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Huang J, Cheng F, He L, Lou X, Li H, You J. Effect driven prioritization of contaminants in wastewater treatment plants across China: A data mining-based toxicity screening approach. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 264:122223. [PMID: 39116614 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122223] [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: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
A diversity of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are present in wastewater effluent, posing potential threats to receiving waters. It is urgent for a holistic assessment of the occurrence and risk of CECs related to wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) on national and regional scales. A data mining-based risk prioritization method was developed to collect the reported contaminants and their respective concentrations in municipal and industrial WWTPs and their receiving waters across China over the past 20 years. A total of 10,781 chemicals were reported in 8336 publications, of which 1037 contaminants were reported with environmental concentrations. While contaminant categories varied across WWTP types (municipal vs. industrial) and regions, pharmaceuticals and cyclic hydrocarbons were the most studied CECs. Contaminant composition in receiving water was closer to that in municipal than industrial WWTPs. Publications on legacy pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in WWTP decreased recently compared to the past, while pharmaceuticals and perfluorochemicals have received increasing attention, showing a changing concern over time. Detection frequency, concentration, removal efficiency, and toxicity data were integrated for assessing potential risks and prioritizing CECs on national and regional scales using an environmental health prioritization index (EHPi) approach. Among 666 contaminants in municipal WWTP effluent, trichlorfon and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid were with the highest EHPi scores, while 17ɑ-ethinylestradiol and bisphenol A had the highest EHPi scores among 304 contaminants in industrial WWTPs. The prioritized contaminants varied across regions, suggesting a need for tailoring regional measures of wastewater treatment and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiehui Huang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China
| | - Fei Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China
| | - Liwei He
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China
| | - Xiaohan Lou
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China
| | - Huizhen Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China.
| | - Jing You
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, China.
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2
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Ding L, Zhang CM. Occurrence, ecotoxicity and ecological risks of psychoactive substances in surface waters. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171788. [PMID: 38499097 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171788] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Psychoactive substances (PSs) represent a subset of emerging contaminants. Their widespread production and utilization contribute to a growing ecological burden and risk on a global scale. Conventional wastewater treatment methods have proven insufficient in adequately removing psychoactive substances, leading to their occurrence in surface water ecosystems worldwide. As of present, however, a thorough understanding of their geographical prevalence and distribution patterns remains elusive. Further, in the existing literature, there is a scarcity of comprehensive overviews that systematically summarize the toxicity of various psychoactive substances towards aquatic organisms. Through summarizing almost 140 articles, the present study provides an overview of the sources, pollution status, and biotoxicity of psychoactive substances in surface waters, as well as an assessment of their ecological risks. Concentrations of several psychoactive substances in surface waters were found to be as high as hundreds or even thousands of ng·L-1. In parallel, accumulation of psychoactive substances in the tissues or organs of aquatic organisms was found to potentially cause certain adverse effects, including behavioral disorders, organ damage, and DNA changes. Oxidative stress was found to be a significant factor in the toxic effects of psychoactive substances on organisms. The application of the risk quotient approach indicated that psychoactive substances posed a medium to high risk in certain surface water bodies, as well as the need for sustained long-term attention and management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Ding
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Chong-Miao Zhang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; International Science and Technology Cooperation Center for Urban Alternative Water Resources Development, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China.
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3
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Struzina L, Pineda M, Yargeau V. Occurrence and removal of legacy plasticizers and flame retardants through a drinking water treatment plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169333. [PMID: 38097079 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of thirty-four flame retardants and plasticizers throughout treatment steps in a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) was analyzed to assess removal efficiencies of filtration, ultraviolet (UV) treatment, and chlorination. Legacy compounds and replacements were included to compare their presence and persistence. Twenty-four-hour composite sampling, offset to account for retention time, was performed at a direct filtration DWTP in Montreal, Canada over a three-day period. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), considered legacy flame retardants, were infrequently detected or at concentrations <1 ng/L. When overall removal efficiencies could be calculated, the removal of ∑7PBDEs was 49 and 94 % for days 2 and 3, respectively. No removal could be calculated on day 1 as PBDEs were only detected in finished drinking water. Higher brominated PBDEs BDE-183 and BDE-154 were only detected in raw water. Organophosphate esters (OPEs), considered replacement flame retardants, were frequently detected in all water samples. The total average concentration of ∑15OPes was 501 ng/L in raw water and 162 ng/L in drinking water, with an average removal efficiency of 67 %. OPEs were mainly removed during filtration, with TCIPP, TDCIPP, and TPHP showing statistically significant removal of 76, 84, and 95 %, respectively. The total average concentration of ∑8plasticizers was 2938 ng/L in raw water and 116 ng/L in drinking water. All plasticizers, except for metabolite MEHP, had significant removal from filtration, and the overall removal of plasticizers ranged from 20 % for DEP to 99 % for DEHP. Drinking water treatment decreases the concentration of these contaminants in drinking water but was less effective in removing flame retardants than plasticizers, as indicated by their higher number of PBDEs detected and higher concentrations of OPEs measured. To our knowledge, it is the first report of the removal of PBDEs, OPE metabolites and plasticizer replacements (DEHA, DIDA, DINCH, DINP) during drinking water treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leena Struzina
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 rue University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Marco Pineda
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 rue University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Viviane Yargeau
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 rue University, Montréal, Québec H3A 0C5, Canada.
