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Tran NH, Gan J, Nguyen VT, Chen H, You L, Duarah A, Zhang L, Gin KYH. Sorption and biodegradation of artificial sweeteners in activated sludge processes. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2015; 197:329-338. [PMID: 26342347 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2015.08.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
There is limited information on the occurrence and removal of artificial sweeteners (ASs) in biological wastewater treatment plants, and in particular, the contribution of sorption and biodegradation to their removal. This study investigated the fate of ASs in both the aqueous and solid phases in a water reclamation plant (WRP). All the four targeted ASs, i.e. acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), cyclamate (CYC) and saccharine (SAC), were detected in both the aqueous and solid phases of raw influent and primary effluent samples. The concentrations of CYC and SAC in secondary effluent or MBR permeate were below their method detection limits. ACE and SUC were persistent throughout the WRP, whereas CYC and SAC were completely removed in biological treatment (>99%). Experimental results showed that sorption played a minor role in the elimination of the ASs due to the relatively low sorption coefficients (Kd), where Kd<500L/kg. In particular, the poor removal of ACE and SUC in the WRP may be attributed to their physiochemical properties (i.e. logKow<0 or logD<3.2) and chemical structures containing strong withdrawing electron functional groups in heterocyclic rings (i.e. chloride and sulfonate).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngoc Han Tran
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building, #02-01, 5A Engineering Drive 1, Singapore 117411, Singapore.
| | - Jie Gan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore
| | - Viet Tung Nguyen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore; PUB, WaterHub, 82 Toh Guan Road East, Singapore
| | - Huiting Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore
| | - Luhua You
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore
| | | | | | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
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52
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Alemón-Medina R, Chávez-Pacheco JL, Rivera-Espinosa L, Ramírez-Mendiola B, García-Álvarez R, Sámano-Salazar C, Manuel Dávila-Borja V. Extemporaneous Formulations of Metformin for Pediatric Endocrinology: Physicochemical Integrity, Cytotoxicity of Sweeteners, and Quantitation of Plasma Levels. Clin Ther 2015; 37:1689-702. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2015.05.502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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53
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Chen L, Shukla N, Cho I, Cohn E, Taylor EA, Othon CM. Sucralose Destabilization of Protein Structure. J Phys Chem Lett 2015; 6:1441-1446. [PMID: 26263149 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.5b00442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Sucralose is a commonly employed artificial sweetener that behaves very differently than its natural disaccharide counterpart, sucrose, in terms of its interaction with biomolecules. The presence of sucralose in solution is found to destabilize the native structure of two model protein systems: the globular protein bovine serum albumin and an enzyme staphylococcal nuclease. The melting temperature of these proteins decreases as a linear function of sucralose concentration. We correlate this destabilization to the increased polarity of the molecule. The strongly polar nature is manifested as a large dielectric friction exerted on the excited-state rotational diffusion of tryptophan using time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy. Tryptophan exhibits rotational diffusion proportional to the measured bulk viscosity for sucrose solutions over a wide range of concentrations, consistent with a Stokes-Einstein model. For sucralose solutions, however, the diffusion is dependent on the concentration, strongly diverging from the viscosity predictions, and results in heterogeneous rotational diffusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Chen
- †Department of Physics, Wesleyan University, 265 Church Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, United States
| | - Nimesh Shukla
- †Department of Physics, Wesleyan University, 265 Church Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, United States
| | - Inha Cho
- †Department of Physics, Wesleyan University, 265 Church Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, United States
| | - Erin Cohn
- ‡Department of Chemistry, Wesleyan University, 52 Lawn Avenue, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, United States
| | - Erika A Taylor
- ‡Department of Chemistry, Wesleyan University, 52 Lawn Avenue, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, United States
| | - Christina M Othon
- †Department of Physics, Wesleyan University, 265 Church Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, United States
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54
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Batchu SR, Ramirez CE, Gardinali PR. Rapid ultra-trace analysis of sucralose in multiple-origin aqueous samples by online solid-phase extraction coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Anal Bioanal Chem 2015; 407:3717-25. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-015-8593-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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55
