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Masinga P, Simbanegavi TT, Makuvara Z, Marumure J, Chaukura N, Gwenzi W. Emerging organic contaminants in the soil-plant-receptor continuum: transport, fate, health risks, and removal mechanisms. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2024; 196:367. [PMID: 38488937 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-12282-7] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
There is a lack of comprehensive reviews tracking emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) within the soil-plant continuum using the source-pathway-receptor-impact-mitigation (SPRIM) framework. Therefore, this review examines existing literature to gain insights into the occurrence, behaviour, fate, health hazards, and strategies for mitigating EOCs within the soil-plant system. EOCs identified in the soil-plant system encompass endocrine-disrupting chemicals, surfactants, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, plasticizers, gasoline additives, flame retardants, and per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Sources of EOCs in the soil-plant system include the land application of biosolids, wastewater, and solid wastes rich in EOCs. However, less-studied sources encompass plastics and atmospheric deposition. EOCs are transported from their sources to the soil-plant system and other receptors through human activities, wind-driven processes, and hydrological pathways. The behaviour, persistence, and fate of EOCs within the soil-plant system are discussed, including sorption, degradation, phase partitioning, (bio)transformation, biouptake, translocation, and bioaccumulation in plants. Factors governing the behaviour, persistence, and fate of EOCs in the soil-plant system include pH, redox potential, texture, temperature, and soil organic matter content. The review also discusses the environmental receptors of EOCs, including their exchange with other environmental compartments (aquatic and atmospheric), and interactions with soil organisms. The ecological health risks, human exposure via inhalation of particulate matter and consumption of contaminated food, and hazards associated with various EOCs in the soil-plant system are discussed. Various mitigation measures including removal technologies of EOCs in the soil are discussed. Finally, future research directions are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Privilege Masinga
- Department of Soil Science and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Environment, and Food Systems, University of Zimbabwe, Mount Pleasant, P. O. Box MP 167, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Tinoziva T Simbanegavi
- Department of Soil Science and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, Environment, and Food Systems, University of Zimbabwe, Mount Pleasant, P. O. Box MP 167, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Zakio Makuvara
- Department of Physics, Geography and Environmental Science, School of Natural Sciences, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jerikias Marumure
- Department of Physics, Geography and Environmental Science, School of Natural Sciences, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Nhamo Chaukura
- Department of Physical and Earth Sciences, Sol Plaatje University, Kimberley, 8301, South Africa
| | - Willis Gwenzi
- Biosystems and Engineering Research Group, 380 New Adylin, Marlborough, Harare, Zimbabwe.
- Biosystems and Environmental Engineering Research Group, 380 New Adylin, Marlborough, Harare, Zimbabwe.
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Rajput P, Kumar P, Priya AK, Kumari S, Shiade SRG, Rajput VD, Fathi A, Pradhan A, Sarfraz R, Sushkova S, Mandzhieva S, Minkina T, Soldatov A, Wong MH, Rensing C. Nanomaterials and biochar mediated remediation of emerging contaminants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 916:170064. [PMID: 38242481 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170064] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
The unrestricted release of various toxic substances into the environment is a critical global issue, gaining increased attention in modern society. Many of these substances are pristine to various environmental compartments known as contaminants/emerging contaminants (ECs). Nanoparticles and emerging sorbents enhanced remediation is a compelling methodology exhibiting great potential in addressing EC-related issues and facilitating their elimination from the environment, particularly those compounds that demonstrate eco-toxicity and pose considerable challenges in terms of removal. It provides a novel technique enabling the secure and sustainable removal of various ECs, including persistent organic compounds, microplastics, phthalate, etc. This extensive review presents a critical perspective on the current advancements and potential outcomes of nano-enhanced remediation techniques such as photocatalysis, nano-sensing, nano-enhanced sorbents, bio/phyto-remediation, which are applied to clean-up the natural environment. In addition, when dealing with residual contaminants, special attention is paid to both health and environmental implications; therefore, an evaluation of the long-term sustainability of nano-enhanced remediation methods has been considered. The integrated mechanical approaches were thoroughly discussed and presented in graphical forms. Thus, the critical evaluation of the integrated use of most emerging remediation technologies will open a new dimension in environmental safety and clean-up program.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Department of Botany, MMV, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - A K Priya
