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Bellver-Domingo Á, Fuentes R, Hernández-Sancho F, Carmona E, Picó Y, Hernández-Chover V. MCDA-DEA approach to construct a composite indicator for effluents from WWTPs considering the influence of PPCPs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:47234-47247. [PMID: 36735130 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25500-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Considering current water situation, reuse is an effective solution to meet water demand and reduce pressure on conventional water sources. However, pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) decrease their quality and suitability. With the aim of identifying and monitoring both the influence of PPCPs and the suitability of effluents to be reused, this study proposes the development of a composite indicator (CI) related to PPCP presence in WWTPs, through the common weight multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)-data envelopment analysis (DEA) model. Obtaining a CI for PPCPs is a novel approach in the published literature, showing a new perspective in PPCP management and their influence in wastewater treatment. Furthermore, this study proposes an improvement on MCDA-DEA model which maintains the initial hierarchy obtained for the units analyzed. The development of CI is based on information about the technological, environmental, social, and biological issues of WWTPs. Results show that 4 of the 33 WWTPs analysed had the best CI values, meaning that their effluents have lower environmental impact. The development of a CI related to PPCPs in WWTPs suggests that further steps are needed to manage the WWTP effluents. Hence, the need to implement preventive measures in WWTPs has been shown, even though the removal of PPCPs is not yet part of European law. This work highlights the importance of considering PPCPs as priority pollutants in wastewater management and reuse frameworks, to guarantee low environmental impact and adapt wastewater reuse based on a circular economy approach. HIGHLIGHTS: Emerging contaminants (PPCPs) are used as effluent quality indicators. A composite indicator for PPCPs performance has been developed through MCDA-DEA model. Indicator obtained allow decision makers implementing concrete actions to assess effluent quality. Results show the improvement capacity of the effluents quality through PPCPs removing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Águeda Bellver-Domingo
- Institute of Local Development (ILD-WATER). Water Economics Group, University of Valencia, Avda. Tarongers S/N, 46022, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Ramón Fuentes
- Department of Applied Economic Analysis, University of Alicante, P.O. Box 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain
| | - Francesc Hernández-Sancho
- Institute of Local Development (ILD-WATER). Water Economics Group, University of Valencia, Avda. Tarongers S/N, 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Eric Carmona
- Environmental and Food Safety Research Group (SAMA-UV), Desertification Research Centre, CIDE-GV-UV), University of Valencia, Avda. Vicent Andrés, S/N, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
- Department Effect-Directed Analysis, Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstr, 15 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yolanda Picó
- Environmental and Food Safety Research Group (SAMA-UV), Desertification Research Centre, CIDE-GV-UV), University of Valencia, Avda. Vicent Andrés, S/N, 46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Vicent Hernández-Chover
- Institute of Local Development (ILD-WATER). Water Economics Group, University of Valencia, Avda. Tarongers S/N, 46022, Valencia, Spain
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Yu X, Yu F, Li Z, Zhan J. Occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the surface water of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River (Henan section). JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 443:130369. [PMID: 36444065 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are commonly seen emerging organic contaminants in aquatic environments. The transects for the occurrence and distribution of 24 PPCPs along the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River (Henan section) were investigated in this study. All 24 targeted compounds were detected in surface water, with concentrations in the range from not detected (ND) to 527.4 ng/L. Among these PPCPs, caffeine is found to have the highest concentration and its detection frequency is 100%. The total PPCP concentration ranged from 136 ng/L to 916 ng/L (median, 319.5 ng/L). Spatial analysis showed that the pollution level of PPCPs in the trunk stream was lower than that in most tributaries in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River (Henan section). The ecotoxicological risk assessment indicated that norfloxacin, azithromycin, estrone, and triclosan posed high risks to aquatic organisms (RQ > 1), roxithromycin and oxytetracycline imposed moderate risks (0.1 ≤ RQ < 1), and the tributary Jindi River had the highest mixed risk (MRQ = 222).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng Yu
- College of Geosciences and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Furong Yu
- College of Geosciences and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Resources Conservation and Restoration in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yellow River Basin, Ministry of Natural Resources, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient Utilization of Water Resources, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
| | - Zhiping Li
- College of Geosciences and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Resources Conservation and Restoration in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yellow River Basin, Ministry of Natural Resources, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Efficient Utilization of Water Resources, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China.
