1
|
Qiao S, Huang W, Kuzma D, Kormendi A. Acesulfame and other artificial sweeteners in a wastewater treatment plant in Alberta, Canada: Occurrence, degradation, and emission. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 356:141893. [PMID: 38582168 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), cyclamate (CYC), and saccharin (SAC) are widely used artificial sweeteners that undergo negligible metabolism in the human body, and thus ubiquitously exist in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Due to their persistence in WWTPs, ACE and SUC are found in natural waters globally. Wastewater samples were collected from the primary influent, primary effluent, secondary effluent, and final effluent of a WWTP in Alberta, Canada between August 2022 and February 2023, and the artificial sweeteners concentrations were measured by LC-MS/MS. Using wastewater-based epidemiology, the daily per capita consumption of ACE in the studied wastewater treatment plant catchment was estimated to be the highest in the world. Similar to other studies, the removal efficiency in WWTP was high for SAC and CYC, but low or even negative for SUC. However, ACE removal remained surprisingly high (>96%), even in the cold Canadian winter months. This result may indicate a further adaptation of microorganisms capable of biodegrading ACE in WWTP. The estimated per capita discharge into the environment of ACE, CYC, and SAC is low in Alberta due to the prevalent utilization of secondary treatment throughout the province, but is 17.4-18.8 times higher in Canada, since only 70.3% of total discharged wastewater in Canada undergoes secondary treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Qiao
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Wendy Huang
- Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Darina Kuzma
- Advancing Canadian Water Assets, University of Calgary, 3131 210 Ave SE, Calgary, Alberta, T0L 0X0, Canada
| | - Aleshia Kormendi
- Advancing Canadian Water Assets, University of Calgary, 3131 210 Ave SE, Calgary, Alberta, T0L 0X0, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Timmers PHA, Siegers W, Ferreira ML, van der Wielen PWJJ. Bioremediation of rapid sand filters for removal of organic micropollutants during drinking water production. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 249:120921. [PMID: 38039817 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120921] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Rapid sand filtration (RSF) is used during drinking water production for removal of particles, possible harmful microorganisms, organic material and inorganic compounds such as iron, manganese, ammonium and methane. However, RSF can also be used for removal of certain organic micropollutants (OMPs). In this study, it was investigated if OMP removal in columns packed with sand from full scale RSFs could be stimulated by bioaugmentation (i.e. inoculating RSFs with sand from another RSF) and/or biostimulation (i.e. addition of nutrients, vitamins and trace-elements that stimulate microbial growth). The results showed that removal of PFOA, carbamazepine, 1-H benzotriazole, amidotrizoate and iopamidol in the columns was low (< 20 %). Propranolol and diclofenac removal was higher (50-60 %) and propranolol removal likely occurred via sorption processes, whereas for diclofenac it was unclear if removal was a combination of physical-chemical and biological processes. Moreover, bioaugmentation and biostimulation resulted in 99 % removal of gabapentin and metoprolol after 38 days and 99 % removal of acesulfame after 52 days of incubation. The bioaugmented column without biostimulation showed 99 % removal for gabapentin and metoprolol after 52 days, and for acesulfame after 80 days. In contrast, the non-bioaugmented column did not remove gabapentin, removed < 40 % metoprolol and showed 99 % removal of acesulfame only after 80 days of incubation. Removal of these OMPs was negatively correlated with ammonium oxidation and the absolute abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that OMP removal of acesulfame, gabapentin and metoprolol was positively correlated to the relative abundance of specific bacterial genera that harbor species with a heterotrophic and aerobic or denitrifying metabolism. These results show that bioaugmentation of RSF can be successful for OMP removal, where biostimulation can accelerate this removal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peer H A Timmers
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Department of Microbiology, RIBES, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, AJ Nijmegen 6525, the Netherlands.
| | - Wolter Siegers
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Yao J, Mei Y, Yuan B, Zheng F, Wang Z, Chen J. Microbial co-culture mediated by intercellular nanotubes during DMAC degradation: Microbial interaction, communication mode, and degradation mechanism. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 241:117613. [PMID: 37980980 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117613] [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: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Microbial co-culture has been proven as an effective technique for environmental remediation. In this study, co-culture mechanism of Rhodococcus ruber HJM-8 and Paracoccus communis YBH-X during N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC) degradation was studied. The comparison of degradation performance in monoculture and co-culture was presented; due to the efficient cooperation between the two strains via parallel and cascaded degradation, the removal efficiency of total nitrogen (TN) in co-culture could reach 90.1%, which was 1.35 and 1.21 times higher than that of HJM-8 and YBH-X, respectively. Then the communication mode of co-culture during DMAC degradation was determined as contact-independent and contact-dependent interactions between microorganisms. Meanwhile, intercellular nanotube between HJM-8 and YBH-X was found as a unique contact-dependent interaction. The cell staining experiments and RNA sequencing analyses revealed that the nanotube could be used as a bridge to exchange cytoplasmic molecules, and thus improved material transfer and enhanced cell connection in co-culture. The results of KEGG pathway showed that differentially expressed genes in co-culture have an association with cell metabolism, nanotube generation, and genetic material transfer. Furthermore, a mechanism diagram of DMAC biodegradation was proposed for co-culture, indicating that bidirectional cooperation was established between HJM-8 and YBH-X which was mediated by the conversions of acetate and nitrogen. Finally, the co-culture system was validated for treatment of an actual wastewater; results indicated that removal efficiencies of 100% and 68.2% were achieved for DMAC and TN, respectively, suggesting that co-culture had the potential for application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiachao Yao
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, China; Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Interdisciplinary Research Academy, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Yu Mei
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Bohan Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Interdisciplinary Research Academy, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Fengzhen Zheng
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Zeyu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Interdisciplinary Research Academy, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, China
| | - Jun Chen
- College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, China; Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Interdisciplinary Research Academy, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Honti M, Zsugyel M, Seller C, Fenner K. Benchmarking the Persistence of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients in River Systems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:14684-14693. [PMID: 37729605 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the persistence of organic micropollutants from field data has been notoriously laborious, requiring extensive data including emissions and chemical properties, and the application of detailed mass-balance models, which often contain parameters that are impossible to measure. To overcome some of these obstacles, we developed the concept of persistence benchmarking for large rivers that receive numerous emissions and provide enough residence time to observe the dissipation of compounds. We estimated the dissipation rate constants of 41 compounds (mostly active pharmaceutical ingredients) from five measurement campaigns in the Rhine and Danube rivers using concentration rate profiles with respect to carbamazepine. Dissipation rates clearly distinguished between known fast- and slow-degrading compounds, and campaign-specific boundary conditions had an influence on a minor subset of compounds only. Benchmarking provided reasonable estimates on summer total system half-lives in the Rhine compared to previous laboratory experiments and a mass-balance modeling study. Consequently, benchmarking can be a straightforward persistence assessment method of continuously emitted organic micropollutants in large river systems, especially when it is supported by field monitoring campaigns of proper analytical quality and spatial resolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Honti
- ELKH-BME Water Research Group, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márton Zsugyel
- ELKH-BME Water Research Group, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Carolin Seller
- Eawag Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Eawag Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yue Y, Li L, Qu B, Liu Y, Wang X, Wang H, Chen S. Levels, consumption, and variations of eight artificial sweeteners in the wastewater treatment plants of Dalian city, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 892:163867. [PMID: 37201820 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Artificial sweeteners (ASs) are emerging contaminants in the environment, primarily derived from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. In this study, the influents and effluents of three WWTPs in the Dalian urban area, China, were analyzed for the distribution of 8 typical ASs to investigate their seasonal fluctuations in the WWTPs. The results showed that acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), cyclamate (CYC), and saccharin (SAC) were both detected in the influent and effluent water samples of WWTPs, with concentrations ranging from not detected (ND) to 14.02 μg·L-1. In addition, SUC was the most abundant ASs type, accounting for 40 %-49 % and 78 %-96 % of the total ASs in the influent and effluent water, respectively. The WWTPs revealed high removal efficiencies of CYC, SAC, and ACE, while the SUC removal efficiency was poor (26 % ± 36 %). The ACE and SUC concentrations were higher in spring and summer, and all ASs showed lower levels in winter, which may be caused by the high consumption of ice-cream in warmer months. The per capita ASs loads in the WWTPs were determined in this study based on the wastewater analysis results. The calculated per capita daily mas loads for individual ASs ranged from 0.45 g·d-1·1000p-1 (ACE) to 2.04 g·d-1·1000p-1 (SUC). In addition, the relationship between per capita ASs consumption and socioeconomic status showed no significant correlation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yue
- Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture (Dalian Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Li Li
- Dalian center for certification and food and drug control, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Baocheng Qu
- Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture (Dalian Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Ying Liu
- Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture (Dalian Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Xuankai Wang
- Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture (Dalian Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Houyu Wang
- Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture (Dalian Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Siyu Chen
- Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Controlled Aquaculture (Dalian Ocean University), Ministry of Education, Dalian 116023, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bonatelli ML, Rohwerder T, Popp D, Liu Y, Akay C, Schultz C, Liao KP, Ding C, Reemtsma T, Adrian L, Kleinsteuber S. Recently evolved combination of unique sulfatase and amidase genes enables bacterial degradation of the wastewater micropollutant acesulfame worldwide. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1223838. [PMID: 37577448 PMCID: PMC10413263 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1223838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Xenobiotics often challenge the principle of microbial infallibility. One example is acesulfame introduced in the 1980s as zero-calorie sweetener, which was recalcitrant in wastewater treatment plants until the early 2010s. Then, efficient removal has been reported with increasing frequency. By studying acesulfame metabolism in alphaproteobacterial degraders of the genera Bosea and Chelatococcus, we experimentally confirmed the previously postulated route of two subsequent hydrolysis steps via acetoacetamide-N-sulfonate (ANSA) to acetoacetate and sulfamate. Genome comparison of wildtype Bosea sp. 100-5 and an acesulfame degradation-defective mutant revealed the involvement of two plasmid-borne gene clusters. The acesulfame-hydrolyzing sulfatase is strictly manganese-dependent and belongs to the metallo beta-lactamase family. In all degraders analyzed, it is encoded on a highly conserved gene cluster embedded in a composite transposon. The ANSA amidase, on the other hand, is an amidase signature domain enzyme encoded in another gene cluster showing variable length among degrading strains. Transposition of the sulfatase gene cluster between chromosome and plasmid explains how the two catabolic gene clusters recently combined for the degradation of acesulfame. Searching available genomes and metagenomes for the two hydrolases and associated genes indicates that the acesulfame plasmid evolved and spread worldwide in short time. While the sulfatase is unprecedented and unique for acesulfame degraders, the amidase occurs in different genetic environments and likely evolved for the degradation of other substrates. Evolution of the acesulfame degradation pathway might have been supported by the presence of structurally related natural and anthropogenic compounds, such as aminoacyl sulfamate ribonucleotide or sulfonamide antibiotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria L. Bonatelli