- Department of Chemical Engineering, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | | | | | - Amin Fathi
- Department of Agronomy, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran
| | - Arunava Pradhan
- Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Campus of Gualtar, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; IB-S - Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Rubab Sarfraz
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Ming Hung Wong
- Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russia; Consortium on Health, Environment, Education, and Research (CHEER), Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Institute of Environmental Microbiology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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Kondor AC, Vancsik AV, Bauer L, Szabó L, Szalai Z, Jakab G, Maász G, Pedrosa M, Sampaio MJ, Lado Ribeiro AR. Efficiency of the bank filtration for removing organic priority substances and contaminants of emerging concern: A critical review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 340:122795. [PMID: 37918769 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
With growing concerns regarding the ecological and human risks of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in water, much effort has been devoted worldwide to establishing quality standards and compiling candidate and watch lists. Although bank filtration is recognized as an efficient natural water treatment in the removal of contaminants such as OMPs, the increase in exploitation requires continuous assessment of removal efficiency. This review aims to provide a critical overview of bank filtration (BF) reports on more than a hundred priority substances (PSs) and compounds of emerging concern (CECs) listed in the relevant European Union regulations. Field- and lab-scale studies analyzing the removal efficiency and its variance of individual OMPs and biological indicators using BF and the main influencing factors and their interactions, shortcomings, and future challenges are discussed in this review. The removal efficiency of EU-relevant contaminants by BF has been comprehensively investigated for only a few pollutants listed in the environmental EU regulations: pharmaceutically active compounds, (e.g., the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, some antibiotics (e.g., sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim)), a few pesticides (e.g., atrazine), and faecal indicators such as Escherichia coli. In many cases, the measured concentrations of PSs and CECs have not been published numerically, which hinders comprehensive statistical analysis. Although BF is one of the most cost-effective and efficient water treatments, present field and lab studies have demonstrated the diversity of site-specific factors affecting its efficiency. Even in the case of substances known to be removed by BF, the efficiency rates can vary with environmental and anthropogenic factors (e.g., hydrogeological parameters and the contamination level of infiltrating water) and abstraction well parameters (e.g., the depth, distance, and pumping volume). The published removal rate variations and influencing factors often reflect the research design (field or lab-scale), which can lead to ambiguities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Csaba Kondor
- Geographical Institute, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budaörsi út 45, Budapest H-1112, Hungary; HUN-REN CSFK, MTA Centre of Excellence, Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, H-1121, Hungary
| | - Anna Viktória Vancsik
- Geographical Institute, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budaörsi út 45, Budapest H-1112, Hungary; HUN-REN CSFK, MTA Centre of Excellence, Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, H-1121, Hungary
| | - László Bauer
- Geographical Institute, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budaörsi út 45, Budapest H-1112, Hungary; HUN-REN CSFK, MTA Centre of Excellence, Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, H-1121, Hungary
| | - Lili Szabó
- Geographical Institute, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budaörsi út 45, Budapest H-1112, Hungary; HUN-REN CSFK, MTA Centre of Excellence, Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, H-1121, Hungary; Department of Environmental and Landscape Geography, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Szalai
- Geographical Institute, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budaörsi út 45, Budapest H-1112, Hungary; HUN-REN CSFK, MTA Centre of Excellence, Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, H-1121, Hungary; Department of Environmental and Landscape Geography, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest H-1117, Hungary
| | - Gergely Jakab
- Geographical Institute, HUN-REN Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budaörsi út 45, Budapest H-1112, Hungary; HUN-REN CSFK, MTA Centre of Excellence, Budapest, Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15-17, H-1121, Hungary; Department of Environmental and Landscape Geography, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest H-1117, Hungary.
