Emerging pollutants in water environment: Occurrence, monitoring, fate, and risk assessment

Fate and transport of ten plant protection products of emerging concern in a coastal lagoon: Application and evaluation of a multimedia level III fugacity model

Multimedia fugacity models are effective tools for studying the environmental behaviour and occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and assessing associated risks, especially when experimental data is limited. These models describe processes controlling chemical partitioning, transport, and reactions in environmental media using mathematical statements based on the concept of fugacity. To aid in identifying and prioritizing CECs for future local monitoring, we present here the application of a level III multimedia fugacity model assuming non-equilibrium between compartments and steady-state conditions. This model estimated predicted environmental concentrations (PECs), persistence, distribution, and transport of ten plant protection products (PPPs) in the Venice Lagoon, a complex coastal environment under high anthropogenic pressure. The model was evaluated through uncertainty and sensitivity analysis using the Monte Carlo approach and by comparing PECs with PPP concentrations measured during four sampling campaigns. Results showed good agreement with field data, with the highest concentrations in water and sediments estimated for glyphosate, followed by imidacloprid, metaflumizone, and triallate. The model indicated accumulation of all investigated PPPs in sediments. For most chemicals, advection outflow and degradation in the water column were the main removal mechanisms, while volatilization was significant only for oxadiazon and triallate. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis revealed that degradation rates, organic carbon/water partitioning coefficients (KOC), and parameters describing air-water interactions had the strongest influence on the model's results, followed by inputs accounting for sediment sinking and resuspension. The lack of data on PPP degradation in brackish waters accounted for most of the uncertainty in model results. This work shows how a relatively simple multimedia model can offer new insights into the environmental behaviour of PPPs in a complex transitional waterbody such as the Venice lagoon, providing useful data for the identification of the CECs to be prioritised in future local monitoring efforts.

Micro-polluted water source purification of root channel wetland in Jiaxing, China

Root channel wetlands, as a new type of nature-imitating wetland system, provide a paradigm for micro-polluted water source purification; however, there is a knowledge gap on root channel wetlands' pollution removal effects and their main influencing factors after longtime operation. This study collected the turbidity, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), permanganate index (CODMn), dissolved oxygen (DO), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) at the inlet and outlet of Shijiuyang (SJY) wetland and Guanjinggang (GJG) wetland in Jiaxing City, China, from 2019 to 2021. The results showed that root channel wetlands had better water quality improvement effects. The SJY wetland had larger removal rates for DO, CODMn, and turbidity compared with the GJG wetland. In contrast, other water quality indexes have similar removal rates at both wetlands. The influencing factor analysis showed that water purification agent, flow, pH, and water temperature have large influences on the removal rates of pollutants for both wetlands. To address high turbidity and excessive DO, which are the primary pollutants affecting the two wetlands, implementing the diversion river before the pretreatment area and incorporating ecological floating beds in the deep purification area are recommended solutions to mitigate these issues. Compared with conventional general constructed wetlands, root channel wetlands are a more cost-effective and sustainable technology. The research is conducive to improving understanding of root channel wetland purification for micro-polluted water sources and enhancing water supply security capability in the plains water network area of the Yangtze River Delta region. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Compared with conventional general constructed wetlands, root channel wetlands are more cost-effective and sustainable technology. The SJY wetland demonstrated better removal rates for DO, CODMn, and turbidity, indicating a higher purification capacity compared to GJG wetland. Flow rate and pH are the primary factors influencing the GJG wetland, while the waterpurification agent and water temperature are the main factors affecting water quality in the SJY wetland.

Valorizing Tea Waste: Green Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles for Efficient Dye Removal from Water

This study explores the valorization of tea leaf waste by extracting polyphenols through reflux extraction, subsequently using them to synthesize zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI). The in situ generated nanoparticles, when combined with fixed amounts of hydrogen peroxide, facilitated the removal of various dyes (methylene blue, methyl orange, and orange G) via a hetero-catalytic Fenton process. The iron nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by gas adsorption of N2 at 77 K, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermal analysis, including thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR). A statistical design of experiments and response surface methodology were employed to analyze the influence of polyphenol, Fe(III), and H2O2 concentrations on dye removal efficiency. The results demonstrated that optimizing the operational conditions could achieve 100% dye removal efficiency. This study highlights the potential of nZVI synthesized through eco-friendly methods as a promising solution for water decontamination involving diverse model dyes, thus contributing to sustainable waste management and environmental protection.

Enhancing Analytical Sensitivity and Selectivity for Methylene Blue Determination in Water Samples by Using Multiphase Electroextraction Coupled with Optical Absorption Spectroscopy and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

While optical analysis spectroscopy offers operational ease and low cost, it suffers from limitations regarding sensitivity when it comes to analyzing analytes at low concentrations. On the other hand, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) offers high sensitivity but low selectivity in complex matrices. In this study, we have effectively addressed these challenges by integrating multiphase electroextraction (MPEE) as a sample preparation technique with these two spectroscopic methods for determining methylene blue (MB) dye in tap water samples. A Box-Behnken design was utilized for optimizing electroextraction parameters such as extraction time, pH, and acetonitrile percentage in the donor phase. After optimization, optical absorption spectroscopy results in a linear analytical curve within the range of 30 to 375 mg L-1 of MB, with method validation demonstrating high precision (relative standard deviation between 3.0 and 9.9%), recovery (99-105%), and detection and quantification limits of 1.3 and 4.0 μg L-1, respectively. On the other hand, using SERS, it was possible to detect MB in concentrations as low as 0.05 μg L-1. The extremely low concentrations of MB detected (in the range of a few ppb and ppt) and the acceptable validation performance parameters obtained highlight the potential of MPEE to enhance the applicability of spectroscopic techniques in routine analyses, especially when dealing with complex and challenging samples.

Recent progress and perspectives of typical renewable bio-based flocculants: characteristics and application in wastewater treatment

The research on bio-based flocculants for waste resource utilization and environmental protection has garnered significant attention. Bio-based flocculants encompass plant-based, animal-based, and microbial variants that are prepared and modified through biological, chemical, and physical methods. These flocculants possess abundant functional groups, unique structures, and distinctive characteristics. This review comprehensively discussed the removal rates of conventional pollutants and emerging pollutants by bio-based flocculants, the interaction between these flocculants and pollutants, their impact on flocculation performance in wastewater treatment, as well as their application cost. Furthermore, it described the common challenges faced by bio-based flocculants in practical applications along with various improvement strategies to address them. With their safety profile, environmental friendliness, efficiency, renewability, and wide availability from diverse sources, bio-based flocculants hold great potential for widespread use in wastewater treatment.