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thore Rohwerder
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Denny Popp
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Caglar Akay
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Carolyn Schultz
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kuan-Po Liao
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Chang Ding
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thorsten Reemtsma
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lorenz Adrian
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Chair for Geobiotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine Kleinsteuber
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Filter J, Kopp MGV, Ruhl AS, Jekel M. Influence of low oxygen concentrations on biological transformations of trace organic chemicals in sand filter systems. CHEMOSPHERE 2023:139069. [PMID: 37271464 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Managed aquifer recharge systems for drinking water reclamation are challenged by trace organic chemicals (TOrCs) since some of them are poorly retained. Although a lot of research has been done to investigate biological transformation of TOrCs in sand filter systems, there are still uncertainties to predict the removal. A laboratory column system with two different filter sands was set up to test TOrC transformation, the influence of low oxygen concentrations as well as the adaptation and influence of spiked TOrC influent concentrations. Bioactivity was quantified with the fluorescence tracer resazurin. In the experiment, a low elimination performance in the first column segment, defined as lag zone, was observed, implying incomplete adaptation or inhibiting co-factors. To assess these lag zones and to determine the dissipation time DT50 for 50% removal, a modified Gompertz model was applied. For acesulfame, formylaminoantipyrine, gabapentin, sulfamethoxazole, and valsartan acid DT50 of less than 10 h were observed, even when influent oxygen concentrations decreased to 0.5 mg/L. In general, TOrC transformations in technical sand with lower bioactivity and especially valsartan acid transformation responded very sensitive to low influent oxygen concentrations of 0.5 mg/L. However, in well adapted sand originating from soil aquifer treatment (SAT) with sufficient bioactivity, TOrC removal was hardly affected by such suboxic conditions. Furthermore, increasing the influent concentrations of TOrCs to 10 μg/L was found to promote adaptation especially for acesulfame and sulfamethoxazole. Benzotriazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac and venlafaxine were recalcitrant under the applied experimental conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Josefine Filter
- Technical University of Berlin, Chair of Water Quality Control, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Marianne G V Kopp
- Technical University of Berlin, Chair of Water Quality Control, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| | - Aki S Ruhl
- Technical University of Berlin, Chair of Water Quality Control, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany; German Environment Agency (UBA), Section II 3.3, Schichauweg 58, 12307, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Jekel
- Technical University of Berlin, Chair of Water Quality Control, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Seller C, Varga L, Börgardts E, Vogler B, Janssen E, Singer H, Fenner K, Honti M. Do biotransformation data from laboratory experiments reflect micropollutant degradation in a large river basin? WATER RESEARCH 2023; 235:119908. [PMID: 37003113 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119908] [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: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Identifying a chemical's potential for biotransformation in the aquatic environment is crucial to predict its fate and manage its potential hazards. Due to the complexity of natural water bodies, especially river networks, biotransformation is often studied in laboratory experiments, assuming that study outcomes can be extrapolated to compound behavior in the field. Here, we investigated to what extent outcomes of laboratory simulation studies indeed reflect biotransformation kinetics observed in riverine systems. To determine in-field biotransformation, we measured loads of 27 wastewater treatment plant effluent-borne compounds along the Rhine and its major tributaries during two seasons. Up to 21 compounds were detected at each sampling location. Measured compound loads were used in an inverse model framework of the Rhine river basin to derive k'bio,field values - a compound-specific parameter describing the compounds' average biotransformation potential during the field studies. To support model calibration, we performed phototransformation and sorption experiments with all the study compounds, identifying 5 compounds that are susceptible towards direct phototransformation and determining Koc values covering four orders of magnitude. On the laboratory side, we used a similar inverse model framework to derive k'bio,lab values from water-sediment experiments run according to a modified OECD 308-type protocol. The comparison of k'bio,lab and k'bio,field revealed that their absolute values differed, pointing towards faster transformation in the Rhine river basin. Yet, we could demonstrate that relative rankings of biotransformation potential and groups of compounds with low, moderate and high persistence agree reasonably well between laboratory and field outcomes. Overall, our results provide evidence that laboratory-based biotransformation studies using the modified OECD 308 protocol and k'bio values derived thereof bear considerable potential to reflect biotransformation of micropollutants in one of the largest European river basins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Seller
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Laura Varga
- Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Elizabeth Börgardts
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Bernadette Vogler
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Elisabeth Janssen
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Heinz Singer
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Mark Honti
- ELKH-BME Water Research Group, 1111 Budapest, Hungary.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Rios-Miguel AB, Jhm van Bergen T, Zillien C, Mj Ragas A, van Zelm R, Sm Jetten M, Jan Hendriks A, Welte CU. Predicting and improving the microbial removal of organic micropollutants during wastewater treatment: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 333:138908. [PMID: 37187378 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Organic micropollutants (OMPs) consist of widely used chemicals such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides that can persist in surface and groundwaters at low concentrations (ng/L to μg/L) for a long time. The presence of OMPs in water can disrupt aquatic ecosystems and threaten the quality of drinking water sources. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) rely on microorganisms to remove major nutrients from water, but their effectiveness at removing OMPs varies. Low removal efficiency might be the result of low concentrations, inherent stable chemical structures of OMPs, or suboptimal conditions in WWTPs. In this review, we discuss these factors, with special emphasis on the ongoing adaptation of microorganisms to degrade OMPs. Finally, recommendations are drawn to improve the prediction of OMP removal in WWTPs and to optimize the design of new microbial treatment strategies. OMP removal seems to be concentration-, compound-, and process-dependent, which poses a great complexity to develop accurate prediction models and effective microbial processes targeting all OMPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana B Rios-Miguel
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Tamara Jhm van Bergen
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Caterina Zillien
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ad Mj Ragas
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rosalie van Zelm
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mike Sm Jetten
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - A Jan Hendriks
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Cornelia U Welte
- Department of Microbiology, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Liu L, Wu W, Jin X, Luo X, Wu L. Interfacial Polymerization on Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane to Prepare Nanofiltration Layers for Dye Separation. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15092018. [PMID: 37177166 PMCID: PMC10181385 DOI: 10.3390/polym15092018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanofiltration membranes are of great significance to the treatment of dye wastewater. Interfacial polymerization is a widely used method to fabricate nanofiltration membranes. In this study, the interaction of tannic acid-assisted polyethylene polyamine (PEPA) with terephthalaldehyde (TPAL) was performed on PES ultrafiltration membranes using novel nitrogen-rich amine monomers and relatively less reactive aldehyde-based monomers. A new nanofiltration membrane ((T-P-T)/PES) was prepared by interfacial polymerization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the elemental composition, bonding state, and surface morphology of the membrane surface. The effects of the PEPA deposition time, TPAL concentration, interfacial reaction time, and curing time on the nanofiltration layer were investigated. The modified membrane, prepared under optimal conditions, showed strong dye separation ability. The permeation of the modified membrane could reach 68.68 L·m-2·h-1·bar-1, and the rejection of various dyes was above 99%. In addition, the (T-P-T)/PES membrane showed good stability during long-term dye separation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Weilin Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hunan University of Medicine, No.492 South Jinxi Road, Huaihua 418000, China
| | - Xiaogang Jin
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiong Luo
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lili Wu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Li D, Zheng Q, Thomas KV, Dang AK, Binh VN, Anh NTK, Thai PK. Use of artificial sweeteners and caffeine in a population of Hanoi: An assessment by wastewater-based epidemiology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161515. [PMID: 36634775 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring the consumption of artificial sweeteners in the population is essential to help public health authorities understand the level of sugar consumption. There is a gap in knowledge of patterns and levels of artificial sweetener consumption in Vietnam. Using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), this study aims to evaluate the use of artificial sweeteners in an urban population in Hanoi, Vietnam. A total of 184 wastewater samples were collected at two sampling sites in an urban canal, receiving sewage from over 400,000 people in three different periods between 2018 and 2020. The population normalized per capita consumption of the five detected artificial sweeteners varied from 0.87 mg d-1 p-1 (sucralose) to 5.2 mg d-1 p-1 (aspartame). The daily consumption of artificial sweeteners was found to be stable throughout the week, however the consumption of artificial sweeteners was influenced by season with higher consumption in summer. Significant correlations (p < 0.01) were found among levels of artificial sweeteners and caffeine in urban canal samples, suggesting these chemicals had common sources. Population-weighted consumption load of artificial sweeteners and caffeine was compared in Vietnam, China and Australia, and the per capita consumption load mainly depended on the habitual of tea/coffee drinking in different countries. This was the first study that provided information on the artificial sweetener consumption by wastewater analysis in Vietnam. However, several sources of uncertainty (sample collection, population estimation, other sources of artificial sweeteners in wastewater, etc.) were acknowledged in this study. Further investigations on the spatial-temporal variation of artificial sweetener consumption with more intensive sampling scheme in Vietnam are recommended.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Food Chain Pollution Control, School of Ecology and Environment, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China; Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anh Kim Dang
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia; Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam
| | - Vu Ngan Binh