| | - Gábor Maász
- Soós Ernő Research and Development Center, University of Pannonia, Zrínyi Miklós utca 18, Nagykanizsa H-8800, Hungary
| | - Marta Pedrosa
- LSRE-LCM - Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria José Sampaio
- LSRE-LCM - Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Lado Ribeiro
- LSRE-LCM - Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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Nikolenko O, Pujades E, Teixidó M, Sáez C, Jurado A. Contaminants of emerging concern in the urban aquifers of Barcelona: Do they hamper the use of groundwater? CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 341:140023. [PMID: 37657697 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140023] [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: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Urban aquifers are an alternative to obtain freshwater, but they are frequently polluted by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Therefore, there is a need to ascertain whether CECs are a water management challenge as they might limit the use of groundwater as safe drinking water even at ng L-1 concentration levels. To answer this question, it is required to evaluate human health-risk effects of measured CECs in the groundwater and to understand their behaviour at a field-scale. This study compiles data about the presence of CECs in the aquifers of Barcelona and its metropolitan area, evaluates health risk effects of measured CECs in the groundwater and presents approaches implemented to identify and quantify the coupled hydro-thermo-chemical processes that govern their fate in the subsurface. Some CECs might be harmful to humans, such as 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole and the pharmaceuticals azithromycin valsartan, valsartan acid, lamotrigine, gabapentin, venlafaxine and lidocaine, which show very high to intermediate health risk effects. The number of harmful CECs and the level of their hazard increase from the groups of adults and 14-18 years old teens to the groups of 4-8 years old and 1-2 years old children. Thus, some CECs can limit the use of groundwater in Barcelona as potential drinking water source. Finally, knowledge gaps in understanding the integration of these processes into urban water resources management plans are identified, which will help to define groundwater potential uses and to assure the adequate protection of the human health and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olha Nikolenko
- Department of Geosciences, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Severo Ochoa Excellence Center of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Estanislao Pujades
- Department of Geosciences, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Severo Ochoa Excellence Center of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Teixidó
- Department of Geosciences, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Severo Ochoa Excellence Center of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Sáez
- Department of Geosciences, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Severo Ochoa Excellence Center of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Jurado
- Department of Geosciences, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Severo Ochoa Excellence Center of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
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Zeeshan M, Ruhl AS. Fates of potentially persistent and mobile organic substances in embedded outdoor columns for artificial groundwater recharge simulation. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 245:120615. [PMID: 37713798 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Persistent and mobile organic micropollutants (OMP) are ubiquitously found in the aquatic environment and have a high propensity to distribute in water resources and are difficult to remediate. Managed aquifer recharge systems such as artificial groundwater recharge, produce high-quality drinking water by removing numerous OMP from the source water. In this study, the fates of selected emerging and potentially persistent and mobile OMP were investigated in outdoor columns for artificial groundwater recharge simulation. Breakthrough curves of OMP were modeled to differentiate between sorption and bio-transformation. The study showed that selected OMP were persistent in the surface water and no photo-degradation was observed, except for diclofenac. The trends of dissolved organic carbon concentrations and UV light absorption at 254 nm wavelength suggest elevated biological activity in the first 0.3 m of the columns. The study revealed that the bio-transformation of cyanoguanidine, valsartan acid and diclofenac correlated with the biological activity in the sand columns. Benzyltrimethylammonium, n-(3-(dimethylamino)-propyl)methacrylamide, 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine, 1,3-diphenylguanidine and melamine were completely eliminated within the first 0.3 m, likely due to sorption. Less mobile compounds such as carbamazepine and adamantan-1-amine also showed sorption. Sorption was also observed for diclofenac, likely due to decreased pH along the column depth. Retardation factors of several OMP were higher in the first 0.3 m of the columns, likely due to higher organic carbon contents compared to the remaining depth. Six organic substances (for example 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonate and dimethylbenzene sulfonate) were persistent and mobile throughout the experiment. Overall, this study reveals the vital role of pH and sand organic carbon for sorption and residence time and biological activity for OMP elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Zeeshan
- German Environment Agency, Section II 3.3, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany; Technische Universität Berlin, Water Treatment, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Aki Sebastian Ruhl
- German Environment Agency, Section II 3.3, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany; Technische Universität Berlin, Water Treatment, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
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Zeeshan M, Schumann P, Pabst S, Ruhl AS. Transformation of potentially persistent and mobile organic micropollutants in column experiments. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15822. [PMID: 37159681 PMCID: PMC10163653 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The occurrence of potentially persistent and mobile (PM) organic micropollutants (OMP) in the aquatic environment is recognized as a severe threat to water resources and drinking water suppliers. The current study investigated long-term fate (persistency and bio-transformation) of several emerging contaminants in a simulated bank filtration (BF) for the first time. In parallel, four sand column systems were operated with groundwater and continuously spiked with an average concentration of 1 μg/L for 24 OMP. Each column system consisted of two sand columns connected in series. Presumably, biological activities in the first column were higher than in the second column, as dissolved oxygen utilization, dissolved organic matter (DOM) and UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) reduction rates were high in the first column. This study revealed that 9 out of 24 OMP were persistent and mobile throughout the study under oxic conditions and within a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12 days. However, 2 (out of 9) OMP were persistent but showed sorption behavior. 15 (out of 24) OMP displayed bio-transformation, 4 were eliminated entirely within 4.5 days of HRT. Others showed constant or improved degradation with the adaptation (or operation) time. Improved degradation with adaption was high in the bioactive sand columns. However, 8 OMP showed improved elimination at high HRT, even in low biologically active columns. In addition, no significant effect of the DOM on the eliminations of OMP was found except for 4-hydroxy-1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine (HHTMP), 2-methyl-2-propene-1-sulfonic acid (MPSA) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The eliminations of HHTMP (Pearson's r > 0.80, p < 0.05), MPSA (Pearson's r > 0.70) and SMX (Pearson's r > 0.80) correlated with the removals of humic substances in the sand columns. Overall, adaptation time and HRT play a crucial role in the elimination of emerging OMP through BF, yet at the same time several OMP exhibit persistent behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Zeeshan