Developing an Approach for Integrating Chemical Analysis and Transcriptional Changes to Assess Contaminants in Water, Sediment, and Fish

Pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments pose threats to aquatic organisms because of their continuous release and potential accumulation. Monitoring methods for these contaminants are inadequate, with targeted analyses falling short in assessing water quality's impact on biota. The present study advocates for integrated strategies combining suspect and targeted chemical analyses with molecular biomarker approaches to better understand the risks posed by complex chemical mixtures to nontarget organisms. The research aimed to integrate chemical analysis and transcriptome changes in fathead minnows to prioritize contaminants, assess their effects, and apply this strategy in Wascana Creek, Canada. Analysis revealed higher pharmaceutical concentrations downstream of a wastewater-treatment plant, with clozapine being the most abundant in fathead minnows, showing notable bioavailability from water and sediment sources. Considering the importance of bioaccumulation factor and biota-sediment accumulation factor in risk assessment, these coefficients were calculated based on field data collected during spring, summer, and fall seasons in 2021. Bioaccumulation was classified as very bioaccumulative with values >5000 L kg-1, suggesting the ability of pharmaceuticals to accumulate in aquatic organisms. The study highlighted the intricate relationship between nutrient availability, water quality, and key pathways affected by pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and rubber components. Prioritization of these chemicals was done through suspect analysis, supported by identifying perturbed pathways (specifically signaling and cellular processes) using transcriptomic analysis in exposed fish. This strategy not only aids in environmental risk assessment but also serves as a practical model for other watersheds, streamlining risk-assessment processes to identify environmental hazards and work toward reducing risks from contaminants of emerging concern. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;00:1-22. © 2024 SETAC.

Composite RGO/Ag/Nanosponge Materials for the Photodegradation of Emerging Pollutants from Wastewaters

Some composite materials have been prepared, constituted by a cyclodextrin-bis-urethane-based nanosponge matrix in which a reduced graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles photocatalyst has been dispersed. Different chain extenders were employed for designing the nanosponge supports, in such a way as to decorate their hyper-cross-linked structure with diverse functionalities. Moreover, two different strategies were explored to accomplish the silver loading. The obtained systems were successfully tested as catalysts for the photodegradation of emerging pollutants such as model dyes and drugs. Enhancement of the photoactive species performance (up to nine times), due to the synergistic local concentration effect exerted by the nanosponge, could be assessed. Overall, the best performances were shown by polyamine-decorated materials, which were able to promote the degradation of some particularly resistant drugs. Some methodological issues pertaining to data collection are also addressed.

Occurrence, bioaccumulation, fate, and risk assessment of emerging pollutants in aquatic environments: A review

Significant concerns on a global scale have been raised in response to the potential adverse impacts of emerging pollutants (EPs) on aquatic creatures. We have carefully reviewed relevant research over the past 10 years. The study focuses on five typical EPs: pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and microplastics (MPs). The presence of EPs in the global aquatic environment is source-dependent, with wastewater treatment plants being the main source of EPs. Multiple studies have consistently shown that the final destination of most EPs in the water environment is sludge and sediment. Simultaneously, a number of EPs, such as PFASs, MPs, and BFRs, have long-term environmental transport potential. Some EPs exhibit notable tendencies towards bioaccumulation and biomagnification, while others pose challenges in terms of their degradation within both biological and abiotic treatment processes. The results showed that, in most cases, the ecological risk of EPs in aquatic environments was low, possibly due to potential dilution and degradation. Future research topics should include adding EPs detection items for the aquatic environment, combining pollution, and updating prediction models.

Enzyme_Metal-Organic Framework Composites as Novel Approach for Microplastic Degradation

Plastic pollution is one of the main worldwide environmental concerns. Our lifestyle involves persistent plastic consumption, aggravating the low efficiency of wastewater treatment plants in its removal. Nano/microplastics are accumulated in living beings, pushing to identify new water remediation strategies to avoid their harmful effects. Enzymes (e. g., Candida rugosa-CrL) are known natural plastic degraders as catalysts in depolymerization reactions. However, their practical use is limited by their stability, recyclability, and economical concerns. Here, enzyme immobilization in metal-organic frameworks (CrL_MOFs) is originally presented as a new plastic degradation approach to achieve a boosted plastic decomposition in aqueous systems while allowing the catalyst cyclability. Bis-(hydroxyethyl)terephthalate (BHET) was selected as model substrate for decontamination experiments for being the main polyethylene terephthalate (PET) degradation product. Once in contaminated water, CrL_MOFs can eliminate BHET (37 %, 24 h), following two complementary mechanisms: enzymatic degradation (CrL action) and byproducts adsorption (MOF effect). As a proof-of-concept, the capacity of a selected CrL_MOF composite to eliminate the BHET degradation products and its reusability are also investigated. The potential of these systems is envisioned in terms of improving enzyme cyclability, reducing costs along with feasible co-adsorption of plastic byproducts and other harmful contaminants, to successfully remove them in a single step.

Low-cost and eco-friendly PVA/carrageenan membrane to efficiently remove cationic dyes from water: Isotherms, kinetics, thermodynamics, and regeneration study

Methylene blue (MB), a common dye in the textile industry, has a multitude of detrimental consequences on humans and the environment. Accordingly, it is necessary to remove dyes from water to guarantee our health and sustainable ecosystem. In this study, we developed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based hydrogel adsorbents with high adsorption capacity by adding three types of carrageenan (kappa, iota, and lambda) to remove MB from water. Thanks to the functional groups, the PVA/carrageenan membranes dramatically increased the removal efficiency (kappa, 98.8%; iota, 97.0%; lambda, 95.4%) compared to the pure PVA membrane (6.3%). Among the three types of PVA/carrageenan membranes, the PVA/kappa-carrageenan membrane exhibited the best adsorption capacity of 147.8 mg/g. This result implies that steric hindrance was considerably significant, given that kappa carrageenan has only one sulfate group in the repeating unit, whereas iota and lambda carrageenan composite PVA membranes possess two and three sulfate groups. Apart from the maximum adsorption capacity, this study addressed a variety of characteristics of PVA/carrageenan membranes such as the effects of initial MB concentration, kappa carrageenan weight percentage, contact time, adsorbent dosage, and temperature on the adsorption performance. In addition, the kinetic and thermodynamic studies were also carried out. Lastly, the reusability of the PVA/carrageenan membrane was verified by the 98% removal efficiency maintained after five adsorption-desorption cycles.

Contamination of Bisphenol A, Nonylphenol, Octylphenol, and Estrone in Major Rivers of Mega Manila, Philippines

Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as natural and synthetic hormones as well as phenolic industrial chemicals are considered contaminants of emerging concern in environmental waters. While EDCs carried through rivers may impact ecosystem health and productivity, these compounds are still not widely studied nor regulated. In the present study, we report the occurrence of EDCs in urban rivers in Mega Manila, namely, the Marikina, Pasig, Angat, and Pampanga Rivers that drain into Manila Bay. Endocrine-disrupting compounds may have reached these rivers through domestic wastewater and industrial effluents. Water samples from the rivers were extracted by solid-phase extraction before instrumental analysis using a liquid chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. The analytical method exhibited good linear response (>99% in the concentration range of 1-50 µg/L) and low instrument detection limits (0.14-1.46 µg/L) for the hormones estrone (E1), estradiol, ethinylestradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, and the industrial chemicals bisphenol A, nonylphenol, and octylphenol. Of the hormones, E1 was detected up to 11 ng/L. Bisphenol A, nonylphenol, and octylphenol were measured up to 54, 1878, and 62 ng/L, respectively. Endocrine-disrupting compounds are not yet monitored in water bodies in the Philippines and there are no local guidelines yet on occurrence, pollution prevention, and mitigation. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:259-266. © 2023 SETAC.