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Qi W, Singer H, Berg M, Müller B, Pernet-Coudrier B, Liu H, Qu J. Elimination of polar micropollutants and anthropogenic markers by wastewater treatment in Beijing, China. CHEMOSPHERE 2015; 119:1054-1061. [PMID: 25305554 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Revised: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/07/2014] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic contamination of surface waters in Asia is on the increase. While polar organic contaminants are gradually recognized for their impacts on aquatic ecosystems in the Western World, less is known about the situation in Asia. In developing countries like China, water resources are particularly vulnerable. We investigated the occurrence, elimination, and per capita loads of a wide range of pharmaceuticals, household chemicals and pesticides in five Beijing WWTPs representative for megacities in China, and compare the efficiency of different treatment processes. Based on initial screening for 268 micropollutants using high-resolution mass spectrometry, 33 compounds were examined in detail. Pollutant concentrations in raw wastewater ranged from <0.02 μg L(-1) for pesticides to >20 μg L(-1) for caffeine and the contrast agent iopromide. Concentrations in the WWTP effluents were generally <1 μg L(-1), except for some pharmaceuticals, iopromide (1.2-18 μg L(-1)), caffeine (0.025-2.3 μg L(-1)), and the artificial sweetener sucralose (2.7-3.5 μg L(-1)). Elimination efficiencies varied greatly from <1% to close to 100%, with macrolides, some sulfonamides, metronidazole, iopromide, and 4-acetamidoantipyrine being the most persistent compounds. Total per capita loads of the investigated micropollutants were lower than in communal wastewater of Europe, amounting to 7.9-12.2 and 2.0-6.5 g d(-1)1000 inhabitants(-1) in the influents and effluents, respectively, with an average release of ∼100 kg d(-1) by the 11.4 million people and 2.3 million m(3) of wastewater treated per day. Since the wastewater effluents are often used for agricultural irrigation, residual organic pollutants pose a threat to food safety, the development of antibacterial resistance, and combined effects of micropollutants in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixiao Qi
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Heinz Singer
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Michael Berg
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Beat Müller
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Benoit Pernet-Coudrier
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Huijuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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56
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Stoddard KI, Huggett DB. Early life stage (ELS) toxicity of sucralose to fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2014; 93:383-387. [PMID: 25120258 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-014-1348-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2013] [Accepted: 08/06/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Sucralose, an intense artificial sweetener, has been detected in wastewater and surface waters at concentrations ranging from ng/L to low µg/L. Although over a hundred studies have been conducted to evaluate the safety of sucralose for human consumption, few studies have focused on the chronic ecotoxicological effects of this compound in fish. As a remedy to this data gap, an early-life stage toxicity test was conducted to assess the effects of sucralose on hatching, survival, and growth of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Hatching, survival, and growth were unaffected by 98 mg/L of sucralose. The Lowest-Observed-Effect Concentration (LOEC) and the No-Observed-Effect Concentration (NOEC) for fathead minnows determined by this study are >98 and 98 mg/L, respectively. The results from this study suggest that the concentrations of sucralose detected in the environment are well below those required to cause adverse effects to developing aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- K I Stoddard
- College of STEM, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, 7101 University Ave, Texarkana, TX, 75503, USA
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57
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Pal A, He Y, Jekel M, Reinhard M, Gin KYH. Emerging contaminants of public health significance as water quality indicator compounds in the urban water cycle. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2014; 71:46-62. [PMID: 24972248 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2014.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/30/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The contamination of the urban water cycle (UWC) with a wide array of emerging organic compounds (EOCs) increases with urbanization and population density. To produce drinking water from the UWC requires close examination of their sources, occurrence, pathways, and health effects and the efficacy of wastewater treatment and natural attenuation processes that may occur in surface water bodies and groundwater. This paper researches in details the structure of the UWC and investigates the routes by which the water cycle is increasingly contaminated with compounds generated from various anthropogenic activities. Along with a thorough survey of chemicals representing compound classes such as hormones, antibiotics, surfactants, endocrine disruptors, human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, X-ray contrast media, pesticides and metabolites, disinfection-by-products, algal toxins and taste-and-odor compounds, this paper provides a comprehensive and holistic review of the occurrence, fate, transport and potential health impact of the emerging organic contaminants of the UWC. This study also illustrates the widespread distribution of the emerging organic contaminants in the different aortas of the ecosystem and focuses on future research needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Pal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, E1A 07-03, Singapore 117576, Singapore