- German Environment Agency, Section II 3.3, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany
- Technische Universität Berlin, Water Treatment, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
- Corresponding author. German Environment Agency, Section II 3.3, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Pia Schumann
- German Environment Agency, Section II 3.3, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany
- Technische Universität Berlin, Water Treatment, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Pabst
- German Environment Agency, Section II 3.1, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany
| | - Aki Sebastian Ruhl
- German Environment Agency, Section II 3.3, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany
- Technische Universität Berlin, Water Treatment, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
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Marazuela MA, Formentin G, Erlmeier K, Hofmann T. Acesulfame allows the tracing of multiple sources of wastewater and riverbank filtration. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 323:121223. [PMID: 36754203 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121223] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Aquifers providing drinking water are increasingly threatened by emerging contaminants due to wastewater inputs from multiple sources. These inputs have to be identified, differentiated, and characterized to allow an accurate risk assessment and thus ensure the safety of drinking water through appropriate management. We hypothesize, that in climates with seasonal temperature variations, the sweetener acesulfame potassium (ACE) provides new pathways to study wastewater inputs to aquifers. Specifically, this study investigates the temperature-driven seasonal oscillation of ACE to assess multiple sources of wastewater inputs at a riverbank filtration site. ACE concentrations in the river water varied from 0.2 to 1 μg L-1 in the cold season (T < 10 °C) to 0-0.1 μg L-1 in the warm season (T > 10 °C), due to temperature-dependent biodegradation during wastewater treatment. This oscillating signal could be traced throughout the aquifer over distances up to 3250 m from two different infiltration sources. A transient numerical model of groundwater flow and ACE transport was calibrated over hydraulic heads and ACE concentrations, allowing the accurate calculation of mixing ratios, travel times, and flow-path directions for each of the two infiltration sources. The calculated travel time from the distant infiltration source was of 67 days, while that from the near source was of 20 days. The difference in travel times leads to different potential degradation of contaminants flowing into the aquifer from the river, thus demonstrating the importance of individually assessing the locations of riverbank infiltration. The calibrated ACE transport model allowed calculating transient mixing ratios, which confirmed the impact of river stage and groundwater levels on the mixing ratio of the original groundwater and the bank filtrate. Therefore, continuous monitoring of ACE concentrations can help to optimize the management of the water works with the aim to avoid collection of water with very short travel times, which has important regulative aspects. Our findings demonstrate the suitability of ACE as a transient tracer for identifying multiple sources of wastewater, including riverbank filtration sites affected by wastewater treatment plant effluents. ACE seasonal oscillation tracking thus provides a new tool to be used in climates with pronounced seasonal temperature variations to assess the origins of contamination in aquifers, with time and cost advantages over multi-tracer approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Angel Marazuela
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Department of Environmental Geosciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Giovanni Formentin
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Department of Environmental Geosciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria; HPC Italia Srl, Via Francesco Ferrucci 17/A, 20145, Milano, Italy
| | - Klaus Erlmeier
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Department of Environmental Geosciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thilo Hofmann
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Department of Environmental Geosciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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8
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Marazuela MA, Formentin G, Erlmeier K, Hofmann T. Seasonal biodegradation of the artificial sweetener acesulfame enhances its use as a transient wastewater tracer. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 232:119670. [PMID: 36731204 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119670] [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] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The persistence of the artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium (ACE) during wastewater treatment and subsequently in the aquatic environment has made it a widely used tracer of wastewater inputs to both surface water and groundwater. However, the recently observed biodegradation of ACE during wastewater treatment has questioned the validity of this application. In this study, we assessed the use of ACE not only as a marker of wastewater, but also as a transient wastewater tracer that allows both the calculation of mixing ratios and travel times through the aquifer as well as the calibration of transient groundwater flow and mass transport models. Our analysis was based on data obtained in a nearly 8-year river water and groundwater sampling campaign along a confirmed wastewater-receiving riverbank filtration site located close to a drinking water supply system. We provide evidence that temperature controls ACE concentration and thus its seasonal oscillation. River water data showed that ACE loads decreased from 1.5-4 mg·s-1 in the cold season (December to June; T<10 °C) to 0-0.5 mg·s-1 in the warm season (July to November; T>10 °C). This seasonal variability of >600% was detectable in the aquifer and preserved >3 km, with ACE concentrations oscillating between <LOQ in the warm season up to 1 μg·L-1 in the cold season. The large seasonal variation in ACE concentrations during wastewater treatment, compared to the other sweeteners (sucralose, cyclamate, and saccharin) and chloride enables its use as a transient tracer of wastewater inflows and riverbank filtration. In addition, the arrival time of the ACE concentration peak can be used to estimate groundwater flow velocity and mixing ratios, thereby demonstrating its potential in the calibration of groundwater numerical models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Angel Marazuela
- Department of Environmental Geosciences, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2 UZAII, Vienna 1090, Austria.
