Presence and transport of the antimicrobials triclocarban and triclosan in a wastewater-dominated stream and freshwater environment

Short-term exposure to triclocarban alters microbial community composition and metabolite profiles in freshwater biofilms

Triclocarban (TCC), an emerging contaminant in water environments, its effects on freshwater biofilms remain insufficiently understood. This study investigates the effects of TCC exposure (at concentrations of 10 μg L-1 and 10 mg L-1) on mature freshwater biofilms. TCC was found to inhibit biofilm activity as evidenced by changes in surface morphology and the ratio of live/dead cells. Moreover, both concentrations of TCC were observed to modify the structure of the biofilm community. Metabolomics analysis revealed an overlap in the toxicity mechanisms and detoxification strategies triggered by various concentrations of TCC in biofilms. However, the higher toxicity induced by 10 mg L-1 TCC resulted from the downregulation of proline betaine, disrupting the homeostasis of cellular osmotic pressure regulation in biofilms. Notably, lipid and lipid-like molecules showed high sensitivity to different concentrations of TCC, indicating their potential as biomarkers for TCC exposure. Annotation of the differential metabolites by KEGG revealed that alterations in amino acid and carbon metabolism constituted the primary response mechanisms of biofilms to TCC. Moreover, the biofilm demonstrated enhanced nucleic acid metabolism, which bolstered resistance against TCC stress and heightened tolerance. Furthermore, elevated TCC concentrations prompted more robust detoxification processes for self-defense. Overall, short-term exposure to TCC induced acute toxicity in biofilms, yet they managed to regulate their community structure and metabolic levels to uphold oxidative homeostasis and activity. This research contributes to a deeper comprehension of TCC risk assessment and policy control in aquatic environments.

Photochemical degradation of bisphenol S and its tetrahalogenated derivatives in water

Bisphenol S (BPS), a widely used plasticizer, is known to have potential endocrine disrupting effects to organisms. Its tetrahalogenated derivatives, tetrachlorobisphenol S (TCBPS) and tetrabromobisphenol S (TBBPS), are flame retardants exhibiting high neurodevelopmental toxicity and cytotoxicity. Halogen substitution has been shown to significantly affect the optical and photochemical properties of organic compounds. In this study, we conducted a comparative investigation into the photochemical behaviors of BPS, TCBPS, and TBBPS in aqueous solutions under both laboratory UV and natural sunlight irradiation. Spectroscopic titration results indicated that the pKa of TCBPS (4.16) and TBBPS (4.13) are approximately 3.7 units smaller than that of BPS (7.85), indicating that the halogenated derivatives are mainly present as the phenolate anions under circumneutral conditions. The halogen substituents also cause a significant bathochromic shift in the absorption spectra of TCBPS and TBBPS compared to BPS, leading to the enhanced absorption of sunlight. Meanwhile, TCBPS and TBBPS showed higher quantum yields than BPS, attributed to the "heavy atom" effect of halogen substituents. GCSOLAR modeling predicted half-lives for BPS, TCBPS, and TBBPS in surface water in Nanjing (32°2'7.3''N, 118°50'21''E) under noon sunlight in clear mid-autumn days as 810.2, 3.4, and 0.7 min, respectively. Toxicity evaluation suggest potential ecological risks of BPS/TCBPS/TBBPS and their photoproducts to aquatic organisms. Our findings highlight direct photolysis as an important mechanism accounting for the attenuation of tetrahalogenated bisphenols in both sunlit surface waters and UV based water treatment processes.engineered (e.g., UV disinfection) and natural aquatic environments (e.g., surface fresh waters).

Critical review on the environmental behaviors and toxicity of triclosan and its removal technologies

As a highly effective broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, triclosan (TCS) is widely used in personal care and medical disinfection products, resulting in its widespread occurrence in aquatic and terrestrial environments, and even in the human body. Notably, the use of TCS surged during the COVID-19 outbreak, leading to increasing environmental TCS pollution pressure. From the perspective of environmental health, it is essential to systematically understand the environmental occurrence and behavior of TCS, its toxicological effects on biota and humans, and technologies to remove TCS from the environment. This review comprehensively summarizes the current knowledge regarding the sources and behavior of TCS in surface water, groundwater, and soil systems, focusing on its toxicological effects on aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Effluent from wastewater treatment plants is the primary source of TCS in aquatic systems, whereas sewage application and/or wastewater irrigation are the major sources of TCS in soil. Human exposure pathways to TCS and associated adverse outcomes were also analyzed. Skin and oral mucosal absorption, and dietary intake are important TCS exposure pathways. Reducing or completely degrading TCS in the environment is important for alleviating environmental pollution and protecting public health. Therefore, this paper reviews the removal mechanisms, including adsorption, biotic and abiotic redox reactions, and the influencing factors. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques are compared, and development prospects are proposed. These findings provide a basis for the management and risk assessment of TCS and are beneficial for the application of treatment technology in TCS removal.

Potential application of 2D nano-layered MXene in analysing and remediating endocrine disruptor compounds and heavy metals in water

With the advancement of technologies and growth of the economy, it is inevitable that more complex processes are deployed, producing more heterogeneous wastewater that comes from biomedical, biochemical and various biotechnological industries. While the conventional way of wastewater treatment could effectively reduce the chemical oxygen demand, pH and turbidity of wastewater, trace pollutants, specifically the endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs) that exist in µg L-1 or ng L-1 have further hardened the detection and removal of these biochemical pollutants. Even in small amounts, EDC could interfere human's hormone, causing severe implications on human body. Hence, this review elucidates the recent insights regarding the effectiveness of an advanced 2D material based on titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx), also known as MXene, in detecting and removing EDCs. MXene's highly tunable feature also allows its surface chemistry to be adjusted by adding chemicals with different functional groups to adsorb different kinds of EDCs for biochemical pollution mitigation. At the same time, the incorporation of MXene into sample matrices also further eases the analysis of trace pollutants down to ng L-1 levels, thereby making way for a more cleaner and comprehensive wastewater treatment. In that sense, this review also highlights the progress in synthesizing MXene from the conventional method to the more modern approaches, together with their respective key parameters. To further understand and attest to the efficacy of MXene, the limitations and current gaps of this potential agent are also accentuated, targeting to seek resolutions for a more sustainable application.

Degradation of triclosan by peroxydisulfate/peroxomonosulfate binary oxidants activation under thermal conditions: Efficiency and mechanism

Peroxydisulfate (PDS) and peroxymonosulfate (PMS) could be efficiently activated by heat to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the degradation of organic contaminants. However, defects including the inefficiency treatment and pH dependence of monooxidant process are prominent. In this study, synergy of heat and the PDS-PMS binary oxidant was studied for efficient triclosan (TCS) degradation and apply in rubber wastewater. Under different pH values, the degradation of TCS followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, the reaction rate constant (kobs) value of TCS in heat/PDS/PMS system increased from 1.8 to 4.4 fold and 6.8-49.1 fold when compared to heat/PDS system and heat/PMS system, respectively. Hydroxyl radicals (·OH), sulfate radicals (SO4·-) and singlet oxygen (1O2) were the major ROS for the degradation of TCS in heat/PDS/PMS system. In addition, the steady-state concentrations of ·OH/1O2 and SO4·-/·OH/1O2 increased under acidic conditions and alkaline conditions, respectively. It was concluded that the pH regulated the ROS for degradation of TCS in heat/PDS/PMS system significantly. Based on the analysis of degradation byproducts, it was inferred that the dechlorination, hydroxylation and ether bond breaking reactions occurred during the degradation of TCS. Moreover, the biological toxicity of the ten byproducts was lower than that of TCS was determined. Furthermore, the heat/PDS/PMS system is resistant to the influence of water substrates and can effectively improve the water quality of rubber wastewater. This study provides a novel perspective for efficient degradation of TCS independent of pH in the heat/PDS/PMS system and its application of rubber wastewater.