| | - Yiliang He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Martin Jekel
- Technical University of Berlin, Department of Water Quality Control, Strasse des 17. Juni, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Reinhard
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, E1A 07-03, Singapore 117576, Singapore
| | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, E1A 07-03, Singapore 117576, Singapore; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, #02-01, Singapore 117411, Singapore
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58
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Earnshaw MR, Paul AG, Loos R, Tavazzi S, Paracchini B, Scheringer M, Hungerbühler K, Jones KC, Sweetman AJ. Comparing measured and modelled PFOS concentrations in a UK freshwater catchment and estimating emission rates. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2014; 70:25-31. [PMID: 24879369 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2014.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Revised: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The lifecycle, sources and fate of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) continue to generate scientific and political interest, particularly since PFOS was listed by the Stockholm Convention and largely restricted in Europe. It continues to be detected in aquatic environments, with only limited studies into the on-going sources. This paper explores PFOS emissions discharged by the general population into a small catchment comprising two rivers in the UK. A sampling campaign was undertaken to improve our understanding of population-derived PFOS sources from sewage treatment plants (STPs) and in rivers. A corresponding modelling exercise allowed an emission estimate of 13μg/day/per capita to be derived for the Aire and Calder rivers. PFOS emission was linked to STP discharges bylinear regression of measured and modelled concntrations (R(2)=0.49-0.85). The model was able to accurately estimate the spatial trends of PFOS in the rivers, while predicted concentrations were within a factor of three based on per capita emission values taken from the literature. Measured PFOS concentrations in rivers suggested that emissions from STPs are partially dependent on treatment type, where plants with secondary or tertiary treatment such as activated sludge processes emit less PFOS, possibly due to increased partitioning and retention. With refinements based on the type of treatment at each STP, predictions were further improved. The total PFOS mass discharged annually via rivers from the UK has been estimated to be between 215 and 310kg, based on the per capita emission range derived in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Earnshaw
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Alexander G Paul
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Robert Loos
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, 21020 Ispra, Italy
| | - Simona Tavazzi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, 21020 Ispra, Italy
| | - Bruno Paracchini
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, 21020 Ispra, Italy
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Hungerbühler
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zürich, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kevin C Jones
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Andrew J Sweetman
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK; Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, LA1 4AP, UK.
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59
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Tran NH, Nguyen VT, Urase T, Ngo HH. Role of nitrification in the biodegradation of selected artificial sweetening agents in biological wastewater treatment process. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2014; 161:40-6. [PMID: 24681682 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.02.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2014] [Revised: 02/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The biodegradation of the six artificial sweetening agents including acesulfame (ACE), aspartame (ASP), cyclamate (CYC), neohesperidindihydrochalcone (NHDC), saccharin (SAC), and sucralose (SUC) by nitrifying activated sludge was first examined. Experimental results showed that ASP and NHDC were the most easily degradable compounds even in the control tests. CYC and SAC were efficiently biodegraded by the nitrifying activated sludge, whereas ACE and SUC were poorly removed. However, the biodegradation efficiencies of the ASs were increased with the increase in initial ammonium concentrations in the bioreactors. The association between nitrification and co-metabolic degradation was investigated and a linear relationship between nitrification rate and co-metabolic biodegradation rate was observed for the target artificial sweeteners (ASs). The contribution of heterotrophic microorganisms and autotrophic ammonia oxidizers in biodegradation of the ASs was elucidated, of which autotrophic ammonia oxidizers played an important role in the biodegradation of the ASs, particularly with regards to ACE and SUC.