| | - Giovanni Formentin
- Department of Environmental Geosciences, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2 UZAII, Vienna 1090, Austria; HPC Italia Srl, via Francesco Ferrucci 17/A, Milano 20145, Italy
| | - Klaus Erlmeier
- Department of Environmental Geosciences, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2 UZAII, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Thilo Hofmann
- Department of Environmental Geosciences, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2 UZAII, Vienna 1090, Austria.
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Guillemoto Q, Picot-Colbeaux G, Valdes D, Devau N, Mathurin FA, Pettenati M, Kloppmann W, Mouchel JM. Transfer of trace organic compounds in an operational soil-aquifer treatment system assessed through an intrinsic tracer test and transport modelling. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155643. [PMID: 35513148 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) can provide supplementary treatment of trace organic compounds (TrOCs) such as pharmaceutical and industrial compounds present in Secondary Treated Wastewater (STWW). Concern on presence of unregulated TrOCs in natural systems has raised recently as well as the interest in SAT systems for remediation. The present study quantifies, at the field scale over35 m of lateral groundwater flow, the effectiveness of the Agon-Coutainville SAT system (Manche, Normandy, France) for TrOCs removal by sorption and biodegradation through monitoring of seven TrOCs (oxazepam, carbamazepine, benzotriazole, tolyltriazole, caffein, paracetamol, ibuprofen) and major inorganic compounds as intrinsic tracers in STWW and groundwater during a 34-day STWW infiltration experiment during operational use of the SAT. Cationic exchanges and mixing between groundwater and STWW during the experiment were highlighted by major ions and geochemical simulations. Due to the low thickness of the unsaturated zone, a 1D analytical solution of the advection-dispersion equation (ADE) was applied on chloride data. Chloride was used as conservative intrinsic tracer to calibrate the horizontal flow and transport parameters such as the aquifer dispersion coefficient (D) and the average pore water velocity (ν) allowing estimation of the groundwater residence time. Transport and attenuation of the TrOCs were simulated assuming first-order degradation constant (μ) and linear retardation coefficient (R), calibrated to simulate the observed temporal changes in the breakthrough of TrOCs. Sorption was found to play a role in the transport of TrOCs, notably for oxazepam with a higher linear retardation coefficient value of 2.2, whereas no significant differences of retardation were observed for carbamazepine, tolyltriazole, benzotriazole (1.37, 1.35, 1.36 respectively). Estimated first order degradation rate constants, between 0.03d-1 for carbamazepine and 0.09d-1 for tolyltriazole, were generally high compared to the literature, possibly due to favourable redox conditions and important microbial activities within the system. This study provides evidence of the efficiency of the Agon-Coutainville SAT system for the removal of TrOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q Guillemoto
- BRGM, French Geological Survey, 3 Av. Claude Guillemin, B.P. 6009, F-45000 Orléans, France; Sorbonne Université, UMR 7619 Metis, CNRS, EPHE, Paris, France.