Environmental concentrations of antibiotics, biocides, and heavy metals fail to induce phenotypic antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli

Most anthropogenically affected environments contain mixtures of pollutants from different sources. The impact of these pollutants is usually the combined effect of the individual polluting constituents. However, how these stressors contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance in environmental microorganisms is poorly understood. Thus, a 30-day exposure experiment to environmental and sub-inhibitory concentrations of oxytetracycline, amoxicillin, zinc, copper, BAC (benzalkonium chloride) 10 and DADMAC (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) 12, was conducted using fully susceptible E. coli ATCC 25922 to ascertain any development of phenotypic or genotypic resistance. Furthermore, wild-type isolates were collected from the same aquatic environment as the stressors, analysed for phenotypic resistance using the disk diffusion method and genotypically through whole genome sequencing. Exposure to the various concentrations and combinations of the stressors did not trigger phenotypic resistance in the experimental bacteria. Furthermore, genotypic analysis of the WGS on the exposed isolates only found the macrolide resistance mdf(A) gene (also present in the control strain) and the disinfectant resistance gene sitABCD. With further analysis for single nucleotide variants (SNV), mutations were detected for 19 genes that encoded for oxidative stress, DNA repair, membrane proteins efflux systems, growth and persister formations except for the robA, a transcription protein subset of the ArcC/XylS family of proteins, which confer multidrug resistance in E. coli. This indicates that exposure to sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics, heavy metals and biocide residues in the aquatic environmental concentrations of the stressors identified in the current study could not induce phenotypic or genotypic resistance but encoded for genes responsible for the development of persistence and tolerance in bacteria, which could be a precursor to the development of resistance in environmental bacteria.

A holistic review on triclosan and triclocarban exposure: Epidemiological outcomes, antibiotic resistance, and health risk assessment

Triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) are antimicrobials that are widely applied in personal care products, textiles, and plastics. TCS and TCC exposure at low doses may disturb hormone levels and even facilitate bacterial resistance to antibiotics. In the post-coronavirus disease pandemic era, chronic health effects and the spread of antibiotic resistance genes associated with TCS and TCC exposure represent an increasing concern. This study sought to screen and review the exposure levels and sources and changes after the onset of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, potential health outcomes, bacterial resistance and cross-resistance, and health risk assessment tools associated with TCS and TCC exposure. Daily use of antimicrobial products accounts for most observed associations between internal exposure and diseases, while secondary exposure at trace levels mainly lead to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. The roles of altered gut microbiota in multi-system toxicities warrant further attention. Sublethal dose of TCC selects ARGs without obviously increasing tolerance to TCC. But TCS induce persistent TCS resistance and reversibly select antibiotic resistance, which highlights the benefits of minimizing its use. To derive reference doses (RfDs) for humans, more sensitive endpoints observed in populational studies need to be confirmed using toxicological tests. Additionally, the human equivalent dose is recommended to be incorporated into the health risk assessment to reduce uncertainty of extrapolation.

Fabrication of Ag3PO4/polyaniline-activated biochar photocatalyst for efficient triclosan degradation process and toxicity assessment

Triclosan (TCS) is a typical environmental pollutant, which seriously threatens the health of humans and organisms. A novel strategy of biochar/Ag₃PO₄/polyaniline (PANI) composite photocatalyst was synthesized by a facile chemical precipitation method to efficiently degrade TCS. XRD, Raman, ESR, etc. were used to reveal the effective associations among physiochemistry, photochemistry and photocatalytic properties of the composite. It was proved the synergistic effects of biochar (T-Bio) and PANI resulted in the decrease of Ag₃PO₄ particle size, the enhancement of adsorption, the improvement of light utilization, the increase of photogenerated carrier separation and the promotion of reactive species. The photocatalytic mechanism showed h⁺ was the main active species, O₂^- and OH played minor roles. Under the irradiation of visible light, the optimal photocatalyst (1.0% T-Bio/AP/1.0% PANI) displayed excellent photocatalytic activity with the removal rate of 85.21% for TCS within 10 min, and the apparent rate constant K' was 2.38 times of Ag₃PO₄. 11 main intermediates for TCS degradation were identified, and their toxicity was significantly reduced. The possible degradation pathways were proposed. This work is the first systematic study on the degradation behavior of TCS by Ag₃PO₄-based photocatalyst, and it provides a new approach to fabricate photocatalysts with synergistic effects and amazing photocatalytic activity by biochar.

Occurrence and partitioning of bisphenol analogues, triclocarban, and triclosan in seawater and sediment from East China Sea

Bisphenol analogues (BPs), triclocarban (TCC), and triclosan (TCS) are well-known environmental endocrine disrupters. Many studies have characterized their occurrence in the freshwater environment. However, their environmental behaviors in the coastal marine environment remain poorly understood. Here, matched seawater and sediment samples were collected from East China Sea, and analyzed for 13 BPs (including halogenated derivatives of bisphenol A), TCC, and TCS. Bisphenol A (BPA; mean 23 ng/L) was the predominant BP in seawaters, followed by tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA; 2.3 ng/L) and bisphenol S (BPS; 2.2 ng/L). Seawater concentrations of TCS (<LOD-8.7 ng/L) were much higher (p < 0.01) than that of TCC (<LOD-0.33 ng/L). In sediments BPA was still the major BP (mean 13 ng/g dw, dry weight), followed by bisphenol F (1.6 ng/g dw) and BPS (0.69 ng/g dw). All sediment samples contained measurable TCC (0.12-6.6 ng/g dw), while TCS was occasionally detected. For the first time, this study reports the environmental occurrence of bisphenol M and 4,4'-sulfonylbis (2-aminophenol) (a first discovered BPS analogue) in seawaters and sediments. Spatially, inshore seawater and sediment samples contained higher (p < 0.01) BPA and BPS concentrations, compared with offshore samples. The mean log-transformed sediment-seawater partitioning coefficients (log K_oc) ranged from 2.3 (TBBPA) to 4.0 (TCC). The log K_oc values of BPA, BPS, and BPAF were lower than those previously reported in the freshwater environment. Overall, this study provides first data on the spatial distribution patterns and partitioning behaviors of BPs, TCC, and TCS in marine environment.

Assessing the distributions and fate of household and personal care chemicals (HPCCs) in the Songhua Catchment, Northeast China

Many household and personal care chemicals (HPCCs) are of environmental concern due to their potential toxicity to humans and wildlife. However, few studies investigate the spatiotemporal variations and fate of HPCCs in large-scale river systems. Here, river water and sediment samples from the Songhua River in Northeast China were analyzed for seven classes of HPCCs. Correlation analysis suggested similar sources and environmental behavior for compounds from the same HPCC classes. In the river water, the concentrations of most HPCCs in the cold season were significantly higher than that of the warm season (p < 0.01). Significantly higher levels of target compounds were found in the downstream water samples of a city, suggesting the influence of human activities on the distributions of HPCCs. The concentrations and distributions of most HPCCs were controlled by primary emission sources. The derived dissolved concentrations of HPCCs suggested that small amounts of caffeine and parabens were partitioned onto particles, while large amounts of many other HPCCs were bound to the particle phase. Water-sediment distribution coefficients (log K_d) ranged from 1.59 for caffeine to 3.95 for benzalkonium chloride-C14. This work presents new insights into the environmental behavior of HPCCs and the factors affecting their fate in river systems.

