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Hu J, Lyu Y, Chen H, Li S, Sun W. Suspect and Nontarget Screening Reveal the Underestimated Risks of Antibiotic Transformation Products in Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17439-17451. [PMID: 37930269 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics are anthropogenic contaminants with a global presence and of deep concern in aquatic environments, while less is known about the occurrence and risks of their transformation products (TPs). Herein, we developed a comprehensive suspect and nontarget screening workflow based on high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify unknown antibiotic TPs in wastewater treatment plant effluents. We identified 211 compounds (35 parent antibiotics and 176 TPs) at confidence levels of ≥3 and 107 TPs originated from macrolides. TPs were quantified by 17 TPs standards and semiquantified by the predicted response factors and accounted for 55.6-95.1% (76.7% on average) of the total concentrations of parents and TPs. 22.2%, 63.1%, and 18.8% of the identified TPs were estimated to be more persistent, mobile, and toxic than their parent antibiotics, respectively. Further ecological risk assessment based on concentrations and toxicity to aquatic organisms revealed that the cumulative risks of TPs were generally higher than those of parents. Despite the newly formed N-oxide TPs, the tertiary treatment process (mainly ozonation) could decrease the averaged 20.3% of concentrations and 36.2% of the risks of antibiotic-related compounds. This study highlights the necessity to include antibiotic TPs in environmental scrutiny and risk assessment of antibiotics in different aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingrun Hu
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yitao Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Si Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Weiling Sun
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
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2
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Yao P, You A. Predicting combined antibacterial activity of sulfapyridine and its transformation products during sulfapyridine degradation. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 253:114656. [PMID: 36796210 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114656] [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: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics have strong antibacterial activity, even trace antibiotics can greatly inhibit the pollutant degradation efficiency. In order to effectively improve the pollutant degradation efficiency, it was hence of great significance to explore sulfapyridine (SPY) degradation and the mechanism of antibacterial activity. This study selected SPY as the research object, of which the trend of SPY concentration through hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), potassium peroxydisulfate (PDS) and sodium percarbonate (SPC) and resultant antibacterial activity at pre-oxidation was examined. The combined antibacterial activity (CAA) of SPY and its transformation products (TPs) was further analyzed. The SPY degradation efficiency reached more than 90 %. However, the degradation efficiency of antibacterial activity was between 40-60 %, and the mixture's antibacterial activity was difficult to be removed. The antibacterial activity of TP3, TP6 and TP7 was higher than that of SPY. TP1, and TP8 and TP10 were more prone to synergistic reaction with other TPs. The antibacterial activity of binary mixture gradually changed from synergism to antagonism as binary mixture concentration increased. The results provided a theoretical basis for the efficient degradation of antibacterial activity of the SPY mixture solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Yao
- Zhejiang Institute of Hydraulics and Estuary (Zhejiang Institute of Marine Planning and Design), Zhejiang 311100, China
| | - Aiju You
- Zhejiang Institute of Hydraulics and Estuary (Zhejiang Institute of Marine Planning and Design), Zhejiang 311100, China.
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Vo HNP, Ngo HH, Guo W, Nguyen KH, Chang SW, Nguyen DD, Cheng D, Bui XT, Liu Y, Zhang X. Effect of calcium peroxide pretreatment on the remediation of sulfonamide antibiotics (SMs) by Chlorella sp. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 793:148598. [PMID: 34328983 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of CaO2 pretreatment on sulfonamide antibiotics (SMs) remediation by Chlorella sp. Results showed that a CaO2 dose ranging from 0.05 to 0.1 g/g biomass was the best and led to higher SMs removal efficacy 5-10% higher than the control. The contributions made by cometabolism and CaO2 in SMs remediation were very similar. Bioassimilation could remove 24% of sulfadiazine (SDZ) and sulfamethazine (SMZ), and accounted for 38% of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) remediation. Pretreatment by CaO2 wielded a positive effect on microalgae. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) level of the CaO2 pretreatment microalgae was three times higher when subjected to non-pretreatment. For the long-term, pretreatment microalgae removed SMs 10-20% more than the non-pretreatment microalgae. Protein fractions of EPS in continuous operation produced up to 90 mg/L for cometabolism. For bioassimilation, SMX intensity of the pretreatment samples was 160-fold less than the non-treatment one. It indicated the CaO2 pretreatment has enhanced the biochemical function of the intracellular environment of microalgae. Peroxidase enzyme involved positively in the cometabolism and degradation of SMs to several metabolites including ring cleavage, hydroxylation and pterin-related conjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoang Nhat Phong Vo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Joint Research Centre for Protective Infrastructure Technology and Environmental Green Bioprocess, Department of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China.