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Toxicology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, 13-15 Le Thanh Tong, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Thi Kieu Anh
- Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi 100000, Viet Nam
| | - Phong K Thai
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
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: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Au CK, Jason Chan KK, Chan W, Zhang X. Occurrence and stability of PCMX in water environments and its removal by municipal wastewater treatment processes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 445:130550. [PMID: 37055964 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Para-chloro-meta-xylenol (PCMX) is a synthetic antiseptic used extensively to control the spread of germs and viruses, and as a result, enormous amount of PCMX could be discharged to water environments through drainage. To investigate the extent of PCMX contamination, water samples were collected from rivers and coastal waters in Hong Kong, and PCMX concentrations were determined by a newly developed method using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry combined with stable isotope-dilution. We discovered widespread PCMX pollution in the water environment. Then, we revealed for the first time that PCMX in wastewater is not effectively removed by chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT), one of the wastewater treatment processes used in Hong Kong (∼75% of wastewater) and other megacities around the world. This suggests that the CEPT effluent or the primary treatment effluent is an unintended continuous source of pollution for PCMX in water environments. Finally, we found that PCMX was relatively stable in the water environment and could pose a risk to aquatic organisms. These findings underscore the importance of raising public awareness of the environmental consequences from overuse of PCMX-based disinfectants and the need to reevaluate the various wastewater treatment processes in removing PCMX.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Kit Au
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
| | - K K Jason Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Wan Chan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
| | - Xiangru Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Castronovo S, Helmholz L, Wolff D, Poulsen JS, Nielsen JL, Ternes TA, Schmidt TC, Wick A. Protein fractionation and shotgun proteomics analysis of enriched bacterial cultures shed new light on the enzymatically catalyzed degradation of acesulfame. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 230:119535. [PMID: 36610183 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The removal of organic micropollutants in municipal wastewater treatment is an extensively studied field of research, but the underlying enzymatic processes have only been elucidated to a small extent so far. In order to shed more light on the enzymatic degradation of the artificial sweetener acesulfame (ACE) in this context, we enriched two bacterial taxa which were not yet described to be involved in the degradation of ACE, an unknown Chelatococcus species and Ensifer adhaerens, by incubating activated sludge in chemically defined media containing ACE as sole carbon source. Cell-free lysates were extracted, spiked with ACE and analyzed via target LC-MS/MS, demonstrating for the first time enzymatically catalyzed ACE degradation outside of living cells. Fractionation of the lysate via two-dimensional fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) succeeded in a partial separation of the enzymes catalyzing the initial transformation reaction of ACE from those catalyzing the further transformation pathway. Thereby, an accumulation of the intermediate transformation product acetoacetamide-n-sulfonic acid (ANSA) in the ACE-degrading fractions was achieved, providing first quantitative evidence that the cleavage of the sulfuric ester moiety of ACE is the initial transformation step. The metaproteome of the enrichments was analyzed in the FPLC fractions and in the unfractionated lysate, using shotgun proteomics via UHPLC-HRMS/MS and label-free quantification. The comparison of protein abundances in the FPLC fractions to the corresponding ACE degradation rates revealed a metallo-β-lactamase fold metallo-hydrolase as most probable candidate for the enzyme catalyzing the initial transformation from ACE to ANSA. This enzyme was by far the most abundant of all detected proteins and amounted to a relative protein abundance of 91% in the most active fraction after the second fractionation step. Moreover, the analysis of the unfractionated lysate resulted in a list of further proteins possibly involved in the transformation of ACE, most striking a highly abundant amidase likely catalyzing the further transformation of ANSA, and an ABC transporter substrate-binding protein that may be involved in the uptake of ACE into the cell.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Castronovo
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
| | - Lissa Helmholz
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - David Wolff
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | | | - Jeppe Lund Nielsen
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg East, Denmark
| | - Thomas A Ternes
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Torsten C Schmidt
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141 Essen, Germany
| | - Arne Wick
- Federal Institute of Hydrology, Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Shen G, Lei S, Li H, Yu Q, Wu G, Shi Y, Xu K, Ren H, Geng J. Occurrence and removal of four artificial sweeteners in wastewater treatment plants of China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:75-84. [PMID: 36476784 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00351a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Artificial sweeteners discharged into aquatic environments have raised concern because of their ubiquitous occurrence and potential biological effect. And some of them, such as sucralose (SUC) and acesulfame (ACE), have been identified as emerging contaminants. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered as important sources and sinks of artificial sweeteners discharged into the environment. In this study, the occurrence and removal of four representative artificial sweeteners in 12 WWTPs located in different provinces of China were investigated. The results showed that artificial sweeteners were detected widely in the investigated WWTPs. The median concentrations of the four target artificial sweeteners were detected in influents at levels of 0.03-3.85 μg L-1 and decreased in the order of SUC > ACE > aspartame (APM) > neotame (NTM). Additionally, the per capita mass loads of total artificial sweeteners in the WWTPs could be affected by the location of the WWTPs and were higher in southern cities than in northern cities. It was also found that there was a distinct linear correlation between the per capita mass load of ACE in influents and population density. During the treatment of WWTPs, the overall removal efficiency of artificial sweeteners ranged from -116% to 99.1%. Among the target artificial sweeteners, SUC and ACE might have potential risk to aquatic environments based on the calculation of the risk quotient. Thus, advanced treatment processes were carried to further remove SUC and ACE to reduce their long-term cumulative effect. Overall, UV/H2O2 and UV/PDS showed a better effect than granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption in the removal of artificial sweeteners. The reaction constants of ACE by UV/H2O2 and UV/PDS were higher than those of SUC, which is related to molar extinction coefficients. Meanwhile, the adsorption ability of GAC adsorption for SUC was better than that of ACE, which is in correlation with the octanol-water partition coefficient. By comparison of removal efficiency, UV/PDS was considered as the most suitable advanced treatment process to remove ACE and SUC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guochen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Shaoting Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Hongzhou Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Qingmiao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Gang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Yufei Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Ke Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Hongqiang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
| | - Jinju Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, PR China.
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Yue J, Guo W, Li D, Zhu Y, Zhao Q, Wang A, Li J. Seasonal occurrence, removal and mass loads of artificial sweeteners in the largest water reclamation plant in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:159133. [PMID: 36181830 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159133] [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: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Artificial sweeteners (ASs) are of growing concern as an emerging contaminant. In the study, the seasonal occurrence, removal and mass load of six ASs in sewage, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sludge were investigated throughout the treatment process of the largest water reclamation plant in China. The highest ASs concentrations in the influent (13.0 μg/L), effluent (2.22 μg/L), SPM (4.48 μg/g) and sludge (0.15 μg/g) were observed in the dry season, which were 1.24- to 5.0-fold higher than in the normal season and 1.06- to 37.5-fold higher than the flood season. Following treatment, ASs concentrations decreased by 24.3 %, 51.7 % and 5.1 % (on average) in primary, secondary and reclaimed processes, respectively. Among the investigated ASs, acesulfame (93.1 %) and cyclamate (98.4 %) were removed most efficiently, with removal occurring mainly in secondary processes, while sucralose exhibited the lowest removal efficiency (38.7 %). Seasonal characteristics affect the consumption of ASs, which subsequently changes the input and discharge ASs loads of STPs. The maximum mass load of ASs occurred in the dry season, ranging from 0.002 (neotame) to 1.33 mg/d/person (cyclamate), while the maximum emission load occurred in the flood season, ranging from 0.003 (neotame) to 0.83 mg/d/person (sucralose). The mass and emission load of ASs in Beijing is significantly lower than in European or the United States, due to Beijing having low per capita consumption of ASs (5.50 mg/d/person). The highest ASs risk in the receiving water occurred in the flood season due to the input of other pollution sources by rainfall runoff. Meanwhile, attention should be paid to the risk of receiving water close to the STP outlet in the dry seasons for the highest ASs concentration in the STP effluent in the season. The present study provides important guidance on controlling the input and reducing the emission of ASs in different seasons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junhui Yue
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Wei Guo
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Dongyue Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Yuhan Zhu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Andong Wang
- Analysis and Testing Center, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Jun Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Motteran F, Varesche MBA, Lara-Martin PA. Assessment of the aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation of contaminants of emerging concern in sludge using batch reactors. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:84946-84961. [PMID: 35789461 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21819-1] [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: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This work explores the degradation of xenobiotic compounds in aerobic and anaerobic batch reactors. Different inoculums were spiked with nine emerging contaminants at nominal concentrations ranging between 1 to 2 mg/L (ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, acesulfame, sucralose, aspartame, cyclamate, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, and secondary alkyl sulfonates). Ethanol was used as co-substrate in the anaerobic reactors. We found that the kinetic decay was faster in the aerobic reactors inoculated with a Spanish (Spn) inoculum compared to a Brazilian (Brz) inoculum, resulting in rection rates for LAS and SAS of 2.67 ± 3.6 h-1 and 5.09 ± 6 h-1 for the Brz reactors, and 1.3 ± 0.1 h-1 and 1.5 ± 0.2 h-1 for the Spn reactors, respectively. There was no evidence of LAS and SAS degradation under anaerobic conditions within 72 days; nonetheless, under aerobic conditions, these surfactants were removed by both the Brz and Spn inoculums (up to 86.2 ± 9.4% and 74.3 ± 0.7%, respectively) within 10 days. The artificial sweeteners were not removed under aerobic conditions, whereas we could observe a steady decrease in the anaerobic reactors containing the Spn inoculum. Ethanol aided in the degradation of surfactants in anaerobic environments. Proteiniphilum, Paraclostridium, Arcobacter, Proteiniclasticum, Acinetobacter, Roseomonas, Aquamicrobium, Moheibacter, Leucobacter, Synergistes, Cyanobacteria, Serratia, and Desulfobulbus were the main microorganisms identified in this study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio Motteran
- Geosciences Technology Center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Environmental Sanitation Laboratory and Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Environmental Technology, Federal University of Pernambuco, Ave. Arquitetura, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PA, Zipcode 50740-550, Brazil.