| | - Jiang Zhan
- Yellow River Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd, Zhengzhou 450045, Henan, China; Key Laboratory of Water Management and Water Security for Yellow River Basin, Ministry of Water Resources (under construction), Zhengzhou 450003, Henan, China
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Brecht SA, Kong X, Xia XR, Shea D, Nichols EG. Non-target and suspect-screening analyses of hydroponic soybeans and passive samplers exposed to different watershed irrigation sources. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:153754. [PMID: 35182644 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Water scarcity increases the likelihood of irrigating food crops with municipal wastewater that may pose potential dietary risks of regulated and non-regulated organic chemical uptake to edible plant tissues. Only a few studies have used high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to assess the uptake of chemicals of concern into food crops. This study used non-target and suspect-screening analyses to compare total chemical features, tentatively identified chemicals (TICs), and EPA ToxCast chemicals in soybean plants and passive samplers exposed to five different irrigation sources that were collected from an agricultural watershed during mild drought conditions. Secondary-treated municipal wastewater effluent, two surface waters, two ground waters, and deionized municipal tap water were used for two hydroponic experiments: soybean roots and shoots and Composite Integrative Passive Samplers (CIPS) harvested after fourteen days of exposure and soybeans after fifty-six days. CIPS were sealed in separate glass amber jars to evaluate their efficacy to mimic chemical features, TICs, and ToxCast chemical uptake in plant roots, shoots, and beans. Total soybean biomass and water use were greatest for tap water, municipal wastewater, and surface water downstream of the municipal wastewater facility relative to groundwater samples and surface water collected upstream of the wastewater facility. ToxCast chemicals were ubiquitous across watershed irrigation sources in abundance, chemical use category, and number. Wastewater-exposed soybeans had the fewest extractable TICs in plant tissues of all irrigation sources. More ToxCast chemicals were identified in CIPS than extracted from irrigation sources by solid phase extraction. ToxCast chemicals in beans and CIPS were similar in number, chemical use category, and log Kow range. CIPS appear to serve as a useful surrogate for ToxCast chemical uptake in beans, the edible food product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Brecht
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Xiang Kong
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; Statera Environmental, Inc., Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Xin Rui Xia
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; Statera Environmental, Inc., Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Damian Shea
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; Statera Environmental, Inc., Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Elizabeth Guthrie Nichols
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Technology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Huidobro-López B, López-Heras I, Alonso-Alonso C, Martínez-Hernández V, Nozal L, de Bustamante I. Analytical method to monitor contaminants of emerging concern in water and soil samples from a non-conventional wastewater treatment system. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1671:463006. [PMID: 35395450 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Nonconventional wastewater treatments, such as vegetation filters (VFs), are propitious systems to attenuate contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in small municipalities. The development of standardised multiresidue and multimatrix methods suitable for measuring a reliable number of CEC in environmental samples is crucial for monitoring infiltrating concentrations and for ensuring these systems' treatment capacity. The objective of this study is to develop and validate an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of CECs, including transformation products (TPs), with diverse physico-chemical properties, in environmental samples. The optimised method is based on sample clean-up and preconcentration by solid-phase extraction (SPE), followed by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method is able to detect and quantify 40 target CECs, including pharmaceuticals of different classes (analgesics, antibiotics, antihypertensives, lipid regulators, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antiarrhythmics, beta-blockers, amongst others), hormones and lifestyle products with good reproducibility (variations below 23%), in different water matrices, and 28 CECs, in soil samples. Acceptable recoveries (65-120%) were obtained for most of the CECs in all the matrices. However in the soil samples, as complexity required a prior extraction treatment, the recovery of some analytes was affected, which reduced the number of target CECs. The achieved methodological quantification limits (0.05-5 ng/L and 0.04-1.1 ng/g levels for the water and the soil matrices, respectively) were reasonably low for most CECs. The proposed method was successfully applied to monitor CECs in a VF. The CECs detected at higher concentrations are some of the world's most widely used products (e.g. acetaminophen or caffeine and its main TP, paraxanthine). The results showed an almost 70% reduction in CEC concentrations during infiltration. The groundwater data indicated that the VF treatment operation did not affect the underlying aquifer (Cmax found in GW <1 µg/L).