| | - G Picot-Colbeaux
- BRGM, French Geological Survey, 3 Av. Claude Guillemin, B.P. 6009, F-45000 Orléans, France
| | - D Valdes
- Sorbonne Université, UMR 7619 Metis, CNRS, EPHE, Paris, France
| | - N Devau
- BRGM, French Geological Survey, 3 Av. Claude Guillemin, B.P. 6009, F-45000 Orléans, France
| | - F A Mathurin
- BRGM, French Geological Survey, 3 Av. Claude Guillemin, B.P. 6009, F-45000 Orléans, France
| | - M Pettenati
- BRGM, French Geological Survey, 3 Av. Claude Guillemin, B.P. 6009, F-45000 Orléans, France
| | - W Kloppmann
- BRGM, French Geological Survey, 3 Av. Claude Guillemin, B.P. 6009, F-45000 Orléans, France
| | - J-M Mouchel
- Sorbonne Université, UMR 7619 Metis, CNRS, EPHE, Paris, France
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10
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Patowary R, Patowary K, Kalita MC, Deka S, Borah JM, Joshi SJ, Zhang M, Peng W, Sharma G, Rinklebe J, Sarma H. Biodegradation of hazardous naphthalene and cleaner production of rhamnolipids - Green approaches of pollution mitigation. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 209:112875. [PMID: 35122743 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Toxic and hazardous waste poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. Green remediation technologies are required to manage such waste materials, which is a demanding and difficult task. Here, effort was made to explore the role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa SR17 in alleviating naphthalene via catabolism and simultaneously producing biosurfactant. The results showed up to 89.2% naphthalene degradation at 35 °C and pH 7. The GC/MS analysis revealed the generation of naphthalene degradation intermediates. Biosurfactant production led to the reduction of surface tension of the culture medium to 34.5 mN/m. The biosurfactant was further characterized as rhamnolipids. LC-MS of the column purified biosurfactant revealed the presence of both mono and di rhamnolipid congeners. Rhamnolipid find tremendous application in medical field and as well as in detergent industry and since they are of biological origin, they can be used as favorable alternative against their chemical counterparts. The study demonstrated that catabolism of naphthalene and concurrent formation of rhamnolipid can result in a dual activity process, namely environmental cleanup and production of a valuable microbial metabolite. Additionally, the present-day application of rhamnolipids is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupshikha Patowary
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Life Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science & Technology (IASST), Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati, 781 035, Assam, India
| | - Kaustuvmani Patowary
- Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Life Sciences Division, Institute of Advanced Study in Science & Technology (IASST), Paschim Boragaon, Guwahati, 781 035, Assam, India
| | - Mohan Chandra Kalita
- Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, 781 014, Assam, India
| | - Suresh Deka
- Faculty of Sciences, Assam Down Town University, Guwahati, Assam, 781026, India
| | - Jayanta Madhab Borah
- Department of Chemistry, Nandanath Saikia College, Titabar, 785630, Assam, India
| | - Sanket J Joshi
- Oil & Gas Research Center, Central Analytical and Applied Research Unit, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, China Jiliang University, No. 258 Xueyuan Street, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wanxi Peng
- School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Gaurav Sharma
- International Research Centre of Nanotechnology for Himalayan Sustainability (IRCNHS), Shoolini University, Solan 173212, Himachal Pradesh, India; College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Polymer Science and Technology, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Nanshan District Key Lab. for Biopolymers and Safety Evaluation, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, PR China; School of Science and Technology, Shoolini University, Saharanpur, India
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China; International Research Centre of Nanotechnology for Himalayan Sustainability (IRCNHS), Shoolini University, Solan 173212, Himachal Pradesh, India; Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Institute of Soil Engineering, Waste and Water Science, Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Environment, Energy and Geoinformatics, Sejong University, 98 Gunja-Dong, Guangjin-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hemen Sarma
- Bioremediation Technology Research Group, Department of Botany, Bodoland University, Rangalikhata, Deborgaon, Kokrajhar (BTR), Assam, 783370, India.
