STAMPS is a 10 partner consortium of scientists from universities, commercial and governmental organisations, and a Normation Organisation to achieve normation 
of passive sampling methods for monitoring priority pollutants in fresh water. Calibrated devices and sampling procedures will be developed and their performance 
validated alongside spot sampling for pollutants in freshwater across Europe. A commercial design will be manufactured in large numbers for field evaluation 
alongside spot sampling.  
  
Throughout, the data and methodology will inform normation. Results will be disseminated across the EU to end users. The potential of this approach in environmental 
management and water quality legislation will be demonstrated, and the technical standardisation of passive sampling will be integrated fully with formal 
standardisation at European level. 
            

The main outcome of this FP5 project include: 1) A set of calibrated low   
cost, commercially available samplers based on one body design but that   
can customised for a range of classes of pollutant by varying combinations   
of diffusion membranes and receiving phases. 2) The tank-based   
calibration procedures have been shown to be robust for two classes of   
pollutants in inter-laboratory trials. These devices have been found in field   
trials, conducted in a number of European rivers with different properties,   
to provide reliable estimates of time-weighted average concentrations of a   
range of classes of pollutants of concern.3) A national standard (BSI PAS   
61:2006 Determination of priority pollutants in surface water using passive   
sampling) has been published and is widely available to the community   
involved in monitoring water quality. This should facilitate the adoption of   
passive sampling by managers and regulators of water quality in Europe.