The fate of triclocarban in activated sludge and its influence on biological wastewater treatment system

Triclocarban (TCC), a typical emerging contaminant, was abundantly released into environment and frequently detected in practical wastewater treatment plants. However it is also an important material when being added to personal skin care products as a antibacterial agent. In this work, the behavior of TCC in wastewater treatment process was investigated. Experiments showed that ~82% of influent TCC was removed by activated sludge adsorption and its adsorption isotherm was well fitted with Linear model and Freundich model. High levels of TCC had seriously impact on the settleability, dewaterability and extracellular polymetric substance (EPS) of activated sludge, even on effluent turbidity after a long-term exposure. Furthermore, the performance of biological wastewater treatment was damaged by TCC long-term exposure as well. The removal rates of total nitrogen and phosphorus decreased from 91.2 ± 2.1% to 72.6 ± 2.2% and from 94.7 ± 3.1% to 78.4 ± 2.3%, respectively, with TCC level increasing from 0 to 100 μg/L. Mechanism analysis showed that TCC exposure significantly inhibited the relevant biological processes, such as ammonia oxidation, denitrification, phosphorus release and uptake, which were closely relevant to nitrogen and phosphorus removal.

Tracking photodegradation products and bond-cleavage reaction pathways of triclosan using ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry and stable carbon isotope analysis

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial compound ubiquitously found in surface waters throughout the world. Although several studies have focused on the photochemical degradation of TCS, there is still limited knowledge about its environmental fate. In this study, we got molecular-level insights into the photochemical degradation of TCS. Significant stable carbon isotope fractionation was observed during photodegradation; different bond-cleavage reaction pathways under different photolytic conditions were characterized, using compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA). Photochemical modeling of TCS photodegradation showed that direct photolysis would be the main transformation pathway if pH > 7, even in presence of dissolved organic matter. Moreover, by use of ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry, FT-ICR-MS, a broad and complex spectrum of organic by-products (some of which potentially toxic, as assessed by a quantitative structure-activity relationship approach) were identified. A detailed reaction mechanism was developed on the basis of the detected compounds. A possible sequence of steps leading to some of the detected product compounds in aqueous solution is suggested.

The fate and impact of TCC in nitrifying cultures

Triclocarban (TCC) is a highly effective antibacterial agent, which is widely used in a variety of applications and present at significant levels (e.g., 760 μg/L) in wastewater worldwide. However, the interaction between TCC and nitrifiers, important microbial cultures in wastewater treatment plants, has not been documented. This work therefore aimed to evaluate the fate of TCC in a nitrifying culture and its impact on nitrifiers in four long-term nitrifiers-rich reactors, which received synthetic wastewater containing 0, 0.1, 1, or 5 mg/L TCC. Experimental results showed that 36.7%-50.7% of wastewater TCC was removed by nitrifying cultures in stable operation. Mass balance analysis revealed that the removal of TCC was mainly achieved through adsorption rather than biodegradation. Adsorption kinetic analysis indicated that inhomogeneous multilayer adsorption was responsible for the removal while fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that several functional groups such as hydroxyl, amide and polysaccharide seemed to be the main adsorption sites. The adsorbed TCC significantly deteriorated settleability and performance of nitrifying cultures. With an increase of influent TCC from 0 to 5 mg/L, reactor volatile suspended solids and effluent nitrate decreased from 1200 ± 90 mg/L and 300.81 ± 7.52 mg/L to 880 ± 80 and 7.35 ± 4.62 mg/L while effluent ammonium and nitrite increased from 0.41 ± 0.03 and 0.45 ± 0.23 mg/L to104.65 ± 3.46 and 182.06 ± 7.54 mg/L, respectively. TCC increased the extracellular polymeric substances of nitrifying cultures, inhibited the specific activities of nitrifiers, and altered the abundance of nitrifiers especially Nitrospira sp.. In particular, TCC at environmentally relevant concentration (i.e., 0.1 mg/L) significantly inhibited NOB activity and reduced NOB population.

Fate, risk and removal of triclocarban: A critical review

The halogenated antimicrobial triclocarban (TCC) has large production and consumption over last decades. Its extensive utilization in personal care products and insufficient treatment in conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has led to its listing as one of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs). Due to the hydrophobicity and chemical stability of TCC, it has been omnipresent detected in terrestrial and aquatic environments, and its prolonged exposure has thrown potential pernicious threat to ecosystem and human health. Considering its recalcitrance, especially under anoxic conditions, both biological and non-biological methods have been exploited for its removal. The efficiency of advanced oxidation processes was optimistic, but complete removal can rarely be realized through a single method. The biodegradation of TCC either with microbial community or pure culture is feasible but efficient bacterial degraders and the molecular mechanism of degradation need to be further explored. This review provides comprehensive information of the occurrence, potential ecological and health effects, and biological and non-biological removal of TCC, and outlines future prospects for the risk evaluation and enhanced bioremediation of TCC in various environments.

Comparative evaluation of four suspended particulate matter (SPM) sampling devices and their use for monitoring SPM quality

Representative sampling of suspended particulate matter is fundamental for assessing river sediment quality, including the distribution and physicochemical characterisation of particles at different hydrological events. This study compares time-integrated samplers and discrete sampling methods, focusing on (a) the representativeness of the different methods and (b) the comparability between the various sampling techniques. The study investigates whether different sampling devices used under the same conditions can reproduce the annual mean. Two time-integrated sampling techniques (Binnensammler floating collector (BS); self-constructed Phillips sampler (PS)) and two discrete sampling systems (continuous-flow centrifuge (CFC); hydrocyclone (HC)) were compared. The monitoring program (August 2013 to August 2014) was conducted using a 4-week sampling frequency at two different monitoring stations in the Rhine river basin. The analysis of physicochemical parameters included total organic carbon (TOC), particulate phosphorus (PP), grain size distribution (GSD), metals, and organic pollutants (PCBs, HCB, PAH). A nested analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate the dependence of suspended matter quality parameters on the sampling method, the sampling device, and the sampling station. According to ANOVA, physical and chemical parameters as well as persistent organic pollutants are homogenous for the time-integrated samplers PS and BS. Comparing PS and the reference technique CFC, only the mean annual concentration of TOC is significantly higher for CFC (5.91%; PS, 4.53%) due to degradation processes. With the exception of TOC, Ni, and GSD, data of BS was comparable with that of CFC. Comparing CFC and HC, there are significant differences for GSD, Zn, and Ni. An analysis of the time series of GSD < 63 μm and sum of PAHs confirms the findings of the nested ANOVA, showing that HC time series display significant differences compared with the other samplers.