| | - Wenshan Guo
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Joint Research Centre for Protective Infrastructure Technology and Environmental Green Bioprocess, Department of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Khanh Hoang Nguyen
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Soon Woong Chang
- Department of Environmental Energy Engineering, Kyonggi University, 442-760, Republic of Korea
| | - Dinh Duc Nguyen
- Department of Environmental Energy Engineering, Kyonggi University, 442-760, Republic of Korea; Institution of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Viet Nam
| | - Dongle Cheng
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Xuan Thanh Bui
- Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Technology, Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh, 268 Ly Thuong Kiet st, Dist. 10, Ho Chi Minh City 700 000, Viet Nam
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, 2205 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, PR China
| | - Xinbo Zhang
- Joint Research Centre for Protective Infrastructure Technology and Environmental Green Bioprocess, Department of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, China
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Li J, Zhao L, Feng M, Huang CH, Sun P. Abiotic transformation and ecotoxicity change of sulfonamide antibiotics in environmental and water treatment processes: A critical review. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 202:117463. [PMID: 34358906 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sulfonamides (SAs) are among the most widely used antibiotics to treat bacterial infections for humans and animals. They are also used in livestock agriculture to improve growth and feed efficiency in many countries. Recent years, there is a growing concern about the environmental fate and treatment technologies of SAs, in order to eliminate their potential impact on the ecosystem and human health. Additionally, SAs are frequently used as model compounds to evaluate the performance of newly developed advanced water treatment processes. Hence, understanding the chemical reaction features of SAs can provide valuable information for further technological development. In this review, the reaction kinetics, abiotic transformations and corresponding ecotoxicity changes of SAs in natural environments and water treatment processes were comprehensively analyzed to draw critical suggestion and new insights. The •OH-based AOP is proposed as an effective method for the elimination of SAs toxicity, although it is susceptible to water constituent due to low selectivity. The application of biochar or metal-based oxidants in AOPs is becoming a future trend for SA treatment. Overall, this review would provide useful information for the development of advanced water treatment technologies and the control of ecological risks related to SAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchen Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Mingbao Feng
- College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Ching-Hua Huang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, United States
| | - Peizhe Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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Xiong Q, Liu YS, Hu LX, Shi ZQ, Cai WW, He LY, Ying GG. Co-metabolism of sulfamethoxazole by a freshwater microalga Chlorella pyrenoidosa. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 175:115656. [PMID: 32145399 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae-mediated biodegradation of antibiotics has recently gained increased attention from international scientific community. However, limited information is available regarding microalgae-mediated biodegradation of SMX in a co-metabolic system. Here we investigated the biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) by five algal species (Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Scenedesmus quadricauda, Scenedesmus obliquus, Scenedesmus acuminatus and Chlorella pyrenoidosa), and its transformation pathways by C. pyrenoidosa in a sodium acetate (3 mM) co-metabolic system. The results showed that the highest SMX dissipation (14.9%) was detected by C. pyrenoidosa after 11 days of cultivation among the five tested algal species in the absence of other carbon sources. The addition of sodium acetate (0-8 mM) significantly enhanced the dissipation efficiency of SMX (0.4 μM) from 6.05% to 99.3% by C. pyrenoidosa after 5 days of cultivation, and the dissipation of SMX followed the first-order kinetic model with apparent rate constants (k) ranging from 0.0107 to 0.9811 d-1. Based on the results of mass balance analysis, biodegradation by C. pyrenoidosa was the main mechanism for the dissipation of SMX in the culture medium. Fifteen phase I and phase II metabolites were identified, and subsequently the transformation pathway was proposed, including oxidation, hydroxylation, formylation and side chain breakdown, as well as pterin-related conjugation. The majority of metabolites of SMX were only observed in the culture medium and varied with cultivation time. The findings of the present study showed effective co-metabolism of a sulfonamide by microalgae, and it may be applied in the aquatic environment remediation and wastewater treatment in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - You-Sheng Liu
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Li-Xin Hu
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Zhou-Qi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wen-Wen Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Liang-Ying He
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Guang-Guo Ying
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