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Affiliation(s)
- N H Tran
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
| | - V T Nguyen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore
| | - T Urase
- School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo University of Technology, Katakura 1404-1, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0982, Japan
| | - H H Ngo
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
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60
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Eriksson Wiklund AK, Adolfsson-Erici M, Liewenborg B, Gorokhova E. Sucralose induces biochemical responses in Daphnia magna. PLoS One 2014; 9:e92771. [PMID: 24699280 PMCID: PMC3974716 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0092771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The intense artificial sweetener sucralose has no bioconcentration properties, and no adverse acute toxic effects have been observed in standard ecotoxicity tests, suggesting negligible environmental risk. However, significant feeding and behavioural alterations have been reported in non-standard tests using aquatic crustaceans, indicating possible sublethal effects. We hypothesized that these effects are related to alterations in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and oxidative status in the exposed animals and investigated changes in AChE and oxidative biomarkers (oxygen radical absorbing capacity, ORAC, and lipid peroxidation, TBARS) in the crustacean Daphnia magna exposed to sucralose (0.0001-5 mg L(-1)). The sucralose concentration was a significant positive predictor for ORAC, TBARS and AChE in the daphnids. Moreover, the AChE response was linked to both oxidative biomarkers, with positive and negative relationships for TBARS and ORAC, respectively. These joint responses support our hypothesis and suggest that exposure to sucralose may induce neurological and oxidative mechanisms with potentially important consequences for animal behaviour and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Birgitta Liewenborg
- Department of Applied Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Elena Gorokhova
- Department of Applied Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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61
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Sharma VK, Oturan M, Kim H. Oxidation of artificial sweetener sucralose by advanced oxidation processes: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:8525-8533. [PMID: 24687789 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2786-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Sucralose, a chlorinated carbohydrate, has shown its increased use as an artificial sweetener and persistently exists in wastewater treatment plant effluents and aquatic environment. This paper aims to review possible degradation of sucralose and related carbohydrates by biological, electrochemical, chemical, and advanced oxidation processes. Biodegradation of sucralose in waterworks did not occur significantly. Electrochemical oxidation of carbohydrates may be applied to seek degradation of sucralose. The kinetics of the oxidation of sucralose and the related carbohydrates by different oxidative species is compared. Free chlorine, ozone, and ferrate did not show any potential to degrade sucralose in water. Advanced oxidation processes, generating highly strong oxidizing agent hydroxyl radicals ((•)OH), have demonstrated effectiveness in transforming sucralose in water. The mechanism of oxidation of sucralose by (•)OH is briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virender K Sharma
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA,
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62
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Richardson SD, Ternes TA. Water analysis: emerging contaminants and current issues. Anal Chem 2014; 86:2813-48. [PMID: 24502364 DOI: 10.1021/ac500508t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 479] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan D Richardson
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina , Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
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63
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Qi W, Müller B, Pernet-Coudrier B, Singer H, Liu H, Qu J, Berg M. Organic micropollutants in the Yangtze River: seasonal occurrence and annual loads. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2014; 472:789-99. [PMID: 24334001 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2013] [Revised: 11/03/2013] [Accepted: 11/03/2013] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Twenty percent of the water run-off from China's land surface drains into the Yangtze River and carries the sewage of approximately 400 million people out to sea. The lower stretch of the Yangtze therefore offers the opportunity to assess the pollutant discharge of a huge population. To establish a comprehensive assessment of micropollutants, river water samples were collected monthly from May 2009 to June 2010 along a cross-section at the lowermost hydrological station of the Yangtze River not influenced by the tide (Datong Station, Anhui province). Following a prescreening of 268 target compounds, we examined the occurrence, seasonal variation, and annual loads of 117 organic micropollutants, including 51 pesticides, 43 pharmaceuticals, 7 household and industrial chemicals, and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). During the 14-month study, the maximum concentrations of particulate PAHs (1-5 μg/g), pesticides (11-284 ng/L), pharmaceuticals (5-224 ng/L), and household and industrial chemicals (4-430 ng/L) were generally lower than in other Chinese rivers due to the dilution caused of the Yangtze River's average water discharge of approximately 30,000 m(3)/s. The loads of most pesticides, anti-infectives, and PAHs were higher in the wet season compared to the dry season, which was attributed to the increased agricultural application of chemicals in the summer, an elevated water discharge through the sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) as a result of high hydraulic loads and the related lower treatment efficiency, and seasonally increased deposition from the atmosphere and runoff from the catchment. The estimated annual load of PAHs in the river accounted for some 4% of the total emission of PAHs in the whole Yangtze Basin. Furthermore, by using sucralose as a tracer for domestic wastewater, we estimate a daily disposal of approximately 47 million m(3) of sewage into the river, corresponding to 1.8% of its average hydraulic load. In summary, the annual amounts flushed by the Yangtze River into the East China Sea were 2.9×10(6)tons of dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC and POC), 369 tons of PAHs, 98 tons of pesticides, 152 tons of pharmaceuticals, and 273 tons of household and industrial chemicals. While the concentrations seem comparably moderate, the pollutant loads are considerable and pose an increasing burden to the health of the marine coastal ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixiao Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco- Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Beat Müller
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland.