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Arun S, Xin L, Gaonkar O, Neppolian B, Zhang G, Chakraborty P. Antibiotics in sewage treatment plants, receiving water bodies and groundwater of Chennai city and the suburb, South India: Occurrence, removal efficiencies, and risk assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158195. [PMID: 35995170 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The presence of antibiotics in the aqueous environment can alter the water microbiome, inducing antimicrobial resistance genes. Hence, the occurrence of 18 antibiotics belonging to sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, phenicols, and macrolides classes were investigated in surface water, groundwater, and sewage treatment plants in Chennai city and the suburbs. Fluoroquinolones had the maximum detection frequency in both influent and effluent samples of urban and suburban STPs, with ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin showing the highest influent concentrations. Erythromycin was the predominant antibiotic in surface water samples with an average concentration of 194.4 ng/L. All the detected antibiotic concentrations were higher in the Buckingham Canal compared to those in Adyar and Cooum rivers, possibly due to direct sewer outfalls in the canal. In groundwater samples, ciprofloxacin showed the highest levels with an average of 20.48 ng/L and the concentrations were comparable to those of surface water. The average sulfamethazine concentration in groundwater (5.2 ng/L) was found to be slightly higher than that of the surface water and much higher than the STP influent concentrations. High levels of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethazine in groundwater may be because of their high solubility and wide use. Moreover, erythromycin was completely removed after treatment in urban STPs; FQs showed relatively lesser removal efficiency (2.4-54%) in urban STPs and (8-44%) in suburban STP. Tetracyclines and phenicols were not detected in any of the samples. Ciprofloxacin and azithromycin in surface water pose a high risk in terms of estimated antibiotic resistance. This study revealed that the measured surface water concentration of antibiotics were 500 times higher for some compounds than the predicted calculated concentrations from STP effluents. Therefore, we suspect the direct sewage outlets or open drains might play an important role in contaminating surface water bodies in Chennai city.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sija Arun
- Department of Civil Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Liu Xin
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | | | - B Neppolian
- Department of Chemistry, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Gan Zhang
- Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Paromita Chakraborty
- Environmental Science and Technology Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603 203, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Restrepo-Vieira LH, Busetti F, Linge KL, Joll CA. Development and validation of a direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the analysis of illicit drugs and psychopharmaceuticals in wastewater. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1685:463562. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Wang J, Zheng M, Deng Y, Liu M, Chen Y, Gao N, Du E, Chu W, Guo H. Generality and diversity on the kinetics, toxicity and DFT studies of sulfate radical-induced transformation of BPA and its analogues. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 219:118506. [PMID: 35576760 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The international campaign to ban bisphenol A (BPA) has resulted in increasing application of BPA substitutes. However, investigations have mainly been confined to the removal of single contaminant from the water, resulting in an inefficient burden. Furthermore, systematic study and synthetical discussion of bisphenol analogues (BPs) kinetics and transformation pathways were largely underemphasized. Chemical oxidation of BPA and four typical alternatives (i.e., bisphenol AF, bisphenol E, bisphenol F and bisphenol S) in a UV-activated persulfate system was examined in this study. The effects of persulfate (PS) dosage, pH and water matrix constituents (i.e., bicarbonate, chloride and natural organic matter) were comprehensively examined using a combination of laboratory experiments and mathematical modeling. According to our findings, the removal characteristics of different BPs employing SO4•--induced removal technology, including degradation mechanisms and influencing trends by water matrix, revealed similarly. The second order-rate constants of SO4•- reacting with BPs served as the main variables mediating the variation in degradation kinetics. Frontier molecular orbital theory and density functional theory suggested BPs molecules possessed the same susceptible positions to free radicals. In the UV-activated PS process, transformation pathways included hydroxylation, electron-transfer, substitution, and rearrangement triggered by ortho-cleavage, with certain intermediates exhibiting higher toxicity than the parent chemicals. The findings of this study provided valuable information to estimate potential environmental risks of using BPA alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingquan Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Min Zheng
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Yang Deng
- Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey 07043, United States
| | - Min Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Ying Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Naiyun Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Erdeng Du
- School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, China
| | - Wenhai Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Hongguang Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China; Yibin Industrial Technology Research Institute of Sichuan University, Yibin 644000, China.
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7
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Augusto MR, Claro ICM, Siqueira AK, Sousa GS, Caldereiro CR, Duran AFA, de Miranda TB, Bomediano Camillo LDM, Cabral AD, de Freitas Bueno R. Sampling strategies for wastewater surveillance: Evaluating the variability of SARS-COV-2 RNA concentration in composite and grab samples. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING 2022; 10:107478. [PMID: 35251931 PMCID: PMC8882035 DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2022.107478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The shedding of SARS-CoV-2 RNA titers by infected individuals, even asymptomatic and oligosymptomatic ones, allows the use of wastewater monitoring to track the COVID-19 spread in a community. This approach is interesting especially for emerging countries with limited clinical testing capabilities. However, there are still important methodological aspects that need validation so that wastewater monitoring data become more representative and useful for public health. This study evaluated the between-day and within-day variability of SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in 24-hour composite and grab samples from three different sampling points, including two wastewater treatment plants (WTTP) and a sewer manhole. In the between-day evaluation (17 weeks of monitoring), a good agreement between the SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentration of each sampling method was observed. There were no significant differences between the mean concentrations of the grab and composite samples (p-value > 0.05), considering N1 and N2 gene assays. The strong relationship between composite and grab samples was proven by correlation coefficients: Pearson's r of 0.83 and Spearman's rho of 0.78 (p-value < 0.05). In within-day evaluation, 24-hour cycles were analyzed and low variability in hourly viral concentrations was observed for three sampling points. The coefficient of variation (CV) values ranged from 3.0% to 11.5%. Overall, 24-hour profiles showed that viral RNA concentrations had less variability and greater agreement with the mean values between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m, the recommended time for grab sampling. Therefore, this study provides important information on wastewater sampling techniques for COVID-19 surveillance. Wastewater monitoring information will only be useful to public health and decision-makers if we ensure data quality through best practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Ribeiro Augusto
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Ieda Carolina Mantovani Claro
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Aline Kaori Siqueira
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Santos Sousa
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Cláudio Roberto Caldereiro
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Adriana Feliciano Alves Duran
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Taís Browne de Miranda
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Lívia de Moraes Bomediano Camillo
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Aline Diniz Cabral
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
- Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais 38402-018, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo de Freitas Bueno
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC), Center of Engineering, Modelling and Applied Social Sciences (CECS), Santo Andre, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
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Sorption of 71 Pharmaceuticals to Powder Activated Carbon for Improved Wastewater Treatment. CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/cleantechnol4020017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this study, sorption distribution coefficients were determined for 71 pharmaceuticals, aiming to describe their sorption behavior to powder activated carbon (PAC). The data are expected to be applied when designing and upgrading wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) for improved removal of pharmaceuticals by applying sorption to PAC as an additional removal technique. Sorption isotherms were determined for the pharmaceuticals over a concentration interval covering a wide range from 0.08 to 10 µg/L using PAC at a concentration of 10 mg/L. The best fitted sorption isotherms were used to calculate the distribution coefficients (Kd) and these were applied to estimate that the PAC doses needed to achieve a target concentration of 10 ng/L in the effluent. A target concentration was used since neither discharge limit values nor environmental quality standards in general have been defined for these compounds. Using a %-removal approach does not guarantee achievement of concentrations low enough to protect the water ecosystems. Some of the pharmaceuticals will be reduced by the addition of small amounts of PAC. Examples are atenolol, carbamazepine, citalopram, codeine, fluoxetine and ibuprofen. For others, e.g., oxazepam, an alternative treatment has to be considered since the requested dose is too high to be realistic for a target concentration of 10 ng/L.