Covalent Organic Framework-derived Composite Membranes for Water Treatment

Water treatment has experienced a surge in the adoption of membrane separation technology. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), a class of metal-free and open-framework materials, have emerged as potential membrane materials owing to their interconnected periodic porosity, tunability, and chemical stability. However, the challenges associated with processing COF powders into self-standing membranes have spurred the emergence of COF composite membranes. This review article highlights the rationale behind developing COF composite membranes and their categories, including mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and thin film composite (TFC) membranes. The common fabrication techniques of each category are presented. In addition, the influence of COF additives on the performance of the resultant composite membranes is systematically discussed, with a focus on the recent progress in applying COF composite membranes in the separation of different categories of water pollutants, including organic ions/molecules, toxic solvents, proteins, toxic heavy metals, and radionuclides.

The Failure of Molecular Imprinting in Conducting Polymers: A Case Study of Imprinting Picric Acid on Polycarbazole

The aims of this study were to investigate the potential of utilising molecularly imprinted polycarbazole layers to detect highly toxic picric acid (PA) and to provide information about their performance. Quantum chemical calculations showed that strong interactions occur between PA and carbazole (bond energy of approximately 31 kJ/mol), consistent with the theoretical requirements for effective molecular imprinting. The performance of the sensors, however, was found to be highly limited, with the observed imprinting factor values for polycarbazole (PCz) layers being 1.77 and 0.95 for layers deposited on Pt and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes, respectively. Moreover, the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) layers showed worse performance than unmodified Pt or GC electrodes, for which the lowest limit of detection (LOD) values were determined (LOD values of 0.09 mM and 0.26 mM, respectively, for bare Pt and MIP PCz/Pt, as well as values of 0.11 mM and 0.57 mM for bare GC and MIP PCz/GC). The MIP layers also showed limited selectivity and susceptibility to interfering agents. An initial hypothesis on the reasons for such performance was postulated based on the common properties of conjugated polymers.

Removal of organic micropollutants from water by adsorption on thermo-plasma expanded graphite encapsulated into calcium alginate

Nowadays, public concern is focused on the degradation of water quality. For this reason, the development of innovative technologies for water treatment in view of (micro)pollutant removal is important. Indeed, organic (micro)pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides and plasticizers at concentration levels of μg L-1 or even ng L-1 are hardly removed during conventional wastewater treatment. In view of this, thermo-plasma expanded graphite, a light-weight innovative material in the form of a powder, was encapsulated into calcium alginate to obtain a granular form useful as filtration and adsorption material for removal of different pollutants. The produced material was used to remove atrazine, bisphenol-A, 17-α-ethinylestradiol and carbamazepine (at concentration levels of 125, 250 and 500 µg L-1) by top-down filtration. The effect of flow rate, bed depth and adsorbent composition was evaluated based on breakthrough curves. The experimental data was analysed with the Adams-Bohart model in view of scale-up. Under optimal conditions, removal and adsorption capacity of respectively about 21%, 21%, 38%,42%, 43 µg g-1, 44 µg g-1, 37 µg g-1 and 87 µg g-1 were obtained for atrazine, bisphenol, 17-α ethinylestradiol and carbamazepine when using 0.12 g of thermo-plasma expanded graphite to treat 200 mL at 500 µg L-1 (for each compound) of solution obtaining at contact time of 20 min. The granular form of TPEG obtained (GTPEG) by entrapping in calcium alginate results to have a good adsorbent property for the removal of carbamazepine, atrazine, bisphenol A and 17-α ethinylestradiol from water at concentration levels between 250 and 500 μg L-1. Promising results confirm the adsorbent properties of TPEG and push-up us to investigate on its application and improve of its performance by evaluating different entrapping materials.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40201-023-00876-9.

Differences in MCF-7 response to endocrine disruptors in waste, superficial, and treated water from Southern Brazil

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of possible endocrine disruptors in surface and wastewater using a cell proliferation assay in an estrogen-responsive cell line (MCF-7). This study was conducted in the Sinos River (Brazil). The residual water was collected from a Pilot Treatment Plant (using Typha domingensis) and surface waters of the Luis Rau stream, the Sinos River, and the Water Treatment Station (WTS). After exposures (24-120 h), a Sulforhodamine B assay was performed to determine the proliferation rate. The higher increase in proliferation rate was observed with the Luiz Rau stream and the sewage treated by macrophytes in a flotation filter. The results from WTS water remained with a proliferation rate similar to the negative control at all times, suggesting that the conventional treatment is partially effective for the withdrawal of endocrine-disrupting agents. The study demonstrated the efficiency of the MCF-7 line in assessing endocrine disruption caused by wastewater and surface water samples. Our results indicate that conventional water treatment can partially remove the polluting load of endocrine disruptors, minimizing their environmental and public health impacts. Besides, it demonstrates the need to expand sanitary services to improve the population's quality of life.

Ethylparaben Toxicity on Cladocerans Daphnia Similis and Ceriodaphnia Silvestrii and Species Sensitivity Analysis

Parabens, a group of preservatives with a wide industrial range, threaten human and aquatic biota health due to their toxicity and endocrine disruption potential. As conventional wastewater treatment may not be enough to keep natural environments safe, toxicity studies are useful tools for supporting ecological risk assessments. Here, we focused on assessing ethylparaben's, one of the most common kinds of paraben, toxicity in the cladocerans Daphnia similis and Ceriodaphnia silvestrii. The EC50 sensitivity for D. similis and C. silvestrii was 24 (21-28) mg L- 1 and 25 (19-33) mg L- 1, respectively. Inhibition of reproduction and late development of females were observed in C. silvestrii exposed to 8 mg L- 1. Furthermore, species sensitivity distribution was used to assess ecological risk, and ethylparaben demonstrated low potential risk for aquatic biota.

Chlorphenamine adsorption on commercial activated carbons: Effect of Operating Conditions and Surface Chemistry

Chlorphenamine (CPA) adsorption onto three activated carbons (ACs), namely, Megapol M (MM), Micro 10 (M10), and GAMA B (GB), was studied in this work. The textural properties, concentrations of active sites, surface charge and point of zero charge of the ACs were assessed. The surface areas (SBET) of MM, GB and M10 were 1107, 812 and 766 m2/g, respectively. The MM surface had an acidic character, while the surfaces of M10 and GB were basic. The adsorption capacity of MM, M10, and GB towards CPA was studied at pH 7 and 11, and the adsorption capacity decreased in the order MM > M10 ≈ GB, which was ascribed to the magnitude of SBET and the concentration of acidic sites. The solution pH significantly increased the adsorption capacity of MM towards CPA by raising the solution pH from 5 to 9, and this behavior was attributed to the electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged surface of MM and the cationic species of CPA. The maximum uptake of CPA adsorbed on MM was 574.6 mg/g at pH = 11 and T = 25 °C. The adsorption capacity of MM was slightly raised by incrementing the temperature. Lastly, the zeta potential measurements of pristine MM and MM saturated with CPA confirmed that the electrostatic attraction predominated in the pH range of 5-9, and the π-π stacking interactions were the principal mechanism of CPA adsorption on MM at pH 11.

