Contamination of water supplies with organic pollutants such as cyanotoxins, PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors is one of the most important global problems. Recent EU Directives propose the determination of these target pollutants in drinking and surface water and set their maximum concentration. Resulting from the above, it is mandatory to monitor these analytes using appropriate methods. The development of new advanced analytical methods can give rise to sensitive and reliable determinations even at the ppt level. The specialized scientific services of the Laboratory of Environmental Analysis, NCSR “Demokritos” (LEAD) can be summarized into the following: (a) Development of advanced analytical methods for the determination of trace organic/emerging pollutants in waters, food and environmental samples (e.g. cyanotoxins, cyanobacterial metabolites, compounds that give taste and odor in water etc.). Accreditation (according to ISO 17025) for the determination of multiple cyanotoxins of different groups (microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxin-a) in water and biomass using LC-ESI-MS/MS, (b) Development and accreditation (according to ISO 17025) of advanced analytical method for the identification and quantitative determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in waters using LC-APPI-MS/MS.

LEAD is the first laboratory in Greece to be involved in cyanotoxins research since 2005 and currently the only one in Greece in the field with significant contributions through published papers and collaborations in Greece, Europe and USA. It has also established itself as the national laboratory for cyanotoxin analysis, by extending its scope of accreditation (ISO 17025) as well as a national focal point for cyanotoxins research, with the research team being internationally recognized as pioneers and experts in the field of cyanotoxins analysis. In this frame, LEAD offers its services to the public and/or private sector by carrying out analyses of cyanotoxins and related compounds.

Recently, activities of LEAD have been expanded to investigation of multiple marine toxins in sea water during a severe mucilage episode occurred in North-Eastern Aegean Sea using LC-MS/MS and HRMS targeted and untargeted analytical workflows, supporting the General Secretariat of the Natural Environment of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy through a programme contract between the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the NCSR “Demokritos”.