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Bertanza G, Boiocchi R, Pedrazzani R. Improving the quality of wastewater treatment plant monitoring by adopting proper sampling strategies and data processing criteria. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:150724. [PMID: 34610402 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150724] [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: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring is a crucial operation for plant management. However, proper sampling procedures and data processing criteria are not always adopted. Wastewater treatment plants work under dynamic conditions, which poses a challenge for a correct performance assessment. The aim of this work is to analyse some important aspects of wastewater sampling and data processing, to identify case by case methods which should to be adopted in order to obtain reliable and consistent information on plant performance. The study was conducted through simulations and real data analyses. It turned out that: a) the preferable 24-hour composite sampling procedure is the flow-proportional mode; in addition, the required sampling frequency (i.e. the number of sub-samples to be taken to make the 24-h composite sample) increases as the percentage of population discontinuously discharging the monitored substance decreases; b) a Variability Index was defined to help find the minimum sampling frequency (i.e. the number of 24-h composite samples per year) for the calculation of annual mass flows with an acceptable uncertainty; and c) criteria were proposed for the identification of pseudo-steady state periods needed to calculate reliable mass balances and plant performance indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Bertanza
- Università degli Studi di Brescia, DICATAM, Via Branze, 43, 25123 Brescia, BS, Italy.
| | - Riccardo Boiocchi
- Università degli Studi di Brescia, DICATAM, Via Branze, 43, 25123 Brescia, BS, Italy
| | - Roberta Pedrazzani
- Università degli Studi di Brescia, DIMI, Via Branze, 38, 25123 Brescia, BS, Italy
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Tang Z, Liu ZH, Wang H, Dang Z, Liu Y. Occurrence and removal of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) in municipal wastewater treatment plants: Current status and challenges. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 271:129551. [PMID: 33453480 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
As a synthetic estrogen, 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) has been known to show the strong estrogenic potency. This work critically reviewed the occurrence and removal of EE2 in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Based on the on-site investigations from 282 municipal WWTPs across 29 countries, the concentrations of EE2 in influent and effluent ranged from n.d-7890 and n.d-549 ng/L, with respective average concentrations of 78.4 and 12.3 ng/L. The average effluent concentration of EE2 was more than 61 times higher than the reported lowest-observed-effect concentration, indicating an urgent need for removing EE2 in WWTPs. The calculated removal efficiencies of EE2 in different wastewater treatment processes varied from -100%-100%. Averagely, 47.5% of EE2 was removed in the primary treatment process, 55.3% by biological filter treatment, 59.4% by lagoon and 71.5% by activated sludge process. The observed removal of EE2 in municipal WWTP could be mainly attributed to adsorption and biodegradation, which could be predicted according to its solid-water distribution coefficients and biodegradation rate constants. However, it should be noted that the predicted removal of EE2 was found to deviate from the in-plant observation, likely attributing to the existence of EE2 conjugates in raw municipal wastewater. Therefore, the effect of EE2 conjugates on the EE2 removal in WWTPs should be taken into account in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao Tang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Ze-Hua Liu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China; Key Lab Pollution Control & Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Cluster, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environment Risk Prevention and Emergency Disposal, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hao Wang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhi Dang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Center, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, CleanTech One, 637141, Singapore; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore
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Fontes MK, Maranho LA, Pereira CDS. Review on the occurrence and biological effects of illicit drugs in aquatic ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:30998-31034. [PMID: 32361972 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08375-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Illicit drugs (IDs) and their metabolites are recognized as contaminants of emerging concern. After consumption, illicit drugs are partially metabolized and excreted unchanged in urine and feces or as active metabolites reaching wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Furthermore, most WWTPs are insufficient in the treatment of effluents containing IDs, which may be released into aquatic ecosystems. Once in the water or sediment, these substances may interact and affect non-target organisms and some evidences suggest that illicit drugs may exhibit pseudo-persistence because of a continuous environmental input, resulting in long-term exposure to aquatic organisms that may be negatively affected by these biologically active compounds. We reviewed the literature on origin and consumption, human metabolism after consumption, aquatic occurrences, and toxicity of the major groups of illicit drugs (opioids, cannabis, synthetic drugs, and cocaine). As a result, it could be concluded that illicit drugs and their metabolites are widespread in diverse aquatic ecosystems in levels able to trigger sublethal effects to non-target organisms, besides to concentrate in seafood. This class of emerging contaminants represents a new environmental concern to academics, managers, and policymakers, whose would be able to assess risks and identify proper responses to reduce environmental impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Camilo Dias Seabra Pereira
- Department of Ecotoxicology, Santa Cecília University, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.