Emerging micropollutants in aquatic ecosystems and nanotechnology-based removal alternatives: A review

There is a significant concern about the accessibility of uncontaminated and safe drinking water, a fundamental necessity for human beings. This concern is attributed to the toxic micropollutants from several emission sources, including industrial toxins, agricultural runoff, wastewater discharges, sewer overflows, landfills, algal blooms and microbiota. Emerging micropollutants (EMs) encompass a broad spectrum of compounds, including pharmaceutically active chemicals, personal care products, pesticides, industrial chemicals, steroid hormones, toxic nanomaterials, microplastics, heavy metals, and microorganisms. The pervasive and enduring nature of EMs has resulted in a detrimental impact on global urban water systems. Of late, these contaminants are receiving more attention due to their inherent potential to generate environmental toxicity and adverse health effects on humans and aquatic life. Although little progress has been made in discovering removal methodologies for EMs, a basic categorization procedure is required to identify and restrict the EMs to tackle the problem of these emerging contaminants. The present review paper provides a crude classification of EMs and their associated negative impact on aquatic life. Furthermore, it delves into various nanotechnology-based approaches as effective solutions to address the challenge of removing EMs from water, thereby ensuring potable drinking water. To conclude, this review paper addresses the challenges associated with the commercialization of nanomaterial, such as toxicity, high cost, inadequate government policies, and incompatibility with the present water purification system and recommends crucial directions for further research that should be pursued.

Emerging applications of biochar: A review on techno-environmental-economic aspects

Biomass fast pyrolysis produces bio-oil and biochar achieving circular economy. This review explored the emerging applications of biochar. Biochar possesses the unique properties for removing emerging contaminants and for mine remediation, owing to its negative charge surface, high specific surface area, large pore size distribution and surface functional groups. Additionally, biochar could adsorb impurities such as CO2, moisture, and H2S to upgrade the biogas. Customizing pyrolysis treatments, optimizing the feedstock and pyrolysis operating conditions enhance biochar production and improve its surface properties for the emerging applications. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic assessment indicated the benefits of replacing conventional activated carbon with biochar.

Stable Isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) and Trace Elements of Invertebrates and Fish from the Coastal Waters of Ha Tinh Province, Central Vietnam

Stable isotope signatures (δ13C, δ15N) and trace elements (TEs) were analyzed from invertebrates and fish to assess food web structure and the biomagnification or biodilution of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Mn, Cr, Hg and As in coastal waters of Ha Tinh Province, Central Vietnam. δ13C and δ15N values of purported food sources (sediments, phytoplankton, macroalgae, and zooplankton) ranged from -21.24 ± 0.39‰ to -16.72 ± 1.02‰ and from 3.02 ± 0.70‰ to 7.30 ± 0.42‰, respectively. The δ13C and δ15N values in invertebrates and fish ranged from -19.75 ± 0.10‰ to -18.68 ± 0.40‰, and from 7.02 ± 1.21‰ to 9.10 ± 0.29‰. The δ15N values showed that the food web structure could be divided into four trophic levels. The benthic invertebrates had significantly higher concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and As. Hg concentrations tended to accumulate higher in the crabs and fish. The biodilution of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr was observed throughout the food web, whereas biomagnification was observed for Cr, Mn, and As in bivalves; Cd and Zn in gastropods; Pb, Cd, Zn, and As in crabs; Cd in prawns and Hg in fish.

Emerging environmental health risks associated with the land application of biosolids: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Over 40% of the six million dry metric tons of sewage sludge, often referred to as biosolids, produced annually in the United States is land applied. Biosolids serve as a sink for emerging pollutants which can be toxic and persist in the environment, yet their fate after land application and their impacts on human health have not been well studied. These gaps in our understanding are exacerbated by the absence of systematic monitoring programs and defined standards for human health protection.

METHODS

The purpose of this paper is to call critical attention to the knowledge gaps that currently exist regarding emerging pollutants in biosolids and to underscore the need for evidence-based testing standards and regulatory frameworks for human health protection when biosolids are land applied. A scoping review methodology was used to identify research conducted within the last decade, current regulatory standards, and government publications regarding emerging pollutants in land applied biosolids.

RESULTS

Current research indicates that persistent organic compounds, or emerging pollutants, found in pharmaceuticals and personal care products, microplastics, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have the potential to contaminate ground and surface water, and the uptake of these substances from soil amended by the land application of biosolids can result in contamination of food sources. Advanced technologies to remove these contaminants from wastewater treatment plant influent, effluent, and biosolids destined for land application along with tools to detect and quantify emerging pollutants are critical for human health protection.

CONCLUSIONS

To address these current risks, there needs to be a significant investment in ongoing research and infrastructure support for advancements in wastewater treatment; expanded manufacture and use of sustainable products; increased public communication of the risks associated with overuse of pharmaceuticals and plastics; and development and implementation of regulations that are protective of health and the environment.

Combined toxic effects of nanoplastics and norfloxacin on mussel: Leveraging biochemical parameters and gut microbiota

Antibiotics and nanoplastics (NPs) are among the two most concerned and studied marine emerging contaminants in recent years. Given the large number of different types of antibiotics and NPs, there is a need to apply efficient tools to evaluate their combined toxic effects. Using the thick-shelled mussel (Mytilus coruscus) as a marine ecotoxicological model, we applied a battery of fast enzymatic activity assays and 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the biochemical and gut microbial response of mussels exposed to antibiotic norfloxacin (NOR) and NPs (80 nm polystyrene beads) alone and in combination at environmentally relevant concentrations. After 15 days of exposure, NPs alone significantly inhibited superoxide dismutase (SOD) and amylase (AMS) activities, while catalase (CAT) was affected by both NOR and NPs. The changes in lysozyme (LZM) and lipase (LPS) were increased over time during the treatments. Co-exposure to NPs and NOR significantly affected glutathione (GSH) and trypsin (Typ), which might be explained by the increased bioavailable NOR carried by NPs. The richness and diversity of the gut microbiota of mussels were both decreased by exposures to NOR and NPs, and the top functions of gut microbiota that were affected by the exposures were predicted. The data fast generated by enzymatic test and 16S sequencing allowed further variance and correlation analysis to understand the plausible driving factors and toxicity mechanisms. Despite the toxic effects of only one type of antibiotics and NPs being evaluated, the validated assays on mussels are readily applicable to other antibiotics, NPs, and their mixture.

