The overall objective is to enhance the development of chemical sensors, biosensors and biomimetic systems for practical applications in the abatement of 
water pollution from contaminated land, landfills and sediment. The aim is to provide 'in situ' monitoring of environmental pollutants in water and contaminated 
soil and sediments, to facilitate optimisation of remediation technologies and natural attenuation processes. The proposed work programme is based on a 
series of European meetings, a centralised information facility and a broad collaboration programme. SENSPOL will cluster the sensor development activities 
in the EU's environmental projects and act as a catalyst for the advancement of European technology for monitoring the environment. Paths will be identified 
to resolve the most effective sensor systems for use in monitoring multiple pollutants contaminating water, soil and sediments and for use in site management 
in order to protect g round and surface water from pollution 
            

The development of chemical sensors, biosensors and biomimetic systems for practical applications in the abatement of water pollution has been enhanced, 
and the new devices have been successfully demonstrated in field situations.       
General information about SENSPOL and the development of sensors for monitoring water pollutants was made available in a leaflet and a final Summary Statement 
brochure, and on a dedicated website at http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/biotech/sensp ... This website includes a list of current EU projects involving sensor 
systems for the abatement of water pollution and connects to their homepages, and it also links to other useful sites. SENSPOL issued eleven electronic newsletters 
which contained detailed information useful to European researchers from various disciplines relevant to sensors and the environment, as well as to manufacturers 
and end users.  Talks were given at scientific and user group meetings to inform the audiences and others of the applicability, state of development and achievements 
of sensor technologies in the abatement of water pollution, and future directions for sensors for monitoring water pollution. Many publications were made 
in scientific journals and elsewhere.      
Three major international workshops were held, on ‘Evaluation of Chemical Sensor, Biosensor and Biomimetic Technology’, ‘Response To New Pollution Challenges’ 
and Monitoring in Polluted Environments for Integrated Water–Soil Management’. Each brought together 80-100 scientists and engineers who are developing 
sensor technologies for environmental applications, and end-users. Results from EU RTD projects were presented and discussed. The participants addressed 
important topics such as monitoring environmental and remediation processes, simultaneous measurement of multiple parameters, definition of emerging 
monitoring tasks, new parameters for sensor application, calibration and reference methods, and sensors to meet evolving demands. Smaller working groups 
focused on ‘Technologies for Monitoring in Contaminated Sediments’ and ‘Monitoring Technologies for the Abatement of Water Pollution: Communication’. 
Two Technical Meetings to compare and validate sensors in the field were held, focusing respectively on ‘Monitoring in Contaminated Soil’ and ‘Problems Related 
to Diffuse Pollution Sources: Characterization of Sediment, Dredged Material’. The sensor instruments were used on site to measure environmentally sensitive 
parameters in soil, sediments and       
river waters. Promising results were obtained with measurements of heavy metals, calcium, chloride, general toxicity and genotoxicity. The speed of data 
production was fast enough for daily decision making.      
      
SENSPOL and the Network for Industrially Contaminated Land in Europe (NICOLE) worked in partnership on a collaborative project ‘Bridging gaps between 
sensor developers and (end) users in a pragmatic approach’. SENSPOL contributed a ‘Survey of Sensor Capabilities’, a report on existing environmentally 
relevant sensors/instruments or sensors under development that are applicable in the field that provides information to bridge the gap between research, 
development and end-users of sensor technologies. A field demonstration supported by SENSPOL and industry was held at an industrial site contaminated with 
mercury. The useful results were reported at a meeting organised by NICOLE.       
      
Three workshops and two practical meetings were held. Two specialised working groups were activated. Collaboration between many individual European 
groups and also with networks was stimulated. Publications were produced and presentations were made to scientific and user groups. 
            

The SENSPOL European Thematic Network aimed to enhance the development of sensors for practical applications in the abatement of water pollution. SENSPOL 
commenced in August 2000 and its role was to guide technological development of sensors for environmental pollutants. It accelerated the development of chemical 
sensors, biosensors and biomimetic systems to provide sensitive and robust devices for monitoring in water, contaminated soil and sediments.      
      
The public available products were:      
      
- the Senspol Summary Statement      
- the Senspol Executive Summary*   
- the Senspol Survey of Sensor Capabilities*   
- DVD Solving on Problems at a Mining Site using New Measuring Techniques     
- SENSPOL Technical Meeting, Sevilla. Proceedings   
   
Only those asterisked are still downloadable