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Huidobro-López
- IMDEA Water, Avenida Punto Com 2, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Geology, Geography and Environment Department, University of Alcala, A-II km 33.0, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Isabel López-Heras
- IMDEA Water, Avenida Punto Com 2, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Leonor Nozal
- IMDEA Water, Avenida Punto Com 2, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Center of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology (CQAB), University of Alcala and General Foundation of Alcala University (FGUA), A-II km 33.0, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene de Bustamante
- IMDEA Water, Avenida Punto Com 2, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Geology, Geography and Environment Department, University of Alcala, A-II km 33.0, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
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Revitt DM, Lundy L, Fatta-Kassinos D. Development of a qualitative approach to assessing risks associated with the use of treated wastewater in agricultural irrigation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 406:124286. [PMID: 33342600 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The European Commission's draft regulation for minimum requirements for water reuse in agriculture addresses microbial and basic water quality parameters but does not consider the potential impacts of chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) on human and environmental health. Because insufficient data prevents the quantitative characterisation of risks posed by CECs in treated wastewater (TWW), this paper presents a framework, which combines data and expert judgement to assess likelihood of occurrence and magnitude of impact. An increasing relative scale is applied where numeric values are pre-defined to represent comparative levels of importance. Subsequently, an overall assessment of the level of risk is characterised by multiplying together allocated scores, to obtain a single discrete overall score per CEC. Guidelines to support implementation of the framework as far as soil (the initial receiving compartment and pathway to further protected targets) are developed and applied. The approach is demonstrated through its application to clarithromycin, where results indicate that - under the considered scenario - there is limited possibility of its occurrence in soil in a bioavailable form. The role of a qualitative risk assessment approach is considered and the opportunity for its outputs to inform future research agendas described.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Michael Revitt
- Middlesex University, Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, London NW4 4BT, United Kingdom.
| | - Lian Lundy
- Middlesex University, Department of Natural Sciences, School of Science and Technology, London NW4 4BT, United Kingdom
| | - Despo Fatta-Kassinos
- University of Cyprus, NIREAS-International Water Research Center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2109, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Zhu Y, Chen R, Li YY, Sano D. Virus removal by membrane bioreactors: A review of mechanism investigation and modeling efforts. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 188:116522. [PMID: 33091802 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The increasing pressure on the global water supply calls for more advanced solutions with higher efficiency and better sustainability, leading to the promptly developing water reclamation and reuse schemes including treatment technologies and risk management strategies where microbial safety is becoming a crucial aspect in the interest of public health. Backed up by the development of membrane technology, membrane bioreactors (MBR) have received substantial attention for their superiority over conventional treatment methods in many ways and are considered promising in the water reclamation realm. This review paper provides an overview of the efforts made to manage and control the potential waterborne viral disease risks raised by the use of effluent from MBR treatment processes, including the mechanisms involved in the virus removal process and the attempts to model the dynamics of the removal process. In principle, generalized and integrated virus removal models that provide insight into real-time monitoring are urgently needed for advanced real-time control purpose. Future studies of approaches that can well handle the inherent uncertainty and nonlinearity of the complex removal process are crucial to the development and promotion of related technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhu
- Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Rong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Yu-You Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sano
- Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-6-06, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan.
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7
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Lyu S, Chen W, Qian J, Wen X, Xu J. Prioritizing environmental risks of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in reclaimed water on urban green space in Beijing. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 697:133850. [PMID: 31491626 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in reclaimed water can enter into soil, groundwater, and air during the irrigation of urban green spaces, leading to potential risks due to their negative effects of feminization, on root elongation, and as carcinogens. In this study, a validated HYDRUS-1D model by field experiments and an exposure model were used to simulate the distributions of 67 PPCPs detected in the effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants of Beijing under two scenarios (1, uniform irrigation concentrations; 2, detected irrigation concentrations) in soil, groundwater, and air. To determine the priority ranks of the 67 PPCPs, the effect values of the PPCPs in soil, groundwater, and air were calculated on the basis of distributions and toxicity data, and then weighted and scored. Under scenario 1, roxithromycin, medroxyprogesterone acetate, and megestrol acetate, characterized by high adsorption and low volatilization and degradation, had the highest accumulations in soil, and ofloxacin, characterized by the lowest degradation and adsorption, had the highest leaching to groundwater. The highest volatilization was observed for galaxolide abbalide, tonalid, and dioctyl phthalate. Under scenario 2, based on their overall scores and priority ranks, the 67 PPCPs were divided into three groups: I, high priority; II, moderate priority; III, low priority. Of the 67 PPCPs, 17 were classified in group I, with the highest priority rankings for ofloxacin, 17α-ethynylestradiol, dibutyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, and sulfamethoxazole. In group III (total 33 PPCPs), 28 of the PPCPs were not of urgent concern under reclaimed water irrigation in Beijing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sidan Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Weiping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jinping Qian
- College of Resources and Environment Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Ecological Construction, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, China.