Correlates of exposure to phenols, parabens, and triclocarban in the Study of Environment, Lifestyle and Fibroids

We performed a cross-sectional analysis to identify correlates of urinary concentrations of seven phenols (bisphenols A, F, and S; 2,4-dichlorophenol; 2,5-dichlorophenol; benzophenone-3; triclosan), triclocarban, and four parabens (butyl, ethyl, methyl, and propyl). We analyzed baseline data from 766 participants in the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids, a prospective cohort study of 1693 Black women aged 23-34 years residing in Detroit, Michigan (2010-2012). We collected data on demographic, behavioral, and anthropometric factors via telephone interviews, clinic visits, and self-administered questionnaires. For each biomarker, we used linear regression models to estimate mean differences in log-transformed, creatinine-corrected concentrations across factors of interest. Each biomarker was detected in >50% of participants. Median creatinine-corrected concentrations were the highest for methyl paraben (116.8 μg/g creatinine), propyl paraben (16.8 μg/g creatinine), and benzophenone-3 (13.4 μg/g creatinine). Variables most strongly associated with biomarker concentrations included season of urine collection, education, and body mass index (BMI). BMI was positively associated with bisphenol A and S and triclocarban concentrations and inversely associated with butyl and methyl paraben concentrations. In this cohort of Black women, exposure to phenols, parabens, and triclocarban was prevalent and several factors were associated with biomarker concentrations.

Occurrence, fate and risk assessment of biocides in wastewater treatment plants and aquatic environments in Thailand

This study investigated the occurrence and fate of 19 biocides in 8 wastewater treatment plants and receiving aquatic environments (both freshwater and estuarine systems) in Thailand. The predominant compound in wastewater and surface water was methylparaben with the maximum concentration of 15.2 μg/L detected in the receiving river, while in sludge and sediment was triclocarban with the maximum concentration of 8.47 μg/g in sludge. Triclosan was the main contaminants in the fish samples with the maximum concentration of 1.20 μg/g. Similar results of biocides were found in the estuarine system in Pattaya city, with the maximum concentration of 185 ng/L in sea water for methylparaben, and 242 ng/g in estuarine sediment for triclocarban. The aqueous removal rates for the biocides ranged from 15% to 95% in average. The back estimated-usage and total estimated emission of Ʃ19 biocides in Thailand was 279 and 202 tons/year, respectively. Preliminary ecological risk assessment showed that clotrimazole and triclosan could pose high risks to aquatic organisms in the receiving aquatic environments.

Fate of Triclocarban (TCC) in aquatic and terrestrial systems and human exposure

Triclocarban (TCC) is considered as contaminant of emerging concern (CEC), and ranked in the top 10 CEC occurrence. TCC is a high production volume synthetic chemical used extensively in various personal care products. This chemical will be released into the environment via incomplete wastewater treatment and untreated wastewater discharge. TCC and its transformation products (4,4'-dichlorocarbilide (DCC),1-(3-chlorophenyl)-3-phenylurea (MCC) and carbanilide (NCC),2'OH-TCC, 3'OH-TCC) were detected in the environmental matrices. Sediment organic carbon will influence TCC concentrations in suspended and bed sediments. TCC is an antimicrobial agent and also emerging endocrine disruptor that can cause immune dysfunction and affect human reproductive outcomes. Furthermore, TCC alters the expression of proteins related to binding and metabolism, skeletal muscle development and function, nervous system development and immune response. TCC has potential health risks in wildlife and humans. Several animal studies illustrate that it can cause various adverse effects, which can be monitored by antioxidant biomarkers (CAT, GST and LPO). Accumulation of TCC in organisms depends on the lipophilicity and bioavailability of TCC in sediment and water. TCC was continuously detected in aquatic system. TCC is a lipophilic compound, which can efficiently bind with lipid content. Women are more vulnerable to TCC due to substantially higher frequency and extended exposure to TCC. This review provides basic information of occurrence of TCC and the exposure levels in aquatic organisms. Several literature have shown the higher usage and human exposure levels of TCC, which provides useful information for the chemical management approaches.

Feasibility of developing a passive sampler for sampling heavy metals in BMPs for stormwater runoff management

Structural Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been used for stormwater treatment and management for several decades. How to monitor these BMPs performance reliably and economically is a challenge. This paper reports the feasibility of developing a flow through passive sampler (PS) based on Amberlite IRC748 ion exchange resin operated in kinetic regime for sampling heavy metals in BMPs (infiltration systems) for stormwater treatment and management. Tests were conducted using batch reactors and laboratory-scale BMPs. Batch reactor results indicate that PSs performed desirably with consistent and rapid metal uptake, and thus, the resin-based PS is feasible to be used for stormwater sampling. In lab-scale BMPs tests, the resin PSs were employed for sampling influent and effluent of BMPs loaded with synthetic stormwater for storm durations of 0.5, 3, and 12 hours. The removal efficiency of heavy metals in the BMPs as predicted by PSs was very similar to the actual treatment efficiencies obtained from control BMPs, with errors ranging from -5% to 2%, indicating that the PSs can be used for sampling stormwater and monitoring BMPs. The next step for this sampler will be to develop a method for evaluating the volume of water passing the PS during the sampling period.

Verifying community-wide exposure to endocrine disruptors in personal care products - In quest for metabolic biomarkers of exposure via in vitro studies and wastewater-based epidemiology

This study aimed to identify human specific metabolites of selected known or suspected endocrine disruptors (EDCs), mainly UV filters, used in personal care and consumer products whose metabolism has hardly been explored and to select suitable candidate biomarkers for human exposure studies using wastewater based epidemiology (WBE). The analysis of metabolic biomarkers of target chemicals is crucial in order to distinguish between internal and external exposure, since many sources contribute to chemicals being discharged into wastewater. This was achieved through the employment of a new analytical framework for verification of biomarkers of exposure to chemicals combining human biomonitoring and water fingerprinting. Eight EDCs with unknown metabolic pathways (benzophenone-1 (BP-1); benzophenone-2 (BP-2); 4,4'-dihydroxybenzophenone (4,4'-DHBP); 4-benzylphenol (4-BenzPh); homosalate (HO); octocrylene (OC); 3-benzylidene camphor (3-BC), and two EDCs with known metabolism (bisphenol A (BPA) and benzophenone-3 (BP-3)) were tested. The biotransformation observed consisted mainly of phase I processes such as hydrolysis and hydroxylation together with phase II conjugation reactions such as sulphation and glucuronidation. Only two chemicals (BP-1, BP-3) were identified in urine and three chemicals (BPA, BP-1, BP-3) in wastewater. Five newly discovered metabolites (HO-Met1, OC-Met1, 4-BenzPh-Met4, 4-BenzPh-Met5 and 4-BenzPh-Met6) and one previously known metabolite (BPA-Met3) were detected in tested urine/wastewater samples from five WWTPs serving large communities ranging between 17 and 100 thousand inhabitants. The presence of metabolic biotransformation products of OC, 4-BenzPh, BPA and HO in wastewater provides evidence for internal exposure of studied populations to these chemicals.

