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Elizalde-Velázquez GA, Gómora-Martínez O, Raldua D, Herrera-Vázquez SE, Gómez-Oliván LM. Understanding the impact of environmentally relevant alkyl C12-16 dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride concentrations on zebrafish health. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 953:175984. [PMID: 39244042 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175984] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chlorides (ADBACs), classified as second-generation quaternary ammonium compounds, are extensively employed across various sectors, encompassing veterinary medicine, food production, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, ophthalmology, and agriculture. Consequently, significant volumes of ADBAC C12-C16 are discharged into the environment, posing a threat to aquatic organisms. Regrettably, comprehensive data regarding the toxicological characteristics of these compounds remain scarce. This research aimed to determine whether or not ADBAC C12-C16, at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 μg/L), may instigate oxidative stress and alter the expression of apoptosis-related genes in the liver, brain, gut, and gills of Danio rerio adults (5-6 months). The findings revealed that ADBAC C12-C16 elicited an oxidative stress response across all examined organs following 96 h of exposure. Nonetheless, the magnitude of this response varied among organs, with the gills exhibiting the highest degree of susceptibility, followed by the gut, liver, and brain, in descending order. Only the gut and gills of the examined organs displayed a concentration-dependent reduction in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Akin to the oxidative stress response, all organs exhibited a marked increase in bax, blc2, casp3, and p53 expression levels. However, the gills and gut manifested a distinctive suppression in the expression of nrf1 and nrf2. Our Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirmed that SOD, CAT, nrf1, and nrf2 were negatively correlated to oxidative damage biomarkers and apoptosis-related genes in the gills and gut; meanwhile, in the remaining organs, all biomarkers were extensively correlated. From the above, it can be concluded that ADBAC C12-C16 in low and environmental concentrations may threaten the health of freshwater fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Axel Elizalde-Velázquez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Omar Gómora-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Demetrio Raldua
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Selene Elizabeth Herrera-Vázquez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Leobardo Manuel Gómez-Oliván
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, CP 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico.
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Xia X, Mu H, Li Y, Hou Y, Li J, Zhao Z, Zhao Q, You S, Wei L. Which emerging micropollutants deserve more attention in wastewater in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period? Based on distribution, risk, and exposure analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175511. [PMID: 39147043 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175511] [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: 06/05/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Aggravated accumulation of emerging micropollutants (EMs) in aquatic environments, especially after COVID-19, raised significant attention throughout the world for safety concerns. This article reviews the sources and occurrence of 25 anti-COVID-19 related EMs in wastewater. It should be pointed out that the concentration of anti-COVID-19 related EMs, such as antivirals, plasticizers, antimicrobials, and psychotropic drugs in wastewater increased notably after the pandemic. Furthermore, the ecotoxicity, ecological, and health risks of typical EMs before and after COVID-19 were emphatically compared and analyzed. Based on the environmental health prioritization index method, the priority control sequence of typical EMs related to anti-COVID-19 was identified. Lopinavir (LPV), venlafaxine (VLX), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), benzalkonium chloride (BAC), triclocarban (TCC), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), citalopram (CIT), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), and triclosan (TCS) were identified as the top-priority control EMs in the post-pandemic period. Besides, some insights into the toxicity and risk assessment of EMs were also provided. This review provides direction for proper understanding and controlling the EMs pollution after COVID-19, and is of significance to evaluate objectively the environmental and health impacts induced by COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhui Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Huizhi Mu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yaqun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yanlong Hou
- The 404 Company Limited, CNNC, Lanzhou 732850, China
| | - Jianju Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Zixuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Qingliang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Shijie You
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Liangliang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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Hanamoto S, Zaman S, Yao D, Minami Y. Occurrence and source identification of the disinfectant didecyldimethylammonium chloride in a Japanese watershed receiving effluent from swine farms. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 360:124714. [PMID: 39134168 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124714] [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: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/18/2024]
Abstract
Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), a toxic quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) linked to multidrug resistance, is used widely in households and hospitals and on swine farms to prevent disease transmission. However, little is known about its occurrence in watersheds receiving livestock wastewaters or manure. We monitored DDAC and tracers (veterinary and human drugs) once a season over a year at 14 sites in a Japanese watershed where swine outnumbered humans 1.2 to 1 and where both swine and human wastewaters were largely treated on site. DDAC concentrations in sewage-treatment-plant effluent (33-52 ng/L) were close to, whereas those in river waters (3.6-16,672 ng/L) far exceeded, those reported worldwide. DDAC mass flows at the catchment outlet (1692-3816 μg/s) were higher than those of any of the drugs. DDAC concentrations were significantly correlated with total concentrations of veterinary drugs (Spearman's correlation coefficient, 0.95, P < 0.01), indicating that the major pathway of DDAC entry to surface waters was via effluent discharge from swine farms. Comparison of observed and predicted mass flows implied that a substantial percentage of DDAC was washed from the barn floor into swine excrement. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate QAC hotspots attributable to animal husbandry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiya Hanamoto
- Environment Preservation Center, Kanazawa University, Kakumamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan.
| | - Samina Zaman
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakumamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Dingwen Yao
- Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University, Kakumamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Yuki Minami
- Environment Preservation Center, Kanazawa University, Kakumamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, 920-1192, Japan
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4
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Li ZM, Kannan K. Mass loading, removal and emission of 27 quaternary ammonium compounds, including metabolites of benzalkonium, in a wastewater treatment plant in New York state, USA. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 480:135934. [PMID: 39326142 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2024] [Revised: 08/29/2024] [Accepted: 09/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Benzylalkyldimethylammonium (BACs), dialkyldimethylammonium (DDACs), and alkyltrimethylammonium compounds (ATMACs) are quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) widely used in industrial and consumer products. Nevertheless, little is known about their fates in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). We detected 7 BACs, 6 DDACs, 6 ATMACs, and 8 hydroxy- and carboxyl- metabolites of BACs (BACm) in wastewater collected from a WWTP in New York State. The median concentrations of ∑All (sum concentration of all 27 analytes) in influent and final effluent were 31900 and 545 ng/L, respectively, which corresponded to a removal efficiency of 98 %. C14-BAC, C10-DDAC, C18-DDAC, and C16-ATMAC were the major compounds found in influent (collectively accounting for 62 % of ∑All), suggestive of their prevalent usage in consumer products. BACm were detected for the first time in wastewater (median: 1720 ng/L in influent), and they comprised 8-11 % of ∑All in wastewater, which highlighted the importance of monitoring QAC metabolites in wastewater. The mass loadings of QACs into the WWTP were in the range of 1480-10700 mg/d/1000 inhabitants, whereas the corresponding emission rates were in the range of 119-7720 mg/d/1000 inhabitants. QACs present in final effluents may exert low to moderate risks on aquatic organisms, which warrants more attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Min Li
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12237, United States
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12237, United States; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, NY 12237, United States.
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5
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Guo Z, Qin C, Zhang L. Distribution and Characterization of Quaternary Ammonium Biocides Resistant Bacteria in Different Soils, in South-Western China. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1742. [PMID: 39203584 PMCID: PMC11357233 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12081742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are active ingredients in hundreds of disinfectants for controlling the epidemic of infectious diseases like SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), and are also widely used in shale gas exploitation. The occurrence of QAC-resistant bacteria in the environment could enlarge the risk of sterilization failure, which is not fully understood. In this study, QAC-resistant bacteria were enumerated and characterized in 25 soils collected from shale gas exploitation areas. Total counts of QAC-resistant bacteria ranged from 6.81 × 103 to 4.48 × 105 cfu/g, accounting for 1.59% to 29.13% of the total bacteria. In total, 29 strains were further purified and identified as Lysinibacillus, Bacillus, and Klebsiella genus. There, bacteria covering many pathogenic bacteria showed different QACs tolerance with MIC (minimum inhibition concentration) varying from 4 mg/L to 64 mg/L and almost 58.6% of isolates have not previously been found to tolerate QACs. Meanwhile, the QAC-resistant strains in the produced water of shale gas were also identified. Phylogenetic trees showed that the resistant species in soil and produced water are distinctly different. That is the first time the distribution and characterization of QAC-resistant bacteria in the soil environment has been analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China; (Z.G.); (C.Q.)
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Cunli Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China; (Z.G.); (C.Q.)
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Lilan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China; (Z.G.); (C.Q.)
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
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Do ATN, Hiki K, Watanabe H, Yamamoto H, Endo S. Developing a Passive Dosing Method for Acute Aquatic Toxicity Tests of Cationic Surfactant Benzalkoniums (BACs). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:13678-13686. [PMID: 39047073 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c03027] [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: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Benzalkonium chlorides (BACs) have been of environmental concern due to their widespread use and potential harm. However, challenges arise in defining and controlling the exposure concentration (Cw) in aquatic toxicity tests involving BACs with a long alkyl chain (i.e., #C > 14). To address this, a novel passive dosing method was introduced in the 48 h-acute ecotoxicity test on Daphnia magna and compared to the conventional solvent-spiking method in terms of Cw stability and toxicity results. Among 13 sorbent materials tested for their sorption capacity, poly(ether sulfone) (PES) membrane was an optimal passive dosing reservoir, with equilibrium desorption of BACs to water achieved within 24 h. The Cw of BACs remained constant in both applied dosing methods during the test period. However, the Cw in solvent-spiking tests was lower than the nominal concentration for long-chain BACs, particularly at low exposure concentrations. Notably, the solvent-spiking tests indicated that the toxicity of BACs increased with alkyl chain length from C6 to 14, followed by a decline in toxicity from C14 to 18. In contrast, the passive dosing method displayed similar or slightly increasing toxicity levels of BACs from C14 to C18, indicating higher toxicity of C16 and C18-BACs than that inferred by the solvent spiking test. These findings emphasize the potential of applying this innovative passive dosing approach in aquatic toxicity tests to generate reliable and accurate toxicity data and support a comprehensive risk assessment of cationic surfactants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh T Ngoc Do
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Onogawa 16-2, 305-8506 Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kyoshiro Hiki
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Onogawa 16-2, 305-8506 Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Haruna Watanabe
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Onogawa 16-2, 305-8506 Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Yamamoto
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Onogawa 16-2, 305-8506 Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Satoshi Endo
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Onogawa 16-2, 305-8506 Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Fundneider-Kale S, Kerres J, Engelhart M. Impact of benzalkonium chloride on anaerobic granules and its long-term effects on reactor performance. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135183. [PMID: 39024763 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 07/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
This study assessed the inhibitory and performance-degrading effects induced by the cationic surfactant benzalkonium chloride (BAC) on anaerobic granules during the long-term operation of a laboratory-scale expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor. To address the critical scientific problem of how BAC affects the efficiency of EGSB reactors, this research uniquely evaluated the long-term stress response to BAC by systematically comparing continuous and discontinuous inhibitor exposure scenarios. The novel comparison demonstrated that inhibitor concentration is of minor relevance compared to the biomass-specific cumulative inhibitor load in the reactor. After exceeding a critical biomass-specific cumulative inhibitor load of 6.1-6.5 mg BAC/g VS, continuous and discontinuous exposure to BAC caused comparable significant deterioration in reactor performance, including accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFA), decreased removal efficiency, reduced methane production, as well as the wash-out, flotation, and disintegration of anaerobic granules. BAC exposures had a more detrimental effect on methanogenesis than on acidogenesis. Moreover, long-term stress by BAC led to an inhibition of protein production, resulting in a decreased protein-to-polysaccharide ratio of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that promoted destabilizing effects on the granules. Finally, hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis was triggered. Reactor performance could not be restored due to the severe loss of granular sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Fundneider-Kale
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Chair of Wastewater Technology, Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - J Kerres
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Chair of Wastewater Technology, Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - M Engelhart
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Chair of Wastewater Technology, Franziska-Braun-Straße 7, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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Roux C, Madru C, Millan Navarro D, Jan G, Mazzella N, Moreira A, Vedrenne J, Carassou L, Morin S. Impact of urban pollution on freshwater biofilms: Oxidative stress, photosynthesis and lipid responses. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 472:134523. [PMID: 38723485 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134523] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Urban ecosystems are subjected to multiple anthropogenic stresses, which impact aquatic communities. Artificial light at night (ALAN) for instance can significantly alter the composition of algal communities as well as the photosynthetic cycles of autotrophic organisms, possibly leading to cellular oxidative stress. The combined effects of ALAN and chemical contamination could increase oxidative impacts in aquatic primary producers, although such combined effects remain insufficiently explored. To address this knowledge gap, a one-month experimental approach was implemented under controlled conditions to elucidate effects of ALAN and dodecylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride (DDBAC) on aquatic biofilms. DDBAC is a biocide commonly used in virucidal products, and is found in urban aquatic ecosystems. The bioaccumulation of DDBAC in biofilms exposed or not to ALAN was analyzed. The responses of taxonomic composition, photosynthetic activity, and fatty acid composition of biofilms were examined. The results indicate that ALAN negatively affects photosynthetic yield and chlorophyll production of biofilms. Additionally, exposure to DDBAC at environmental concentrations induces lipid peroxidation, with an increase of oxylipins. This experimental study provides first insights on the consequences of ALAN and DDBAC for aquatic ecosystems. It also opens avenues for the identification of new biomarkers that could be used to monitor urban pollution impacts in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Roux
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France.