Carbon Adsorbents Obtained from Pistachio Nut Shells Used as Potential Ingredients of Drinking Water Filters

Water resources are increasingly degraded due to the discharge of waste generated in municipal, industrial and agricultural areas. Therefore, the search for new materials enabling the effective treatment of drinking water and sewage is currently of great interest. This paper deals with the adsorption of organic and inorganic pollutants on the surface of carbonaceous adsorbents prepared by thermochemical conversion of common pistachio nut shells. The influence of the direct physical activation with CO2 and chemical activation with H3PO4 on parameters, such as elemental composition, textural parameters, acidic-basic character of the surface as well as electrokinetic properties of the prepared carbonaceous materials was checked. The suitability of the activated biocarbons prepared as the adsorbents of iodine, methylene blue and poly(acrylic acid) from the aqueous solutions was estimated. The sample obtained via chemical activation of the precursor turned out to be much more effective in terms of all the tested pollutants adsorption. Its maximum sorption capacity toward iodine was 1059 mg/g, whereas in relation to methylene blue and poly(acrylic acid) 183.1 mg/g and 207.9 mg/g was achieved, respectively. For both carbonaceous materials, a better fit to the experimental data was achieved with a Langmuir isotherm than a Freundlich one. It has also been shown that the efficiency of organic dye, and especially anionic polymer adsorption from aqueous solutions, is significantly affected by solution pH and temperature of the adsorbate-adsorbent system.

Statistical Analysis of Methotrexate Degradation by UV-C Photolysis and UV-C/TiO2 Photocatalysis

Methotrexate (MTX) is a folic acid analog and has been used to treat a wide variety of malignant and non-malignant diseases. The wide use of these substances has led to the continuous discharge of the parent compound and its metabolites in wastewater. In conventional wastewater treatment plants, the removal or degradation of drugs is not complete. In order to study the MTX degradation by photolysis and photocatalysis processes, two reactors were used with TiO₂ as a catalyst and UV-C lamps as a radiation source. H₂O₂ addition was also studied (absence and 3 mM/L), and different initial pHs (3.5, 7, and 9.5) were tested to define the best degradation parameters. Results were analyzed by means of ANOVA and the Tukey test. Results show that photolysis in acidic conditions with 3 mM of H₂O₂ added is the best condition for MTX degradation in these reactors, with a kinetic constant of 0.028 min^-1. According to the ANOVA test, all considered factors (process, pH, H₂O₂ addition, and experimentation time) caused statistically significant differences in the MTX degradation results.

Pollutants of emerging concern in tourist beaches of Guerrero, Mexico: A first approach to sources

The presence of Emerging Pollutants (EPs) on the beaches of Acapulco, Mexico, is evaluated for the first time. Samples were taken from the discharge of the wastewater treatment plant at Olvidada beach, and at three beaches that receive contributions from different streams that cross through the city in Santa Lucia Bay (SLB). Using solid phase extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, 77 EPs were identified. A semiquantitative evaluation of their concentrations were made using the relative areas of the chromatographic peaks, showing that the contamination of the beaches of SLB is mainly due to the pollutants going into the streams of the micro-basins. A statistical factor analysis of all the EPs allowed differentiation of the sampling points, reducing the number of variables, which benefits future analytical determinations in the study area. Due to the toxicological characteristics of the compounds found, their presence on public-use beaches represents a risk to human health.

The Adsorption Efficiency of Regenerable Chitosan-TiO2 Composite Films in Removing 2,4-Dinitrophenol from Water

In this work, the great performance of chitosan-based films blended with TiO₂ (CH/TiO₂) is presented to adsorb the hazardous pollutant 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) from water. The DNP was successfully removed, with a high adsorption %: CH/TiO₂ exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 900 mg/g. For pursuing the proposed aim, UV-Vis spectroscopy was considered a powerful tool for monitoring the presence of DNP in purposely contaminated water. Swelling measurements were employed to infer more information about the interactions between chitosan and DNP, demonstrating the presence of electrostatic forces, deeply investigated by performing adsorption measurements by changing DNP solutions' ionic strength and pH values. The thermodynamics, adsorption isotherms, and kinetics were also studied, suggesting the DNP adsorption's heterogeneous character onto chitosan films. The applicability of pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order kinetic equations confirmed the finding, further detailed by the Weber-Morris model. Finally, the adsorbent regeneration was exploited, and the possibility of inducing DNP desorption was investigated. For this purpose, suitable experiments were conducted using a saline solution that induced the DNP release, favoring the adsorbent reuse. In particular, 10 adsorption/desorption cycles were performed, evidencing the great ability of this material that does not lose its efficiency. As an alternative approach, the pollutant photodegradation by using Advanced Oxidation Processes, allowed by the presence of TiO₂, was preliminary investigated, opening a novel horizon in the use of chitosan-based materials for environmental applications.

Natural and Natural-Based Polymers: Recent Developments in Management of Emerging Pollutants

Anthropogenic activities lead to the issue of new classes of pollutants in the environment that are not currently monitored in environmental studies. This category of pollutants (known as emerging contaminants) includes a very wide range of target substances, such as pharmaceuticals, plant protection products, personal care products, dyes, toxins, microplastics and many other industrially important intermediaries. Together with an increasing demand for clean water (both for agricultural necessities and for the increasing population consumption), the need for the removal of emerging pollutants, simultaneously with the current "green chemistry" approach, opens the door for the industrial application of natural polymers in the area of environmental protection. Recent developments in this area are presented in this paper, as well as the application of these particular natural materials for the removal of other contaminants of interest (such as radioisotopes and nanoparticles). The current knowledge regarding the processes' kinetics is briefly presented, as well as the future development perspectives in this area.

Study on the photocatalytic degradation of metronidazole antibiotic in aqueous media with TiO2 under lab and pilot scale

Nowadays, the increased consumption of antibiotics, such as metronidazole (MTZ), leads to their introduction in wastewater as well as in the receiving surface waters due to their incomplete removal by conventional wastewater treatment plants. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a versatile technology that can efficiently degrade such organic contaminants. In the present research, the photocatalytic degradation of MTZ with TiO₂ P25 was studied under lab and pilot (CPC reactor) conditions. The antibiotic was efficiently removed at high rates in both cases (100 % and 91 %) following pseudo-first order kinetics with rate constants equal to 0.0452 min^-1 (±RSD% = 0.68 % - 2.57 %) and 0.0462 L KJ^-1 (±RSD% = 8.94 % - 21.64 %) respectively. Also, by scavenging lab scale experiments, the contribution of the generated reactive species was investigated and hydroxy radicals (HO^•) were proposed as the predominant species. By applying high resolution mass spectrometry techniques, the transformation products (TPs) were identified and possible transformation pathways were proposed. The ecotoxicity of the TPs was assessed in silico using the ECOSAR software with the results revealing that most of them were less toxic than the parent compound. Similarly, the mutagenicity, developmental toxicity and bioconcentration factors of the TPs were predicted by utilizing the T.E.S.T. software and in their majority, were found to be less mutagenic and developmentally toxic than MTZ. The ecotoxicity monitoring with the Vibrio fischeri bioassay in both laboratory and pilot scale experiments indicated that through heterogeneous photocatalysis it is possible to reduce the toxicity of wastewater containing MTZ. Finally, the stability and reusability of the photocatalyst was investigated through three consecutive catalytic cycles with the results showing that the performance of TiO₂ decreased after each use. For the heterogeneous photocatalysis with TiO₂ to be a "real life" applicable technique, further studies focusing on catalyst regeneration and optimization of the catalytic conditions must be conducted.