| | - Xuefa Wen
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Jian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
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Shen Y, Stedtfeld RD, Guo X, Bhalsod GD, Jeon S, Tiedje JM, Li H, Zhang W. Pharmaceutical exposure changed antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial communities in soil-surface- and overhead-irrigated greenhouse lettuce. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 131:105031. [PMID: 31336252 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
New classes of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have received increasing attention due to rapid increases of their abundance in agroecosystems. As food consumption is a direct exposure pathway of pharmaceuticals, ARB, and ARGs to humans, it is important to understand changes of bacterial communities and ARG profiles in food crops produced with contaminated soils and waters. This study examined the level and type of ARGs and bacterial community composition in soil, and lettuce shoots and roots under soil-surface or overhead irrigation with pharmaceuticals-contaminated water, using high throughput qPCR and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing techniques, respectively. In total 52 ARG subtypes were detected in the soil, lettuce shoot and root samples, with mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) and multidrug resistance (MDR) genes as dominant types. The overall abundance and diversity of ARGs and bacteria associated with lettuce shoots under soil-surface irrigation were lower than those under overhead irrigation, indicating soil-surface irrigation may have lower risks of producing food crops with high abundance of ARGs. ARG profiles and bacterial communities were sensitive to pharmaceutical exposure, but no consistent patterns of changes were observed. MGE intl1 was consistently more abundant with pharmaceutical exposure than in the absence of pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical exposure enriched Proteobacteria (specifically Methylophilaceae) and decreased bacterial alpha diversity. Finally, there were significant interplays among bacteria community, antibiotic concentrations, and ARG abundance possibly involving hotspots including Sphingomonadaceae, Pirellulaceae, and Chitinophagaceae, MGEs (intl1 and tnpA_1) and MDR genes (mexF and oprJ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yike Shen
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; Environmental Science and Policy Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Robert D Stedtfeld
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, United States
| | - Xueping Guo
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; Center for Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Gemini D Bhalsod
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; Cook County Unit, University of Illinois Extension, Arlington Heights, IL 60004, United States
| | - Sangho Jeon
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Wanju 54875, Republic of Korea
| | - James M Tiedje
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; Center for Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States; Environmental Science and Policy Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, United States.
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Carter LJ, Chefetz B, Abdeen Z, Boxall ABA. Emerging investigator series: towards a framework for establishing the impacts of pharmaceuticals in wastewater irrigation systems on agro-ecosystems and human health. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2019; 21:605-622. [PMID: 30932118 DOI: 10.1039/c9em00020h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Use of reclaimed wastewater for agricultural irrigation is seen as an attractive option to meet agricultural water demands of a growing number of countries suffering from water scarcity. However, reclaimed wastewater contains pollutants which are introduced to the agro-environment during the irrigation process. While water reuse guidelines do consider selected classes of pollutants, they do not account for the presence of pollutants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals and the potential risks these may pose. Here we use source-pathway-receptor analysis (S-P-R) to develop a holistic framework for evaluating the impacts of pharmaceuticals, present in wastewater used for agricultural irrigation, on human and ecosystem health and evaluate the data availability for the framework components. The developed framework comprised of 34 processes and compartments but a good level of knowledge was available for only five of these suggesting that currently it is not possible to fully establish the impacts of pharmaceuticals in wastewater irrigation systems. To address this, work is urgently needed to understand the fate and transport of pharmaceuticals in arable soil systems and the effects of chronic low-level exposure to these substances on microbes, invertebrates, plants, wildlife and humans. In addition, research pertaining to the fate, uptake and effects of pharmaceutical mixtures and metabolites is lacking as well as data on bio-accessibility of pharmaceuticals after ingestion. Scientific advancements in the five areas prioritised in terms of future research are needed before we are able to fully quantify the agricultural and human health risks associated with reclaimed wastewater use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Carter