Applying analytical decision methods for determination of the best treatment alternative to remove emerging micropollutants from drinking water and wastewater: triclosan example

Increasing human activities have not only substantially altered the natural material cycle but also created new synthetic chemicals flows. Some of these chemicals, which are described as micropollutants (MPs), may result in adverse effects on human health, aquatic organisms, and ecosystems. MPs can be transported to the environment and water resources in a variety ways including domestic and industrial wastewater. Unfortunately, most MPs are only partially removed in existing conventional treatment plants. Therefore, conventional treatment plants should be modernized by advanced treatment technologies to protect the environment and human health. However, there are various mysteries about best treatment techniques, evaluation criteria, and decision-making methods. In this study, it was aimed to determine the best treatment alternatives for triclosan (TCS) which is one of the priority MPs. A total of 18 evaluation criteria were identified and prioritized by employing analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy methods. Treatment alternatives were identified and their performance was assessed through a comprehensive literature investigation. In decision-making processes of determining these alternatives, "technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS)," "preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE)," and "Višekriterijumsko kompromisno rangiranje (VIKOR)" analytical decision-making methods were employed, and priority rankings were determined according to each decision method. The final priority ranking was found as adsorption > membrane filtration > hybrid processes > advanced oxidation processes > constructed wetlands > conventional treatment processes > biological treatment > other treatment processes. Although the obtained results are specific to TCS, the employed analytical decision methods can be also used to decide the best treatment alternatives for other MPs.

Contamination and risk profiles of triclosan and triclocarban in sediments from a less urbanized region in China

Triclosan and triclocarban are priority environmental contaminants of increasing concern to environmental health. After application, the chemicals enter the aquatic environment and easily distribute in bed sediment due to their hydrophobicity, and thus pose potential ecological risks. This study investigated the distribution and risks of triclosan and triclocarban in the sediment environment of a less urbanized region in South China. The sampling sites with high levels of triclosan and triclocarban were found to locate in the tributaries. When compared to other monitoring results obtained from more densely populated regions, the residues of triclosan and triclocarban in the investigated region were low, suggesting that these two chemicals conservation in sediment is related to anthropic activities. The results of risk quotients showed that high risks to aquatic organisms were posed by triclosan residues in sediment, while the risks to benthic organisms were quite low. Triclocarban residues in sediment posed minimal to medium risks to aquatic and benthic organisms. In summary, using either of the calculation methods of risk quotients, medium risks posed by the antimicrobials can be found in certain sampling sites with low population densities. The results may be useful in the development of evidence-based policies for the government.

Occurrence of triclocarban and benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers in water, sediment, and fish from Indian rivers

Triclocarban and benzotriazole ultraviolet stabilizers (BUVSs) are listed as high production volume synthetic chemicals, used extensively in personal care products. Many of these chemicals persist in the aquatic environment as micropollutants. Knowledge on their fate in freshwater ecosystems is still lacking, especially in the Indian Rivers. Our intention is to study the seasonal distribution, hazard quotient, risk assessment, and bioaccumulation of triclocarban and BUVSs (UV-9, UV-P, UV-326, UV-327, UV-328, and UV-329) during wet and dry seasons in water, sediment and fish from the Kaveri, Vellar, and Thamiraparani rivers in Tamil Nadu State, India. Triclocarban and BUVSs were identified in all matrices analysed. Triclocarban was found in water, sediment, and fish up to 1119ng/L, 26.3ng/g (dry wt.), and 692ng/g (wet wt.), respectively. Among BUVSs, UV-329 was found up to 31.3ng/L (water samples), UV-327 up to 7.3ng/g (sediment samples), and UV-9 up to 79.4ng/g (fish samples). The hazard quotient (HQ_env.) for triclocarban in surface water was found to be at risk level (HQ_env. >1) in the Kaveri, and Thamiraparani rivers during dry season. Bioaccumulation factors indicate that target compounds (triclocarban and BUVSs) could bio-accumulate in organisms.

River export of triclosan from land to sea: A global modelling approach

Triclosan (TCS) is an antibacterial agent that is added to commonly used personal care products. Emitted to the aquatic environment in large quantities, it poses a potential threat to aquatic organisms. Triclosan enters the aquatic environment mainly through sewage effluent. We developed a global, spatially explicit model, the Global TCS model, to simulate triclosan transport by rivers to coastal areas. With this model we analysed annual, basin-wide triclosan export for the year 2000 and two future scenarios for the year 2050. Our analyses for 2000 indicate that triclosan export to coastal areas in Western Europe, Southeast Asia and the East Coast of the USA is higher than in the rest of the world. For future scenarios, the Global TCS model predicts an increase in river export of triclosan in Southeast Asia and a small decrease in Europe. The number of rivers with an annual average triclosan concentration at the river mouth that exceeds a PNEC of 26.2ng/L is projected to double between 2000 and 2050. This increase is most prominent in Southeast Asia, as a result of fast population growth, increasing urbanisation and increasing numbers of people connected to sewerage systems with poor wastewater treatment. Predicted triclosan loads correspond reasonably well with measured values. However, basin-specific predictions have considerable uncertainty due to lacking knowledge and location-specific data on the processes determining the fate of triclosan in river water, e.g. sorption, degradation and sedimentation. Additional research on the fate of triclosan in river systems is therefore recommended.

CAPSULE

We developed a global spatially explicit model to simulate triclosan export by rivers to coastal seas. For two future scenarios this Global TCS model projects an increase in river export of triclosan to several seas around the world.

Degradation of triclosan and triclocarban and formation of transformation products in activated sludge using benchtop bioreactors

Benchtop bioreactors were run aerobically with activated sludge samples collected from a large municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to understand how increased hydraulic retention time (HRT), sludge retention time (SRT), and varying treatment temperatures (21°C and 30°C) impact concentrations of the endocrine disrupting antimicrobials triclosan (TCS), triclocarban (TCC), and their transformation products. Samples from the reactors were collected periodically over a 122-196h period and the solid and liquid fraction were separately quantitated for TCS, TCC, and methyltriclosan (MeTCS) and scanned qualitatively for six other transformation products. Results indicated that TCS, TCC and MeTCS were predominately associated with the solids fraction of the activated sludge with only nominal concentrations in the liquids fraction. TCS was degraded in the solids fraction, with increased rates at 30°C (-0.0224 ± 0.007h^-1) when compared to reactors run at 21°C (- 0.0170 ± 0.003h^-1). Conversely, TCC concentrations did not significantly change in solids samples from reactors run at 21°C, while an increase in reactor temperature to 30°C resulted in TCC degradation at an average rate of - 0.0158 ± 0.012h^-1. Additionally, MeTCS formation in the solids fraction was observed in three out of four reactors run - indicating a notable transformation of TCS. Qualitative appearance of 2,4-dichlorophenol and 4-chloroanaline was observed in the liquids fraction of all reactor samples. The remaining four qualitatively scanned compounds were not detected. These experiments demonstrate that increased HRT, SRT, and temperature result in enhanced removal of TCS and TCC from wastewater during the activated sludge process. Furthermore, a substantial formation of TCS into MeTCS was observed.

Occurrence and ecological risk assessment of emerging organic chemicals in urban rivers: Guangzhou as a case study in China

Urban rivers may receive contamination from various sources including point sources like domestic sewage and nonpoint sources (e.g., runoff), resulting in contamination with various chemicals. This study investigated the occurrence of emerging organic contaminants (3 endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), and 17 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)) in six urban rivers of a representative subtropical city, Guangzhou (southern China). Our results showed that EDCs and personal care products were frequently detected in the water phase and sediment phase. 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) was the most predominant compound with the highest concentration of 5050ng/L in the water phase and 14,400ng/g dry weight (dw) in the sediment. Generally, higher total concentrations of EDCs and PPCPs were detected in the four urban streams compared to the main stream Zhujiang River and the Liuxi River at the suburb area. A screening-level risk assessment showed that 4-nonylphenol and triclosan (TCS) pose potential risks to aquatic organisms in most sampling sites. For individual taxa, 4-NP may pose risks to various groups of aquatic organisms, while TCS only might pose high risks to algae.