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11
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Henning N, Wick A, Ternes TA. Biotransformation of pregabalin in surface water matrices and the occurrence of transformation products in the aquatic environment - comparison to the structurally related gabapentin. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 203:117488. [PMID: 34482236 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The biodegradability of the anticonvulsant pregabalin (PGB) was studied in laboratory incubation experiments in contact with water/sediment systems under different redox conditions. PGB was degraded by biological processes under aerobic conditions reaching half-lives of 8 to 10 d, while inactivated and anaerobic control experiments revealed no significant decrease of PGB concentrations. Within experiments spiked with elevated PGB concentrations, 12 TPs were formed and tentative chemical structures could be proposed by accurate masses and fragmentation pathways detected via measurements with high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-QToF-MS). Four of the proposed TPs were finally confirmed either by authentic reference standards (PGB-Lactam, ISA, TP 157-A (II)) or a self-synthesized standard (NA-PGB). PGB-Lactam was identified as the quantitatively most relevant TP formed via intramolecular cyclization under aerobic conditions, reaching up to 33% of the initial PGB concentration. Incubation experiments spiked with PGB-Lactam revealed three times higher half-lives compared to the parent compound, indicating that PGB-Lactam is more stable than PGB. A comparison with results gained from water/sediment incubation experiments with the structurally related compound gabapentin (GBP) revealed, that the transformation behaviour can be mainly extrapolated to PGB. Most of the observed transformation reactions found for PGB were comparable to the ones found for GBP. The TPs PGB-Lactam and NA-PGB as well as three GBP TPs (GBP-Lactam, NA-GBP and CCHA) have been detected in German wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluents and the river Rhine including some of its tributaries such as Main, Neckar, Moselle and Aare. Moreover, GBP and PGB as well as some of their TPs were detected in German bank filtrates and finished drinking waters up to 260 ng L-1. For that reason these compounds should be monitored in drinking water in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Henning
- Department of Aquatic Chemistry, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, D-56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Arne Wick
- Department of Aquatic Chemistry, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, D-56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Thomas A Ternes
- Department of Aquatic Chemistry, Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, D-56068 Koblenz, Germany.
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12
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Jaeger A, Posselt M, Schaper JL, Betterle A, Rutere C, Coll C, Mechelke J, Raza M, Meinikmann K, Portmann A, Blaen PJ, Horn MA, Krause S, Lewandowski J. Transformation of organic micropollutants along hyporheic flow in bedforms of river-simulating flumes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13034. [PMID: 34158517 PMCID: PMC8219703 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91519-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban streams receive increasing loads of organic micropollutants from treated wastewaters. A comprehensive understanding of the in-stream fate of micropollutants is thus of high interest for water quality management. Bedforms induce pumping effects considerably contributing to whole stream hyporheic exchange and are hotspots of biogeochemical turnover processes. However, little is known about the transformation of micropollutants in such structures. In the present study, we set up recirculating flumes to examine the transformation of a set of micropollutants along single flowpaths in two triangular bedforms. We sampled porewater from four locations in the bedforms over 78 days and analysed the resulting concentration curves using the results of a hydrodynamic model in combination with a reactive transport model accounting for advection, dispersion, first-order removal and retardation. The four porewater sampling locations were positioned on individual flowpaths with median solute travel times ranging from 11.5 to 43.3 h as shown in a hydrodynamic model previously. Highest stability was estimated for hydrochlorothiazide on all flowpaths. Lowest detectable half-lives were estimated for sotalol (0.7 h) and sitagliptin (0.2 h) along the shortest flowpath. Also, venlafaxine, acesulfame, bezafibrate, irbesartan, valsartan, ibuprofen and naproxen displayed lower half-lives at shorter flowpaths in the first bedform. However, the behavior of many compounds in the second bedform deviated from expectations, where particularly transformation products, e.g. valsartan acid, showed high concentrations. Flowpath-specific behavior as observed for metformin or flume-specific behavior as observed for metoprolol acid, for instance, was attributed to potential small-scale or flume-scale heterogeneity of microbial community compositions, respectively. The results of the study indicate that the shallow hyporheic flow field and the small-scale heterogeneity of the microbial community are major controlling factors for the transformation of relevant micropollutants in river sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Jaeger
- Department Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany. .,Geography Department, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Malte Posselt
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas L Schaper
- Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Betterle
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Cyrus Rutere
- Department of Ecological Microbiology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Claudia Coll
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonas Mechelke
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Muhammad Raza
- Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany.,IWW Water Centre, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Karin Meinikmann
- Julius Kühn Institute - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Breeding Research on Agricultural Crops, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Portmann
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, USA
| | - Phillip J Blaen
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Yorkshire Water, Leeds, UK
| | - Marcus A Horn
- Department of Ecological Microbiology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.,Institute of Microbiology, Leibniz University of Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Krause
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.,Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés (LEHNA), Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jörg Lewandowski