- Department of Marine Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Giebułtowicz J, Nałęcz-Jawecki G, Harnisz M, Kucharski D, Korzeniewska E, Płaza G. Environmental Risk and Risk of Resistance Selection Due to Antimicrobials' Occurrence in Two Polish Wastewater Treatment Plants and Receiving Surface Water. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25061470. [PMID: 32213976 PMCID: PMC7144726 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25061470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, a screening of 26 selected antimicrobials using liquid chromatography coupled to a tandem mass spectrometry method in two Polish wastewater treatment plants and their receiving surface waters was provided. The highest average concentrations of metronidazole (7400 ng/L), ciprofloxacin (4300 ng/L), vancomycin (3200 ng/L), and sulfamethoxazole (3000 ng/L) were observed in influent of WWTP2. Ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole were the most dominant antimicrobials in influent and effluent of both WWTPs. In the sludge samples the highest mean concentrations were found for ciprofloxacin (up to 28 μg/g) and norfloxacin (up to 5.3 μg/g). The removal efficiency of tested antimicrobials was found to be more than 50% for both WWTPs. However, the presence of antimicrobials influenced their concentrations in the receiving waters. The highest antimicrobial resistance risk was estimated in influent of WWTPs for azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, and trimethoprim and in the sludge samples for the following antimicrobials: azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, norfloxacin, trimethoprim, ofloxacin, and tetracycline. The high environmental risk for exposure to azithromycin, clarithromycin, and sulfamethoxazole to both cyanobacteria and eukaryotic species in effluents and/or receiving water was noted. Following the obtained results, we suggest extending the watch list of the Water Framework Directive for Union-wide monitoring with sulfamethoxazole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Giebułtowicz
- Department of Bioanalysis and Drugs Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 1 Banacha, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland; (J.G.); (D.K.)
| | - Grzegorz Nałęcz-Jawecki
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 1 Banacha, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland;
| | - Monika Harnisz
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury, 5 Oczapowskiego, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; (M.H.); (E.K.)
| | - Dawid Kucharski
- Department of Bioanalysis and Drugs Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 1 Banacha, 02-097 Warszawa, Poland; (J.G.); (D.K.)
| | - Ewa Korzeniewska
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury, 5 Oczapowskiego, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; (M.H.); (E.K.)
| | - Grażyna Płaza
- Microbiology Unit, Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, 6 Kossutha, 40-844 Katowice, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48 322546031
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Park J, Kim C, Hong Y, Lee W, Chung H, Jeong DH, Kim H. Distribution and Removal of Pharmaceuticals in Liquid and Solid Phases in the Unit Processes of Sewage Treatment Plants. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17030687. [PMID: 31973074 PMCID: PMC7036819 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17030687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we analyzed 27 pharmaceuticals in liquid and solid phase samples collected from the unit processes of four different sewage treatment plants (STPs) to evaluate their distribution and behavior of the pharmaceuticals. The examination of the relative distributions of various categories of pharmaceuticals in the influent showed that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were the most dominant. While the relative distribution of antibiotics in the influent was not high (i.e., 3%–5%), it increased to 14%–30% in the effluent. In the four STPs, the mass load of the target pharmaceuticals was reduced by 88%–95% mainly in the biological treatment process, whereas the ratio of pharmaceuticals in waste sludge to those in the influent (w/w) was only 2%. In all the STPs, the removal efficiencies for the stimulant caffeine, NSAIDs (acetaminophen, naproxen, and acetylsalicylic acid), and the antibiotic cefradine were high; they were removed mainly by biological processes. Certain compounds, such as the NSAID ketoprofen, contrast agent iopromide, lipid regulator gemfibrozil, and antibiotic sulfamethoxazole, showed varying removal efficiencies depending on the contribution of biodegradation and sludge sorption. In addition, a quantitative meta-analysis was performed to compare the pharmaceutical removal efficiencies of the biological treatment processes in the four STPs, which were a membrane bioreactor (MBR) process, sequencing batch reactor (SBR) process, anaerobic–anoxic–oxic (A2O) process, and moving-bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) process. Among the biological processes, the removal efficiency was in the order of MBR > SBR > A2O > MBBR. Among the tertiary treatment processes investigated, powdered activated carbon showed the highest removal efficiency of 18%–63% for gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, atenolol, cimetidine, and trimethoprim.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwon Park
- Department of Environmental Infrastructure Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, 42 Hwangyeong-ro, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Korea; (J.P.); (C.K.); (W.L.); (H.C.)
| | - Changsoo Kim
- Department of Environmental Infrastructure Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, 42 Hwangyeong-ro, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Korea; (J.P.); (C.K.); (W.L.); (H.C.)
| | - Youngmin Hong
- Technical Research Center, Shimadzu Scientific Korea, 145 Gasan digital 1-ro, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul 08056, Korea;
| | - Wonseok Lee
- Department of Environmental Infrastructure Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, 42 Hwangyeong-ro, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Korea; (J.P.); (C.K.); (W.L.); (H.C.)
| | - Hyenmi Chung
- Department of Environmental Infrastructure Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, 42 Hwangyeong-ro, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Korea; (J.P.); (C.K.); (W.L.); (H.C.)
| | - Dong-Hwan Jeong
- Department of Environmental Infrastructure Research, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, 42 Hwangyeong-ro, Seo-gu, Incheon 22689, Korea; (J.P.); (C.K.); (W.L.); (H.C.)
- Correspondence: (D.-H.J.); (H.K.)
| | - Hyunook Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdaero, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 02054, Korea
- Correspondence: (D.-H.J.); (H.K.)