CAPSULE

Higher contamination of EDCs and PPCPs was observed in rivers in urban area; 4-nonylphenol and triclosan showed RQs>1 in >70% of the reported area.

Persistence, temporal and spatial profiles of ultraviolet absorbents and phenolic personal care products in riverine and estuarine sediment of the Pearl River catchment, China

A variety of personal care products have been classified as emerging contaminants (ECs). Occurrence, fate, spatial and vertical profiles of 13 ultraviolet absorbents, triclocarban (TCC) and its dechlorinated products, triclosan (TCS), 2-phenylphenol and parabens were investigated in riverine and estuarine sediment of the Pearl River catchment, China. Bisphenol A (BPA), a widely applied plasticizer, was also investigated. The ECs were widely present in the bed sediment. TCC was the most abundant with a maximum concentration of 332ngg^-1 dry weight. The other prominent ECs included BPA, TCS, octocrylene, and benzotriazole UV stabilizers UV326 and UV328. Treated wastewater effluent was the major source of the ECs in the riverine sediment. TCC, BPA, TCS, methyparaben, UV531, UV326, and UV328 were also detected throughout the estuarine sediment cores, indicating their persistence in the sediment. Temporal trends of the ECs in the sediment cores reflected a combined effect of industrial development, population growth, human life quality improvement, and waste treatment capacity in the Pearl River Delta over the last decades. TCC dechlorination products were frequently detected in the bed sediment with higher levels near treated effluent outlets but only occasionally observed in the sediment cores, suggesting insignificant in-situ TCC dechlorination in the sediment.

Laccase-mediated transformation of triclosan in aqueous solution with metal cations and humic acid

Triclosan (TCS) is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that is found extensively in natural aquatic environments. Enzyme-catalyzed oxidative coupling reactions (ECOCRs) can be used to remove TCS in aqueous solution, but there is limited information available to indicate how metal cations (MCs) and natural organic matter (NOM) influence the environmental fate of TCS during laccase-mediated ECOCRs. In this study, we demonstrated that the naturally occurring laccase from Pleurotus ostreatus was effective in removing TCS during ECOCRs, and the oligomerization of TCS was identified as the dominant reaction pathway by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The growth inhibition studies of green algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Scenedesmus obliquus) proved that laccase-mediated ECOCRs could effectively reduce the toxicity of TCS. The presence of dissolved MCs (Mn²⁺, Al³⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Fe²⁺ ions) influenced the removal and transformation of TCS via different mechanisms. Additionally, the transformation of TCS in systems with NOM derived from humic acid (HA) was hindered, and the apparent pseudo first-order kinetics rate constants (k) for TCS decreased as the HA concentration increased, which likely corresponded to the combined effect of both noncovalent (sorption) and covalent binding between TCS and humic molecules. Our results provide a novel insight into the fate and transformation of TCS by laccase-mediated ECOCRs in natural aquatic environments in the presence of MCs and NOM.

Chinese population exposure to triclosan and triclocarban as measured via human urine and nails

Triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) exposures are highly concerned due to their suspected endocrine-disrupting effects. The present study investigated TCS and TCC exposure levels in the general Chinese population by biomonitoring human urine and nail samples. TCS (69-80 %) and TCC (99-100 %) were frequently detected, which demonstrates that the general Chinese population has extensive exposure to these chemicals. The geometric mean (GM) urinary concentrations were 0.40 μg/g creatinine (creat), 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.30-0.56, for TCS and 0.40 μg/g creat, 95 % CI 0.29-0.56, for TCC. On the other hand, the GM levels of TCS and TCC were 13.57 (5.67 μg/kg) and 84.66 μg/kg (41.50 μg/kg) in fingernail (toenail) samples, respectively, indicating that the levels in fingernails were approximately twice as high as those in toenails. Pearson's correlation coefficients between the urine and fingernail (toenail) samples were 0.715 (0.614) for TCS and 0.829 (0.812) for TCC. These data suggest that nail samples can be applied to the biomonitoring for TCS and TCC in the general population. We observed that the levels of both chemicals were higher in females than in males for urine and fingernail samples, but no significant differences were found between different genders for either compound in toenails. Nineteen- to 29-year-olds had the highest TCS levels in their nail samples, whereas TCC levels did not differ with regard to age. Region of residence significantly influenced TCS and TCC concentrations in the three biological matrices measured.

Removal of halogenated emerging contaminants from water by nitrogen-doped graphene decorated with palladium nanoparticles: Experimental investigation and theoretical analysis

The removal performance and mechanisms of halogenated emerging contaminants from water by palladium decorated nitrogen-doped graphene (Pd/NG) were investigated in this study. For comparison, three catalysts of Pd/NG, palladium decorated graphene (Pd/G) and commercial Pd/C were initially explored to degrade tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). After that, the influence of various environmental parameters on TBBPA removal by the Pd/NG catalyst was evaluated. Moreover, both Langmuir-Hinshelwood model and density functional theory (DFT) were adopted to theoretically elucidate the adsorption and the activation of TBBPA on the catalyst. The results show that the apparent rate constant of TBBPA dehalogenation was increased by 26.7% and 39.0% in the presence of the Pd/NG catalyst compared to the Pd/G and Pd/C ones. Higher temperature, catalyst dosage and alkaline conditions resulted in the enhancement of TBBPA dehalogenation by the Pd/NG catalyst, while humic acid in the solution had a negatively effect on the transformation of TBBPA. The corresponding rate constant value exhibited a 2.1- and 1.8-fold increase with the rise of temperature from 298 to 328 K and initial pH from 6.5 to 9.0, respectively. On the contrary, the rate constant was decreased by 78.9% in the presence of 15 mg L(-1) humic acid. Theoretical analysis revealed that both adsorption and activation processes of TBBPA on the Pd/NG catalyst were enhanced through the N doping into graphene framework.

Photocatalytic reduction of triclosan on Au-Cu2O nanowire arrays as plasmonic photocatalysts under visible light irradiation

Triclosan (TCS) is a potential threat to the environment and human health. Photocatalysis can be used to degrade TCS, but the photocatalytic efficiency is usually limited by the photoabsorptivity and photostability of the photocatalyst. In addition, some toxic by-products might also be generated during photocatalytic processes. In this study, we prepared Au-coated Cu2O nanowire arrays (Au-Cu2O NWAs) by beam sputtering Au onto Cu2O nanowires grown from a Cu foil. We found that photocatalytic degradation of TCS under visible light (420 nm < λ < 780 nm) irradiation and Au-Cu2O NWAs had several advantages. Au-Cu2O NWAs had good photoabsorptivity, high photostability (negligible activity loss after 16 runs), excellent photocatalytic activity (47.6 times faster than that of Cu2O), and low yield of dichlorodibenzo-dioxins/dichlorohydroxydibenzofurans. The degradation intermediates were identified as chlorophenoxyphenol, phenoxyphenol, chlorophenol, catechol, phenol, benzoquinone, and lower volatile acids. We developed the degradation pathway of TCS which follows electron reduction and then oxidation by reactive oxygen species. The mechanism was developed and strengthened using the radical trapping and other measurements. The unusual mechanism and photostability of Au-Cu2O NWAs were attributed to the Au/Cu2O/Cu "sandwich"-like structure. This structure yields a sustained and steady internal electric field, raises the conduction band of Cu2O, reinforces the reductive activity of the photo-generated electrons, and eliminates the photo-generated holes that are responsible for the photo-etching of Cu2O.

