suspect-target screening (potential contaminants of interest), and non-target screening (unknown pollutants) to identify and quantify organic contaminants in environmental samples.

Key Features: High-accuracy mass measurement, rapid spectral data acquisition, retrospective analysis for post-acquisition insights, and advanced library matching tools to enhance compound identification and structural elucidation.

3. UPLC-MS/MS Triple Quadrupole QTrap5500 AB Sciex

Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Triple Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-QqLIT-MS).

Purpose in Water Analysis: Enables the ultra-trace detection and quantification of regulated chemicals and contaminants of emerging concern (e.g., pesticides, pharmaceuticals, hormones, and micropollutants) in environmental matrices.

Key Features: Femto-gram-level sensitivity, rapid polarity switching for dual-mode analysis (positive/negative), and Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) to simultaneously detect multiple analytes with high specificity and throughput.

4. Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) 

Purpose in Water Analysis: Enables wide-screening and quantification of hundreds of organic compounds in water samples.

Key Features: Uses a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-coated magnetic stir bar for simple and environmentally friendly extraction of contaminants; analytes are thermally desorbed and analysed by Gas Chromatography–Quadrupole Time-of-Flight High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (GC-QToF-HRMS) for high-resolution detection and identification.

Complementing the European Wastewater Observatory for Public Health

The Water Laboratory plays a key role in supporting the EU Wastewater Observatory for Public Health, an initiative of the European Commission to strengthen pandemic preparedness.

Through wastewater surveillance, samples are analysed to uncover community health and environmental trends, complementing traditional public health monitoring. The EU Wastewater Observatory collects and shares these data to inform decision-making and enhance readiness against emerging health threats, including viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, avian influenza, mpox and RSV.
This collaborative effort strengthens a comprehensive One Health strategy, integrating human, environmental, and animal health surveillance to enhance epidemic preparedness and response.

Visit the EU Wastewater Observatory for Public Health website for more information.
 

Explore our activities

Visit the EU Wastewater Observatory for Public Health website.

Visit The Gems of Water: engaging citizens to monitor water quality website. 

Visit the Water Reuse website.
 

Curious to know who visited our Laboratory? 

Check out the latest story! Visit the Weekly water(Re)marks - JRC.D2 webpage.