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Wang H, Liu ZH, Zhang J, Huang RP, Yin H, Dang Z, Wu PX, Liu Y. Insights into removal mechanisms of bisphenol A and its analogues in municipal wastewater treatment plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 692:107-116. [PMID: 31344564 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence and removal mechanisms of bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogues in municipal WWTPs were critically reviewed in this article. BPA appeared to be the dominant bisphenol, and the removal efficiency of bisphenols was in the order of bisphenol AP>bisphenol P>bisphenol F>bisphenol Z>bisphenol C>bisphenol S>bisphenol B>BPA>bisphenol E>bisphenol AF. It was also found that BPA removal showed linear relationships to those of its analogues, which have been proven by BPA vs BPS or BPF. BPA removal performances in different treatment processes ranked from low to high are primary treatment, lagoon process, biological aerated filter, and activated sludge. Lab-scale studies showed that >50% BPA can be removed by sewage sludge estimated with the BPA solid water distribution coefficients, which showed that sludge adsorption played an important role on BPA removal. The theoretically predicted removal of BPA in municipal WWTP showed that it is readily biodegradable, which deviate from its on-site investigations. Existence of BPA conjugates in raw municipal wastewater as well as newly produced BPA degraded or migrated from microplastic materials are possible two main reasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Ze-Hua Liu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China; Key Lab Pollution Control & Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Cluster, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environment Risk Prevention and Emergency Disposal, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Ri-Ping Huang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Hua Yin
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhi Dang
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Ping-Xiao Wu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Center, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, CleanTech one, 637141, Singapore; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore
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15
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Gallé T, Koehler C, Plattes M, Pittois D, Bayerle M, Carafa R, Christen A, Hansen J. Large-scale determination of micropollutant elimination from municipal wastewater by passive sampling gives new insights in governing parameters and degradation patterns. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 160:380-393. [PMID: 31158619 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A simple balancing method using passive samplers over a week's period has been developed and tested successfully to determine elimination rates of 22 common micropollutants of household and industrial sources in 18 full-scale wastewater treatment plants of different design and performance. Independent reactor tests to delineate elimination rates with native sludge of the treatment plants correlated very well with the full-scale elimination rate determinations. As opposed to common assumptions, this large dataset indicated that shorter sludge retention times - read: higher active biomass - showed higher micropollutant elimination rates in many cases. Multivariate statistical analysis of the elimination rates over the 18 treatment plants was able to group compounds according to common degradation pathways and showed that sensitivity to SRT drove the grouping. The dataset also allowed to determine population equivalent normalized loads of the investigated micropollutants. The application of WWTP balancing with passive sampling makes it relatively easy to gather elimination rates and inlet loads on a much broader basis than before and gives orientation for more in-depth analysis of degradation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Gallé
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 5, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
| | - C Koehler
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 5, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
| | - M Plattes
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 5, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - D Pittois
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 5, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - M Bayerle
- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, 5, avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux, L-4362, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - R Carafa
- Rovira i Virgili University, Tecnatox - Department of Chemical Engineering, Països Catalans, 26, 43007, Tarragona, Spain
| | - A Christen
- University of Luxembourg, Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication, 6, rue Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, L-1359, Luxembourg
| | - J Hansen
- University of Luxembourg, Faculty of Science, Technology and Communication, 6, rue Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, L-1359, Luxembourg
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16
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Yadav MK, Short MD, Gerber C, Awad J, van den Akker B, Saint CP. Removal of emerging drugs of addiction by wastewater treatment and water recycling processes and impacts on effluent-associated environmental risk. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 680:13-22. [PMID: 31100664 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Drugs of addiction, have been recognized as potential contaminants of concern to the environment. Effluent wastewater discharge is a major source of contamination to aquatic receiving environments. A year-long monitoring program was undertaken in Australia to characterise the fate of four emerging drugs of addiction: methamphetamine; MDMA; pharmaceutical opioids: codeine and morphine and a metabolite: benzoylecgonine in four wastewater treatment plants operating with different secondary treatment technologies: conventional activated sludge (CAS), membrane bioreactors (MBR), integrated fixed-film AS (IFAS) and sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The effect of subsequent tertiary treatment (coagulation/flocculation) on the removal efficiency was also assessed. Drugs were detected in influent and effluent samples (mean concentration ranged from 43-4777 and 17-1721 ng/L, respectively). Treated effluents had noticeably lower levels compared to raw influents. Removal efficiency of compounds depended on the secondary treatment employed, with IFAS and MBR performing the best with significant removal of compounds (≈90%) followed by CAS (54-96%) and lastly SBR (42-83%). Despite the low levels of drugs measured after the secondary treatment, near complete removal after tertiary treatment (≈99%) was recorded, which demonstrated the effectiveness of using the coagulation/flocculation process as an effective step for enhancing the removal efficiency. The levels of drugs were at a low level in the effluents released into the environment and used for recycling and all posed a low environmental risk in urban water courses based on the risk assessment. The information given here provides new and useful information to the water industry and regulators on the efficiency of drug removal in a range of wastewater treatment configurations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meena K Yadav
- Natural and Built Environments Research Centre, School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
| | - Michael D Short
- Natural and Built Environments Research Centre, School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
| | - Cobus Gerber
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, City East Campus, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - John Awad
- Natural and Built Environments Research Centre, School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
| | - Ben van den Akker
- Natural and Built Environments Research Centre, School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; SA Water Corporation, 250 Victoria Square, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Christopher P Saint
- Natural and Built Environments Research Centre, School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
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17
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Godlewska K, Stepnowski P, Paszkiewicz M. Application of the Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler for Isolation of Environmental Micropollutants – A Review. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2019; 50:1-28. [DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2019.1565983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Klaudia Godlewska
- Department of Environmental Analytics, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Piotr Stepnowski