| | - Maria Bernadete Amâncio Varesche
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, Ave Trabalhador São-Carlense, n°. 400, São Carlos, São Paulo, Zipcode 13566-590, Brazil
| | - Pablo A Lara-Martin
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Environmental and Marine Sciences, University of Cadiz (UCA), Campus Río San Pedro, 11510, Puerto Real (Cádiz), Andalusia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Davenport R, Curtis‐Jackson P, Dalkmann P, Davies J, Fenner K, Hand L, McDonough K, Ott A, Ortega‐Calvo JJ, Parsons JR, Schäffer A, Sweetlove C, Trapp S, Wang N, Redman A. Scientific concepts and methods for moving persistence assessments into the 21st century. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2022; 18:1454-1487. [PMID: 34989108 PMCID: PMC9790601 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The evaluation of a chemical substance's persistence is key to understanding its environmental fate, exposure concentration, and, ultimately, environmental risk. Traditional biodegradation test methods were developed many years ago for soluble, nonvolatile, single-constituent test substances, which do not represent the wide range of manufactured chemical substances. In addition, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) screening and simulation test methods do not fully reflect the environmental conditions into which substances are released and, therefore, estimates of chemical degradation half-lives can be very uncertain and may misrepresent real environmental processes. In this paper, we address the challenges and limitations facing current test methods and the scientific advances that are helping to both understand and provide solutions to them. Some of these advancements include the following: (1) robust methods that provide a deeper understanding of microbial composition, diversity, and abundance to ensure consistency and/or interpret variability between tests; (2) benchmarking tools and reference substances that aid in persistence evaluations through comparison against substances with well-quantified degradation profiles; (3) analytical methods that allow quantification for parent and metabolites at environmentally relevant concentrations, and inform on test substance bioavailability, biochemical pathways, rates of primary versus overall degradation, and rates of metabolite formation and decay; (4) modeling tools that predict the likelihood of microbial biotransformation, as well as biochemical pathways; and (5) modeling approaches that allow for derivation of more generally applicable biotransformation rate constants, by accounting for physical and/or chemical processes and test system design when evaluating test data. We also identify that, while such advancements could improve the certainty and accuracy of persistence assessments, the mechanisms and processes by which they are translated into regulatory practice and development of new OECD test guidelines need improving and accelerating. Where uncertainty remains, holistic weight of evidence approaches may be required to accurately assess the persistence of chemicals. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1454-1487. © 2022 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Philipp Dalkmann
- Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Environmental SafetyMonheimGermany
| | | | - Kathrin Fenner
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and TechnologyDübendorfSwitzerland
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of ZürichZürichSwitzerland
| | - Laurence Hand
- Syngenta, Product Safety, Jealott's Hill International Research CentreBracknellUK
| | | | - Amelie Ott
- School of EngineeringNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
- European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Jose Julio Ortega‐Calvo
- Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de SevillaConsejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasSevillaSpain
| | - John R. Parsons
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Andreas Schäffer
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental ResearchAachenGermany
| | - Cyril Sweetlove
- L'Oréal Research & InnovationEnvironmental Research DepartmentAulnay‐sous‐BoisFrance
| | - Stefan Trapp
- Department of Environmental EngineeringTechnical University of DenmarkBygningstorvetLyngbyDenmark
| | - Neil Wang
- Total Marketing & ServicesParis la DéfenseFrance
| | - Aaron Redman
- ExxonMobil Petroleum and ChemicalMachelenBelgium
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Huang Y, Yu Z, Liu L, Che Y, Zhang T. Acesulfame Anoxic Biodegradation Coupled to Nitrate Reduction by Enriched Consortia and Isolated Shinella spp. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:13096-13106. [PMID: 36040144 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Acesulfame (ACE) is considered to be an emerging pollutant associated with growing concerns. Although aerobic biodegradation of ACE has been observed in wastewater treatment plants worldwide and verified in pure cultures, limited information is available on ACE biodegradation under anoxic conditions, which are ubiquitous in natural environments. Here, we found that ACE could be mineralized completely via a process coupled with nitrate reduction by enriched consortia, with the highest degradation rate of 9.95 mg ACE/g VSS·h-1. Meanwhile, three novel ACE-degrading strains affiliated with Shinella were isolated, examined, and sequenced, revealing that the isolates could utilize ACE as the sole carbon source under both aerobic and anoxic conditions, with maximum degradation rates of 30.3 mg ACE/g VSS·h-1 and 8.92 mg ACE/g VSS·h-1, respectively. Additionally, the biodegradation of ACE was suspected to be a plasmid-mediated process based on comparative genomic analysis. In ACE-degrading consortia, 83 near-complete metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were obtained via Illumina and Nanopore sequencing, showing that Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla. Moreover, nine MAGs affiliated with Hyphomicrobiales were proposed to be the major ACE degraders in the enrichments. This study demonstrated that ACE could be degraded under anoxic conditions, providing novel insights into ACE biodegradation in the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Huang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Zhong Yu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - You Che
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhang Q, Fang S, Cheng X, Wang F, Zhang L, Huang W, Du W, Fang F, Cao J, Luo J. Persulfate-based strategy for promoted acesulfame removal during sludge anaerobic fermentation: Combined chemical and biological effects. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 434:128922. [PMID: 35452991 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The acesulfame (ACE) degradation in waste activated sludge (WAS) via direct anaerobic fermentation is difficult and the efficient elimination techniques are imperative for the ultimate safe WAS disposal. Persulfate (PS)-based approach was developed to promote the ACE removal during WAS anaerobic fermentation. Results demonstrated the effectiveness of PS-based treatments on ACE degradation, and the ACE removal efficiency was respectively 48.2% and 96.2% in the PS and PS/Fe-treated reactors while it was only 6.0% in the control reactor. Mechanism explorations revealed that the active free radicals (i.e. OH• and SO4•-) generated in the PS-based reactors were the key oxidative species for the ACE degradation. However, such effects were interfered by the released soluble substrates (i.e. protein, carbohydrate and inorganic ions) during anaerobic fermentation by competing and/or quenching free radicals, which caused the deceleration of the ACE removal efficiency. Moreover, the PS-based treatment facilitated the enrichment of functional microorganisms (i.e. Phyllobacteriaceae and Bradyrhizobiaceae) and upregulated the critical genes (i.e. pncB and nadE) involved in the ACE degradation. Based on the density functional theory (DFT) and metabolic intermediates analysis, the hydroxylation and oxidative ring-opening were the two main proposed metabolic pathways for ACE degradation. Overall, the combined chemical and biological metabolism effects collectively contributed to the efficient ACE degradation, and it provided a novel and effective strategy for refractory pollutants removal during WAS anaerobic fermentation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Shiyu Fang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Xiaoshi Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Le Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Wenxuan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Wei Du
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Fang Fang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Jiashun Cao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Jingyang Luo
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sossalla NA, Nivala J, Escher BI, Schlichting R, van Afferden M, Müller RA, Reemtsma T. Impact of various aeration strategies on the removal of micropollutants and biological effects in aerated horizontal flow treatment wetlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 828:154423. [PMID: 35276169 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Two aerated horizontal subsurface flow treatment wetlands were studied over two years for the removal efficacy with respect of conventional wastewater parameters, micropollutants and effect-based methods. One wetland served as control and was aerated 24 h d-1 across 100% of the fractional length of the system. The second aerated horizontal flow treatment wetland was investigated under several aeration modes: first year with a zone of 85% aeration, followed by five months with a zone of 50% aeration and six months with a zone of 35% aeration. With 85% aeration, no significant difference in the removal efficacy as compared to the fully aerated control could be observed, except for E. coli, which were removed four times better in the control. No significant difference in removal efficacy for Total Organic Carbon, 5-day Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand, caffeine, and naproxen were observed. A 50% non-aerated zone reduced the overall removal efficacy of biological effects. The highest removal efficacy for the moderately biodegradable micropollutants benzotriazole and diclofenac was observed in the system with 50% aeration. This could be due to the sharp increase of dissolved oxygen (DO) and oxidation reduction potential at the passage from the non-aerated to the aerated zone (at 75% of the fractional length). The internal concentration profiles of caffeine, ibuprofen and naproxen varied from 12.5%, 25%, 50% to 75% fractional length due to redox shift, DO variations and other conditions. A reduction of the aerated zone to 35% of the fractional length results in reduced treatment efficacy for benzotriazole, diclofenac, acesulfame and biological effects but 50% aeration yielded as much degradation as the fully aerated control. These results indicate that less aeration could provide similar effluent water quality, depending on the pollutants of interest. E. coli and biological effects were removed best in the fully aerated system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadine A Sossalla
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Faculty of Environmental Science, Dresden University of Technology, Bergstraße 66, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Jaime Nivala
- INRAE - French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, Research Unit REVERSAAL, 5 rue de la Doua, CS 20244, 69625 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rita Schlichting
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Manfred van Afferden
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roland A Müller
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thorsten Reemtsma
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Linnéstraße 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Desiante WL, Carles L, Wullschleger S, Joss A, Stamm C, Fenner K. Wastewater microorganisms impact the micropollutant biotransformation potential of natural stream biofilms. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 217:118413. [PMID: 35504081 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biotransformation is the most important process removing manmade chemicals from the environment, yet mechanisms governing this essential ecosystem function are underexplored. To understand these mechanisms, we conducted experiments in flow-through systems, by colonizing stream biofilms under different conditions of mixing river water with treated (and ultrafiltered) wastewater. We performed biotransformation experiments with those biofilms, using a set of 75 micropollutants, and could disentangle potential mechanisms determining the biotransformation potential of stream biofilms. We showed that the increased biotransformation potential downstream of wastewater treatment plants that we observed for specific micropollutants contained in household wastewaters (downstream effect) is caused by microorganisms released with the treated effluent, rather than by the in-stream exposure to those micropollutants. Complementary data from 16S rRNA amplicon-sequencing revealed 146 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) that followed the observed biotransformation patterns. Our results align with findings for community tolerance, and provide clear experimental evidence that microorganisms released with treated wastewater integrate into downstream biofilms and impact crucial ecosystem functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Werner L Desiante
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Louis Carles
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Simon Wullschleger
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Adriano Joss
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Christian Stamm
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Zhang N, He J, Muhammad A, Shao Y. CRISPR/Cas9–Mediated Genome Editing for Pseudomonas fulva, a Novel Pseudomonas Species with Clinical, Animal, and Plant–Associated Isolates. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105443. [PMID: 35628253 PMCID: PMC9145825 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
As one of the most widespread groups of Gram–negative bacteria, Pseudomonas bacteria are prevalent in almost all natural environments, where they have developed intimate associations with plants and animals. Pseudomonas fulva is a novel species of Pseudomonas with clinical, animal, and plant–associated isolates, closely related to human and animal health, plant growth, and bioremediation. Although genetic manipulations have been proven as powerful tools for understanding bacterial biological and biochemical characteristics and the evolutionary origins, native isolates are often difficult to genetically manipulate, thereby making it a time–consuming and laborious endeavor. Here, by using the CRISPR–Cas system, a versatile gene–editing tool with a two–plasmid strategy was developed for a native P. fulva strain isolated from the model organism silkworm (Bombyx mori) gut. We harmonized and detailed the experimental setup and clarified the optimal conditions for bacteria transformation, competent cell preparation, and higher editing efficiency. Furthermore, we provided some case studies, testing and validating this approach. An antibiotic–related gene, oqxB, was knocked out, resulting in the slow growth of the P. fulva deletion mutant in LB containing chloramphenicol. Fusion constructs with knocked–in gfp exhibited intense fluorescence. Altogether, the successful construction and application of new genetic editing approaches gave us more powerful tools to investigate the functionalities of the novel Pseudomonas species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Max Planck Partner Group, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China (A.M.)
| | - Jintao He
- Max Planck Partner Group, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China (A.M.)
| | - Abrar Muhammad
- Max Planck Partner Group, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China (A.M.)
| | - Yongqi Shao
- Max Planck Partner Group, Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Sericulture and Apiculture, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China (A.M.)