| | - Cassandre Madru
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France
| | | | - Gwilherm Jan
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France
| | - Nicolas Mazzella
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France; Bordeaux Metabolome, MetaboHUB, PHENOME-EMPHASIS, Villenave d'Ornon 33140, France
| | - Aurélie Moreira
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France; Bordeaux Metabolome, MetaboHUB, PHENOME-EMPHASIS, Villenave d'Ornon 33140, France
| | - Jacky Vedrenne
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France
| | - Laure Carassou
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France
| | - Soizic Morin
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France
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Vrba R, Lavoie I, Creusot N, Eon M, Millan-Navarro D, Feurtet-Mazel A, Mazzella N, Moreira A, Planas D, Morin S. Experimental testing of two urban stressors on freshwater biofilms. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 272:106972. [PMID: 38815346 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106972] [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: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems and their communities are exposed to numerous stressors of various natures (chemical and physical), whose impacts are often poorly documented. In urban areas, the use of biocides such as dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (DDBAC) and their subsequent release in wastewater result in their transfer to urban aquatic ecosystems. DDBAC is known to be toxic to most aquatic organisms. Artificial light at night (ALAN) is another stressor that is increasing globally, especially in urban areas. ALAN may have a negative impact on photosynthetic cycles of periphytic biofilms, which in turn may result in changes in their metabolic functioning. Moreover, studies suggest that exposure to artificial light could increase the biocidal effect of DDBAC on biofilms. The present study investigates the individual and combined effects of DDBAC and/or ALAN on the functioning and structure of photosynthetic biofilms. We exposed biofilms in artificial channels to a nominal concentration of 30 mg.L-1 of DDBAC and/or ALAN for 10 days. ALAN modified DDBAC exposure, decreasing concentrations in the water but not accumulation in biofilms. DDBAC had negative impacts on biofilm functioning and structure. Photosynthetic activity was inhibited by > 90% after 2 days of exposure, compared to the controls, and did not recover over the duration of the experiment. Biofilm composition was also impacted, with a marked decrease in green algae and the disappearance of microfauna under DDBAC exposure. The integrity of algal cells was compromised where DDBAC exposure altered the chloroplasts and chlorophyll content. Impacts on autotrophs were also observed through a shift in lipid profiles, in particular a strong decrease in glycolipid content was noted. We found no significant interactive effect of ALAN and DDBAC on the studied endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Vrba
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France; INRS-ETE, 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - Isabelle Lavoie
- INRS-ETE, 490 rue de la Couronne, Québec, QC G1K 9A9, Canada
| | - Nicolas Creusot
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France
| | - Mélissa Eon
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France
| | | | | | | | - Aurélie Moreira
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France
| | - Dolors Planas
- UQAM, GRIL-Département des sciences biologiques, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, QC H2 × 1Y4, Canada
| | - Soizic Morin
- INRAE, UR EABX, 50 avenue de Verdun, 33612 Cestas cedex, France.
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Seewald M, Nielinger L, Alker K, Behnke JS, Wycisk V, Urner LH. Detergent Chemistry Modulates the Transgression of Planetary Boundaries including Antimicrobial Resistance and Drug Discovery. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202403833. [PMID: 38619211 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202403833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Detergent chemistry enables applications in the world today while harming safe operating spaces that humanity needs for survival. Aim of this review is to support a holistic thought process in the design of detergent chemistry. We harness the planetary boundary concept as a framework for literature survey to identify progresses and knowledge gaps in context with detergent chemistry and five planetary boundaries that are currently transgressed, i.e., climate, freshwater, land system, novel entities, biosphere integrity. Our survey unveils the status of three critical challenges to be addressed in the years to come, including (i) the implementation of a holistically, climate-friendly detergent industry; (ii) the alignment of materialistic and social aspects in creating technical solutions by means of sustainable chemistry; (iii) the development of detergents that serve the purpose of applications but do not harm the biosphere in their role as novel entities. Specifically, medically relevant case reports revealed that even the most sophisticated detergent design cannot sufficiently accelerate drug discovery to outperform the antibiotic resistance development that detergents simultaneously promote as novel entities. Safe operating spaces that humanity needs for its survival may be secured by directing future efforts beyond sustainable chemistry, resource efficiency, and net zero emission targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Seewald
- TU Dortmund University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Lena Nielinger
- TU Dortmund University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Katharina Alker
- TU Dortmund University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Jan-Simon Behnke
- TU Dortmund University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Virginia Wycisk
- TU Dortmund University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Leonhard H Urner
- TU Dortmund University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 6, 44227, Dortmund, Germany
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Zhang LH, Li WL, Zhang ZF, Min XZ, Cai MG, Xiao H, Diao Q, Qiu Z, Li YF. Occurrence, seasonal variations, and fate of household and personal care chemicals in a wastewater treatment plant with Bacillus bioreactor process. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:142179. [PMID: 38692364 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142179] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Household and personal care chemicals (HPCCs) constitute a significant component of everyday products, with their global usage on the rise. HPCCs are eventually discharged into municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, the behaviors of HPCCs inside the Bacillus Bioreactor (BBR) process, including their prevalence, fate, and elimination mechanisms, remain underexplored. Addressing this gap, our study delves into samples collected from a BBR process at a significant WWTP in the northeast of China. Our results spotlight the dominance of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LASs) in the influent with concentrations ranging between 238 and 789 μg/L, much higher than the other HPCC concentrations, and remained dominant in the subsequent treatment units. After treatment using the BBR process, the concentrations of HPCCs in the effluent were diminished. Examination of different treatment units underscores the grit chamber removed over 60% of higher-concentration HPCCs, while the performance of the (RBC) tank needs to be improved. Except for the ultraviolet radiation (UV)-filters, seasonal variations exert minimal impact on the concentrations and removal efficiencies of other HPCCs in the BBR process. According to the mass balance analysis, the important mechanisms for HPCC removal were biodegradation and sludge adsorption. Also, the octocrylene (OCT) concerns raised by the environmental risk assessment of the HPCCs residuals in the final effluent, indicate a moderate risk to the surrounding aquatic environment (0.1 < RQ < 1), whereas other HPCCs have a lower risk level (RQ < 0.1). Overall, the research offers new perspectives on the fate and elimination mechanisms of HPCCs throughout the BBR process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Hui Zhang
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Harbin 150090, China
| | - Wen-Long Li
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12237, USA
| | - Zi-Feng Zhang
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Xi-Ze Min
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Harbin 150090, China
| | - Ming-Gang Cai
- Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Hang Xiao
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Qing Diao
- Guizhou Wondfo Xianyi Testing Technology Co., Ltd., Guiyang 550000, China
| | - Zhen Qiu
- Guizhou Wondfo Xianyi Testing Technology Co., Ltd., Guiyang 550000, China
| | - Yi-Fan Li
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Polar Environment and Ecosystem (HPKL-PEE), Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Harbin 150090, China; IJRC-PTS-NA, Toronto, M2N 6X9, Canada
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12
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Monteil-Rivera F, Locke S, Ye M, Smyth SA, Sullivan K, Okonski A, Jagla M, Gutzman D. Quantification of quaternary ammonium compounds by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry: Minimizing losses from the field to the laboratory. J Chromatogr A 2024; 1723:464905. [PMID: 38640882 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2024.464905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) are widely used in household, medical and industrial settings. As a consequence, they are ubiquitously found in the environment. Although significant efforts have been put into the development of sensitive and reproducible analytical methods, much less effort has been dedicated to the monitoring of QACs upon sample storage and sample preparation. Here we studied the effect of storage, concentration, and extraction procedures on the concentrations of QACs in samples. Thirteen QACs selected amongst benzalkonium compounds (BACs), dialkyldimethylammonium compounds (DADMACs) and alkyltrimethylammonium compounds (ATMACs) were quantified in aqueous and solid samples using LC-MS/MS. Most QACs adsorbed on container walls could be recovered using a short washing step with MeOH containing 2 % v/v formic acid. Concentrations of QACs from aqueous solutions using solid phase extraction (SPE) with Strata-X cartridges and elution with acidified MeOH utilized to wash the emptied containers gave highly satisfactory recoveries (101-111 %). Good recoveries (89-116 %) were also obtained when extracting a spiked organic-rich synthetic soil using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) with acidified MeOH at low solid/solvent ratio (0.4 g/20 mL). Applying the recommended methodologies to real samples collected from a Canadian wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) gave QAC concentrations in the ranges of 0.01-30 µg/L, < 1.2 µg/L, and 0.05-27 mg/kg for the influent, effluent and biosolids samples, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Monteil-Rivera
- National Research Council of Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Center, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada.
| | - Steven Locke
- National Research Council of Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Center, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4P3, Canada
| | - Mengwei Ye
- National Research Council of Canada, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Center, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Shirley Anne Smyth
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Regulatory Operations, Policy and Emerging Science Division, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, ON, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Katrina Sullivan
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Substance Prioritization, Assessment and Coordination Division, 351St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Alexander Okonski
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Substance Prioritization, Assessment and Coordination Division, 351St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Magdalena Jagla
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Substance Prioritization, Assessment and Coordination Division, 351St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Don Gutzman
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Science and Technology Branch, Substance Prioritization, Assessment and Coordination Division, 351St. Joseph Blvd., Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3, Canada
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13
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Mohapatra S, Xian JLL, Galvez-Rodriguez A, Ekande OS, Drewes JE, Gin KYH. Photochemical fate of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) and degradation pathways predication through computational analysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133483. [PMID: 38232547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are commonly used in many products, such as disinfectants, detergents and personal care products. However, their widespread use has led to their ubiquitous presence in the environment, posing a potential risk to human and environmental health. Several methods, including direct and indirect photodegradation, have been explored to remove QACs such as benzylalkyldimethyl ammonium compounds (BACs) and alkyltrimethyl ammonium compounds (ATMACs) from the environment. Hence, in this research, a systematic review of the literature was conducted using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) method to understand the fate of these QACs during direct and indirect photodegradation in UV/H2O2, UV/PS, UV/PS/Cu2+, UV/chlorine, VUV/UV/chlorine, O3/UV and UV/O3/TiO2 systems which produce highly reactive radicals that rapidly react with the QACs, leading to their degradation. As a result of photodegradation, several transformation products (TPs) of QACs are formed, which can pose a greater risk to the environment and human health than the parent QACs. Only limited research in this area has been conducted with fewer QACs. Hence, quantum mechanical calculations such as density functional theory (DFT)-based computational calculations using Gaussian09 software package were used here to explain better the photo-resistant nature of a specific type of QACs, such as BACs C12-18 and ATMACs C12, C14, C18, and their transformation pathways, providing insights into active sites participating in the phototransformation. Recognizing that different advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) come with pros and cons in the elimination of QACs, this review also highlighted the importance of implementing each AOP concerning the formation of toxic transformation products and electrical energy per order (EEO), especially when QACs coexist with other emerging contaminants (ECs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeeb Mohapatra
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore; Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, P.O Box 5048, 2600 GA Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Jovina Lew Li Xian
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore
| | | | - Onkar Sudhir Ekande
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jörg E Drewes
- Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, T-Lab Building, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore; Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Drive 2, 117576, Singapore.