- Department of Environmental Analytics, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Monika Paszkiewicz
- Department of Environmental Analytics, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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18
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Gao Q, Blum KM, Gago-Ferrero P, Wiberg K, Ahrens L, Andersson PL. Impact of on-site wastewater infiltration systems on organic contaminants in groundwater and recipient waters. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 651:1670-1679. [PMID: 30317168 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
On-site sewage treatment facilities, particularly septic systems combined with soil infiltration, can be an important source of emerging organic contaminants in groundwater and surface water and thus represent a significant source of environmental and human exposure. Two infiltration systems in Åre municipality, Sweden, were examined to assess the occurrence of contaminants in groundwater and their fate and transport during infiltration. Groundwater samples, recipient surface water samples, and wastewater samples from septic tanks were collected from 2016 to 2017 covering all climatological seasons. These samples were analysed for a total of 103 contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, organic phosphorus flame-retardants, plasticisers, perfluoroalkyl substances, and food additives. Fourteen of 103 contaminants showed 100% detection frequency in groundwater at concentrations in the low ng L-1 to low μg L-1 range. Of the compounds analysed, tris(2‑butoxyethyl) phosphate, sucralose, caffeine, and benzophenone showed high abundancy with maximum concentrations in the μg L-1 range. The data were normalised for dilution using chloride and sucralose as commonly applied tracers; however, the level of sucralose decreased significantly during infiltration and it is thus suboptimal as a sewage water tracer. Large differences between the two infiltration sites were observed in detection frequencies and concentrations in groundwater, which could be attributed to the system design and the contaminant's migration time from release to sampling point. Seasonal variation was observed for selected chemicals, and the more hydrophobic chemicals showed a higher tendency for attenuation, indicating sorption as a major retention mechanism. A moderate environmental risk to aquatic organisms was estimated in adjacent surface water for galaxolide, tris(1‑chloro‑2‑propyl) phosphate, and tris(2‑butoxyethyl) phosphate. Due to this site-dependency and potential environmental risks, further studies are needed on infiltration systems in different settings and on alternative treatment techniques to reduce the contaminant discharge from on-site sewage treatment facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuju Gao
- Dept. of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kristin M Blum
- Dept. of Chemistry, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pablo Gago-Ferrero
- Dept. of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-756 55 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin Wiberg
- Dept. of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-756 55 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lutz Ahrens
- Dept. of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-756 55 Uppsala, Sweden
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19
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Tran NH, Reinhard M, Gin KYH. Occurrence and fate of emerging contaminants in municipal wastewater treatment plants from different geographical regions-a review. WATER RESEARCH 2018; 133:182-207. [PMID: 29407700 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 696] [Impact Index Per Article: 116.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Emerging contaminants, such as antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, hormones, and artificial sweeteners, are recognized as new classes of water contaminants due to their proven or potential adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health. This review provides comprehensive data on the occurrence of 60 emerging contaminants (ECs) in influent, treated effluent, sludge, and biosolids in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In particular, data on the occurrence of ECs in the influents and effluents of WWTPs are systematically summarized and categorized according to geographical regions (Asia, Europe, and North America). The occurrence patterns of ECs in raw influent and treated effluents of WWTPs between geographical regions were compared and evaluated. Concentrations of most ECs in raw influent in Asian region tend to be higher than those in European and North American countries. Many antibiotics were detected in the influents and effluents of WWTPs at concentrations close to or exceeding the predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) for resistance selection. The efficacy of EC removal by sorption and biodegradation during wastewater treatment processes are discussed in light of kinetics and parameters, such as sorption coefficients (Kd) and biodegradation constants (kbiol), and physicochemical properties (i.e. log Kow and pKa). Commonly used sampling and monitoring strategies are critically reviewed. Analytical research needs are identified, and novel investigative approaches for future monitoring studies are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngoc Han Tran
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, T-Lab Building, Singapore 117411, Singapore.
| | - Martin Reinhard
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
| | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
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20
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Aymerich I, Acuña V, Ort C, Rodríguez-Roda I, Corominas L. Fate of organic microcontaminants in wastewater treatment and river systems: An uncertainty assessment in view of sampling strategy, and compound consumption rate and degradability. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 125:152-161. [PMID: 28846910 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The growing awareness of the relevance of organic microcontaminants on the environment has led to a growing number of studies on attenuation of these compounds in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and rivers. However, the effects of the sampling strategies (frequency and duration of composite samples) on the attenuation estimates are largely unknown. Our goal was to assess how frequency and duration of composite samples influence uncertainty of the attenuation estimates in WWTPs and rivers. Furthermore, we also assessed how compound consumption rate and degradability influence uncertainty. The assessment was conducted through simulating the integrated wastewater system of Puigcerdà (NE Iberian Peninsula) using a sewer pattern generator and a coupled model of WWTP and river. Results showed that the sampling strategy is especially critical at the influent of WWTP, particularly when the number of toilet flushes containing the compound of interest is small (≤100 toilet flushes with compound day-1), and less critical at the effluent of the WWTP and in the river due to the mixing effects of the WWTP. For example, at the WWTP, when evaluating a compound that is present in 50 pulses·d-1 using a sampling frequency of 15-min to collect a 24-h composite sample, the attenuation uncertainty can range from 94% (0% degradability) to 9% (90% degradability). The estimation of attenuation in rivers is less critical than in WWTPs, as the attenuation uncertainty was lower than 10% for all evaluated scenarios. Interestingly, the errors in the estimates of attenuation are usually lower than those of loads for most sampling strategies and compound characteristics (e.g. consumption and degradability), although the opposite occurs for compounds with low consumption and inappropriate sampling strategies at the WWTP. Hence, when designing a sampling campaign, one should consider the influence of compounds' consumption and degradability as well as the desired level of accuracy in attenuation estimations.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Aymerich
- Catalan Institute for Water Research, Emili Grahit 101, Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - V Acuña
- Catalan Institute for Water Research, Emili Grahit 101, Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
| | - C Ort
- Department of Urban Water Management, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Ueberlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - I Rodríguez-Roda
- Catalan Institute for Water Research, Emili Grahit 101, Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain; LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, Carrer Maria Aurèlia Capmany, 69, E-17003 Girona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ll Corominas
- Catalan Institute for Water Research, Emili Grahit 101, Scientific and Technological Park of the University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain.