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Correspondence: ; Fax: +86-571-88982757
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Zhang C, Yuan B, Yang L, Yang H, Bai L, Wang F, Wei D, Wang W, Chen H. Ultra low-cost and bio-sustainable carbonized green algae for wastewater purification in gold smelting industry. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:22082-22092. [PMID: 34773584 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17326-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As a promising solar energy conversion technology, solar water evaporation has been regarded as an energy-efficient approach to alleviate the freshwater shortage caused by industrial water pollution. In this paper, we developed a straightforward method with a solar-driven steam generator (SSG) based on the carbonized green algae (CGA) as a light-to-heat conversion material (LHCM) to deal with the industrial wastewater of gold smelting. CGA SSG exhibited excellent light absorption, hydrophilicity, and water evaporation rate (1.66 kg·m-2·h-1). It accomplished the non-selective removal of heavy metal ions (Cu2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Hg2+) and CN- in the treatment of gold smelting wastewater, and the ion removal rate was 99%. Compared with traditional and complex wastewater treatment technologies, the solar-driven CGA SSG presented many advantages (low cost, simple preparation, and high performance) in water purification, which could be employed in backward areas to obtain clean water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaofan Zhang
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China
| | - Baohua Yuan
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China
| | - Lixia Yang
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China.
| | - Huawei Yang
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China
| | - Liangjiu Bai
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China
| | - Donglei Wei
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China
| | - Wenxiang Wang
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China
| | - Hou Chen
- Shandong Key University Laboratory of High Performance and Functional Polymer, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Ludong University, Yantai, 264025, China.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Tamang A, Roy JW, Boreux MP, Robinson CE. Variation in septic system effluent inputs to tributaries in multiple subwatersheds and approaches to distinguish contributing pathways and areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:151054. [PMID: 34699817 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying the contribution of septic systems to contaminant, including nutrient, loading to streams is needed in many watersheds to inform water quality management programs. However, this quantification is challenging due to the distributed locations of septic systems and uncertainties regarding the pathways delivering effluent from septic systems (functioning and failing) to a stream. The objectives of this study were firstly to evaluate how septic effluent inputs to streams vary with stream discharge conditions for multiple subwatersheds with different characteristics (i.e., geology, septic system density, and typical age), and secondly to examine new approaches for distinguishing the pathways and the contributing areas delivering septic effluent to streams. These approaches use the artificial sweetener acesulfame as a conservative tracer for septic effluent in applications of: (i) stream concentration-discharge (C-Q) relationships using low frequency sampling data, (ii) hysteresis behavior in event-based C-Q relationships, and (iii) longitudinal stream sampling. For all nine subwatersheds studied, the amount of septic effluent reaching the subwatershed outlets was considerably higher during high stream discharge (event) conditions compared to low discharge (baseflow) conditions, suggesting pathways other than groundwater may also be important. Generally, the percentage of septic effluent reaching the outlets was less for subwatersheds with newer households compared to those with older households. The combined interpretation of low frequency and event-based C-Q relationships indicate that complex pathways control the delivery of septic effluent to the subwatershed outlets. The interpretations suggest that groundwater pathways may dominate in some subwatersheds, while more rapid pathways associated with failing septic systems (e.g., overland runoff) may be important in others. Finally, longitudinal stream sampling illustrate the potential of acesulfame data to identify key areas contributing septic effluent to the stream. The novel approaches used here can be applied to guide future investigations aiming to quantify and manage water quality impairment from septic systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Archana Tamang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada
| | - James W Roy
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada; Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Maxime P Boreux
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada
| | - Clare E Robinson
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Seller C, Özel Duygan BD, Honti M, Fenner K. Biotransformation of Chemicals at the Water–Sediment Interface─Toward a Robust Simulation Study Setup. ACS ENVIRONMENTAL AU 2021; 1:46-57. [PMID: 37101935 PMCID: PMC10114792 DOI: 10.1021/acsenvironau.1c00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Studying aquatic biotransformation of chemicals in laboratory experiments, i.e., OECD 308 and OECD 309 studies, is required by international regulatory frameworks to prevent the release of persistent chemicals into natural water bodies. Here, we aimed to address several previously described shortcomings of OECD 308/309 studies regarding their variable outcomes and questionable environmental relevance by broadly testing and characterizing a modified biotransformation test system in which an aerated water column covers a thin sediment layer. Compared to standard OECD 308/309 studies, the modified system showed little inter-replicate variability, improved observability of biotransformation, and consistency with first-order biotransformation kinetics for the majority of 43 test compounds, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and artificial sweeteners. To elucidate the factors underlying the decreased inter-replicate variability compared to OECD 309 outcomes, we used multidimensional flow cytometry data and a machine learning-based cell type assignment pipeline to study cell densities and cell type diversities in the sediment and water compartments. Our here presented data on cell type composition in both water and sediment allows, for the first time, to study the behavior of microbial test communities throughout different biotransformation simulation studies. We found that sediment-associated microbial communities were generally more stable throughout the experiments and exhibited higher cell type diversity than the water column-associated communities. Consistently, our data indicate that aquatic biotransformation of chemicals can be most robustly studied in test systems providing a sufficient amount of sediment-borne biomass. While these findings favor OECD 308-type systems over OECD 309-type systems to study biotransformation at the water-sediment interface, our results suggest that the former should be modified toward lower sediment-water ratios to improve observability and interpretability of biotransformation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolin Seller
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Birge D. Özel Duygan
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute of Microbiology, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mark Honti
- MTA-BME Water Research Group, 1111 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Huang Y, Deng Y, Law JCF, Yang Y, Ding J, Leung KSY, Zhang T. Acesulfame aerobic biodegradation by enriched consortia and Chelatococcus spp.: Kinetics, transformation products, and genomic characterization. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 202:117454. [PMID: 34332189 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The artificial sweetener Acesulfame (ACE) has been frequently detected in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and is regarded as an emerging pollutant due to its low biodegradability. However, recent observations of ACE biodegradation in WWTPs have stimulated interest in the ACE-degrading bacteria and mineralization pathways. In this study, next-generation sequencing methods, Illumina and Nanopore sequencing, were combined to explore the ACE-degrading communities enriched from the activated sludge of six municipal wastewater treatment plants. Metagenomic investigations indicated that all enrichments were similarly dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria and Planctomycetes. Notably, at the species level, four metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) were shared by six enriched communities with considerable abundances, indicating that they may be responsible for ACE biodegradation in the enrichments. Besides, two ACE-degrading pure strains, affiliated to the genus Chelatococcus, were isolated from the enrichment. The genomic analysis showed that these two isolates were the new species that were genetically distinct from their relatives. Two type strains, Chelatococcus asaccharovorans DSM 6462 and Chelatococcus composti DSM 101465, could not degrade ACE, implying that the ACE-degrading capability was not shared among the different species in the genus Chelatococcus. The results of the degradation experiment showed that the two isolates could use ACE as the sole carbon source and mineralize ~90% of the total organic carbon. Three biotransformation products (TP96, TP180B, and TP182B) were demonstrated by UPLC-QTOF-MS. The results of this study provide valuable insights into ACE biodegradation and its biotransformation products.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Huang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Deng
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Japhet Cheuk-Fung Law
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiahui Ding
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kelvin Sze-Yin Leung
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Lab, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Emerging Contaminants: An Overview of Recent Trends for Their Treatment and Management Using Light-Driven Processes. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13172340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The management of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in water bodies is particularly challenging due to the difficulty in detection and their recalcitrant degradation by conventional means. In this review, CECs are characterized to give insights into the potential degradation performance of similar compounds. A two-pronged approach was then proposed for the overall management of CECs. Light-driven oxidation processes, namely photo/Fenton, photocatalysis, photolysis, UV/Ozone were discussed. Advances to overcome current limitations in these light-driven processes were proposed, focusing on recent trends and innovations. Light-based detection methodology was also discussed for the management of CECs. Lastly, a cost–benefit analysis on various light-based processes was conducted to access the suitability for CECs degradation. It was found that the UV/Ozone process might not be suitable due to the complication with pH adjustments and limited light wavelength. It was found that EEO values were in this sequence: UV only > UV/combination > photocatalyst > UV/O3 > UV/Fenton > solar/Fenton. The solar/Fenton process has the least computed EEO < 5 kWh m−3 and great potential for further development. Newer innovations such as solar/catalyst can also be explored with potentially lower EEO values.
Collapse
|
30
|
Sossalla NA, Nivala J, Reemtsma T, Schlichting R, König M, Forquet N, van Afferden M, Müller RA, Escher BI. Removal of micropollutants and biological effects by conventional and intensified constructed wetlands treating municipal wastewater. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 201:117349. [PMID: 34171643 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117349] [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: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Seven treatment wetlands and a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were weekly monitored over the course of one year for removal of conventional wastewater parameters, selected micropollutants (caffeine, ibuprofen, naproxen, benzotriazole, diclofenac, acesulfame, and carbamazepine) and biological effects. The treatment wetland designs investigated include a horizontal subsurface flow (HF) wetland and a variety of wetlands with intensification (aeration, two-stages, or reciprocating flow). Complementary to the common approach of analyzing individual chemicals, in vitro bioassays can detect the toxicity of a mixture of known and unknown components given in a water sample. A panel of five in vitro cell-based reporter gene bioassays was selected to cover environmentally relevant endpoints (AhR: indicative of activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor; PPARγ: binding to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma; ERα: activation of the estrogen receptor alpha; GR: activation of the glucocorticoid receptor; oxidative stress response). While carbamazepine was persistent in the intensified treatment wetlands, mean monthly mass removal of up to 51% was achieved in the HF wetland. The two-stage wetland system showed highest removal efficacy for all biological effects (91% to >99%). The removal efficacy for biological effects ranged from 56% to 77% for the HF wetland and 60% to 99% for the WWTP. Bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQs) for AhR, PPARγ, and oxidative stress response were often below the recommended effect-based trigger (EBT) values for surface water, indicating the great benefit for using nature-based solutions for water treatment. Intensified treatment wetlands remove both individual micropollutants and mixture effects more efficiently than conventional (non-aerated) HF wetlands, and in some cases, the WWTP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadine A Sossalla
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig 04318, Germany; Institute of Urban Water Management, Dresden University of Technology, Bergstrasse 66, Dresden 01069, Germany.
| | - Jaime Nivala
- Research Unit REVERSAAL, French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), 5 rue de la Doua, CS 20244, Villeurbanne Cedex 69625, France.
| | - Thorsten Reemtsma
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig 04318, Germany; Institute of Analytical Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Linnéstrasse 3, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
| | - Rita Schlichting
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig 04318, Germany.
| | - Maria König
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig 04318, Germany.
| | - Nicolas Forquet
- Research Unit REVERSAAL, French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), 5 rue de la Doua, CS 20244, Villeurbanne Cedex 69625, France.
| | - Manfred van Afferden
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig 04318, Germany.
| | - Roland A Müller
- Centre for Environmental Biotechnology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig 04318, Germany.