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14
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Liang W, Zhao X, Wang X, Tang Z, Zhang X, Wang X. Prediction of freshwater ecotoxicological hazardous concentrations of major surfactants using the QSAR-ICE-SSD method. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 185:108472. [PMID: 38368720 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108472] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic surfactant products are continuously released into the aquatic environment in large quantities, posing a burden on ecosystems as a "pseudo-persistent" organic pollutant. Threshold derivation for protecting aquatic ecosystems is challenging due to the various homologous components of surfactants. In this study, five commercially available products were chosen as representative major types of surfactants. Corresponding quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) were screened and subsequently combined with interspecific correlation estimation (ICE) to develop species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) for each component. Then, the 5th percentile hazard concentrations (HC5s) were calculated. The results indicated that the developed QSAR-ICE models demonstrated good toxicity prediction performance. The HC5 of each component showed a negatively correlation with alkyl chain length and a positive correlation with the amount of ethylene oxide. The HC5s of surfactants correlate with variations in their charged properties. Quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) exhibited the lowest HC5s (8.5 ± 18.3 μg/L), followed by alcohol ethoxylates (AE), linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), and alcohol ethoxylated sulfates (AES); and alkyl oxide (AO) exhibited the highest HC5s (15784.2 ± 21552.6 μg/L). For cationic surfactants, the HC5s in the invertebrates were significantly lower than those in the fish; conversely, for anionic surfactants, the opposite was true, indicating a difference in the toxic mechanisms of surfactants with different charged properties across species taxa. Additionally, among invertebrates, shellfish demonstrated heightened sensitivity to surfactants, owing to their high accumulation and low metabolism of pollutants. Salmoniformes were the most sensitive among all species, indicating the necessity of prioritizing these species for aquatic ecological conservation in surfactant-contaminated waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weigang Liang
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
| | - Xiaolei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Zhi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
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15
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Sultan MB, Anik AH, Rahman MM. Emerging contaminants and their potential impacts on estuarine ecosystems: Are we aware of it? MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 199:115982. [PMID: 38181468 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115982] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Emerging contaminants (ECs) are becoming more prevalent in estuaries and constitute a danger to both human health and ecosystems. These pollutants can infiltrate the ecosystem and spread throughout the food chain. Because of the diversified sources and extensive human activities, estuaries are particularly susceptible to increased pollution levels. A thorough review on recent ECs (platinum group elements, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, pesticides, siloxanes, liquid crystal monomers, cationic surfactant, antibiotic resistance genes, and microplastics) in estuaries, including their incidence, detection levels, and toxic effects, was performed. The inclusion of studies from different regions highlights the global nature of this issue, with each location having its unique set of contaminants. The diverse range of contaminants detected in estuary samples worldwide underscores the intricacy of ECs. A significant drawback is the scarcity of research on the toxic mechanisms of ECs on estuarine organisms, the prospect of unidentified ECs, warrant research scopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maisha Binte Sultan
- Laboratory of Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh; Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh
| | - Amit Hasan Anik
- Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh
| | - Md Mostafizur Rahman
- Laboratory of Environmental Health and Ecotoxicology, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh; Department of Environmental Science, Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh; Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh.
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16
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Mahony AK, McNamara PJ, Arnold WA. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QACs) in Wastewater Influent and Effluent Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:20148-20158. [PMID: 37934083 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are used in consumer and industrial products, including disinfectants. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, disinfectant use has increased, purportedly increasing loads to wastewater treatment plants and the environment. To understand how the increased usage has affected QAC loadings to treatment plants and to determine how effectively plants remove QACs from liquid effluent that is discharged to surface and groundwaters, influent and effluent wastewater samples were collected from four treatment plants (treatment capacities < 5 MGD to > 100 MGD) for 21 months beginning in May 2020. Influent QAC concentrations were hundreds of μg/L and effluent QAC concentrations were < 1 μg/L, corresponding to an average removal of 98% from all four plants. The most prevalent QACs in influent were those used most commonly in disinfectants, specifically benzylalkyldimethylammonium compounds (BACs) and short-chain dialkyldimethylammonium compounds (DADMACs), and influent levels of these compounds were correlated with QAC sales. Prior to this study, ethylbenzylalkyldimethylammonium compounds (EtBACs) had not been studied, and they comprised 13 ± 6% of QACs in influent. While removal was high at all plants, low μg/L concentrations were still continuously discharged into the environment. For QACs with equivalent alkyl chain lengths, those with aromatic substituents (BACs and EtBACs) appear to be removed more effectively than those with only alkyl chains (DADMACs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Mahony
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Patrick J McNamara
- Department of Civil, Construction, Environmental Engineering, Marquette University, 1515 West Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233 United States
| | - William A Arnold
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geo-Engineering, University of Minnesota, 500 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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17
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Barani Pour S, Dabbagh Hosseini Pour M, Jahanbin Sardroodi J, Rastkar Ebrahimzadeh A, Pazuki G. Effect of water addition on caprylic acid: Quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) deep eutectic solvents: Characterization of their structural and dynamical properties. J Mol Graph Model 2023; 125:108561. [PMID: 37660617 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2023.108561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Physicochemical properties of the binary mixtures based on Caprylic acid: Quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) (7:3 mol ratio) are investigated using MD simulations. Considering the hydrophobic character of eutectic solvents based on long-chain fatty acids, the stability of the binary mixtures was investigated in the adjacent water. In order to investigate the effect of water on intermolecular interactions in binary mixtures, the structural properties of the binary mixtures in the pure state and adjacent to water were investigated at 310 K. Assessed structural properties include the combined distribution functions (CDFs), the radial distribution functions (RDFs), the angular distribution functions (ADFs), and the Hydrogen bonding network between HBA and HBD and Spatial distribution functions (SDF). We aimed to represent the structural stability of eutectic solvents based on Caprylic acid and Quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) as a function of the alkyl chain length of cations, the evidence was found for the interaction between the chloride anion leads to the transition of HBA to the water-rich phase. The alkyl chain length of cations of Quaternary ammonium salts shows the stability of eutectic solvents in the adjacent water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Barani Pour
- Molecular Science and Engineering Research Group (MSERG), Molecular Simulation Lab, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mitra Dabbagh Hosseini Pour
- Molecular Science and Engineering Research Group (MSERG), Molecular Simulation Lab, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran; Molecular Science and Engineering Research Group (MSERG), Department of Chemistry, Molecular Simulation Lab, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Jaber Jahanbin Sardroodi
- Molecular Science and Engineering Research Group (MSERG, Department of Physics, Molecular Simulation Lab, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.
| | | | - Gholamreza Pazuki
- Molecular Science and Engineering Research Group (MSERG, Department of Physics, Molecular Simulation Lab, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.
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18
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Liu C, Goh SG, You L, Yuan Q, Mohapatra S, Gin KYH, Chen B. Low concentration quaternary ammonium compounds promoted antibiotic resistance gene transfer via plasmid conjugation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 887:163781. [PMID: 37149193 PMCID: PMC10158037 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
During the pandemic of COVID-19, the amounts of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) used to inactivate the virus in public facilities, hospitals and households increased, which raised concerns about the evolution and transmission of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Although QACs may play an important role in the propagation of antibiotic resistance gene (ARGs), the potential contribution and mechanism remains unclear. Here, the results showed that benzyl dodecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDBAC) and didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC) significantly promoted plasmid RP4-mediated ARGs transfer within and across genera at environmental relevant concentrations (0.0004-0.4 mg/L). Low concentrations of QACs did not contribute to the permeability of the cell plasma membrane, but significantly increased the permeability of the cell outer membrane due to the decrease in content of lipopolysaccharides. QACs altered the composition and content of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and were positively correlated with the conjugation frequency. Furthermore, transcriptional expression levels of genes encode for mating pairing formation (trbB), DNA replication and translocation (trfA), and global regulators (korA, korB, trbA) are regulated by QACs. And we demonstrate for the first time that QACs decreased the concentration of extracellular AI-2 signals, which was verified to be involved in regulating conjugative transfer genes (trbB, trfA). Collectively, our findings underscore the risk of increased disinfectant concentrations of QACs on the ARGs transfer and provide new mechanisms of plasmid conjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Liu
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Shin Giek Goh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Luhua You
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Qiyi Yuan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore
| | - Sanjeeb Mohapatra
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Singapore; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore.