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Ashfaq M, Li Y, Wang Y, Chen W, Wang H, Chen X, Wu W, Huang Z, Yu CP, Sun Q. Occurrence, fate, and mass balance of different classes of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in an anaerobic-anoxic-oxic wastewater treatment plant in Xiamen, China. WATER RESEARCH 2017; 123:655-667. [PMID: 28710982 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the occurrence and fate of 49 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) were investigated in an anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A2/O) wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) for seven consecutive days using 24-h composite sampling technique. Special emphasis was placed to understand the distribution of PPCPs in dissolved and adsorbed phase, and to evaluate PPCP fate in different treatment units. Among the 49 PPCPs, 40 PPCPs in influent, 36 in effluent, 29 in sludge and 23 in suspended solids were detected at least once during sampling. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and a stimulant were predominant PPCPs in influent whereas antibiotics were predominant in sludge, effluent and suspended solids. Removal efficiencies from the aqueous phase based on the dissolved PPCPs showed variable contribution in removing different PPCPs under screen and grit chamber, anaerobic treatment, anoxic treatment, oxic treatment and sedimentation-UV treatments, with the highest removal percentage by anaerobic process in terms of both individual and overall treatment. Mass load analysis showed that 352 g PPCPs enter the WWTP daily while 14.5 g and 58.1 g were discharged through effluent and excess sludge to the receiving sea water and soil applications, respectively. Mass balance analysis based on both aqueous and suspended PPCPs showed 280 g (79.4%) mass of influent PPCPs was lost along the wastewater treatment processes, mainly due to degradation/transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ashfaq
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan
| | - Yan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Yuwen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Wenjie Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; College of Ecology and Resources Engineering, Wuyi University, Wuyishan City 354300, China
| | - Han Wang
- College of Ecology and Resources Engineering, Wuyi University, Wuyishan City 354300, China
| | - Xiangqiang Chen
- General Water of Xiamen Sewage Co. Ltd., Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Wei Wu
- General Water of Xiamen Sewage Co. Ltd., Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Zhenyi Huang
- General Water of Xiamen Sewage Co. Ltd., Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Chang-Ping Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Qian Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
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Baalbaki Z, Sultana T, Metcalfe C, Yargeau V. Estimating removals of contaminants of emerging concern from wastewater treatment plants: The critical role of wastewater hydrodynamics. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 178:439-448. [PMID: 28342992 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.03.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 02/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Accurate data is needed to evaluate the capacity of wastewater treatments plants (WWTPs) to remove contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). The variability of CEC removals reported in the literature has raised questions about the methods used to estimate removals. In this study, we used the recently proposed "fractionated approach" to account for the influence of hydrodynamics in WWTPs and applied this method for estimating the removal of 23 target CECs. Data on the conductivity and temperature of wastewater at two WWTPs were used to determine the hydraulic model that best described the flow regime of treatment units. Composite samples (24-h) were collected at different stages of treatment over successive days. The concentrations of the target compounds in wastewater were determined by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Different hydraulic models were necessary to define the hydrodynamics at the two WWTPs, resulting in different load fractions to be used in the calculation of removals. For WWTP A, that has a primary clarifier, all target CECs, except triclosan, were poorly removed during this step at efficiencies <30%. On the other hand, the activated sludge treatment unit at both WWTPs removed most target CECs at >70%. This study expanded the application of the fractionated approach to compare the hydraulics of two treatment trains of different configurations, including primary and secondary treatment. It demonstrated the sensitivity of the method to account for variations between the different treatment units. Reliable removals of an extended list of CECs in primary and secondary treatment were also provided in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeina Baalbaki
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Tamanna Sultana
- Water Quality Centre, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Chris Metcalfe
- Water Quality Centre, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Viviane Yargeau
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 0C5, Canada.
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Sun Q, Wang Y, Li Y, Ashfaq M, Dai L, Xie X, Yu CP. Fate and mass balance of bisphenol analogues in wastewater treatment plants in Xiamen City, China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 225:542-549. [PMID: 28318793 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Due to the well-known endocrine disrupting ability of bisphenol A (BPA), its production and usage have been regulated. Consequently, other bisphenol analogues (BPs) have been used as the replacement of BPA. Despite their widespread use, few studies have investigated the occurrence and fate of BPs in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, we conducted a city-wide monitoring survey and collected the wastewater and sludge samples from seven WWTPs in Xiamen, China over seven days. The concentrations of dissolved and adsorbed BPs in the influent and effluent, together with the BP concentrations in the sludge were determined. Five BPs, including BPA, BPAF, BPE, BPF, and BPS, were widely detected. The medium concentrations of BPA, BPAF, BPE, BPF, and BPS were 1318, 0.282, 3.70, 50.0, and 48.0 ng/L in the influent, 177, 0.714, 3.64, BLD, and BLD in the effluent, and 343, 3.09, BLD, 56.5, 1.01 μg/kg in the sludge. Spatial variations were observed, which implied the industrial origin of BPA. The efficiencies of BP removal from aqueous phase were evaluated, and results showed that BPA, BPF, and BPS were highly removed with removal efficiencies higher than 78%, while BPAF and BPE were resistant in WWTPs. Mass load calculations showed that 2075 g BPs entered into the WWTPs in Xiamen City each day, while 246 g and 63 g were discharged via effluent and excess sludge, respectively. Mass balance analysis showed that BPS and BPA were mainly biodegraded, BPF were mainly adsorbed and biodegraded, BPAF was resistant to biodegradation, while BPE was resistant to both biodegradation and adsorption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
| | - Yuwen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Yan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100043, China
| | - Muhammad Ashfaq
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan
| | - Lanhua Dai
- General Water of Xiamen Sewage Co., Ltd., No. 200 Wenxingdong Road, Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Xiaoqing Xie
- General Water of Xiamen Sewage Co., Ltd., No. 200 Wenxingdong Road, Xiamen 361000, China
| | - Chang-Ping Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
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24
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O'Brien JW, Banks APW, Novic AJ, Mueller JF, Jiang G, Ort C, Eaglesham G, Yuan Z, Thai PK. Impact of in-Sewer Degradation of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) Population Markers on a Population Model. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:3816-3823. [PMID: 28244310 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A key uncertainty of wastewater-based epidemiology is the size of the population which contributed to a given wastewater sample. We previously developed and validated a Bayesian inference model to estimate population size based on 14 population markers which: (1) are easily measured and (2) have mass loads which correlate with population size. However, the potential uncertainty of the model prediction due to in-sewer degradation of these markers was not evaluated. In this study, we addressed this gap by testing their stability under sewer conditions and assessed whether degradation impacts the model estimates. Five markers, which formed the core of our model, were stable in the sewers while the others were not. Our evaluation showed that the presence of unstable population markers in the model did not decrease the precision of the population estimates providing that stable markers such as acesulfame remained in the model. However, to achieve the minimum uncertainty in population estimates, we propose that the core markers to be included in population models for other sites should meet two additional criteria: (3) negligible degradation in wastewater to ensure the stability of chemicals during collection; and (4) < 10% in-sewer degradation could occur during the mean residence time of the sewer network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake William O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science (QAEHS), The University of Queensland , 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Andrew Phillip William Banks