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Permoserstrasse 15, Leipzig 04318, Germany; Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, Tübingen 72076, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Li D, O'Brien JW, Tscharke BJ, Okoffo ED, Mueller JF, Sun H, Thomas KV. Artificial sweeteners in end-use biosolids in Australia. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 200:117237. [PMID: 34051459 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Artificial sweeteners are contaminants of emerging concern that can enter the aquatic and terrestrial environments via wastewater effluent discharge and the environmental application of biosolids. The release of artificial sweeteners from the use of biosolids in Australia was assessed. The concentration of seven artificial sweeteners was quantified in biosolids samples collected from 71 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Australia during Census 2016. Sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame and cyclamate were detected in biosolids samples at median concentrations ranging from 0.18 ng/g (dry weight) (range: <LOQ-34 ng/g) for cyclamate to 220 ng/g (range: <LOQ -3,670 ng/g) for sucralose, while neotame and neohesperidin dihydrochalcone were not detected. The relationship between the concentration of artificial sweeteners in biosolids and moisture content was assessed with the concentration of artificial sweeteners decreasing as dewatering time increased in a biosolids drying hall. The geometric means (± standard deviation) for per capita loads of individual artificial sweeteners ranged from 8.7 (1.6, 48) µg year-1 person-1 for cyclamate to 4,000 (1,000, 15,000) µg year-1 person-1 for sucralose with 223 kg of artificial sweeteners released to terrestrial environment from biosolids end-use annually in Australia. Due to the low loads of artificial sweeteners in biosolids compared with wastewater effluent, risks associated with artificial sweeteners in biosolids are likely limited.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 QLD, Australia
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 QLD, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 QLD, Australia
| | - Elvis D Okoffo
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 QLD, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 QLD, Australia
| | - Hongwen Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 QLD, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Guo W, Li J, Liu Q, Shi J, Gao Y. Tracking the fate of artificial sweeteners within the coastal waters of Shenzhen city, China: From wastewater treatment plants to sea. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 414:125498. [PMID: 33667807 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Artificial sweeteners (ASs), as a new emerging pollutant, the fate from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to sea is growing concerned. In this study, the distribution and polluted loading of six typical ASs were analyzed based on the measurement in influent, primary effluent, secondary effluent, tertiary effluent, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and sludge from four WWTPs and receiving waters near the coast of Shenzhen city, China. Elevated levels of ASs were detected in WWTPs located near a highly populated area (about 14,000 people km-2). Sucralose was predominant in all water samples (0.1-22.2 μg L-1), and had a 1.6-704.0 times higher concentration than the means of other ASs detected. Aspartame were mainly distributed in SPM and sludge, and the fractions in offshore water exceeded 45%. Acesulfame, sucralose, cyclamate and saccharin could be effectively removed by secondary biochemical treatment. The average daily loading (4.2 g d-1 1000people-1) and discharge loading (0.4 g d-1 1000people-1) of sucralose in WWTPs was higher than those of the other ASs. Dissolved organic carbon and UV254 can affect the fate of ASs, and SPM mainly affects the distributions of aspartame and neotame. As a potential sewage indicator, neotame deserves further attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Guo
- College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Jun Li
- College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Qingwei Liu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jianghong Shi
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yue Gao
- Analytical, Environmental and Geochemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Alves PDCC, Rodrigues-Silva C, Ribeiro AR, Rath S. Removal of low-calorie sweeteners at five Brazilian wastewater treatment plants and their occurrence in surface water. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 289:112561. [PMID: 33865021 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs) such as acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), saccharin (SAC), cyclamate (CYC), aspartame (ASP), neotame (NEO), and stevioside (STV) is increasing worldwide to meet the demand for reduced-calorie foods and beverages. However, there are no consumption data available in Brazil, as well as their concentration in sewage and removal on wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In the present study, ACE, SUC, SAC, CYC, ASP, NEO, and STV were assessed at five WWTPs located in the metropolitan region of Campinas (São Paulo State, Brazil), in operation with different treatment processes. Surface water was also analyzed. Analyses were carried out by on-line solid-phase extraction ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The major points are the following: LCS concentrations in the influents ranged from 0.25 to 189 μg L-1 and followed the order CYC > ACE > SAC > SUC. NEO, ASP, and STV were not detected at any sampling site. Sweetener concentrations in the WWTP outputs differed mainly due to the different treatment setups employed. CYC and SAC were completely removed by biodegradation-based processes, while ACE removal was favored by the anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process. SUC presented the highest concentration in the treated sewage, even at the WWTP operating with ultrafiltration membranes and therefore could be a marker compound for evaluation of the efficiency of removal of contaminants in WWTPs. Risk quotient estimation, using the PNEC and MEC values, indicated that the levels of the LCS reported here were harmless to the biota. The consumption of ACE, CYC, SAC, and SUC was estimated to be 2634 t year-1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla da Costa Cunha Alves
- Institute of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13084-971, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Caio Rodrigues-Silva
- Institute of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13084-971, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Alyson Rogério Ribeiro
- Institute of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13084-971, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil.
| | - Susanne Rath
- Institute of Chemistry, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Campinas, P.O. Box 6154, 13084-971, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Yu Z, Wang Y, Lu J, Bond PL, Guo J. Nonnutritive sweeteners can promote the dissemination of antibiotic resistance through conjugative gene transfer. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 15:2117-2130. [PMID: 33589766 PMCID: PMC8245538 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-00909-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a worldwide threat to human health and biosecurity. The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) via conjugative plasmid transfer is a major contributor to the evolution of this resistance. Although permitted as safe food additives, compounds such as saccharine, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium that are commonly used as nonnutritive sweeteners have recently been associated with shifts in the gut microbiota similar to those caused by antibiotics. As antibiotics can promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), we hypothesize that these nonnutritive sweeteners could have a similar effect. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that saccharine, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium could promote plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer in three established conjugation models between the same and different phylogenetic strains. The real-time dynamic conjugation process was visualized at the single-cell level. Bacteria exposed to the tested compounds exhibited increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, the SOS response, and gene transfer. In addition, cell membrane permeability increased in both parental bacteria under exposure to the tested compounds. The expression of genes involved in ROS detoxification, the SOS response, and cell membrane permeability was significantly upregulated under sweetener treatment. In conclusion, exposure to nonnutritive sweeteners enhances conjugation in bacteria. Our findings provide insight into AMR spread and indicate the potential risk associated with the presence of nonnutritive sweeteners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Yu
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Yue Wang
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Ji Lu
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Philip L. Bond
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD Australia
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Rios‐Miguel AB, Jetten MSM, Welte CU. Effect of concentration and hydraulic reaction time on the removal of pharmaceutical compounds in a membrane bioreactor inoculated with activated sludge. Microb Biotechnol 2021; 14:1707-1721. [PMID: 34132479 PMCID: PMC8313272 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.13837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals are often not fully removed in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and are thus being detected at trace levels in water bodies all over the world posing a risk to numerous organisms. These organic micropollutants (OMPs) reach WWTPs at concentrations sometimes too low to serve as growth substrate for microorganisms; thus, co-metabolism is thought to be the main conversion mechanism. In this study, the microbial removal of six pharmaceuticals was investigated in a membrane bioreactor at increasing concentrations (4-800 nM) of the compounds and using three different hydraulic retention times (HRT; 1, 3.5 and 5 days). The bioreactor was inoculated with activated sludge from a municipal WWTP and fed with ammonium, acetate and methanol as main growth substrates to mimic co-metabolism. Each pharmaceutical had a different average removal efficiency: acetaminophen (100%) > fluoxetine (50%) > metoprolol (25%) > diclofenac (20%) > metformin (15%) > carbamazepine (10%). Higher pharmaceutical influent concentrations proportionally increased the removal rate of each compound, but surprisingly not the removal percentage. Furthermore, only metformin removal improved to 80-100% when HRT or biomass concentration was increased. Microbial community changes were followed with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing in response to the increment of pharmaceutical concentration: Nitrospirae and Planctomycetes 16S rRNA relative gene abundance decreased, whereas Acidobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased. Remarkably, the Dokdonella genus, previously implicated in acetaminophen metabolism, showed a 30-fold increase in abundance at the highest concentration of pharmaceuticals applied. Taken together, these results suggest that the incomplete removal of most pharmaceutical compounds in WWTPs is dependent on neither concentration nor reaction time. Accordingly, we propose a chemical equilibrium or a growth substrate limitation as the responsible mechanisms of the incomplete removal. Finally, Dokdonella could be the main acetaminophen degrader under activated sludge conditions, and non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals might still be toxic to relevant WWTP bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana B. Rios‐Miguel
- Department of MicrobiologyInstitute for Water and Wetland ResearchRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
| | - Mike S. M. Jetten
- Department of MicrobiologyInstitute for Water and Wetland ResearchRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
- Soehngen Institute of Anaerobic MicrobiologyRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
| | - Cornelia U. Welte
- Department of MicrobiologyInstitute for Water and Wetland ResearchRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
- Soehngen Institute of Anaerobic MicrobiologyRadboud UniversityHeyendaalseweg 135Nijmegen6525 AJThe Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Li Z, Yu X, Yu F, Huang X. Occurrence, sources and fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products and artificial sweeteners in groundwater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:20903-20920. [PMID: 33666841 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12721-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater is considered as the main source for supplying the public drinking water in many countries and regions; however, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and artificial sweeteners (ASs) found in groundwater can exert harmful effects on human health and aquatic ecosystems, and therefore, they are of persistent concern. The recent data on the occurrence of a series of PPCPs (including antibiotics, excitants and lipid regulators) and ASs often detected in groundwater are reviewed, in which the PPCPs and ASs occur in groundwater at the concentration from several nanograms to several micrograms per litre. In addition, the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of PPCPs and ASs are discussed and the main sources and possibly pollution pathways of PPCPs and ASs in groundwater are summarised and analysed. Additionally, the adsorption, migration and degradation of PPCPs and ASs in underground environments are evaluated. Due to the long residence time in groundwater, pollutants are likely to threaten the freshwater body for decades under certain conditions. Therefore, according to the current level of pollution, it is necessary to improve and enhance the supervision on PPCP and AS pollutants and prevent and control groundwater pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiping Li
- College of Geosciences and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Xiaopeng Yu
- College of Geosciences and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| | - Furong Yu
- College of Geosciences and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China.