- Department Ecohydrology, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Geography Department, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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13
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Cardoso-Vera JD, Elizalde-Velázquez GA, Islas-Flores H, Mejía-García A, Ortega-Olvera JM, Gómez-Oliván LM. A review of antiepileptic drugs: Part 1 occurrence, fate in aquatic environments and removal during different treatment technologies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 768:145487. [PMID: 33736324 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the main treatment for people with epilepsy. However, in recent years, more and more people are using them for other indications such as: migraine, chronic neuropathic pain, and mood disorders. Consequently, the prescriptions and consumption of these drugs are increasing worldwide. In WWTPs, AEDs can resist degradation processes, such as photodegradation, chemical degradation and/or biodegradation. Until now, only constructed wetlands and photocatalysis have shown good removal rates of AEDs from wastewater. However, their effectiveness depends on the specific conditions used during the treatment. Since the consumption of AEDs has increased in the last decade and their degradation in WWTPs is poor, these drugs have been largely introduced into the environment through the discharge of municipal and/or hospital effluents. Once in the environment, AEDs are distributed in the water phase, as suspended particles or in the sediments, suggesting that these drugs have a high potential for groundwater contamination. In this first part of the AEDs review is designed to fill out the current knowledge gap about the occurrence, fate and removal of these drugs in the aquatic environment. This is a review that emphasizes the characteristics of AEDs as emerging contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Daniel Cardoso-Vera
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan s/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Axel Elizalde-Velázquez
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan s/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Hariz Islas-Flores
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan s/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Mejía-García
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan s/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - José Mario Ortega-Olvera
- Laboratorio de Toxicología Ambiental, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Paseo Colón intersección Paseo Tollocan s/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 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 s/n, Col. Residencial Colón, 50120 Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico.
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14
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Gharoon N, Pagilla KR. Critical review of effluent dissolved organic nitrogen removal by soil/aquifer-based treatment systems. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 269:129406. [PMID: 33387791 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Soil/aquifer-based treatment systems improve wastewater effluent quality by removing trace contaminants in the soil and/or aquifer during groundwater recharge. This paper critically reviews these systems with a focus on removing nitrogen, particularly low levels of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) present in the wastewater effluent. DON in wastewater effluent is a concern because of its contribution to nitrogen concentration in surface or groundwater and its role as a precursor of nitrogenous disinfection by-products, which are harmful to human health. Biodegradation and sorption are the main DON removal mechanisms in the subsurface environment where most of the removal happens in the vadose zone. Different factors such as temperature, redox conditions, retention time, indigenous microbial community, and soil type affect DON removal in soil/aquifer-based treatment systems. Lack of sufficient current knowledge underlines the need for designing lab/field scale systems for further determination of the relative contribution of biodegradation and sorption, optimal hydraulic loading rate, and the relationship between DON characteristics such as functional groups and physiochemical processes and its removal. Future research needs for DON removal in soil/aquifer-based treatment systems are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloufar Gharoon
- Graduate Research Assistant, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Krishna R Pagilla
- Chair, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA.
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15
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Abstract
Pharmaceuticals, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and their metabolites, have become a major concern due to their increasing consumption and their widespread occurrence in the environment. In this paper, we investigate the occurrence of NSAIDs and their metabolites in an urban aquifer, which may serve as a potential resource for drinking water, and propose a methodology to assess the removal of these substances in the river–groundwater interface. Then, risk quotients (RQs) are computed, in order to determine the risk posed by the single NSAIDs and their mixture to human health. To this end, six NSAIDs and two metabolites were collected from an urban aquifer located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona (NE, Spain), in which the major pollution source is a contaminated river. All of the target NSAIDs were detected in groundwater samples, where the concentrations in the aquifer were higher than those found in the river water (except for ibuprofen). Diclofenac, ketoprofen, propyphenazone and salicylic acid were detected at high mean concentrations (ranging from 91.8 ng/L to 225.2 ng/L) in the aquifer. In contrast, phenazone and mefenamic acid were found at low mean concentrations (i.e., lower than 25 ng/L) in the aquifer. According to the proposed approach, the mixing of river water recharge into the aquifer seemed to some extent to promote the removal of the NSAIDs under the sub-oxic to denitrifying conditions found in the groundwater. The NSAIDs that presented higher mean removal values were 4OH diclofenac (0.8), ibuprofen (0.78), salicylic acid (0.35) and diclofenac (0.28), which are likely to be naturally attenuated under the aforementioned redox conditions. Concerning human health risk assessment, the NSAIDs detected in groundwater and their mixture do not pose any risk for all age intervals considered, as the associated RQs were all less than 0.05. Nevertheless, this value must be taken with caution, as many pharmaceuticals might occur simultaneously in the groundwater.
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