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science (QAEHS), The University of Queensland , 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Andrew Joseph Novic
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science (QAEHS), The University of Queensland , 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science (QAEHS), The University of Queensland , 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Guangming Jiang
- Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC), The University of Queensland , St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Christoph Ort
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology , CH 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Geoff Eaglesham
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science (QAEHS), The University of Queensland , 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC), The University of Queensland , St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Science (QAEHS), The University of Queensland , 39 Kessels Road, Coopers Plains, Queensland 4108, Australia
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane, Queensland 4001, Australia
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25
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Baalbaki Z, Sultana T, Maere T, Vanrolleghem PA, Metcalfe CD, Yargeau V. Fate and mass balance of contaminants of emerging concern during wastewater treatment determined using the fractionated approach. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 573:1147-1158. [PMID: 27705850 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.08.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are often poorly removed from wastewater using conventional treatment technologies and there is limited understanding of their fate during treatment. Inappropriate sampling strategies lead to inaccuracies in estimating removals of CECs. In this study, we used the "fractionated approach" that accounts for the residence time distribution (RTD) in treatment units to investigate the fate of 26 target CECs in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that includes primary, secondary and tertiary treatment steps. Prior hydraulic calibration of each treatment unit was performed. Wastewater and sludge samples were collected at different locations along the treatment train and the concentrations of target CECs were measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The most substantial aqueous removal occurred during activated sludge treatment (up to 99%). Removals were <50% in the primary clarifier and tertiary rotating biological contactors (RBCs) and up to 70% by sand filtration. Mass balance calculations demonstrated that (bio)degradation accounted for up to 50% of the removal in the primary clarifier and 100% in activated sludge. Removal by sorption to primary and secondary sludge was minimal for most CECs. Analysis of the selected metabolites demonstrated that negative removals obtained could be explained by transformations between the parent compound and their metabolites. This study contributes to the growing literature by applying the fractionated approach to calculate removal of different types of CECs across each wastewater treatment step. An additional level of understanding of the fate of CECs was provided by mass balance calculations in primary and secondary treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeina Baalbaki
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University St., Montreal, QC H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Tamanna Sultana
- Water Quality Centre, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Thomas Maere
- modelEAU, Département de génie civil et de génie des eaux, Université Laval, 1065 Avenue de la médecine, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Peter A Vanrolleghem
- modelEAU, Département de génie civil et de génie des eaux, Université Laval, 1065 Avenue de la médecine, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Chris D Metcalfe
- Water Quality Centre, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Viviane Yargeau
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University St., Montreal, QC H3A 0C5, Canada.
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26
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Blair B, Nikolaus A, Hedman C, Klaper R, Grundl T. Evaluating the degradation, sorption, and negative mass balances of pharmaceuticals and personal care products during wastewater treatment. CHEMOSPHERE 2015; 134:395-401. [PMID: 25985097 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.04.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/26/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Conventional activated sludge (CAS) wastewater treatment processes are insufficient at removing many pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) from wastewater. In addition, negative mass balances, where the effluent concentration is greater than the influent concentration, have been observed in wastewater treatment studies and a further understanding of these results is needed. In this study, the fate and occurrence of 57 PPCPs and hormones were evaluated in an activated sludge process and the mass balances were determined. The goal of the project was to understand the PPCPs biological degradation and the extent of sorption to solids. The samples containing in situ PPCPs (i.e. samples were not spiked with additional PPCPs) were evaluated. Forty-eight of the PPCPs were detected in the soluble form and 29 were detected sorbed to solids. Two notable results were found. First, the results of this study indicate a subset of the highly biodegradable PPCPs stop being degraded at low, yet notable, concentrations. Second, the results revealed that negative mass balances were present for a subset of the PPCPs when evaluating both the soluble and sorbed concentration, for example carbamazepine and ofloxacin. Desorption from solids was not found to attribute to negative mass balances. Overall, the results from this study provide new insights into the fate of PPCPs during CAS wastewater treatment by evaluating the degradation kinetics and sorption and the results may explain the consistent levels of highly degradable PPCPs being emitted from WWTPs worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Blair
- School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver, 1380 Lawrence St., Ste. 500 Denver, CO 80204, United States; School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, 600 East Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States.
| | - Adam Nikolaus
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, 600 East Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States
| | - Curtis Hedman
- State Laboratory of Hygiene, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2601 Agriculture Drive, Madison, WI 53718, United States
| | - Rebecca Klaper
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, 600 East Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States
| | - Timothy Grundl
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, 600 East Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States
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27
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Khan U, Nicell J. Human Health Relevance of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds in Drinking Water. AAPS JOURNAL 2015; 17:558-85. [PMID: 25739816 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-015-9729-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In Canada, as many as 20 pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) have been detected in samples of treated drinking water. The presence of these PhACs in drinking water raises important questions as to the human health risk posed by their potential appearance in drinking water supplies and the extent to which they indicate that other PhACs are present but have not been detected using current analytical methods. Therefore, the goal of the current investigation was to conduct a screening-level assessment of the human health risks posed by the aquatic release of an evaluation set of 335 selected PhACs. Predicted and measured concentrations were used to estimate the exposure of Canadians to each PhAC in the evaluation set. Risk evaluations based on measurements could only be performed for 17 PhACs and, of these, all were found to pose a negligible risk to human health when considered individually. The same approach to risk evaluation, but based on predicted rather than measured environmental concentrations, suggested that 322 PhACs of the evaluation set, when considered individually, are expected to pose a negligible risk to human health due to their potential presence in drinking waters. However, the following 14 PhACs should be prioritized for further study: triiodothyronine, thyroxine, ramipril and its metabolite ramiprilat, candesartan, lisinopril, atorvastatin, lorazepam, fentanyl, atenolol, metformin, enalaprilat, morphine, and irbesartan. Finally, the currently available monitoring data for PhACs in Canadian surface and drinking waters was found to be lacking, irrespective of whether their suitability was assessed based on risk posed, predicted exposure concentrations, or potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Usman Khan
- Department of Civil Engineering & Applied Mechanics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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