| | - Xin Huang
- College of Geosciences and Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, 450046, Henan, China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Li D, Yao Y, Sun H. Emission and Mass Load of Artificial Sweeteners from a Pig Farm to Its Surrounding Environment: Contribution of Airborne Pathway and Biomonitoring Potential. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:2307-2315. [PMID: 33539083 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
An investigation was conducted by determining artificial sweeteners (ASs) in 80 samples from various environmental matrices, including dry deposition, rainfall, soil, leaf, and bark samples around a pig farm in Tianjin, China. Saccharin, cyclamate, and acesulfame were predominant in dry deposition and rainfall samples. Spatially, the distribution of ASs showed a consistent trend of farm center > downwind sites > upwind sites > reference site. The annual total mass loads of saccharin (70%), cyclamate (25%), and acesulfame (5%) via dry deposition and precipitation within a 5 km radius of the pig farm were estimated at 3.9 and 6.2 kg in the average-case and worst-case scenarios, respectively, accounting for 12-18% of the overall emission, indicating that pig farms are a significant source of ASs to the atmosphere and to the vicinal environment via dry and wet deposition. The distribution trends of ASs in tree bark and leaves were similar and tree bark performed better in passively biomonitoring the AS contamination. Overall, pig farms were predicted to release 65-114, 22-38, 2.0-3.5, and 0.6-1.1 tons by feed application in China, Europe, Latin America, and North America, respectively, to the vicinal environment via dry deposition and precipitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yiming Yao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Hongwen Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Ishii E, Watanabe Y, Agusa T, Hosono T, Nakata H. Acesulfame as a suitable sewer tracer on groundwater pollution: A case study before and after the 2016 M w 7.0 Kumamoto earthquakes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:142409. [PMID: 33254947 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
On April 14th and 16th, 2016, two large-scale earthquakes (Mw 6.2 and 7.0) occurred in Kumamoto, Japan. The sewer system was seriously damaged and there were concerns about groundwater pollution by sewer exfiltration. In this study, artificial sweeteners including acesulfame (ACE) in groundwater were analyzed before and after the earthquakes to evaluate sewage pollution and its temporal variation. Before the earthquakes, ACE was detected in 31 of 49 groundwater samples analyzed, indicating that wastewater may have leaked into groundwater. Groundwater was sampled from the same locations 2, 7, 12, and 30 months after the earthquakes. The detection frequency and median concentration of ACE in groundwater increased significantly 7 months after the earthquakes, from several tens to maximumly 189 times greater than the pre-earthquake concentrations. This suggests the earthquakes caused serious damage to sewer pipes and groundwater may be polluted. However, ACE concentrations drastically decreased or remained low 30 months after the earthquakes, probably due to the recovery and restoration work of sewer infrastructure. This study shows that ACE is an excellent tracer for evaluating sewer exfiltration to groundwater. In addition, it is important to obtain data on sewage tracers under normal condition as part of preparations for large-scale earthquakes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eri Ishii
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Yuta Watanabe
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Tetsuro Agusa
- Faculty of Environmental and Symbiotic Science, Prefectural University of Kumamoto, 3-1-100, Tsukide, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto 862-8502, Japan
| | - Takahiro Hosono
- Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Nakata
- Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Li D, O'Brien JW, Tscharke BJ, Choi PM, Ahmed F, Thompson J, Mueller JF, Sun H, Thomas KV. Trends in artificial sweetener consumption: A 7-year wastewater-based epidemiology study in Queensland, Australia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 754:142438. [PMID: 33254907 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A 7-year temporal trend study of artificial sweetener consumption was performed by determining per capital mass loads in 293 influent wastewater samples collected from a wastewater treatment plant in Australia between 2012 and 2018. Population-weighted per capita mass loads of the four detected artificial sweeteners ranged from 2.4 ± 0.8 mg d-1 p-1 for saccharin to 7.8 ± 2.0 mg d-1 p-1 for acesulfame over the study period. Negligible intra-week fluctuations were observed, however the consumption of acesulfame was seen to be significantly influenced by season with the highest consumption in summer. The consumption of sucralose and saccharin significantly increased with an annual increase rate of 10% and 6.0%. Cyclamate consumption declined over the same period with average annual decrease rate of 11%, which agrees with data from market surveys. Sucrose equivalence of total artificial sweeteners consumption showed an increase between 2012 and 2016, then decreased in 2018. This is the first long-term trend study of artificial sweetener consumption by wastewater analysis and highlights the feasibility to quantitatively measure artificial sweeter consumption over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Phil M Choi
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Fahad Ahmed
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jack Thompson
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hongwen Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102, Queensland, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Fate of Trace Organic Compounds in Hyporheic Zone Sediments of Contrasting Organic Carbon Content and Impact on the Microbiome. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12123518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The organic carbon in streambed sediments drives multiple biogeochemical reactions, including the attenuation of organic micropollutants. An attenuation assay using sediment microcosms differing in the initial total organic carbon (TOC) revealed higher microbiome and sorption associated removal efficiencies of trace organic compounds (TrOCs) in the high-TOC compared to the low-TOC sediments. Overall, the combined microbial and sorption associated removal efficiencies of the micropollutants were generally higher than by sorption alone for all compounds tested except propranolol whose removal efficiency was similar via both mechanisms. Quantitative real-time PCR and time-resolved 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing revealed that higher bacterial abundance and diversity in the high-TOC sediments correlated with higher microbial removal efficiencies of most TrOCs. The bacterial community in the high-TOC sediment samples remained relatively stable against the stressor effects of TrOC amendment compared to the low-TOC sediment community that was characterized by a decline in the relative abundance of most phyla except Proteobacteria. Bacterial genera that were significantly more abundant in amended relative to unamended sediment samples and thus associated with biodegradation of the TrOCs included Xanthobacter, Hyphomicrobium, Novosphingobium, Reyranella and Terrimonas. The collective results indicated that the TOC content influences the microbial community dynamics and associated biotransformation of TrOCs as well as the sorption potential of the hyporheic zone sediments.
Collapse
|
42
|
Di Marcantonio C, Bertelkamp C, van Bel N, Pronk TE, Timmers PHA, van der Wielen P, Brunner AM. Organic micropollutant removal in full-scale rapid sand filters used for drinking water treatment in The Netherlands and Belgium. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 260:127630. [PMID: 32758778 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biological treatment processes have the potential to remove organic micropollutants (OMPs) during water treatment. The OMP removal capacity of conventional drinking water treatment processes such as rapid sand filters (RSFs), however, has not been studied in detail. We investigated OMP removal and transformation product (TP) formation in seven full-scale RSFs all treating surface water, using high-resolution mass spectrometry based quantitative suspect and non-target screening (NTS). Additionally, we studied the microbial communities with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (NGS) in both influent and effluent waters as well as the filter medium, and integrated these data to comprehensively assess the processes that affect OMP removal. In the RSF influent, 9 to 30 of the 127 target OMPs were detected. The removal efficiencies ranged from 0 to 93%. A data-driven workflow was established to monitor TPs, based on the combination of NTS feature intensity profiles between influent and effluent samples and the prediction of biotic TPs. The workflow identified 10 TPs, including molecular structure. Microbial community composition analysis showed similar community composition in the influent and effluent of most RSFs, but different from the filter medium, implying that specific microorganisms proliferate in the RSFs. Some of these are able to perform typical processes in water treatment such as nitrification and iron oxidation. However, there was no clear relationship between OMP removal efficiency and microbial community composition. The innovative combination of quantitative analyses, NTS and NGS allowed to characterize real scale biological water treatments, emphasizing the potential of bio-stimulation applications in drinking water treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Di Marcantonio
- Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Civil, Constructional and Environmental Engineering (DICEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Cheryl Bertelkamp
- KWR Water Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430, BB, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Nikki van Bel
- KWR Water Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430, BB, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Tessa E Pronk
- KWR Water Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430, BB, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Peer H A Timmers
- KWR Water Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430, BB, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Paul van der Wielen
- KWR Water Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430, BB, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea M Brunner
- KWR Water Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430, BB, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Coll C, Bier R, Li Z, Langenheder S, Gorokhova E, Sobek A. Association between Aquatic Micropollutant Dissipation and River Sediment Bacterial Communities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:14380-14392. [PMID: 33104348 PMCID: PMC7676288 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of micropollutant biodegradation is essential to determine the persistence of potentially hazardous chemicals in aquatic ecosystems. We studied the dissipation half-lives of 10 micropollutants in sediment-water incubations (based on the OECD 308 standard) with sediment from two European rivers sampled upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge. Dissipation half-lives (DT50s) were highly variable between the tested compounds, ranging from 1.5 to 772 days. Sediment from one river sampled downstream from the WWTP showed the fastest dissipation of all micropollutants after sediment RNA normalization. By characterizing sediment bacteria using 16S rRNA sequences, bacterial community composition of a sediment was associated with its capacity for dissipating micropollutants. Bacterial amplicon sequence variants of the genera Ralstonia, Pseudomonas, Hyphomicrobium, and Novosphingobium, which are known degraders of contaminants, were significantly more abundant in the sediment incubations where fast dissipation was observed. Our study illuminates the limitations of the OECD 308 standard to account for variation of dissipation rates of micropollutants due to differences in bacterial community composition. This limitation is problematic particularly for those compounds with DT50s close to regulatory persistence criteria. Thus, it is essential to consider bacterial community composition as a source of variability in regulatory biodegradation and persistence assessments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Coll
- Department
of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm
University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic
Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Raven Bier
- Department
of Ecology and Genetics/Limnology, Uppsala
University, Norbyvägen 18D, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
- Stroud Water Research Center, AvondalePennsylvania, 19311, United States
| | - Zhe Li
- Department
of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm
University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Silke Langenheder
- Department
of Ecology and Genetics/Limnology, Uppsala
University, Norbyvägen 18D, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elena Gorokhova
- Department
of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm
University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna Sobek
- Department
of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm
University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Boester U, Rüde TR. Utilize gadolinium as environmental tracer for surface water-groundwater interaction in Karst. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2020; 235:103710. [PMID: 33125978 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2020.103710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The rare earth element (REE) group is widely used for geochemical prospection and the hydrochemical differentiation of waters. Most of the currently applied methods use normalized REE patterns to determine enrichments or depletions of certain REE in comparison to standard materials, which are caused by specific environmental conditions. Contrast agents containing Gadolinium (Gd), which are used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have been emitted into surface waters since the 1980s. Patients excrete these contrast agents shortly after ambulant medication in hospitals or at home. Sewage treatment is currently unable to hold back Gd from this anthropogenic source. Therefore, the Gd concentration in the receiving channel increases significantly and creates a Gd peak in the REE pattern. This anthropogenic peak propagates into adjacent groundwater bodies. In a karst aquifer showing a connection between a river/ponor (input) and three springs (output), such an anthropogenic Gd anomaly has been traced, the local Gd background quantified, and surface water groundwater interaction evaluated. In two sampling campaigns, water samples were taken every day at the input and output side during one week in February and three weeks in May. Sampling of springs and brooks in the vicinity of the karst aquifer proved excessive Gd from anthropogenic sources. The evaluation of concentration, mass flow and total mass of Gd show that Gd can be an environmental tracer to monitor surface water-groundwater interaction as well as the anthropogenic influence on water bodies. Further anthropogenic pollutants - diclofenac, carbamazepine, galaxolide, caffeine, and acesulfame-K - representing different classes of common organic substances were tested as co-indicators to Gd. However, out of these only acesulfame-K was detected and is related with the Gd-anomaly. Our results indicate that Gd is a more powerful indicator of surface water- groundwater interaction than most organic pollutants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- U Boester
- Institute of Hydrogeology, RWTH Aachen University, Lochnerstraße 4-20, 52064 Aachen, Germany.