New trajectories of technologies for the removal of pollutants and emerging contaminants in the environment

Modern society has increasingly a diffusion of pollutants and emerging contaminants (e.g., different types of chemicals and endocrine disruptors in pharmaceuticals, pesticides, household cleaning, and personal care products, etc.) that have detrimental effects on the environment (atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and anthroposphere) and also generate diseases and disorders on the people health. Environmental science requires efforts in the detection and elimination of manifold pollutants and emerging pollutants with appropriate product and process technologies. This study aims to analyze different paths of treatment technologies to investigate their evolution and predict new directions of promising technological trajectories to support the removal of contaminants directed to reach, whenever possible, sustainable development objectives. The work is mainly devoted to wastewater treatment technologies. A proposed model analyzes the evolution of patents (proxy of innovation and new technology) on publications (proxy of science and knowledge advances) to quantify the relative growth rate of new trajectories of technologies to remove pollutants and emerging contaminants. Results reveal that new directions of treatment technologies having an accelerated rate of growth are (in decreasing order): biochar and reverse osmosis in physical-based technologies, coagulation, and disinfection water treatments in chemical-based technologies and anaerobic processes in biological-based technologies. Other main technologies, such as carbon nanotubes and advanced oxidation processes, seem to be in the initial phase of development and need learning by using processes and further science and technology advances to be implemented as effective treatments and cost-effective. The results here are in accord with global water and wastewater equipment treatment market revenues by technology, showing a similar trend. These findings bring us to the main information to extend the knowledge about new directions of technologies for the treatment and/or elimination of pollutants and microorganisms that can support decisions of policymakers towards goals of sustainable development by reducing environmental degradation and people health disorders.

Fluorescent sensor based on solid-phase extraction with negligible depletion: A proof-of-concept study with amines as analytes

This paper describes the development and proof-of-concept testing of an easy-to-use trace analysis technique, namely F-SPE, by coupling fluorescent sensor with solid phase extraction (SPE). F-SPE is a two-step methodology that concentrates an analyte from a liquid sample onto a fluorophore-modified membrane and measures the amount of analyte from the extent the extracted analyte quenches the emission of the fluorophore. By applying the principle of negligible depletion (ND) intrinsic to SPE, the procedure of F-SPE for analyzing a sample can be markedly simplified while maintaining the ability to detect analytes at low limits of detection (LOD). The merits of this approach are demonstrated by impregnating a SPE membrane with a perylene diimide (PDI) fluorophore, N,N'-di(nonyldecyl)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (C9/9-PDI), for the low-level detection of organic amines (e.g., aniline) and amine-containing drugs (e.g., Kanamycin). The sensing mechanism is based on the donor-acceptor quenching of PDI by amines, which, when coupled with the concentrative nature of SPE, yields LODs for aniline and Kanamycin of 67 nM (∼6 ppb) and 32 nM (∼16 ppb), respectively.

Assembled mixed co-cultures for emerging pollutant removal using native microorganisms from sewage sludge

The global pharmaceutical pollution caused by drug consumption (>100,000 tonnes) and its disposal into the environment is an issue which is currently being addressed by bioremediation techniques, using single or multiple microorganisms. Nevertheless, the low efficiency and the selection of non-compatible species interfere with the success of this methodology. This paper proposes a novel way of obtaining an effective multi-domain co-culture, with the capacity to degrade multi-pharmaceutical compounds simultaneously. To this end, seven microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) previously isolated from sewage sludge were investigated to enhance their degradation performance. All seven strains were factorially mixed and used to assemble different artificial co-cultures. Consequently, 127 artificial co-cultures were established and ranked, based on their fitness performance, by using the BSocial analysis web tool. The individual strains were categorized according to their social behaviour, whose net effect over the remaining strains was defined as 'Positive', 'Negative' or 'Neutral'. To evaluate the emerging-pollutant degradation rate, the best 10 co-cultures, and those which contained the social strains were then challenged with three different Pharmaceutical Active compounds (PhACs): diclofenac, carbamazepine and ketoprofen. The co-cultures with the fungi Penicillium oxalicum XD-3.1 and Penicillium rastrickii were able to degrade PhACs. However, the highest performance (>80% degradation) was obtained by the minimal active microbial consortia consisting of both Penicillium spp., Cladosporium cladosporoides and co-existing bacteria. These consortia transformed the PhACs to derivate molecules through hydroxylation and were released to the media, resulting in a low ecotoxicity effect. High-throughput screening of co-cultures provides a quick, reliable and efficient method to narrow down suitable degradation co-cultures for emerging PhAC contaminants while avoiding toxic metabolic derivatives.

Benzophenones in the Environment: Occurrence, Fate and Sample Preparation in the Analysis

The ubiquitous presence of emerging contaminants in the environment is an issue of great concern. Notably, for some of them, no established regulation exists. Benzophenones are listed as emerging contaminants, which have been identified in the environment as well as in human fluids, such as urine, placenta, and breast milk. Their accumulation and stability in the environment, combined with the revealed adverse effects on ecosystems including endocrine, reproductive, and other disorders, have triggered significant interest for research. Benzophenones should be extracted from environmental samples and determined for environmental-monitoring purposes to assess their presence and possible dangers. Numerous sample preparation methods for benzophenones in environmental matrices and industrial effluents have been proposed and their detection in more complex matrices, such as fish and sludges, has also been reported. These methods range from classical to more state-of-the-art methods, such as solid-phase extraction, dispersive SPE, LLE, SBSE, etc., and the analysis is mostly completed with liquid chromatography, using several detection modes. This review critically outlines sample preparation methods that have been proposed to date, for the extraction of benzophenones from simple and complex environmental matrices and for cleaning up sample extracts to eliminate potential interfering components that coexist therein. Moreover, it provides a brief overview of their occurrence, fate, and toxicity.

The study on contamination of bottom sediments from the Odra River estuary (SW Baltic Sea) by tributyltin using environmetric methods

We present the first comprehensive study on the occurrence of tributyltin (TBT) in the Odra River estuary (SW Baltic Sea) that encompasses both densely populated and urbanized agglomeration Szczecin city, and sparsely populated biosphere reserves "Natura 2000". Relationship between TBT and physicochemical parameters of bottom sediments such as granulometry total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), acid volatile sulfide (AVS), As, and metals: Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, Mn, Mo, Pb, Sn, and Zn was investigated in 120 samples collected in 2017 and 2018. The highest TBT concentrations were over 3000 ng g^-1 (dry weight). They were observed in samples collected in the vicinity of the ship maintenance zones of the Szczecin city. Despite the EU ban on its use since 2003, TBT is still present in the environment. Environmetrics analyses such as correlation, cluster, and principal component analysis of obtained results revealed that the main source of sediments contamination by TBT, metalloids, and metals is likely related to the maritime industry: shipyards, ship maintenance as well as ports and marines. TBT is still present in the bottom sediments because of its emission to the environment with dust and paint chips formed during sandblasting cleaning of ship surfaces. The pollutant is further transported with water current to remote localization in the Szczecin Lagoon. Slow water exchange between the Szczecin Lagoon and the Baltic Sea favors accumulation of pollutants in the lagoon sediments. Therefore, it is necessary to implement environmentally friendly methods into ship maintenance and management of the materials from dredged waterways, harbors, and marinas.