| | - Baoliang Chen
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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19
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Arnold W, Blum A, Branyan J, Bruton TA, Carignan CC, Cortopassi G, Datta S, DeWitt J, Doherty AC, Halden RU, Harari H, Hartmann EM, Hrubec TC, Iyer S, Kwiatkowski CF, LaPier J, Li D, Li L, Muñiz Ortiz JG, Salamova A, Schettler T, Seguin RP, Soehl A, Sutton R, Xu L, Zheng G. Quaternary Ammonium Compounds: A Chemical Class of Emerging Concern. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:7645-7665. [PMID: 37157132 PMCID: PMC10210541 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), a large class of chemicals that includes high production volume substances, have been used for decades as antimicrobials, preservatives, and antistatic agents and for other functions in cleaning, disinfecting, personal care products, and durable consumer goods. QAC use has accelerated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the banning of 19 antimicrobials from several personal care products by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2016. Studies conducted before and after the onset of the pandemic indicate increased human exposure to QACs. Environmental releases of these chemicals have also increased. Emerging information on adverse environmental and human health impacts of QACs is motivating a reconsideration of the risks and benefits across the life cycle of their production, use, and disposal. This work presents a critical review of the literature and scientific perspective developed by a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional team of authors from academia, governmental, and nonprofit organizations. The review evaluates currently available information on the ecological and human health profile of QACs and identifies multiple areas of potential concern. Adverse ecological effects include acute and chronic toxicity to susceptible aquatic organisms, with concentrations of some QACs approaching levels of concern. Suspected or known adverse health outcomes include dermal and respiratory effects, developmental and reproductive toxicity, disruption of metabolic function such as lipid homeostasis, and impairment of mitochondrial function. QACs' role in antimicrobial resistance has also been demonstrated. In the US regulatory system, how a QAC is managed depends on how it is used, for example in pesticides or personal care products. This can result in the same QACs receiving different degrees of scrutiny depending on the use and the agency regulating it. Further, the US Environmental Protection Agency's current method of grouping QACs based on structure, first proposed in 1988, is insufficient to address the wide range of QAC chemistries, potential toxicities, and exposure scenarios. Consequently, exposures to common mixtures of QACs and from multiple sources remain largely unassessed. Some restrictions on the use of QACs have been implemented in the US and elsewhere, primarily focused on personal care products. Assessing the risks posed by QACs is hampered by their vast structural diversity and a lack of quantitative data on exposure and toxicity for the majority of these compounds. This review identifies important data gaps and provides research and policy recommendations for preserving the utility of QAC chemistries while also seeking to limit adverse environmental and human health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- William
A. Arnold
- University
of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Arlene Blum
- Green
Science Policy Institute, Berkeley, California 94709, United States
- University
of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Jennifer Branyan
- California
Department of Toxic Substances Control, Sacramento, California 95814, United States
| | - Thomas A. Bruton
- California
Department of Toxic Substances Control, Sacramento, California 95814, United States
| | | | - Gino Cortopassi
- University
of California, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Sandipan Datta
- University
of California, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Jamie DeWitt
- East
Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, United States
| | - Anne-Cooper Doherty
- California
Department of Toxic Substances Control, Sacramento, California 95814, United States
| | - Rolf U. Halden
- Arizona
State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Homero Harari
- Icahn
School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | | | - Terry C. Hrubec
- Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060, United States
| | - Shoba Iyer
- California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Oakland, California 94612, United States
| | - Carol F. Kwiatkowski
- Green
Science Policy Institute, Berkeley, California 94709, United States
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 United States
| | - Jonas LaPier
- Green
Science Policy Institute, Berkeley, California 94709, United States
| | - Dingsheng Li
- University
of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, United States
| | - Li Li
- University
of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, United States
| | | | - Amina Salamova
- Indiana University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Ted Schettler
- Science and Environmental Health Network, Bolinas, California 94924, United States
| | - Ryan P. Seguin
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Anna Soehl
- Green
Science Policy Institute, Berkeley, California 94709, United States
| | - Rebecca Sutton
- San Francisco Estuary Institute, Richmond, California 94804, United States
| | - Libin Xu
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Guomao Zheng
- Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
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20
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Solińska A, Marchewka J, Sitarz M, Bajda T. Infrared spectroscopy: the key to elucidating the sorption mechanism of surfactants, dyes and pharmaceuticals on mineral composite material. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 299:122758. [PMID: 37172397 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
There is a global problem with the effective purification of wastewater containing organic compounds, including dyes, pharmaceuticals and surfactants. Therefore, technologies for the removal of pollutants are still being explored. One of the promising methods could be the application of mineral sorbent composite based on lignite and bentonite. However, it is crucial to comprehensively recognize the mechanisms responsible for immobilizing organic compounds using mineral composite sorbents. The purpose of this work was to prepare and investigate the sorption mechanism of lignite-bentonite composite (BL) sorbents for the removal of dyes: Rhodamine B (RB), Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR), pharmaceuticals: ibuprofen (IB), sulfamethoxazole (STX) and surfactant sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS). The quantitative sorption results have been performed using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The application of infrared (IR) spectroscopy method was crucial to describe the sorption mechanism. After completing the sorption test, the spectra for the sorbents revealed bands associated with adsorbed RB, RBBR, IB, STX, and SDBS on the BL sorbent. Because lignite is predominated in BL composite, the sorption capacity and mechanism strictly correspond to its sorption properties rather than to bentonite ones. The spectra results indicate that the physical sorption process related to electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonding, and dispersion interactions are predominantly responsible for the immobilization of organic compounds tested on mineral sorbents. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate the ion exchange process involved in the case of RB adsorption on the bentonite sample. Nevertheless, the sorption mechanism was complex because of the extensive sorption properties of mineral composite and the different chemical properties of the tested organic compounds. The results of our spectroscopic studies help interpret the sorption mechanisms of organic compounds on mineral materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Solińska
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, Al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Jakub Marchewka
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Maciej Sitarz
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, Al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Bajda
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, Al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
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21
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Mohapatra S, Yutao L, Goh SG, Ng C, Luhua Y, Tran NH, Gin KYH. Quaternary ammonium compounds of emerging concern: Classification, occurrence, fate, toxicity and antimicrobial resistance. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 445:130393. [PMID: 36455328 PMCID: PMC9663149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Amplified hygiene and precautionary measures are of utmost importance to control the spread of COVID-19 and future infection; however, these changes in practice are projected to trigger a rise in the purchase, utilisation and hence, discharge of many disinfectants into the environment. While alcohol-based, hydrogen peroxide-based, and chlorine-based compounds have been used widely, quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) based disinfectants are of significant concern due to their overuse during this pandemic. This review presents the classification of disinfectants and their mechanism of action, focusing on QACs. Most importantly, the occurrence, fate, toxicity and antimicrobial resistance due to QACs are covered in this paper. Here we collated evidence from multiple studies and found rising trends of concern, including an increase in the mass load of QACs at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) by 331% compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as an increases in the concentration of 62% in residential dust, resulting in high concentrations of QACs in human blood and breast milk and suggesting that these could be potential sources of persistent QACs in infants. In addition to increased toxicity to human and aquatic life, increased use of QACs and accelerated use of antibiotics and antimicrobials during the COVID-19 pandemic could multiply the threat to antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeeb Mohapatra
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Lin Yutao
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore
| | - Shin Giek Goh
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Charmaine Ng
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - You Luhua
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Ngoc Han Tran
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602, Singapore
| | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117411, Singapore; Energy and Environmental Sustainability for Megacities (E2S2) Phase II, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), 1 Create Way, Singapore 138602, Singapore; Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore.
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22
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Zhang L, Tang C, Li M, Wang H, Zhang S, Wang J, Dong X, Fang D, Bai H, Sun Y, Yue D. Identification of key surfactant in municipal solid waste leachate foaming and its influence mechanism. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 231:119487. [PMID: 36680826 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119487] [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: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Serious foaming problems and the excessive consumption of defoamer have undoubtedly become one of the most critical problems that hinder municipal solid waste (MSW) leachate treatment efficiency and industry development. Since there is limited research penetrating the foaming mechanism and identification of the key surfactants, current defoaming and surfactant removal techniques lack pertinence and orientation. In this study, a foaming characterization device was developed and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) was optimized to accurately identify the key surfactants affecting leachate foaming and offer a glimpse into their interaction mechanisms. This study collected leachate samples from 9 typical landfills and waste-to-energy facilities of various waste compositions, climatic conditions, ages, and geographical locations. The foaming problem of leachate was mainly centered on raw leachate and nanofiltration membrane concentrate (NFC). Fresh leachate performed with relatively low foaming capacity and foam stability, associated with low surfactant concentration. The pH value of the system was positively correlated with the concentration of anionic surfactants, indicating significant impacts on surfactant release in MSW. Since the distribution characteristics of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) in leachate were consistent with the variety of foaming performances, LAS proved to be an indispensable surfactant in the leachate involved in this study, and its content proportion escalated to 92.87% in aged leachate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyue Zhang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chu Tang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mingchun Li
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Huijing Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Sijia Zhang
- Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China
| | - Jianchao Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xinwei Dong
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ding Fang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hao Bai
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yue Sun
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Dongbei Yue
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Research Institute for Environmental Innovation (Suzhou), Tsinghua, Suzhou 215163, China.
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23
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Jansen K, Mohr C, Lügger K, Heller C, Siemens J, Mulder I. Widespread occurrence of quaternary alkylammonium disinfectants in soils of Hesse, Germany. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159228. [PMID: 36208753 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Quaternary alkylammonium compounds (QAACs) are cationic organic compounds with amphiphilic properties that are widely used as surfactants and disinfectants in industry, households and agriculture. Several studies suggest that QAACs co-select for antibiotic resistant microorganisms and thus may contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment. Data on QAAC occurrence in soil are scarce and limited to soils that are prone to direct exposure to QAACs. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive study on the occurrence of QAACs in soils of Hesse, a federal state in Germany, covering an area of 21,115 km2. Sixty-five soil samples that comprised different land uses (arable, grassland, forest, vineyard) and area types (rural, agglomeration) were analysed for concentrations of alkyltrimethylammonium (ATMACs, with alkyl chain lengths C8-C16), benzylalkyldimethylammonium (BACs, C8-C18) and dialkyldimethylammonium compounds (DADMACs, C8-C18) via HPLC-MS/MS after ultrasonic-assisted extraction with acidified acetonitrile. QAACs were detected in 97 % of the soil samples irrespective of land use and area type. The most abundant QAAC homologues were DADMACs > BACs > ATMACs. The highest total QAAC concentrations were detected in alluvial soils influenced by the deposition of suspended particles during flood events, with DADMAC-C16 and -C18 as the dominant homologues. The high abundance of long-chain DADMACs suggests that legacy pollution and accumulation govern QAAC concentrations in soils. The presence of QAACs in forest soils points to a potential input via atmospheric deposition. Our work highlights the widespread occurrence of QAACs in soils of Hesse and the need for more research on their entry paths and fate in the soil ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Jansen
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Center for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Christian Mohr
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Center for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Katrin Lügger
- Hessian Agency for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology, Rheingaustrasse 186, 65203 Wiesbaden, Germany.
| | - Christian Heller
- Hessian Agency for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology, Rheingaustrasse 186, 65203 Wiesbaden, Germany.