| | - T R Rüde
- Institute of Hydrogeology, RWTH Aachen University, Lochnerstraße 4-20, 52064 Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Resilience of Micropollutant and Biological Effect Removal in an Aerated Horizontal Flow Treatment Wetland. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12113050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The performance of an aerated horizontal subsurface flow treatment wetland was investigated before, during and after a simulated aeration failure. Conventional wastewater parameters (e.g., carbonaceous biological oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and Escherichia coli) as well as selected micropollutants (caffeine, ibuprofen, naproxen, benzotriazole, diclofenac, acesulfame, and carbamazepine) were investigated. Furthermore, the removal of biological effects was investigated using in vitro bioassays. The six bioassays selected covered environmentally relevant endpoints (indicative of activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor, AhR; binding to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, PPARγ; activation of estrogen receptor alpha, ERα; activation of glucocorticoid receptor, GR; oxidative stress response, AREc32; combined algae test, CAT). During the aeration interruption phase, the water quality deteriorated to a degree comparable to that of a conventional (non-aerated) horizontal subsurface flow wetland. After the end of the aeration interruption, the analytical and biological parameters investigated recovered at different time periods until their initial treatment performance. Treatment efficacy for conventional parameters was recovered within a few days, but no complete recovery of treatment efficacy could be observed for bioassays AhR, AREc32 and CAT in the 21 days following re-start of the aeration system. Furthermore, the removal efficacy along the flow path for most of the chemicals and bioassays recovered as it was observed in the baseline phase. Only for the activation of AhR and AREc32 there was a shift of the internal treatment profile from 12.5% to 25% (AhR) and 50% (AREc32) of the fractional length.
Collapse
|
46
|
Li D, O'Brien JW, Tscharke BJ, Choi PM, Zheng Q, Ahmed F, Thompson J, Li J, Mueller JF, Sun H, Thomas KV. National wastewater reconnaissance of artificial sweetener consumption and emission in Australia. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 143:105963. [PMID: 32688159 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Artificial sweeteners are used as sugar substitutes in our daily lives yet consumption and release patterns are currently unknown in Australia. The spatial distribution of artificial sweetener consumption and WWTP effluent emission in Australia was estimated by wastewater analysis. Wastewater influent and effluent samples were collected from 69 WWTPs across Australia during the week of the 2016 Australian census. Mean population-weighted per capita loads for individual artificial sweeteners (cyclamate, aspartame, acesulfame, sucralose, saccharin) ranged from 0.12 ± 0.14 mg d-1p-1 for aspartame to 6.9 ± 2.8 mg d-1p-1 for acesulfame with 1004 kg of these artificial sweeteners being consumed daily in Australia. Significant removal of aspartame (100%), cyclamate (92 ± 18%) and saccharin (88 ± 21%) was observed during wastewater treatment. The average per capita release to the environment for individual artificial sweeteners (cyclamate, acesulfame, sucralose, saccharin) ranged from 230 ± 780 mg d-1 1000p-1 (cyclamate) to 3800 ± 1400 mg d-1 1000p-1 (sucralose). The daily release of artificial sweeteners from Australian WWTPs was estimated to be 142 kg suggesting that 14% of the artificial sweeteners consumed in Australia are released into the environment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first wastewater study to estimate the occurrence and population-normalized artificial sweetener consumption and emission in Australia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Jake W O'Brien
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Tscharke
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Phil M Choi
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Qiuda Zheng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Fahad Ahmed
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Jack Thompson
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Jiaying Li
- Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Jochen F Mueller
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia
| | - Hongwen Sun
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences (QAEHS), The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, 4102 Queensland, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Van Stempvoort DR, Brown SJ, Spoelstra J, Garda D, Robertson WD, Smyth SA. Variable persistence of artificial sweeteners during wastewater treatment: Implications for future use as tracers. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 184:116124. [PMID: 32755735 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
For more than a decade the artificial sweeteners acesulfame (ACE) and sucralose (SUC) have been applied as tracers of the input of wastewater to environmental waters. Recently concerns have been raised that degradation of ACE during treatment may hinder or restrict its use as a wastewater tracer. In this study the value of ACE and SUC as tracers was reassessed based on samples of wastewater at 12 municipal wastewater treatment (MWWT) plants and from 7 septic systems and associated septic plumes in groundwater. The results indicated stability of SUC during MWWT at most plants, and variable removal of both sweeteners during some MWWT and in the septic wastewater systems. However, the residual concentrations of ACE and SUC in municipal effluent and in septic plumes indicate that both sweeteners remain valuable wastewater tracers. The mass ratio SUC/ACE was found to be a useful parameter for examining the relative persistence of these sweeteners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dale R Van Stempvoort
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada.
| | - Susan J Brown
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - John Spoelstra
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada; Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Dorothy Garda
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - William D Robertson
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Shirley Anne Smyth
- Science and Risk Assessment Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Matthews B, Jokela J, Narwani A, Räsänen K, Pomati F, Altermatt F, Spaak P, Robinson CT, Vorburger C. On biological evolution and environmental solutions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 724:138194. [PMID: 32251887 PMCID: PMC7118648 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Drawing insights from multiple disciplines is essential for finding integrative solutions that are required to tackle complex environmental problems. Human activities are causing unprecedented influence on global ecosystems, culminating in the loss of species and fundamental changes in the selective environments of organisms across the tree of life. Our collective understanding about biological evolution can help identify and mitigate many of the environmental problems in the Anthropocene. To this end, we propose a stronger integration of environmental sciences with evolutionary biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Blake Matthews
- EAWAG, Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Center for Ecology, Evolution, and Biogeochemistry, Seestrasse 79, 6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland; EAWAG, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Jukka Jokela
- EAWAG, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anita Narwani
- EAWAG, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Katja Räsänen
- EAWAG, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Pomati
- EAWAG, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Florian Altermatt
- EAWAG, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Piet Spaak
- EAWAG, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Christoph Vorburger
- EAWAG, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Überlandstr. 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH-Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Belton K, Schaefer E, Guiney PD. A Review of the Environmental Fate and Effects of Acesulfame-Potassium. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2020; 16:421-437. [PMID: 32065497 PMCID: PMC7318193 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The use of low and no calorie sweeteners (LNCSs) has increased substantially the past several decades. Their high solubility in water, low absorption to soils, and reliable analytical methods facilitate their detection in wastewater and surface waters. Low and no calorie sweeteners are widely used in food and beverage products around the world, have been approved as food additives, and are considered safe for human consumption by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and other regulatory authorities. Concerns have been raised, however, regarding their growing presence and potential aquatic toxicity. Recent studies have provided new empirical environmental monitoring, environmental fate, and ecotoxicity on acesulfame potassium (ACE-K). Acesulfame potassium is an important high-production LNCS, widely detected in the environment and generally reported to be environmentally persistent. Acesulfame-potassium was selected for this environmental fate and effects review to determine its comparative risk to aquatic organisms. The biodegradation of ACE-K is predicted to be low, based on available quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models, and this has been confirmed by several investigations, mostly published prior to 2014. More recently, there appears to be an interesting paradigm shift with several reports of the enhanced ability of wastewater treatment plants to biodegrade ACE-K. Some studies report that ACE-K can be photodegraded into potentially toxic breakdown products, whereas other data indicate that this may not be the case. A robust set of acute and chronic ecotoxicity studies in fish, invertebrates, and freshwater plants provided critical data on ACE-K's aquatic toxicity. Acesulfame-potassium concentrations in wastewater and surface water are generally in the lower parts per billion (ppb) range, whereas concentrations in sludge and groundwater are much lower (parts per trillion [ppt]). This preliminary environmental risk assessment establishes that ACE-K has high margins of safety (MOSs) and presents a negligible risk to the aquatic environment based on a collation of extensive ACE-K environmental monitoring, conservative predicted environmental concentration (PEC) and predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) estimates, and prudent probabilistic exposure modeling. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2020;16:421-437. © 2020 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kerry Belton
- Grocery Manufacturers AssociationArlingtonVirginiaUSA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Freeling F, Scheurer M, Sandholzer A, Armbruster D, Nödler K, Schulz M, Ternes TA, Wick A. Under the radar - Exceptionally high environmental concentrations of the high production volume chemical sulfamic acid in the urban water cycle. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 175:115706. [PMID: 32199185 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Elevated concentrations of sulfamate, the anion of sulfamic acid, were found in surface waters and finished drinking water in Germany with concentrations up to 580 μg/L and 140 μg/L, respectively. Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent was identified as the dominant source of sulfamate in the urban water cycle, as sulfamate concentrations correlated positively (0.77 > r < 0.99) with concentrations of the wastewater tracer carbamazepine in samples from different waterbodies. Ozonation and activated sludge experiments proved that sulfamate can be formed from chemical and biological degradation of various precursors. Molar sulfamate yields were highly compound-specific and ranged from 2% to 56%. However, the transformation of precursors to sulfamate in WWTPs and wastewater-impacted waterbodies was found to be quantitatively irrelevant, since concentrations of sulfamate in these compartments are already high, presumably due to its primary use as an acidic cleaning agent. Sulfamate concentrations in the influent and effluent of studied WWTPs ranged from 520 μg/L to 1900 μg/L and from 490 μg/L to 1600 μg/L, respectively. Laboratory batch experiments were performed to assess the recalcitrance of sulfamate for chemical oxidation. In combination with the results from sampling conducted at full-scale waterworks, it was shown that common drinking water treatment techniques, including ozonation and filtration with activated carbon, are not capable to remove sulfamate. The results of biodegradation tests and from the analysis of samples taken at four bank filtration sites indicate that sulfamate is attenuated in the sediment/water interface of aquatic systems and during aquifer passage under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Sulfamate concentrations decreased by between 62% and 99% during aquifer passage at the bank filtration sites. Considering the few data on short term ecotoxicity, about 30% of the presented sulfamate levels in ground and surface water samples did exceed the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of sulfamate, and thus effects of sulfamate on the aquatic ecosystem of wastewater-impacted waterbodies in Germany cannot be excluded so far. Toxicological estimations suggest that no risk to human health is expected by concentrations of sulfamate typically encountered in tap water.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Finnian Freeling
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Str. 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Marco Scheurer
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Str. 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Anna Sandholzer
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Str. 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Dominic Armbruster
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Str. 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Karsten Nödler
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Str. 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Manoj Schulz
- Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Thomas A Ternes
- Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Arne Wick
- Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068, Koblenz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|