Insights into reductive dechlorination of triclocarban in river sediments: Field measurements and in vitro mechanism investigations

Triclocarban (TCC) reductive dechlorination was investigated using a combination of field and laboratory experiments. Field monitoring revealed that TCC reductive dechlorination in river sediments leads to formation of two isomers of its lesser chlorinated congener namely 3,4'-dichlorocarbanilide and 4,4'-dichlorocarbanilide. Monochlorocarbanilide was not detected in sediments supporting that transformation of dichlorocarbanilide into monochlorocarbanilide is the rate limiting step of TCC dechlorination. In vitro experiments were conducted to study TCC potential reductive dechlorination mechanisms. These experiments demonstrated that 4,4'-dichlorocarbanilide was specifically formed upon a nucleophilic addition reaction under anaerobic conditions. The 3,4'-diclorocarbanilide was formed upon a two steps radical mechanism under aerobic conditions which includes TCC activation by one electron oxidation followed by a nucleophilic substitution reaction with glutathione. In vitro results suggested that strict anaerobic conditions might not be required for TCC reductive dechlorination in the environment. Moreover, in vitro reactions were performed using biomimetic or enzymatic systems supposing that TCC dechlorination might occur through microbial action in situ. Measured dichlorocarbanilide isomers/triclocarban ratios were used to evaluate the relative significance of both dechlorination pathways and the pathway leading to 3,4'-dichlorocarbanilide was found significant in all investigated river sediment samples.

Effects of triclosan and triclocarban on the growth inhibition, cell viability, genotoxicity and multixenobiotic resistance responses of Tetrahymena thermophila

The information about adverse effects of emerging contaminants on aquatic protozoa is very scarce. The growth inhibition effect, cell viability, genotoxicity and multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) responses of two commonly used antimicrobial agents, triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) to protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila were investigated in this study. The results revealed that TCS and TCC can inhibit the growth of T. thermophila with 24h EC50 values of 1063 and 295μgL(-1), respectively. The impairment of plasma membrane was observed after 2h exposure of TCS or TCC at the level of mg/L. Furthermore, it is noticeable that at environmentally relevant concentration (1.0μgL(-1)), both TCS and TCC can lead to statistically significant DNA damage in T. thermophila, while the inhibition of growth and change of cell viability cannot be observed. Our results firstly provide the evidence for genotoxic effects of TCS and TCC on the freshwater protozoan. Additionally, both TCS and TCC were found to inhibit the efflux transporter activities, with the inhibitory potencies of 39% and 40% (using verapamil as a model inhibitor), respectively. Particularly, TCC could significantly down-regulate the expression of MXR related gene Abcb15, which encodes the membrane efflux protein that acting as P-gp in T. thermophila. The results raise the awareness of potential aquatic ecological and human health risks from the exposure of TCS and TCC, as they might potentiate the toxic effects by chemosensitizing with co-existing toxicants.

Accumulation and Risk of Triclosan in Surface Sediments Near the Outfalls of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants

Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent which is widely used in many personal care products. This toxic chemical is frequently found in the aquatic environment. The municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent has been reported to be one of the major sources for triclosan in the aquatic system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the accumulation of triclosan in the surface sediments near the outfalls of the five major municipal WWTPs of Nanjing, China, as well as to evaluate its potential ecological risk. The concentration of triclosan in the sediment samples ranged from 48.3 to 226 ng/g dry weight, which was well correlated with the acute and genetic toxicity by bioassay. The results suggested that triclosan released from municipal WWTPs could accumulate in the surface sediments nearby and may pose undetermined risk to aquatic organisms.

A novel approach to bar adsorptive microextraction: Cork as extractor phase for determination of benzophenone, triclocarban and parabens in aqueous samples

This study describes the use of cork as a new coating for bar adsorptive microextraction (BAμE) and its application in determining benzophenone, triclocarban and parabens in aqueous samples by HPLC-DAD. In this study bars with 7.5 and 15 mm of length were used. The extraction and liquid desorption steps for BAμE were optimized employing multivariate and univariate procedures. The desorption time and solvent used for liquid desorption were optimized by univariate and multivariate studies, respectively. For the extraction step the sample pH was optimized by univariate experiments while the parameters extraction time and ionic strength were evaluated using the Doehlert design. The optimum extraction conditions were sample pH 5.5, NaCl concentration 25% and extraction time 90 min. Liquid desorption was carried out for 30 min with 250 μL (bar length of 15 mm) or 100 μL (bar length of 7.5 mm) of ACN:MeOH (50:50, v/v). The quantification limits varied between 1.6 and 20 μg L(-1) (bar length of 15 mm) and 0.64 and 8 μg L(-1) (bar length of 7.5 mm). The linear correlation coefficients were higher than 0.98 for both bars. The method with 7.5 mm bar length showed recovery values between 65 and 123%. The bar-to-bar reproducibility and the repeatability were lower than 13% (n = 2) and 14% (n = 3), respectively.

Biocides in the Yangtze River of China: spatiotemporal distribution, mass load and risk assessment

Nineteen biocides were investigated in the Yangtze River to understand their spatiotemporal distribution, mass loads and ecological risks. Fourteen biocides were detected, with the highest concentrations up to 166 ng/L for DEET in surface water, and 54.3 ng/g dry weight (dw) for triclocarban in sediment. The dominant biocides were DEET and methylparaben, with their detection frequencies of 100% in both phases. An estimate of 152 t/y of 14 biocides was carried by the Yangtze River to the East China Sea. The distribution of biocides in the aquatic environments was significantly correlated to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN), suggesting dominant input sources from domestic wastewater of the cities along the river. Risk assessment showed high ecological risks posed by carbendazim in both phases and by triclosan in sediment. Therefore, proper measures should be taken to reduce the input of biocides into the river systems.

Treatment of halogenated phenolic compounds by sequential tri-metal reduction and laccase-catalytic oxidation

Halogenated phenolic compounds (HPCs) are exerting negative effects on human beings and ecological health. Zero-valence metal reduction can dehalogenate HPCs rapidly but cannot mineralize them. Enzymatic catalysis can oxidize phenolic compounds but fails to dehalogenate efficiently, and sometimes even produces more toxic products. In this study, [Fe|Ni|Cu] tri-metallic reduction (TMR) and laccase-catalytic oxidation (LCO) processes were combined to sequentially remove HPCs, including triclosan, tetrabromobisphenol A, and 2-bromo-4-fluorophenol in water. The kinetics, pH and temperature dependences of TMR and LCO were obtained. The detailed TMR, LCO, and TMR-LCO transformation pathways of three HPCs were well described based on the identification of intermediate products and frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) theory. The results showed that the two-stage process worked synergically: TMR that reductively dehalogenated HPCs followed by LCO that completely removed dehalogenated products. TMR was proven to not only improve biodegradability of HPCs but also reduce the yield of potential carcinogenic by-products. Furthermore, a TMR-LCO flow reactor was assembled and launched for 256 h, during which >95% HPCs and >75% TOC were removed. Meanwhile, monitored by microorganism indicators, 83.2%-92.7% acute toxicity of HPCs was eliminated, and the genotoxicity, produced by LCO, was also avoided by using TMR as pretreatment process.