| | - Jan Siemens
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Center for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Ines Mulder
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Center for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
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24
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Wu Z, Lou F, Tang Y, Dong H, Qiang Z. Accelerated transformation of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate surfactant in the UV/chlorine process: Kinetics and formation of chlorinated disinfection by-products. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 310:136820. [PMID: 36241113 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The degradation kinetics of Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) surfactant in the UV/chlorine process was comprehensively investigated, and the formation of chlorinated disinfection by-products (Cl-DBPs) were determined. Results showed that the degradation of SDBS by UV, chlorine and UV/chlorine all followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The rate constant by UV/chlorine in ultrapure water was approximately 3 times higher than the sum of those by UV and chlorine, and decreased from 0.297 to 0.063 min-1 with pH increasing from 5.0 to 9.0. Water matrices such as NO3-, HCO3- and natural organic matter (NOM) inhibited the degradation efficiency to a certain extent. The second-order rate constant of SDBS with HO• was determined as 2.84 × 109 M-1 s-1. Through using different probes, the main contributors to SDBS degradation were found to be UV, HO• and reactive chlorine species (RCS). Meanwhile, 64.0 μg L-1 trichloromethane (TCM) and 8.7 μg L-1 chloral hydrate (CH) were simultaneously formed within 30 min of UV/chlorine treatment. The concentration of total organic chlorine (TOCl) (424.0 μg L-1) was obviously higher than those of TCM and CH. In addition, 414 unknown by-products formed during UV/chlorine treatment were detected by mass spectrometry at a high confidence level, including 64 monochloro-DBPs and 2 dichloro-DBPs. Although UV/chlorine process accelerated SDBS degradation, the associated DBP formation deserves enough attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengdi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, 212100, China
| | - Fei Lou
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yubin Tang
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, 212100, China
| | - Huiyu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Zhimin Qiang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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25
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Basiry D, Entezari Heravi N, Uluseker C, Kaster KM, Kommedal R, Pala-Ozkok I. The effect of disinfectants and antiseptics on co- and cross-selection of resistance to antibiotics in aquatic environments and wastewater treatment plants. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1050558. [PMID: 36583052 PMCID: PMC9793094 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1050558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to increased use of disinfectants and antiseptics (DAs), resulting in higher concentrations of these compounds in wastewaters, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and receiving water bodies. Their constant presence in water bodies may lead to development and acquisition of resistance against the DAs. In addition, they may also promote antibiotic resistance (AR) due to cross- and co-selection of AR among bacteria that are exposed to the DAs, which is a highly important issue with regards to human and environmental health. This review addresses this issue and provides an overview of DAs structure together with their modes of action against microorganisms. Relevant examples of the most effective treatment techniques to increase the DAs removal efficiency from wastewater are discussed. Moreover, insight on the resistance mechanisms to DAs and the mechanism of DAs enhancement of cross- and co-selection of ARs are presented. Furthermore, this review discusses the impact of DAs on resistance against antibiotics, the occurrence of DAs in aquatic systems, and DA removal mechanisms in WWTPs, which in principle serve as the final barrier before releasing these compounds into the receiving environment. By recognition of important research gaps, research needs to determine the impact of the majority of DAs in WWTPs and the consequences of their presence and spread of antibiotic resistance were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Basiry
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Nooshin Entezari Heravi
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Cansu Uluseker
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Krista Michelle Kaster
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Roald Kommedal
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Ilke Pala-Ozkok
- Department of Chemistry, Bioscience and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway
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26
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Godfrey AR, Dunscombe J, Gravell A, Hunter A, Barrow MP, van Keulen G, Desbrow C, Townsend R. Use of QuEChERS as a manual and automated high-throughput protocol for investigating environmental matrices. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 308:136313. [PMID: 36067814 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental pollution has strong links to adverse human health outcomes with risks of pollution through production, use, ineffective wastewater (WW) remediation, and/or leachate from landfill. 'Fit-for-purpose' monitoring approaches are critical for better pollution control and mitigation of harm, with current sample preparation methods for complex environmental matrices typically time-consuming and labour intensive, unsuitable for high-throughput screening. This study has shown that a modified 'Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe' (QuEChERS) sample preparation is a viable alternative for selected environmental matrices required for pollution monitoring (e.g. WW effluent, treated sludge cake and homogenised biota tissue). As a manual approach, reduced extraction times (hours to ∼20 min/sample) with largely reproducible (albeit lower) recoveries of a range of pharmaceuticals and biocidal surfactants have been reported. Its application has shown clear differentiation of matrices via chemometrics, and the measurement of pollutants of interest to the UK WW industry at concentrations significantly above suggested instrument detection limits (IDL) for sludge, indicating insufficient removal and/or bioaccumulation during WW treatment. Furthermore, new pollutant candidates of emerging concern were identified - these included detergents, polymers and pharmaceuticals, with quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) biocides observed at 2.3-70.4 mg/kg, and above levels associated with priority substances for environmental quality regulation (EQSD). Finally, the QuEChERS protocol was adapted to function as a fully automated workflow, further reducing the resource to complete both the preparation and analysis to <40 min. This operated with improved recovery for soil and biota (>62%), and when applied to a largely un-investigated clay matrix, acceptable recovery (88.0-131.1%) and precision (≤10.3% RSD) for the tested pharmaceuticals and biocides was maintained. Therefore, this preliminary study has shown the successful application of a high-throughput QuEChERS protocol across a range of environmental solids for potential deployment in a regulated laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ruth Godfrey
- Swansea University Medical School, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK.
| | | | - Anthony Gravell
- Natural Resources Wales Analytical Services, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Ann Hunter
- Swansea University Medical School, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Mark P Barrow
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | | | - Claire Desbrow
- Biotage GB Limited, Dyffryn Business Park, Hengoed, CF82 7TS, UK
| | - Rachel Townsend
- Swansea University Medical School, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
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27
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Yang CX, He ZW, Liu WZ, Wang AJ, Wang L, Liu J, Liu BL, Ren NQ, Yu SP, Guo ZC. Chronic effects of benzalkonium chlorides on short chain fatty acids and methane production in semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 847:157619. [PMID: 35901877 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As an emerging pollutant, benzalkonium chlorides (BACs) potentially enriched in waste activated sludge (WAS). However, the microbial response mechanism under chronic effects of BACs on acidogenesis and methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion (AD) has not been clearly disclosed. This study investigated the AD (by-)products and microbial evolution under low to high BACs concentrations from bioreactor startup to steady running. It was found that BACs can lead to an increase of WAS hydrolysis and fermentation, but a disturbance to acidogenic bacteria also occurred at low BACs concentration. A noticeable inhibition to methanogenesis occurred when BAC concentration was up to 15 mg/g TSS. Metagenomic analysis revealed the key genes involved in acetic acid (HAc) biosynthesis (i.e. phosphate acetyltransferase, PTA), β-oxidation pathway (acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase) and propionic acid (HPr) conversion was slightly promoted compared with control. Furthermore, BACs inhibited the acetotrophic methanogenesis (i.e. acetyl-CoA synthetase), especially BAC concentration was up to 15 mg/g TSS, thereby enhanced short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) accumulation. Overall, chronic stimulation of functional microorganisms with increasing concentrations of BACs impact WAS fermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Xue Yang
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Cold Region Wetland Ecology and Environment Research, School of Geography and Tourism, Harbin University, Harbin, 150086, China; National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Zhang-Wei He
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Wen-Zong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Ai-Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Prevention and Control, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ling Wang
- School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266520, China
| | - Jia Liu
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Cold Region Wetland Ecology and Environment Research, School of Geography and Tourism, Harbin University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Bao-Ling Liu
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Cold Region Wetland Ecology and Environment Research, School of Geography and Tourism, Harbin University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Shao-Peng Yu
- Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Cold Region Wetland Ecology and Environment Research, School of Geography and Tourism, Harbin University, Harbin, 150086, China
| | - Ze-Chong Guo
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, 212100, China
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28
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Jia Y, Lu H, Zhu L. Molecular mechanism of antibiotic resistance induced by mono- and twin-chained quaternary ammonium compounds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:155090. [PMID: 35398118 PMCID: PMC8985400 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The usage of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) as disinfectants has increased dramatically since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, leading to potentially accelerated emergence of antibiotic resistance. Long-term exposure to subinhibitory level QACs can lead to multidrug resistance, but the contribution of mutagenesis to resistance evolution is obscure. In this study, we subcultured E. coli K-12 under subinhibitory (0.25 × and 0.5 × Minimum Inhibitory Concentration, MIC) or inhibitory (1 × and 2 × MIC) concentrations of benzalkonium chloride (BAC, mono-chained) or didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC, twin-chained) for 60 days. The sensitivity of QAC-adapted cells to five typical antibiotics decreased significantly, and in particular, the MIC of rifampicin increased by 85 times. E. coli adapted faster to BAC but developed 20-167% higher antibiotic resistance with 56% more mutations under DDAC exposure. The broader mutations induced by QACs, including negative regulators (acrR, marR, soxR, and crp), outer membrane proteins and transporters (mipA and sbmA), and RNA polymerase (rpoB and rpoC), potentially contributed to the high multi-drug resistance. After QACs stresses were removed, the phenotypic resistance induced by subinhibitory concentrations of QACs was reversible, whereas that induced by inhibitory concentrations of QACs was irreversible. The different patterns and molecular mechanism of antibiotic resistance induced by BAC and DDAC is informative to estimating the risks of broader QACs present at varied concentrations in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Jia
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huijie Lu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lizhong Zhu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Nunes RF, Teixeira ACSC. An overview on surfactants as pollutants of concern: Occurrence, impacts and persulfate-based remediation technologies. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 300:134507. [PMID: 35395256 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Surfactants are molecules that reduce interfacial energy and increase solubility of other pollutants in water. These properties make them suitable for various domestic and industrial applications, soil remediation, pesticide formulation, among others. The increase in their use and the lack of strict regulations regarding their disposal and management is a matter of concern and requires more attention since the release and distribution of these compounds into the environment can modify important water quality parameters. As a result of these changes, different toxicological effects to aquatic organisms are discussed and exposed herein. On this basis, we provide an overview of the classes of surfactants, as well as their occurrence in different aqueous matrices. In addition, existing regulations around the world regarding their concentration limit for different environments are discussed. Current research focuses on the application of conventional treatments, such as biological treatments; notwithstanding, more toxic and bioaccumulative products can be generated. Advanced Oxidation Processes are promising alternatives and have also been widely applied for the removal of surfactants. This study provides, for the first time, an overview of the application of persulfate-based processes for surfactants degradation based on recent literature findings, as well as the various factors related to the activation of the persulfate anions. This review also highlights the challenges and opportunities for future research to overcome the obstacles to the practical application of this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Frinhani Nunes
- Research Group in Advanced Oxidation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, tr. 3, 380, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira
- Research Group in Advanced Oxidation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, tr. 3, 380, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Liang W, Wang X, Wu A, Zhang X, Niu L, Wang J, Wang X, Zhao X. Application of combined QSAR-ICE models in calculation of hazardous concentrations for linear alkylbenzene sulfonate. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 300:134400. [PMID: 35339521 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is a widely used anionic surfactant that exists as a mixture of various homologous structures in water environment. In the calculation of hazardous concentrations of LAS, cross-taxonomies toxicity estimation was often used instead of species-level-specific estimation for the normalization of toxicity data, which led to substantial uncertainties. In this study, combined quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and interspecific relationship estimation (ICE) models were developed to normalize the alkyl chain length of toxicity data and calculate the 5th percentile hazard concentrations (HC5s) of LAS. Using seven acute QSAR models based on measured data and 29 acute QSAR-ICE models derived from them, the acute HC5s of LAS were calculated as 2.09-3.67 mg/L. Furthermore, species- and family-level-specific QSAR and QSAR-ICE models were used to calculate chronic HC5s (0.19-0.38 mg/L). Additionally, the sensitivity of biological toxicity to the hydrophobicity of LAS, represented by the slope of the QSAR models, had a significant correlation with the taxa of the species. Further risk assessment based on chronic HC5s showed potential ecological risks in the Dianchi Lake basin and Haihe River basin in China, which should cause concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weigang Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xiaolei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Aiming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Lin Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Junyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
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Xiao ZY, Huang N, Wang Q, Wang WL, Wu QY, Hu HY. Advanced oxidation of dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride by VUV/UV/chlorine: Synergistic effect, radicals, and degradation pathway. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.121012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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Belter B, McCarlie SJ, Boucher-van Jaarsveld CE, Bragg RR. Investigation into the Metabolism of Quaternary Ammonium Compound Disinfectants by Bacteria. Microb Drug Resist 2022; 28:841-848. [PMID: 35759372 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2022.0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our reliance on disinfectants and sanitizers and the use thereof has grown. While this may protect human health, it may be selecting for antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms, including those that are not only capable of growth in the presence of disinfectants but also thrive using this as an energy source. Furthermore, there is a growing concern in emerging nosocomial pathogens, which have shown resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants. This rise in resistance has led to the investigation of various mechanisms behind resistance, such as biofilms, efflux pumps, and mobile genetic elements. Although many resistance mechanisms have been identified, it was discovered that some potentially pathogenic microbes could metabolize these compounds, which remains an avenue for further investigation. Investigating alternative metabolic pathways in microorganisms capable of growth using disinfectants as their sole carbon and energy source may provide insight into the metabolism of quaternary ammonium compound (QAC)-based antimicrobials. Many of the metabolic reactions proposed include hydroxylation, N-dealkylation, N-demethylation, and β-oxidation of QACs. If clear metabolic pathways and reactions are elucidated, possible alternative approaches to QACs may be advised. Alternatively, this may provide opportunities for biodegradation of the compounds that adversely affect the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette Belter
- Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Samantha J McCarlie
- Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Charlotte E Boucher-van Jaarsveld
- Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Robert R Bragg
- Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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Zhao S, Wu Y, Yao Y, Li J, Niu Q. Biochar assisted cellulose anaerobic digestion under the inhibition of dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride: Dose-response kinetic assays, performance variation, potential promotion mechanisms. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 312:114934. [PMID: 35339793 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.114934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated the inhibitory effect and mitigation strategy of dodecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (DDBAC) suppression on anaerobic digestion. With the 12 h-suppression, only 16.64% of anaerobes were alive, and acetotrophic methanogens were significantly inhibited. As for batch test, DDBAC suppression significantly prolonged the start-up of systems and decreased the biogas production. In cellulose semi-continuous digestion process, the DDBAC suppression induced volatile fatty acids accumulation and pH decrease. However, the biochar amended reactor effectively mitigated the DDBAC suppression and achieved 370.5 mL/d·g-chemical-oxygen-demand biogas production. Moreover, 17.8% more protein in extracellular polymeric substances was secreted as the bio-barrier to defense the DDBAC suppression. Furthermore, microbial analysis showed that biochar addition selectively enriched directed interspecies electron transfer (DIET) participant bacteria (Anaerolineaceae and Syntrophomonas) and methanogens (Methanosaeta and Methanobacterium). Meanwhile, the potential metabolic pathway analysis showed that the abundance of amino acids and energy metabolism were increased 28% and 8%, respectively. The abundance of encoding enzyme related to hydrogenotrophic and acetotrophic methanogenesis enriched 1.88 times and 1.48 times, respectively. These results showed the performance and mechanisms involved in DIET establishment with ethanol stimulation biochar addition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunan Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, China-America CRC for Environment & Health of Shandong Province, Shandong University, 72# Jimo Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China; School of Environment, Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, 30# Haidian Shuangqing Road, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuehan Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, China-America CRC for Environment & Health of Shandong Province, Shandong University, 72# Jimo Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Yilin Yao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, China-America CRC for Environment & Health of Shandong Province, Shandong University, 72# Jimo Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Jingyi Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, China-America CRC for Environment & Health of Shandong Province, Shandong University, 72# Jimo Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China
| | - Qigui Niu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, China-America CRC for Environment & Health of Shandong Province, Shandong University, 72# Jimo Binhai Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266237, China.
