Second Expert Meeting to update the Guidance on the Global Monitoring Plan for POPs

The second meeting of the expert group to update the guidance on the Global Monitoring Plan (GMP) for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 4 to 6 October 2010 to discuss ongoing revisions of a number of technical/analytical aspects of the guidance document reflecting the recent listing of nine new POPs in the annexes A, B and C to the Stockholm Convention. Among most prominent topics, current activities on the analysis of perfluorinated chemicals in breast milk and serum, guidance on sampling of PFOS in open ocean waters and large lakes, environmental specimen banking, and issues related to long range transport and climate effects on air sampling of POPs were on the agenda. The revised guidance will be further submitted for consideration to the meeting of the global coordination group for the GMP. More