Screening triclocarban and its transformation products in river sediment using liquid chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry

An analytical method was developed and validated for the target screening of triclosan (TCS), triclocarban (TCC) and its lesser and higher chlorinated congeners namely, 4,4'-dichlorocarbanilide (DCC) 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorocarbanilide (3-Cl-TCC) and 2,3',4,4'-tetrachlorocarbanilide (2-Cl-TCC) in river sediment. Sediment samples were extracted by pressurized liquid extraction and quantification and identification of target compounds were carried by liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The overall method recoveries were 89% with relative standard deviations below 6%. Method detection limits ranged from 0.01 to 0.12 ng/g. The usefulness of the method was demonstrated on sediment samples collected downstream of three wastewater treatment plants in an attempt to provide with a set of occurrence data of these biocides in France and for a better understanding of their fate in river. Major results are the following: TCC, DCC and 3-Cl-TCC were ubiquitously detected demonstrating that these emerging contaminants have been probably overlooked in France. Reductive dechlorination of TCC into DCC was also ubiquitous but predominated in anoxic sediment. 3-Cl-TCC is probably more persistent than TCC and LC-HRMS enabled the detection and identification of a suite of other chlorinated biocides in river sediment.

Substance flow analysis and assessment of environmental exposure potential for triclosan in mainland China

Triclosan (TCS) is a widely-used antimicrobial agent in many consumer products around the world, and China is a major producer and consumer of TCS. In this study substance flow analysis (SFA) was used to construct a static model of anthropogenic TCS metabolism in China in 2008. The systematic SFA results were used to determine possible exposure pathways and trends in environmental exposure potential through different pathways. TCS discharged in wastewater mainly flowed into surface water sediment, ocean, and soil, where it accumulates in aquatic and agricultural products that may pose a higher risk to human health than brief exposure during consumption. Only 22% of TCS discharged was removed in the built environment with the remainder discharged into the natural environment, indicating that anthropogenic TCS metabolism in China is unsustainable. Per capita TCS consumption increased 209% from 2003 to 2012, resulting in increased discharge and accumulation in the environment. If current trends continue, it will increase to 713 mg capita(-1) yr(-1) in 2015 and 957 mg capita(-1) yr(-1) in 2020. Accordingly, annual environmental exposure potential will increase from 388 mg capita(-1) in 2008 to 557 mg capita(-1) in 2015 and 747 mg capita(-1) in 2020, indicating an increasing trend of exposure to environmental TCS. Results of Pearson correlation analysis suggested that feasible countermeasures to reduce environmental exposure potential for triclosan would include encouraging the development of small cities, raising awareness of health risks, nurturing environmentally-friendly consumer values, and improving the environmental performance of TCS-containing products.

Faster photodegradation rate and higher dioxin yield of triclosan induced by cationic surfactant CTAB

Triclosan has received extensive attention as it has been frequently detected in the aquatic environment. Photolysis was found to be a major pathway governing the fate of triclosan in the aquatic environment. However, the effects of surfactants that usually coexist with triclosan, on the photodegradation of triclosan, are largely unknown. In this study, the effects of selected surfactants on the photodegradation of triclosan were investigated experimentally. The results show that anionic sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, sodium dodecyl sulfate and neutral polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate inhibit the photolysis of triclosan, whereas cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) significantly accelerates the photodegradation rate of triclosan. The interactions between the hydrophilic group of CTAB and anionic triclosan lead to the apparent decrease of pKa of triclosan from 8.4 to 6.1, which increase the fraction of anionic triclosan from 4% to 89% in neutral solution. A red shift in the UV-VIS absorption spectrum is exhibited, thus leading to the increased photodegradation rate of triclosan. The accelerations caused by CTAB were observed under xenon lamp and Hg lamp irradiances, as well as under natural sunlight. Effect of CTAB demonstrated pH dependence with significantly enhancement under pH 5∼9 and inhibition at pH=3. The presence of CTAB also increased the yield of 2,8-dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin from the photolysis of triclosan about 7 times at pH=7.

Occurrence, distribution, and multi-phase partitioning of triclocarban and triclosan in an urban river receiving wastewater treatment plants effluent in China

Occurrence, distribution, spatial and seasonal variations, and partitioning between aqueous phase and suspended particulate matters (SPM) of triclocarban (TCC) and triclosan (TCS) in Xiaoqing River, which receives wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents, were studied. The distribution of the total TCC and TCS levels in surface water and sediments along the river were discussed. The highest TCC and TCS concentrations were both found near the discharge port of WWTPs, and the TCC and TCS levels decreased downstream of the WWTPs as a result of their distances from the source of WWTP discharges. The mean values of TCC and TCS in low-flow season were 1.62 and 1.80 times, respectively, as much as in high-flow season in surface water. The study on partitioning of TCC and TCS between aqueous phase and SPM shown the mean level of dissolved TCC accounted for about 10 % of the total level in surface water, whereas the TCS level was about 30 %. The TCC concentrations detected in the surface sediment samples (0 to 5 cm) ranged from 226 to 1,956 ng/g, with a mean value of 733 ng/g. The TCS levels were between 85 and 705 ng/g, with a mean value of 255 ng/g. The distribution and variations of TCC and TCS in sediments along the river were highly consistent with those in the water phase. The TCC and TCS levels in deep sediments (5 to 10 cm) were significantly lower than those in surface sediments. The mean TCC level in surface sediments was about 2.4 times as much as in deep sediments, and the TCS level in surface sediments was 3.1 times as much as in deep sediments.

Human fetal exposure to triclosan and triclocarban in an urban population from Brooklyn, New York

Triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) are antimicrobial agents formulated in a wide variety of consumer products (including soaps, toothpaste, medical devices, plastics, and fabrics) that are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In late 2014, the FDA will consider regulating the use of both chemicals, which are under scrutiny regarding lack of effectiveness, potential for endocrine disruption, and potential contribution to bacterial resistance to antibiotics. Here, we report on body burdens of TCS and TCC resulting from real-world exposures during pregnancy. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we determined the concentrations of TCS, TCC, and its human metabolites (2'-hydroxy-TCC and 3'-hydroxy-TCC) as well as the manufacturing byproduct (3'-chloro-TCC) as total concentrations (Σ-) after conjugate hydrolysis in maternal urine and cord blood plasma from a cohort of 181 expecting mother/infant pairs in an urban multiethnic population from Brooklyn, NY recruited in 2007-09. TCS was detected in 100% of urine and 51% of cord blood samples after conjugate hydrolysis. The interquartile range (IQR) of detected TCS concentrations in urine was highly similar to the IQR reported previously for the age-matched population of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2004, but typically higher than the IQR reported previously for the general population (detection frequency = 74.6%). Urinary levels of TCC are reported here for the first time from real-world exposures during pregnancy, showing a median concentration of 0.21 μg/L. Urinary concentrations of TCC correlated well with its phase-I metabolite ∑-2'-hydroxy-TCC (r = 0.49) and the manufacturing byproduct ∑-3'-chloro-TCC C (r = 0.79), and ∑-2'-hydroxy-TCC correlated strongly with ∑-3'-hydroxy-TCC (r = 0.99). This human biomonitoring study presents the first body burden data for TCC from exposures occurring during pregnancy and provides additional data on composite exposure to TCS (i.e., from both consumer-product use and environmental sources) in the maternal-fetal unit for an urban population in the United States.