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Achermann S, Bianco V, Mansfeldt CB, Vogler B, Kolvenbach BA, Corvini PFX, Fenner K. Biotransformation of Sulfonamide Antibiotics in Activated Sludge: The Formation of Pterin-Conjugates Leads to Sustained Risk. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:6265-6274. [PMID: 29706069 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b06716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The presence of antibiotics in treated wastewater and consequently in surface and groundwater resources raises concerns about the formation and spread of antibiotic resistance. Improving the removal of antibiotics during wastewater treatment therefore is a prime objective of environmental engineering. Here we obtained a detailed picture of the fate of sulfonamide antibiotics during activated sludge treatment using a combination of analytical methods. We show that pterin-sulfonamide conjugates, which are formed when sulfonamides interact with their target enzyme to inhibit folic acid synthesis, represent a major biotransformation route for sulfonamides in laboratory batch experiments with activated sludge. The same major conjugates were also present in the effluents of nine Swiss wastewater treatment plants. The demonstration of this biotransformation route, which is related to bacterial growth, helps explain seemingly contradictory views on optimal conditions for sulfonamide removal. More importantly, since pterin-sulfonamide conjugates show retained antibiotic activity, our findings suggest that risk from exposure to sulfonamide antibiotics may be less reduced during wastewater treatment than previously assumed. Our results thus further emphasize the inadequacy of focusing on parent compound removal and the importance of investigating biotransformation pathways and removal of bioactivity to properly assess contaminant removal in both engineered and natural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Achermann
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Valeria Bianco
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
| | - Cresten B Mansfeldt
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
| | - Bernadette Vogler
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
| | - Boris A Kolvenbach
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences , University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , 4132 Muttenz , Switzerland
| | - Philippe F X Corvini
- Institute for Ecopreneurship, School of Life Sciences , University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland , 4132 Muttenz , Switzerland
- State Key Laboratory for Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment , Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093 , PR China
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , Eawag , 8600 Dübendorf , Switzerland
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich , 8092 Zürich , Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry , University of Zürich , 8057 Zürich , Switzerland
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Stravs MA, Pomati F, Hollender J. Exploring micropollutant biotransformation in three freshwater phytoplankton species. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2017; 19:822-832. [PMID: 28485428 DOI: 10.1039/c7em00100b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Phytoplankton constitute an important component of surface water ecosystems; however little is known about their contribution to biotransformation of organic micropollutants. To elucidate biotransformation processes, batch experiments with two cyanobacterial species (Microcystis aeruginosa and Synechococcus sp.) and one green algal species (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) were conducted. Twenty-four micropollutants were studied, including 15 fungicides and 9 pharmaceuticals. Online solid phase extraction (SPE) coupled with liquid chromatography (LC)-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HRMS/MS) was used together with suspect and nontarget screening to identify transformation products (TPs). 14 TPs were identified for 9 micropollutants, formed by cytochrome P450-mediated oxidation, conjugation and methylation reactions. The observed transformation pathways included reactions likely mediated by promiscuous enzymes, such as glutamate conjugation to mefenamic acid and pterin conjugation of sulfamethoxazole. For 15 compounds, including all azole fungicides tested, no TPs were identified. Environmentally relevant concentrations of chemical stressors had no influence on the transformation types and rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Stravs
- Eawag Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
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Majewsky M, Wagner D, Delay M, Bräse S, Yargeau V, Horn H. Antibacterial Activity of Sulfamethoxazole Transformation Products (TPs): General Relevance for Sulfonamide TPs Modified at the para Position. Chem Res Toxicol 2014; 27:1821-8. [DOI: 10.1021/tx500267x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marius Majewsky
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engler-Bunte-Institut, Chair of Water Chemistry and Water Technology, Engler-Bunte-Ring 1, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Danny Wagner
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Organic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Markus Delay
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engler-Bunte-Institut, Chair of Water Chemistry and Water Technology, Engler-Bunte-Ring 1, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Stefan Bräse
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Organic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Toxicology and Genetics (ITG), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz
1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Viviane Yargeau
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University Street, Montréal, Quebec J3N 1V3, Canada
| | - Harald Horn
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engler-Bunte-Institut, Chair of Water Chemistry and Water Technology, Engler-Bunte-Ring 1, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
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