| | - Benoit Pernet-Coudrier
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Heinz Singer
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Huijuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco- Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco- Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Michael Berg
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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64
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Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans formed from sucralose at high temperatures. Sci Rep 2013; 3:2946. [PMID: 24126490 PMCID: PMC3796739 DOI: 10.1038/srep02946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sucralose is a widely-used artificial high-intensity sweetener. Although doubts have been raised about the safety of sucralose by several researchers, it can still be found in a broad range of foods and beverages worldwide, including in baked goods. Sucralose may decompose at high temperatures, and participate in chlorination reactions, generating highly toxic compounds. Here, we demonstrate that heating sucralose at high temperatures in stainless steel or other metal utensils in the presence of rust (Al2O3, Fe2O3, and CuO) produces polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). PCDD/Fs were found in smoke generated during the heating of sucralose and in the residues after heating. CuO enhanced the PCDD/F yield in comparison with Al2O3 and Fe2O3.
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65
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Stolte S, Steudte S, Schebb NH, Willenberg I, Stepnowski P. Ecotoxicity of artificial sweeteners and stevioside. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2013; 60:123-7. [PMID: 24036324 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2013] [Revised: 08/15/2013] [Accepted: 08/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Produced, consumed and globally released into the environment in considerable quantities, artificial sweeteners have been identified as emerging pollutants. Studies of environmental concentrations have confirmed the widespread distribution of acesulfame (ACE), cyclamate (CYC), saccharin (SAC) and sucralose (SUC) in the water cycle at levels that are among the highest known for anthropogenic trace pollutants. Their ecotoxicity, however, has yet to be investigated at a larger scale. The present study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by systematically assessing the influence of ACE, CYC and SAC and complementing the data on SUC. Therefore we examined their toxicity towards an activated sewage sludge community (30min) and applying tests with green algae Scenedesmus vacuolatus (24h), water fleas Daphnia magna (48h) and duckweed Lemna minor (7d). We also examined the effects caused by the natural sweetener stevioside. The high No Observed Effect Concentrations (NOECs) yielded by this initial evaluation indicated a low hazard and risk potential towards these aquatic organisms. For a complete risk assessment, however, several kinds of data are still lacking. In this context, obligatory ecotoxicity testing and stricter environmental regulations regarding food additives appear to be necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Stolte
- Department of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Str., UFT, 28359 Bremen, Germany; Department of Environmental Analysis, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 56, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland.
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Ferrer I, Zweigenbaum JA, Thurman EM. Analytical Methodologies for the Detection of Sucralose in Water. Anal Chem 2013; 85:9581-7. [DOI: 10.1021/ac4016984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Imma Ferrer
- Center
for Environmental Mass Spectrometry, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Jerry A. Zweigenbaum
- Agilent Technologies, Inc., 2850
Centerville Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19808, United States
| | - E. Michael Thurman
- Center
for Environmental Mass Spectrometry, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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