- School of Geography, Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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10
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Ghirardini A, Verlicchi P. A review of selected microcontaminants and microorganisms in land runoff and tile drainage in treated sludge-amended soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 655:939-957. [PMID: 30481719 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study is to provide a snapshot of the quality of surface runoff and tile drainage in sludge-amended soil in terms of 57 microcontaminants, including pharmaceuticals, hormones and fragrances, and 5 different species of bacteria. It also discusses the main factors affecting their occurrence (soil characteristics, applied sludge load and rate, sludge application method, rain intensity and frequency). It is based on 38 investigations carried out by different research groups in Canada, Australia, the USA and Ireland. The most frequently investigated compounds were hormones, the antiseptics triclosan and triclocarban, the analgesics and anti-inflammatories acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen, the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole, the lipid regulator gemfibrozil and the psychiatric drug carbamazepine. Of all the bacteria, E. coli was the most monitored species. It was found that concentrations of the studied pollutants in surface runoff and tile drainage may vary, depending on many factors. They are generally lower than those observed in the secondary municipal effluent and in surface water, but their contribution to the deterioration of surface water quality might be relevant, mainly in wide rural areas. In this context, the reported data or their ranges represent an attempt to provide reference thresholds and bands of observed concentrations for a rough estimation of the contribution made by the release of the selected pollutants into surface water bodies via surface runoff and tile drainage.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ghirardini
- Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - P Verlicchi
- Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy; Terra and Acqua Laboratory of the Technopole network of the University of Ferrara, Via Borsari 46, 44123 Ferrara, Italy.
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11
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Silver M, Selke S, Balsaa P, Wefer-Roehl A, Kübeck C, Schüth C. Fate of five pharmaceuticals under different infiltration conditions for managed aquifer recharge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 642:914-924. [PMID: 29929143 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Infiltration of treated wastewater (TWW) to recharge depleted aquifers, often referred to as managed aquifer recharge, is a solution to replenish groundwater resources in regions facing water scarcity. We present a mass balance approach to infer the amounts of five pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diclofenac, fenoprofen, gemfibrozil, and naproxen) degraded in column experiments based on concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the aqueous and solid (sorbed) phases. Column experiments were conducted under three different conditions: continuous infiltration, wetting and drying cycles, and wetting and drying cycles with elevated concentrations of antibiotics (which may reduce microbially aided degradation of other compounds). A mass balance comparing pharmaceutical mass in the water phase over the 16-month duration of the experiments to mass sorbed to the soil was used to infer the mass of pharmaceuticals degraded. Results show sorption as the main attenuation mechanism for carbamazepine. About half of the mass of diclofenac was degraded with wetting and drying cycles, but no significant degradation was found for continuous infiltration, while 32% of infiltrated mass sorbed. Fenoprofen was degraded in the shallow and aerobic part of the soil, but degradation appeared to cease beyond 27 cm depth. Gemfibrozil attenuated through a combination of degradation and sorption, with slight increases in attenuation with depth from both mechanisms. Naproxen degraded progressively with depth, resulting in attenuation of >90% of the mass. In the column with elevated concentrations of antibiotics, the antibiotics attenuated to about 50% or less of inflow concentrations by 27 cm depth and within this zone, less degradation of the other compounds was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Silver
- Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany; Water Resources Management Division, IWW Water Centre, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
| | - Stephanie Selke
- Water Quality Division, IWW Water Centre, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Peter Balsaa
- Water Quality Division, IWW Water Centre, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
| | - Annette Wefer-Roehl
- Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christine Kübeck
- Water Resources Management Division, IWW Water Centre, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
| | - Christoph Schüth
- Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany; Water Resources Management Division, IWW Water Centre, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.