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Gheorghe S, Stan MS, Mitroi DN, Staicu AC, Cicirma M, Lucaciu IE, Nita-Lazar M, Dinischiotu A. Oxidative Stress and Histopathological Changes in Gills and Kidneys of Cyprinus carpio following Exposure to Benzethonium Chloride, a Cationic Surfactant. TOXICS 2022; 10:227. [PMID: 35622641 PMCID: PMC9147585 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10050227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
One cationic surfactant with a wide spectrum of microbiocidal activity is benzethonium chloride (BEC). Despite being widely used, the toxicity data on vertebrate organisms are limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate within this study the acute toxicity of BEC on the gills and kidneys of Cyprinus carpio (European carp). An alteration of the antioxidant enzymes activities (glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase) was noticed after 96 h of exposure, along with an elevation of lipid peroxidation and decreased concentration of reduced glutathione, which confirmed that BEC was able to induce toxicity to these tissues. These metabolic effects were correlated with unspecific structural changes observed in gills and kidneys, having moderate degree of severity (such as an increase of melanomacrophages aggregation incidence and cytoplasm vacuolation of goblet cells in collecting tubules) and generally being compatible with life for the exposure time studied. The most severe structural effects were observed in gills after 96 h, noticing a lamellar aneurysm, hemorrhages and lamellar epithelium disruption due to the blood vessels and pillar cells damages and increased blood flow inside the lamellae. By our research we can confirm the utility of biochemical and histological analyses in the fish organs as tools for monitoring the water quality and ecotoxicological potential of chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Gheorghe
- National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology (ECOIND), 71–73 Drumul Podu Dambovitei, 060652 Bucharest, Romania; (S.G.); (I.E.L.); (M.N.-L.)
| | - Miruna S. Stan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Spl. Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (D.N.M.); (A.C.S.); (M.C.); (A.D.)
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Daniel N. Mitroi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Spl. Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (D.N.M.); (A.C.S.); (M.C.); (A.D.)
- AbbVie Inc., 2525 DuPont Dr, Irvine, CA 92612, USA
| | - Andrea C. Staicu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Spl. Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (D.N.M.); (A.C.S.); (M.C.); (A.D.)
| | - Marius Cicirma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Spl. Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (D.N.M.); (A.C.S.); (M.C.); (A.D.)
| | - Irina E. Lucaciu
- National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology (ECOIND), 71–73 Drumul Podu Dambovitei, 060652 Bucharest, Romania; (S.G.); (I.E.L.); (M.N.-L.)
| | - Mihai Nita-Lazar
- National Research and Development Institute for Industrial Ecology (ECOIND), 71–73 Drumul Podu Dambovitei, 060652 Bucharest, Romania; (S.G.); (I.E.L.); (M.N.-L.)
| | - Anca Dinischiotu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91–95 Spl. Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (D.N.M.); (A.C.S.); (M.C.); (A.D.)
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Cheng Z, Gao J, Liu Q, Gu Q. The effect of alkyl chain length of ( R)-3-Hydroxybutyric alkyl ester on antibacterial activity and its antibacterial mechanism. J Biomater Appl 2022; 37:275-286. [PMID: 35442105 DOI: 10.1177/08853282221085801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This work describes the relationship between the antibacterial activity and the ester chain length (C1-C8) of (R)-3-Hydroxybutyric ((R)-3-HB) alkyl esters that synthesized from (R)-3-HB acid ((R)-3-HBA) by esterification reaction. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) decrease as the length of the (R)-3-HB alkyl ester chain increases from 1 to 6, but (R)-3-HB-C7 and (R)-3-HB-C8 have their own rules for different microorganisms. Among them, the (R)-3HB-C6 has the relatively best antibacterial and antifungal properties, which MIC were 1.95 mg mL-1 against E. coli and S. aureus; 0.98 mg mL-1 against C. albicans and B. subtilis; 0.49 mg mL-1 against A. niger. Finally, the antimicrobial mechanisms of the (R)-3HB-C6 are revealed, and these include disruption of biofilm and the bacterial wall/membrane, leakage of the intracellular content, and change in the transmembrane potential. These results imply the potential application of (R)-3-HB alkyl ester as new antimicrobial agents; future research can use this as an antibacterial element to synthesize new polymer materials or agents with high-efficiency antibacterial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zao Cheng
- 165087Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Junfei Gao
- 165087Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Qianqian Liu
- 165087Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Qun Gu
- 165087Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China
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Villarreal-Reyes C, Díaz de León-Martínez L, Flores-Ramírez R, González-Lara F, Villarreal-Lucio S, Vargas-Berrones KX. Ecotoxicological impacts caused by high demand surfactants in Latin America and a technological and innovative perspective for their substitution. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151661. [PMID: 34780823 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151661] [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: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, water pollution represents a great concern due to population growth, industrialization, and urbanization. Every day hazardous chemical products for humans and aquatic organisms are disposed of arbitrarily from homes and industries. Even though detergents are considered an essential market, there is evidence of environmental impacts caused by surfactants like nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS). Regulations about maximum allowable concentrations in sewage, surface water, and drinking water are scarce or null, mostly in developing countries like Latin American countries. Therefore, this review explores these two common toxic surfactants (NPE and LAS) and proposes a technological, innovative, and ecological perspective on detergents. Also, it establishes a starting point for industries to minimize adverse effects on humans and environmental health caused by these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Villarreal-Reyes
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí. Av. Manuel Nava No. 6, C.P. 78260, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Lorena Díaz de León-Martínez
- Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud (CIAAS), Avenida Sierra Leona No. 550, Colonia Lomas Segunda Sección, CP 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Rogelio Flores-Ramírez
- Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud (CIAAS), Avenida Sierra Leona No. 550, Colonia Lomas Segunda Sección, CP 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Fabiola González-Lara
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí. Av. Manuel Nava No. 6, C.P. 78260, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Samantha Villarreal-Lucio
- Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud (CIAAS), Avenida Sierra Leona No. 550, Colonia Lomas Segunda Sección, CP 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Karla Ximena Vargas-Berrones
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí. Av. Manuel Nava No. 6, C.P. 78260, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
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Nunes RF, Metolina P, Teixeira ACSC. Dodecylpyridinium chloride removal by persulfate activation using UVA radiation or temperature: experimental design and kinetic modeling. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:68229-68243. [PMID: 34264490 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15174-w] [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: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The degradation of dodecylpyridinium chloride (DPC) by SO4•- and HO• radicals, generated by UVA and thermal-activated persulfate (PS) was investigated. Temperatures of 30-50°C were used for the heat activation of PS. In the case of UVA/PS, the effects of [PS]0 and specific photon emission rate (EP,0) were studied through a Doehlert design coupled with statistical analysis and response surface methodology. The results showed high DPC removal (99.8%) and pseudo-first-order degradation rate (kobs = 0.0971 min-1) for [DPC]0 = 4.60 ± 0.11 mg L-1, [PS]0 = 7.75 mmol L-1, and EP,0 = 0.437 μmol photons L-1 s-1, with a major role of SO4•- radicals in comparison with HO•. The specific DPC degradation rate found under these conditions was higher than that observed for thermal activation at 50°C and [PS]0 = 5.5 mmol L-1 (kobs = 0.0712 min-1) over the same time, although complete DPC removal was also achieved in the latter. The positive effect of EP,0 on DPC degradation by the UVA/PS process depends on PS concentrations, with kobs values increasing linearly with [PS]0 in the range 7.75-10 mmol L-1, whereas lower EP,0 values can be compensated by increasing [PS]0 up to about 10 mmol L-1, without significant scavenging. The second-order rate constants of DPC with HO• and SO4•-, estimated by comprehensive kinetic modeling, were 8.26 × 109 and 4.44 × 109 L mol-1 s-1, respectively. Furthermore, higher [DPC]0 would negatively affect the DPC degradation rate by the UVA/PS process, while 62% DPC removal was obtained in WWTP water, which can be considered good given the complexity of the real matrix. Finally, our results shed light on the possibility of using available UVA radiation (4.5%) in solar irradiance on the Earth's surface, making this treatment process more sustainable and cost-effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Frinhani Nunes
- Research Group in Advanced Oxidation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, tr. 3, São Paulo, 380, Brazil.