Layered Double Hydroxide-Bismuth Molybdate Hybrids toward Water Remediation via Selective Adsorption of Anionic Species

The steady release of anthropogenic toxins into the biosphere is compromising water security globally. Herein, CoAl layered double hydroxide, a clay-like layered material with a cationic surface charge, was organically modified and used to template the growth of Bi₂MoO₆. The resulting nanohybrid selectively removed the anionic dye methyl orange from aqueous solution and showed an enhancement of greater than 300% in the maximum adsorptivity (1.95 mmol/g) compared to modified CoAl layered double hydroxide (0.42 mmol/g). Interestingly, the observed improvement in adsorption occurs without any significant increase in the surface area of the hybrids. Furthermore, these hybrids exhibit increased broadband visible light absorption, and their photoactivity is slightly improved compared to CoAl layered double hydroxide. This study demonstrates that composites of clay-like materials with Aurivillius oxides are promising sorbent materials for water decontamination and photocatalytic antifouling membranes and shows that the synthetic strategy that was first established with an anionic layered silicate nanoclay can be generalized to other ionic layered materials.

Detection of radicals produced during electro-oxidation of atrazine using commercial DSA®-Cl2 in methanol media: Keys to understand the process

This work reports the radicals detected and identified during the degradation of atrazine in methanol medium in the presence and absence of different proportions of water (0%, 5%, and 10%). The determination of these radicals is an important step to understand the electrolysis processes in methanol medium and contribute to clarify the degradation mechanism. Furthermore, the parameters for the successful removal of the contaminant were optimized and the results showed that the application of the technique led to the removal of nearly 99.8% of atrazine after 1 h of electrolysis. The oxidation kinetics was found to be very fast and most of the atrazine molecule in the medium was degraded in the first hour of electrolysis. The results obtained from a thorough analysis conducted with a view to evaluating the effects of different current densities and initial pH values on atrazine degradation showed that the application of higher current densities resulted in lower energy consumption, as this led to faster removal of atrazine. Additionally, the initial pH of the solution was found to favor the formation of different species of active chlorine. The radicals formed during the electro-oxidation process were detected by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and include hydroxyl, methoxy and hydroxymethyl. The use of methanol for the degradation of pollutants is a highly promising technique and this work shows that the identification of the different radicals formed in the process can be the key to understanding the degradation mechanism.

Engineered microbes as effective tools for the remediation of polyaromatic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals

Heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have become a major concern to human health and the environment due to rapid industrialization and urbanization. Traditional treatment measures for removing toxic substances from the environment have largely failed, and thus development and advancement in newer remediation techniques are of utmost importance. Rising environmental pollution with HMs and PAHs prompted the research on microbes and the development of genetically engineered microbes (GEMs) for reducing pollution via the bioremediation process. The enzymes produced from a variety of microbes can effectively treat a range of pollutants, but evolutionary trends revealed that various emerging pollutants are resistant to microbial or enzymatic degradation. Naturally, existing microbes can be engineered using various techniques including, gene engineering, directed evolution, protein engineering, media engineering, strain engineering, cell wall modifications, rationale hybrid design, and encapsulation or immobilization process. The immobilization of microbes and enzymes using a variety of nanomaterials, membranes, and supports with high specificity toward the emerging pollutants is also an effective strategy to capture and treat the pollutants. The current review focuses on successful bioremediation techniques and approaches that make use of GEMs or engineered enzymes. Such engineered microbes are more potent than natural strains and have greater degradative capacities, as well as rapid adaptation to various pollutants as substrates or co-metabolizers. The future for the implementation of genetic engineering to produce such organisms for the benefit of the environment andpublic health is indeed long and valuable.

Application of clusterization algorithms for analysis of semivolatile pollutants in Arkhangelsk snow

The best way to understand the environmental status of a certain region involves thorough non-target analysis, which will result in a list of pollutants under concern. Arkhangelsk (64° 32' N 40° 32' E, pop. ~ 344,000) is the largest city in the world to the north of the 60^th parallel. Several industrial enterprises and the "cold finger" effect represent the major sources of air contamination in the city. Analysis of snow with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry allows detecting and quantifying the most hazardous volatile and semivolatile anthropogenic pollutants and estimating long-term air pollution. Target analysis, suspect screening, and non-target analysis of snow samples collected from ten sites within the city revealed the presence of several hundreds of organic compounds including 18 species from the US EPA list of priority pollutants. Fortunately, the levels of these compounds appeared to be much lower than the safe levels established in Russia. Phenol and dioctylphthalate could be considered as the pollutants of concern because their levels were about 20% of the safe thresholds. ChromaTOF® Tile, MetaboAnalyst software platform, and open-source software protocols were applied to process the obtained data. The obtained clusterization results of the samples were generally similar for various tools; however, each of them had certain peculiarities. Bis(2-ethylhexyl) hexanedioate, benzyl alcohol, phthalates, aniline, dinitrotoluenes, and fluoranthene showed the strongest influence on the clusterization of the studied samples. Possible sources of the major pollutants were proposed: car traffic and pulp and paper mills.

An optimized processing method for polar organic chemical integrative samplers deployed in seawater: Toward a maximization of the analysis accuracy for trace emerging contaminants

Passive sampling of emerging contaminants (ECs) in seawater represents a challenge in environmental monitoring. A specific protocol for Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS) processing may be necessary when dealing with marine applications, due to the peculiarity of the considered matrix. Herein, both the instrumental LC-MS/MS analysis and the sampler processing for the determination of 22 ECs in seawater were carefully optimized. The study entailed a test simulating POCIS sorbent exposure to seawater as well as the processing of replicated field POCIS with different elution solvents. The final method involved washing the sorbent with water, to eliminate most salts, and a two-step elution, by using methanol and a small volume of a dichloromethane-isopropanol mixture. With this protocol, recoveries between 58 and 137% (average 106%) were obtained for most analytes, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, UV-filters, perfluorinated substances and caffeine. Still, the protocol was not suitable for very hydrophilic compounds (recovery under 20% for artificial sweeteners and the pharmaceutical salbutamol), which also showed remarkable ion suppression (matrix effects in the range 4-46%). For all other chemicals, the matrix effects were in the range 67-103% (average 86%), indicating satisfactory accuracy. Also, the overall method showed high sensitivity (detection limits in the range 0.04-9 ng g^-1 of POCIS sorbent) and excellent specificity, thanks to the monitoring of two "precursor ion-product ion" MS transitions for identity confirmation. The method was applied to samplers deployed in the Ligurian coast (Italy), detecting caffeine, bisphenol A, ketoprofen and two UV-filters as the most concentrated in the POCIS sorbent.

