Development of coastal recreational water quality standards in the Mediterranean.
Concern about adverse health effects arising out of human exposure to polluted seawater through bathing and other forms of aquatic recreation has led to the development of various quality criteria and standards worldwide. Attempts at quantifying health hazards from polluted recreational waters have been made in several Mediterranean countries through the conduction of epidemiological studies aimed at establishing direct correlation between the microbiological quality of the water and health effects on exposed population groups. This article provides an overview on the development of the criteria and standards for coastal recreational waters in the Mediterranean by examining the evolution of the WHO guidelines, the WHO/UNEP interim criteria for bathing waters and the EU Directives. It also provides a brief account of the various quality criteria and standards for coastal recreational waters in current use in all the Mediterranean countries.
Kamizoulis
George
G
World Health Organization/Regional Office for Europe, Coordinating Unit for the Mediterranean Action Plan, 48 Vassileos Konstantinou Avenue, 116 35 Athens, Greece. whomed@hol.gr
Saliba
Louis
L
D004777:Environment; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D019083:Mediterranean Region; D011050:Policy Making; D011634:Public Health; D011786:Quality Control; D011998:Recreation; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000592:standards*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*; D014944:World Health Organization
D014873:Water Pollutants