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Dodgen LK, Wiles KN, Deluhery J, Rajagopalan N, Holm N, Zheng W. Removal of estrogenic hormones from manure-containing water by vegetable oil capture. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2018; 343:125-131. [PMID: 28942185 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.08.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Manure-containing water (MCW) is frequently used for agricultural amendment, a practice that introduces natural and synthetic hormones to the environment. Advanced treatment processes are not practical for most animal operations, so inexpensively removing hormones from MCW by capture with vegetable oils was evaluated. Estrone (E1) and 17β-estradiol (E2) were used as model hormones due to their high biological activity and prevalence in MCW. Eight vegetable-based oils were able to remove >94% of E1 and >87% of E2 from nanopure water (NPW), and tested oils had log10Koil-water values of 1.96-2.66 for E1 and 1.51-2.47 for E2. System parameters were optimized at 3min of shaking time and 1:10 corn oil:water (v/v). Removal from real MCW and NPW was assessed at several initial concentrations of E1 and E2. While E1 removal was comparable across all initial concentrations and both water types (>93%), E2 removal exhibited concentration-dependent interaction with MCW matrix. Treatment capacity was assessed by using the same oil for multiple batches of NPW or MCW. After 18 cycles, removal dropped to 50-64% of E1 and 35-37% for E2. Treating MCW with vegetable oils may be a promising approach to inexpensively remove microcontaminants before MCW is used for land application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurel K Dodgen
- Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Illinois, 61820, USA.
| | - Kelsey N Wiles
- Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Illinois, 61820, USA
| | - Jennifer Deluhery
- Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Illinois, 61820, USA
| | - Nandakishore Rajagopalan
- Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Illinois, 61820, USA
| | - Nancy Holm
- Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Illinois, 61820, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- Illinois Sustainable Technology Center, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Illinois, 61820, USA.
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McEachran AD, Shea D, Nichols EG. Pharmaceuticals in a temperate forest-water reuse system. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 581-582:705-714. [PMID: 28073640 PMCID: PMC5303553 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.12.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Revised: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Forest-water reuse systems infiltrate municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastewaters through forest soils to shallow aquifers that ultimately discharge to surface waters. Their ability to mitigate regulated nutrients, metals, and organic chemicals is well known, but the fate of non-regulated chemicals in these systems is largely unstudied. This study quantified 33 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in soils, groundwaters, and surface waters in a 2000-hectare forest that receives ~1200mm/year of secondary-treated, municipal wastewater in addition to natural rainfall (~1300mm/year). This forest-water reuse system does contribute PPCPs to soils, groundwater, and surface waters. PPCPs were more abundant in soils versus underlying groundwater by an order of magnitude (5-10ng/g summed PPCPs in soil and 50-100ng/L in groundwater) and the more hydrophobic chemicals were predominant in soil over water. PPCP concentrations in surface waters were greater at the onset of significant storm events and during low-rainfall periods when total summed PPCPs were >80ng/L, higher than the annual average. With few exceptions, the margins of exposure for PPCPs in groundwater and surface waters were several orders of magnitude above values indicative of human health risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D McEachran
- North Carolina State University, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, College of Natural Resources, Campus Box 8008, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Damian Shea
- North Carolina State University, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences, Campus Box 7614, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Guthrie Nichols
- North Carolina State University, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, College of Natural Resources, Campus Box 8008, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
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Singer AC, Shaw H, Rhodes V, Hart A. Review of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment and Its Relevance to Environmental Regulators. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1728. [PMID: 27847505 PMCID: PMC5088501 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 383] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The environment is increasingly being recognized for the role it might play in the global spread of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance. Environmental regulators monitor and control many of the pathways responsible for the release of resistance-driving chemicals into the environment (e.g., antimicrobials, metals, and biocides). Hence, environmental regulators should be contributing significantly to the development of global and national antimicrobial resistance (AMR) action plans. It is argued that the lack of environment-facing mitigation actions included in existing AMR action plans is likely a function of our poor fundamental understanding of many of the key issues. Here, we aim to present the problem with AMR in the environment through the lens of an environmental regulator, using the Environment Agency (England’s regulator) as an example from which parallels can be drawn globally. The issues that are pertinent to environmental regulators are drawn out to answer: What are the drivers and pathways of AMR? How do these relate to the normal work, powers and duties of environmental regulators? What are the knowledge gaps that hinder the delivery of environmental protection from AMR? We offer several thought experiments for how different mitigation strategies might proceed. We conclude that: (1) AMR Action Plans do not tackle all the potentially relevant pathways and drivers of AMR in the environment; and (2) AMR Action Plans are deficient partly because the science to inform policy is lacking and this needs to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Helen Shaw
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs London, UK
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