| | - Patrícia Metolina
- Research Group in Advanced Oxidation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, tr. 3, São Paulo, 380, Brazil
| | - Antonio Carlos Silva Costa Teixeira
- Research Group in Advanced Oxidation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, tr. 3, São Paulo, 380, Brazil
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Badmus SO, Amusa HK, Oyehan TA, Saleh TA. Environmental risks and toxicity of surfactants: overview of analysis, assessment, and remediation techniques. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:62085-62104. [PMID: 34590224 PMCID: PMC8480275 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16483-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
This work comprehensively reviewed the toxicity and risks of various surfactants and their degraded products in the environmental matrices, various analytical procedures, and remediation methods for these surfactants. The findings revealed that the elevated concentration of surfactants and their degraded products disrupt microbial dynamics and their important biogeochemical processes, hinder plant-surviving processes and their ecological niche, and retard the human organic and systemic functionalities. The enormous adverse effects of surfactants on health and the environment necessitate the need to develop, select, and advance the various analytical and assessment techniques to achieve effective identification and quantification of several surfactants in different environmental matrices. Considering the presence of surfactants in trace concentration and environmental matrices, excellent analysis can only be achieved with appropriate extraction, purification, and preconcentration. Despite these pre-treatment procedures, the chromatographic technique is the preferred analytical technique considering its advancement and shortcomings of other techniques. In the literature, the choice or selection of remediation techniques for surfactants depends largely on eco-friendliness, cost-implications, energy requirements, regeneration potential, and generated sludge composition and volume. Hence, the applications of foam fractionation, electrochemical advanced oxidation processes, thermophilic aerobic membranes reactors, and advanced adsorbents are impressive in the clean-up of the surfactants in the environment. This article presents a compendium of knowledge on environmental toxicity and risks, analytical techniques, and remediation methods of surfactants as a guide for policymakers and researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suaibu O Badmus
- Center for Integrative Petroleum Research, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, 31261, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hussein K Amusa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tajudeen A Oyehan
- Center for Integrative Petroleum Research, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, 31261, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tawfik A Saleh
- Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi Arabia.
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Teymoorian T, Teymourian T, Kowsari E, Ramakrishna S. Direct and indirect effects of SARS-CoV-2 on wastewater treatment. JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING 2021; 42:102193. [PMID: 35592058 PMCID: PMC8226068 DOI: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2021.102193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The novel SARS-CoV-2 is expanding internationally. While the current focus is on limiting its transmission from direct contact with infected patients and surfaces during the pandemic, the secondary transmission potential via sewage should not be underestimated, especially in low-income and developing countries with weak wastewater treatment technologies. Recent studies have indicated SARS-CoV-2 positivity also be detected in the feces of patients. Therefore, the risk of transmission and infection can be increased into sewage by the fecal-oral way, mainly in some parts of the globe with a high amount of open defecation. This review collected scattered data and recent studies about the direct and indirect effects of coronavirus in the water cycle. The direct impacts of COVID-19 on wastewater are related to the presence of the coronavirus and suitable viral removal methods in different phases of treatment in wastewater treatment plants. The indirect effects of COVID-19 on wastewater are related to the overuse of cleaning and disinfecting products to protect against viral infection and the overuse of certain drugs to protect against virus or novel mental problems and panic to COVID-19 and consequently their presence in wastewater. This unexpected situation leads to changes in the quality of wastewater and brings adverse and harmful effects for the human, aquatic organisms, and the environment. Therefore, applying effective wastewater treatment technologies with low toxic by-products in wastewater treatment plants will be helpful to prevent the increasing occurrence of these extra contaminants in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Termeh Teymoorian
- Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Hafez St., Tehran 15875-4413, Iran
| | - Targol Teymourian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Hafez St., Tehran 15875-4413, Iran
| | - Elaheh Kowsari
- Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Hafez St., Tehran 15875-4413, Iran
| | - Seeram Ramakrishna
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Center for Nanofibers and Nanotechnology, National University of Singapore, 119260, Singapore
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40
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Patureau D, Mailler R, Delgenes N, Danel A, Vulliet E, Deshayes S, Moilleron R, Rocher V, Gasperi J. Fate of emerging and priority micropollutants during the sewage sludge treatment - Part 2: Mass balances of organic contaminants on sludge treatments are challenging. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 125:122-131. [PMID: 33684663 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This paper analyzes the fate of 71 priority and emerging organic contaminants all along the treatment trains of sewage sludge treatment facilities in Paris including dewatering by centrifugation, thermal drying and anaerobic digestion. It aimed at proposing and applying a mass balances calculation methodology to each process and pollutant. This data validation strategy demonstrated the complexity to perform representative inlet/outlet sampling and analysis campaigns at industrial scales regarding organic compounds and to propose options to overcome this issue. Centrifugation and drying processes only implied physical mechanisms as phase separation and water elimination. Hence, correct mass balance were expected observed for organic contaminants if sampling and analysis campaigns were representative. This was the case for hydrophobic and neutral compounds. For the other more hydrophilic and charged compounds, the mass balances were scarcely correct. Thus, the conventional sampling and analytical practices used with sludge should be questioned and adapted to better take into account the high heterogeneity of sludge and the evolution of matrix effect within sludge treatment processes on micropollutant determination. For the biological anaerobic digestion process where degradations can occur and removals can be observed, the mass balances were deeply interpreted for 60 contaminants. This process contributed to the elimination above 70% of 21 detected compounds including 16 pharmaceuticals, 2 phthalates, 2 hormones and 1 perfluorinated compound. Removals of domperidone, propranolol, escitalopram, lidocaine, verapamil and cefoperazone under this condition were reported for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Patureau
- INRAE, Univ Montpellier, LBE, 102 avenue des étangs, 11100 Narbonne, France.
| | - R Mailler
- SIAAP, Direction de l'Innovation, 82 avenue Kléber, 92700 Colombes, France.
| | - N Delgenes
- INRAE, Univ Montpellier, LBE, 102 avenue des étangs, 11100 Narbonne, France
| | - A Danel
- INRAE, Univ Montpellier, LBE, 102 avenue des étangs, 11100 Narbonne, France
| | - E Vulliet
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR 5280 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - S Deshayes
- LEESU (UMR MA 102, Université Paris-Est, Agro ParisTech), 61 avenue du Général De Gaulle, 94010 Créteil Cedex, France
| | - R Moilleron
- LEESU (UMR MA 102, Université Paris-Est, Agro ParisTech), 61 avenue du Général De Gaulle, 94010 Créteil Cedex, France
| | - V Rocher
- SIAAP, Direction de l'Innovation, 82 avenue Kléber, 92700 Colombes, France
| | - J Gasperi
- GERS-LEE, Université Gustave Eiffel, IFSTTAR, F-44344 Bouguenais, France
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Chang Y, Zhong W, Liang J, Zhang A, Lin Y. Polydimethylsiloxane-polymethacrylate block copolymers containing quaternary ammonium salts against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 in soil: Antifungal activities and pot experiments. REACT FUNCT POLYM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2021.104848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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42
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Gray HK, Arora-Williams KK, Young C, Bouwer E, Davis MF, Preheim SP. Contribution of Time, Taxonomy, and Selective Antimicrobials to Antibiotic and Multidrug Resistance in Wastewater Bacteria. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:15946-15957. [PMID: 33258596 PMCID: PMC8463082 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The use of nontherapeutic broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents triclosan (TCS) and benzalkonium chloride (BC) can contribute to bacterial resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria within wastewater may reflect the resistance burden within the human microbiome, as antibiotics and pathogens in wastewater can track with clinically relevant parameters during perturbations to the community. In this study, we monitored culturable and resistant wastewater bacteria and cross-resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics to gauge the impact of each antimicrobial and identify factors influencing cross-resistance profiles. Bacteria resistant to TCS and BC were isolated from wastewater influent over 21 months, and cross-resistance, taxonomy, and monthly changes were characterized under both antimicrobial selection regimes. Cross-resistance profiles from each antimicrobial differed within and between taxa. BC-isolated bacteria had a significantly higher prevalence of resistance to "last-resort antibiotic" colistin, while isolates resistant to TCS exhibited higher rates of multidrug resistance. Prevalence of culturable TCS-resistant bacteria decreased over time following Food and Drug Administration (FDA) TCS bans. Cross-resistance patterns varied according to sampling date, including among the most clinically important antibiotics. Correlations between strain-specific resistance profiles were largely influenced by taxonomy, with some variations associated with sampling date. The results reveal that time, taxonomy, and selection by TCS and BC impact features of cross-resistance patterns among diverse wastewater microorganisms, which could reflect the variety of factors influencing resistance patterns relevant to a community microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah K Gray
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, 313 Ames Hall, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Keith K Arora-Williams
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, 313 Ames Hall, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Charles Young
- The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, Maryland 20723, United States
| | - Edward Bouwer
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, 313 Ames Hall, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Meghan F Davis
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, E7612, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Sarah P Preheim
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, 313 Ames Hall, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
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DeLeo PC, Huynh C, Pattanayek M, Schmid KC, Pechacek N. Assessment of ecological hazards and environmental fate of disinfectant quaternary ammonium compounds. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 206:111116. [PMID: 32890921 PMCID: PMC7467655 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Disinfectant quaternary ammonium compounds (Quats) have diverse uses in a variety of consumer and commercial products, particularly cleaning products. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have become a primary tool to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus on surfaces. Disinfectant Quats have very low vapor pressure, and following the use phase of the products in which they are found, disposal is typically "down-the-drain" to wastewater treatment systems. Consequently, the potential for the greatest environmental effect is to the aquatic environment, from treated effluent, and potentially to soils, which might be amended with wastewater biosolids. Among the earliest used and still common disinfectant Quats are the alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC) compounds and the dialkyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC) compounds. They are cationic surfactants often found in consumer and commercial surface cleaners. Because of their biocidal properties, disinfectant Quats are heavily regulated for human and environmental safety around the world. Consequently, there is a robust database of information regarding the ecological hazards and environmental fate of ADBAC and DDAC; however, some of the data presented are from unpublished studies that have been submitted to and reviewed by regulatory agencies (i.e., EPA and European Chemicals Agency) to support antimicrobial product registration. We summarize the available environmental fate data and the acute and chronic aquatic ecotoxicity data for freshwater species, including algae, invertebrates, fish, and plants using peer-reviewed literature and unpublished data submitted to and summarized by regulatory agencies. The lower limit of the range of the ecotoxicity data for disinfectant Quats tends to be lower than that for other surface active agents, such as nonionic or anionic surfactants. However, ecotoxicity is mitigated by environmental fate characteristics, the data for which we also summarize, including high biodegradability and a strong tendency to sorb to wastewater biosolids, sediment, and soil. As a result, disinfectant Quats are largely removed during wastewater treatment, and those residues discharged in treated effluent are likely to rapidly bind to suspended solids or sediments, thus mitigating their toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul C DeLeo
- Integral Consulting Inc., 200 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Suite 330, Annapolis, MD, 21401, USA.
| | - Carolyn Huynh
- Integral Consulting Inc., 545 Sansome Street, Suite 875, San Francisco, CA, 94111, USA
| | - Mala Pattanayek
- Integral Consulting Inc., 545 Sansome Street, Suite 875, San Francisco, CA, 94111, USA
| | | | - Nathan Pechacek
- Ecolab Inc., 655 Lone Oak Drive, Mailstop F6, Eagan, MN, 55121, USA
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Abbott T, Kor-Bicakci G, Islam MS, Eskicioglu C. A Review on the Fate of Legacy and Alternative Antimicrobials and Their Metabolites during Wastewater and Sludge Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21239241. [PMID: 33287448 PMCID: PMC7729486 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21239241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial compounds are used in a broad range of personal care, consumer and healthcare products and are frequently encountered in modern life. The use of these compounds is being reexamined as their safety, effectiveness and necessity are increasingly being questioned by regulators and consumers alike. Wastewater often contains significant amounts of these chemicals, much of which ends up being released into the environment as existing wastewater and sludge treatment processes are simply not designed to treat many of these contaminants. Furthermore, many biotic and abiotic processes during wastewater treatment can generate significant quantities of potentially toxic and persistent antimicrobial metabolites and byproducts, many of which may be even more concerning than their parent antimicrobials. This review article explores the occurrence and fate of two of the most common legacy antimicrobials, triclosan and triclocarban, their metabolites/byproducts during wastewater and sludge treatment and their potential impacts on the environment. This article also explores the fate and transformation of emerging alternative antimicrobials and addresses some of the growing concerns regarding these compounds. This is becoming increasingly important as consumers and regulators alike shift away from legacy antimicrobials to alternative chemicals which may have similar environmental and human health concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Abbott
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (T.A.); (G.K.-B.); (M.S.I.)
| | - Gokce Kor-Bicakci
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (T.A.); (G.K.-B.); (M.S.I.)