The Role of Cholesterol in the Interaction of the Lipid Monolayer with the Endocrine Disruptor Bisphenol-A

Among pollutants of emerging concern, endocrine disruptors (ED) have been shown to cause side effects in humans and animals. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an ED by-product of the plastic industry and one of the chemicals with the highest volume produced yearly. Here, we studied the role of cholesterol in the BPA exposure effects over membrane models. We used Langmuir films of both neat lipid DPPC (1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and cholesterol (Chol) and a binary mixture containing DPPC/Chol, exposing it to BPA. We evaluate changes in the π-A isotherms and the PM–IRRAS (polarization modulation–infrared reflection adsorption spectroscopy) spectra. BPA exposure induced changes in the DPPC and Chol neat monolayers, causing mean molecular area expansion and altering profiles. However, at high surface pressure, the BPA was expelled from the air–water interface. For the DPPC/Chol mixture, BPA caused expansion throughout the whole compression, indicating that BPA is present at the monolayer interface. The PM–IRRAS analysis showed that BPA interacted with the phosphate group of DPPC through hydrogen bonding, which caused the area’s expansion. Such evidence might be biologically relevant to better understand the mechanism of action of BPA in cell membranes once phosphatidylcholines and Chol are found in mammalian membranes.

Evaluating phospholipid- and protein-water partitioning of two groups of chemicals of emerging concern: Diastereo- and enantioselectivity

The partitioning between phospholipids/proteins and water can be used to predict the bioaccumulation potential of chemicals with better accuracy compared with n-octanol-water partition coefficient. However, such partitioning is poorly understood for chiral chemicals, many of which exhibit differential bioaccumulation and toxicity potential between enantiomers. In this study, the enantiospecific liposome-water and bovine serum albumin (BSA)-water partition coefficients (Klip/w and KBSA/w, determined at 25 ℃ and 37 ℃, respectively) were measured by equilibrium dialysis for α-, β-, and γ-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and three β-blockers (propranolol, metoprolol, and sotalol). Raman and fluorescence analyses and molecular docking were conducted to provide additional insights into the partitioning process. Results showed α- and β-HBCD displayed stronger enantioselective partitioning to liposomes with the (-)-form, while (-)-α-HBCD, R-(+)-propranolol, R-(+)-metoprolol, and E2-sotalol favored partitioning to BSA compared with their antipodes. Raman spectra revealed α- and γ-HBCD enhanced and reduced the organization of liposome acyl chains, respectively, and polar interactions enhanced the liposome partitioning of β-blockers. Fluorescence spectra indicated the changed tryptophan microenvironment might influence the BSA steric effect toward HBCD, and electrostatic interactions dominated the formation of BSA-β-blocker complexes. Molecular docking results supported the difference in the thermodynamic nature of interaction between the studied enantiomers and BSA.

Ecotoxicological impacts caused by high demand surfactants in Latin America and a technological and innovative perspective for their substitution

Nowadays, water pollution represents a great concern due to population growth, industrialization, and urbanization. Every day hazardous chemical products for humans and aquatic organisms are disposed of arbitrarily from homes and industries. Even though detergents are considered an essential market, there is evidence of environmental impacts caused by surfactants like nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS). Regulations about maximum allowable concentrations in sewage, surface water, and drinking water are scarce or null, mostly in developing countries like Latin American countries. Therefore, this review explores these two common toxic surfactants (NPE and LAS) and proposes a technological, innovative, and ecological perspective on detergents. Also, it establishes a starting point for industries to minimize adverse effects on humans and environmental health caused by these compounds.

Research Trends on Pillared Interlayered Clays (PILCs) Used as Catalysts in Environmental and Chemical Processes: Bibliometric Analysis

Over the last four decades, a large number of studies have been published on pillared interlayered clays (PILCs) used as adsorbent materials and catalysts or supports for transition metals in heterogeneous catalysis. Particularly, PILCs have been used for water treatment through advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to remove organic pollutants. They have also been studied in various chemical and environmental processes. Because of the growing interest in PILCs, this article is focused on analyzing scientific publications such as research/review articles and book chapters from the last four decades (from 1980 to 2019) through a bibliometric analysis (BA) to visualize and describe research trends on PILCs. By narrowing the bibliographic search to titles, keywords, and abstracts of publications related to PILCs, using Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) (the two scientific databases), a total of 3425 documents have been retrieved. The bibliometric dataset was analyzed by VantagePoint®. The main research trends identified in the last four decades were the use of PILCs in environmental processes (34.4% of total publications) along with chemical processes (petrochemical reactions 17.5%, SCR NOx 10.8%, and decomposition 8.2%). In environmental processes, PILCs have been used in photo-oxidation (32%), CWPO (21.1%), and heterogeneous catalysis (19.4%). Phenols, dyes, and VOCs have been the main pollutants studied using PILCs as catalysts. Fe, Ti, Zr, Cu, and Co are the most supported active phases in PILCs. Other research trends grouped by characterization techniques, countries, research areas, institutes, scientific journals that have published the most on this topic, number of publications per 5-year period, and most frequently used keywords through the last four decades have been identified. It was determined that the number of publications on PILCs has increased since 1980 and the countries with the highest number of publications are China, Spain, and The United States of America.

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in aquaculture effluent: Insight into breeding and rearing activities, alarming impacts, regulations, performance of wastewater treatment unit and future approaches

The contamination of aquaculture products and effluents by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from the direct chemical use in aquaculture activities or surrounding industries is currently an issue of increasing concern as these CECs exert acute and chronic effects on living organisms. CECs have been detected in aquaculture water, sediment, and culture species, and antibiotics, antifoulants, and disinfectants are the commonly detected groups. Through accumulation, CECs can reside in the tissue of aquaculture products and eventually consumed by humans. Currently, effluents containing CECs are discharged to the surrounding environment while producing sediments that eventually contaminate rivers as receiving bodies. The rearing (grow-out) stages of aquaculture activities are issues regarding CECs-contamination in aquaculture covering water, sediment, and aquaculture products. Proper regulations should be imposed on all aquaculturists to control chemical usage and ensure compliance to guidelines for appropriate effluent treatment. Several techniques for treating aquaculture effluents contaminated by CECs have been explored, including adsorption, wetland construction, photocatalysis, filtration, sludge activation, and sedimentation. The challenges imposed by CECs on aquaculture activities are discussed for the purpose of obtaining insights into current issues and providing future approaches for resolving associated problems. Stakeholders, such as researchers focusing on environment and aquaculture, are expected to benefit from the presented results in this article. In addition, the results may be useful in establishing aquaculture-related CECs regulations, assessing toxicity to living biota, and preventing pollution.

Detection and Removal of Priority Substances and Emerging Pollutants from Stormwater: Case Study of the Kołobrzeska Collector, Gdańsk, Poland

Progressive urban development affects environmental balance and disrupts the hydrologic cycle, in which rainfall plays a significant role. Since rainwater is considered a valuable resource of the environment, many technical solutions are implemented that enable effective rainwater management. On the other hand, stormwater runoff from urban areas contains numerous (also toxic) substances, and therefore should be properly treated. In this study, a multistage constructed wetland (MCW) pilot installation was used to remove selected groups of priority substances and emerging pollutants from rainwater discharged from the urbanized catchment of the Kołobrzeska stormwater collector in Gdańsk, Poland. The obtained results show that rainwater runoff was characterized by a variable concentrations of heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Hg), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene) and microplastics. Depending on the hydraulic load of the bed, the reduction efficiency for heavy metals ranged from 26.19 to 100%, and for microplastics from 77.16 to 100%, whereas for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons it was consistently high, and equaled 100%.