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Bogazici University, Bebek, 34342 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mohammad S. Islam
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (T.A.); (G.K.-B.); (M.S.I.)
| | - Cigdem Eskicioglu
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada; (T.A.); (G.K.-B.); (M.S.I.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-250-807-8544 (C.E)
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45
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Evaluation of Sub-Lethal Toxicity of Benzethonium Chloride in Cyprinus carpio Liver. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10238485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Benzenthonium chloride (BEC, Hyamine 1622) is a quaternary ammonium surfactant with cationic properties widely used in cleaning, sanitation, and medical products that can become harmful to humans and also to the environment. This study aimed to evaluate its acute effects on Cyprinus carpio fish in terms of oxidative stress and morphological changes on hepatic tissue in order to show the sub-lethal toxicity of BEC. Fish were exposed to 1 mg/L BEC for 24, 48, and 96 h, and the liver samples were collected. The most significant changes were noticed after 96 h of exposure when the entire antioxidant enzyme system was affected. The activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione S-transferase decreased by 44%, 31%, 30%, and 45%, respectively, compared to control. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity decreased by 29% after 96 h of control, inducing a reduction of NADPH formation which decreased by half the level of reduced glutathione, the main non-enzymatic antioxidant. These effects correlated with the raised value of lipid peroxidation after 96 h and the morphology changes on hepatic tissue, such as cytoplasmic vacuolization and nuclear hypertrophy that could affect the normal function of the liver. All of these results showed acute toxicity of BEC on C. carpio after 96 h of exposure, causing oxidative stress response at the hepatic level.
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46
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Kim S, Ji K, Shin H, Park S, Kho Y, Park K, Kim K, Choi K. Occurrences of benzalkonium chloride in streams near a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex in Korea and associated ecological risk. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 256:127084. [PMID: 32460158 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Benzalkonium chloride (BKC) is a commonly used preservative in personal care products and pharmaceutical preparations. However, its ecological risks are not well understood because of lack of monitoring data and ecotoxicological information. In the present study, occurrence of BKC was investigated in the waters near a pharmaceutical manufacturing complex of South Korea and its acute and chronic ecotoxicities were evaluated using Daphnia magna and Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Associated ecological risks were estimated by calculating hazard quotients (HQs). In addition, endocrine disruption potency of BKC was compared with those of other frequently used preservatives using human adrenal (H295R) and rat pituitary (GH3) cells. High concentration of BKC was detected at locations near the pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, i.e., 35.8 μg/L for dodecyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (BKC-C12), and 21.6 μg/L tetradecyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (BKC-C14). In Daphnia, 48 h immobilization EC50 and 21 d reproduction NOEC were determined at 41.1 μg/L and ≥10.8 μg/L, respectively. For O. latipes, 96 h LC50 was determined at 246 μg/L while the growth inhibition NOEC was ≥113.4 μg/L following early life stage exposure. BKC significantly up-regulated vitellogenin gene of juvenile fish, indicating its endocrine disrupting potential in fish. Exposure to BKC increased steroid hormone level in H295R cells, and induced cytotoxicity in GH3 cells. HQ values of BKC were determined at greater than one in the ambient water near pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. Considering high ecological risk and endocrine disrupting potential, long-term consequences of BKC contamination in aquatic ecosystem need to be examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujin Kim
- School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea; Department of Environmental Science, Institute of Biomedical Studies, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76706, USA
| | - Kyunghee Ji
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Yongin University, Yongin, 17092, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyesoo Shin
- School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Suhyun Park
- School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea; Institute of Natural Sciences, Yongin University, Yongin, 17092, Republic of Korea
| | - Younglim Kho
- Department of Health, Environment and Safety, Eulji University, Seongnam, 13135, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyunghwa Park
- National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungtae Kim
- National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon, 22689, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungho Choi
- School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
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47
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He X, Qi Z, Gao J, Huang K, Li M, Springael D, Zhang XX. Nonylphenol ethoxylates biodegradation increases estrogenicity of textile wastewater in biological treatment systems. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 184:116137. [PMID: 32750586 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The formation of estrogenic intermediates, i.e. nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), and nonylphenol (NP), following nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) biodegradation in textile wastewater raises concerns about its endocrine disruptive activity, but the estrogenicity changes of textile wastewater throughout biological treatment processes remain unknown. In the present study, the estrogenicity of textile wastewater sampled from 10 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were investigated using the reporter gene-based T47D-KBluc bioassay. Results showed that the estrogenicity of the textile wastewater significantly increased after either anaerobic or aerobic treatment in all WWTPs, with an average fold change of 3.21, although traditional pollutants were effectively removed. The estradiol equivalents of the effluent (ranging from 1.50 to 4.12 ng-E2/L) were generally higher than published effect based trigger values, indicating an increased risk for the receiving waters. Removal efficiency was high (84.46%) for NPEOs, but was low for NP2EO and NP1EO in the biological treatment processes. Nevertheless, NP had increased concentrations after the treatment. Bioanalytical equivalent concentration of the textile wastewater and that of NP2EO, NP1EO, and NP showed a good linear correlation, of which NP alone contributed more than 70% to the observed estrogenicity. Extending hydraulic retention time was found effective in reducing the estrogenicity as it allows relatively complete degradation of NP, which was further confirmed by running lab-scale A/O reactors fed with NP10EO. The results may extend our knowledge regarding the estrogenicity of textile wastewater and its reduction technologies used in WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiwei He
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zhaodong Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Kailong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control (AEMPC), School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China
| | - Mei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Dirk Springael
- Division of Soil and Water Management, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Xu-Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Hora PI, Pati SG, McNamara PJ, Arnold WA. Increased Use of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic and Beyond: Consideration of Environmental Implications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2020; 7:622-631. [PMID: 37566314 PMCID: PMC7341688 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are active ingredients in over 200 disinfectants currently recommended by the U.S. EPA for use to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus. The amounts of these compounds used in household, workplace, and industry settings has very likely increased, and usage will continue to be elevated given the scope of the pandemic. QACs have been previously detected in wastewater, surface waters, and sediments, and effects on antibiotic resistance have been explored. Thus, it is important to assess potential environmental and engineering impacts of elevated QAC usage, which may include disruption of wastewater treatment unit operations, proliferation of antibiotic resistance, formation of nitrosamine disinfection byproducts, and impacts on biota in surface waters. The threat caused by COVID-19 is clear, and a reasonable response is elevated use of QACs to mitigate spread of infection. Exploration of potential effects, environmental fate, and technologies to minimize environmental releases of QACs, however, is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya I. Hora
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-
Engineering, University of Minnesota − Twin Cities, 500
Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Sarah G. Pati
- Department of Environmental Sciences,
University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 30, 4056 Basel,
Switzerland
| | - Patrick J. McNamara
- Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental
Engineering, Marquette University, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin 53233, United States
| | - William A. Arnold
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-
Engineering, University of Minnesota − Twin Cities, 500
Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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49
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Heyde BJ, Barthel A, Siemens J, Mulder I. A fast and robust method for the extraction and analysis of quaternary alkyl ammonium compounds from soil and sewage sludge. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237020. [PMID: 32750078 PMCID: PMC7402506 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Alkyltrimethylammonium compounds (ATMACs), dialkyldimethylammonium compounds (DADMACs) and benzylalkyldimethylethylammonium compounds (BACs) are quaternary alkylammonium compounds (QAAC), which are released into the environment in large quantities after their use in cleaning agents and disinfectants. Despite their potential role as selective agents promoting resistance against QAACs as well as antibiotics, there is a lack of data for QAACs in soil due to the lack of sensitive analytical methods. Therefore, we present a robust and fast method for the extraction and quantification of concentrations of these compounds in soil and sewage sludge. The method is based on ultrasonic extraction (USE) with a mixture of acetonitrile and HCl followed by a solid phase extraction (SPE) cleaning step and a subsequent quantification of concentrations with high performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in multi mass reaction mode (MRM). The proposed method is suitable for the quantification of ATMACs (chain length C-8 to C-16), BACs (C-8 to C-18) and DADMACs (C-8 to C-16). The achieved limits of quantification (LOQ) range from 0.1 μg kg-1 to 2.1 μg kg-1. The recovery rates of spiked soil samples for non-deuterated homologues were between 47% and 57%. The analysis of sewage sludge samples and soil samples revealed that BAC-C12 was the most abundant QAAC with concentrations up to 38600 μg kg-1 in sewage sludge and up to 81 μg kg-1 in a Mexican soil that was irrigated with wastewater. Overall, the presented methods open perspectives for effectively studying fate and effects of QAACs in soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Justus Heyde
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Center for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Anne Barthel
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Center for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Jan Siemens
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Center for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ines Mulder
- Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Center for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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50
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Van Stempvoort DR, Brown SJ, Smyth SA. Detections of alkyl-phenoxy-benzenesulfonates in municipal wastewater. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 251:126386. [PMID: 32155495 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126386] [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: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the first reported detections and concentrations of alkyl phenoxy-benzenesulfonate surfactants (APBS) in municipal wastewater. A semi quantitative direct injection LC/MS/MS method was developed. Samples of raw influent and final effluent were obtained from fourteen municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) at various locations in Canada and were analyzed for APBS, including five homologues of monoalkyldiphenylether disulfonates (MADS) and one monoalkyldiphenylether sulfonate (MAMS) homologue. APBS were detected in all 42 of the wastewater raw influent samples and in 37 of the 42 wastewater final effluent samples; the other 5 final effluent samples had trace levels below the minimum detection limit. In the samples of raw influent from the fourteen municipal treatment plants, the dissolved concentrations of APBS (total) ranged from 0.9 to 13.6 μg/L. In samples of final effluent from the same plants the total APBS ranged from below detection to 4 μg/L. The APBS were more resistant to loss during wastewater treatment compared to previous studies of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates in wastewaters. The most effective wastewater treatments for removal of APBS were those that involved either secondary treatment with aeration or advanced treatment including biological nutrient removal. Available information on ecotoxicity is lacking for evaluating the impacts of APBS surfactants when released to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale R Van Stempvoort
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada.
| | - Susan J Brown
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Shirley Anne Smyth
- Science and Risk Assessment Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
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