1
|
de Baat ML, Narain-Ford DM, de Weert J, Giesen D, Beeltje H, Hamers T, Helmus R, de Voogt P, Kraak MHS. Passive sampler housing and sorbent type determine aquatic micropollutant adsorption and subsequent bioassay responses. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 357:124488. [PMID: 38960122 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124488] [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: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
The combination of integrative passive sampling and bioassays is a promising approach for monitoring the toxicity of polar organic contaminants in aquatic environments. However, the design of integrative passive samplers can affect the accumulation of compounds and therewith the bioassay responses. The present study aimed to determine the effects of sampler housing and sorbent type on the number of chemical features accumulated in polar passive samplers and the subsequent bioassay responses to extracts of these samplers. To this end, four integrative passive sampler configurations, resulting from the combination of polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) and Speedisk housings with hydrophilic-lipophilic balance and hydrophilic divinylbenzene sorbents, were simultaneously exposed at reference and contaminated surface water locations. The passive sampler extracts were subjected to chemical non-target screening and a battery of five bioassays. Extracts from POCIS contained a higher number of chemical features and caused higher bioassay responses in 91% of cases, while the two sorbents accumulated similar numbers of features and caused equally frequent but different bioassay responses. Hence, the passive sampler design critically affected the number of accumulated polar organic contaminants as well as their toxicity, highlighting the importance of passive sampler design for effect-based water quality assessment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M L de Baat
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - D M Narain-Ford
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - J de Weert
- Deltares, Daltonlaan 600, 3584 BK, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Water Authority of Rijnland, Archimedesweg 1, 2333 CM, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - D Giesen
- Deltares, Daltonlaan 600, 3584 BK, Utrecht, the Netherlands; World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Avenue du Bouchet 2bis, 1209, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - H Beeltje
- Environmental Modelling, Sensing and Analysis, TNO, Utrecht, the Netherlands; AQUON, De Blomboogerd 12, 4003 BX, Tiel, the Netherlands
| | - T Hamers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - R Helmus
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P de Voogt
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M H S Kraak
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology (FAME), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Deligiannis M, Gkalipidou E, Gatidou G, Kostakis MG, Triantafyllos Gerokonstantis D, Arvaniti OS, Thomaidis NS, Vyrides I, Hale SE, Peter Arp H, Fountoulakis MS, Stasinakis AS. Study on the fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances during thermophilic anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge and the role of granular activated carbon addition. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 406:131013. [PMID: 38901748 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131013] [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: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Limited information is available on the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in anaerobic digestion (AD). Τhe fate of six PFAS was studied in thermophilic bioreactors in the presence of granular activated carbon (GAC) and voltage application. Reactors with GAC exhibited lower concentrations of volatile fatty acids and higher methane production compared to those with and without the application of voltage. Analysis of PFAS in dissolved and solid phase showed that their distribution was dependent on perfluorocarbon chain length and functional group. Mass balances showed that PFAS were not removed during conventional AD or after applying voltage; however, significant removal (up to 61 ± 8 %) was observed in bioreactors with GAC for perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). Biomass characterization showed that in these bioreactors, the relative abundance of Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas was higher, indicating their potential role in PFAS biotransformation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Evdokia Gkalipidou
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene 81100, Greece
| | - Georgia Gatidou
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Mytilene 81100, Greece
| | - Marios G Kostakis
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15771, Greece
| | | | - Olga S Arvaniti
- Department of Agricultural Development, Agrofood and Management of Natural Resources, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Psachna 34400, Greece
| | - Nikolaos S Thomaidis
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Ioannis Vyrides
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Cyprus University of Technology, 95 Eirinis Str., Limassol 3603, Cyprus
| | - Sarah E Hale
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser, Karlsruher Str. 84, 76139, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Hans Peter Arp
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Ullevål Stadion, P.O. Box 3930, 0806, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abdelnour SA, Naiel MAE, Said MB, Alnajeebi AM, Nasr FA, Al-Doaiss AA, Mahasneh ZMH, Noreldin AE. Environmental epigenetics: Exploring phenotypic plasticity and transgenerational adaptation in fish. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118799. [PMID: 38552831 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118799] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetics plays a vital role in the interaction between living organisms and their environment by regulating biological functions and phenotypic plasticity. Considering that most aquaculture activities take place in open or natural habitats that are vulnerable to environmental changes. Promising findings from recent research conducted on various aquaculture species have provided preliminary evidence suggesting a link between epigenetic mechanisms and economically valuable characteristics. Environmental stressors, including climate changes (thermal stress, hypoxia, and water salinity), anthropogenic impacts such as (pesticides, crude oil pollution, nutritional impacts, and heavy metal) and abiotic factors (infectious diseases), can directly trigger epigenetic modifications in fish. While experiments have confirmed that many epigenetic alterations caused by environmental factors have plastic responses, some can be permanently integrated into the genome through genetic integration and promoting rapid transgenerational adaptation in fish. These environmental factors might cause irregular DNA methylation patterns in genes related to many biological events leading to organs dysfunction by inducing alterations in genes related to oxidative stress or apoptosis. Moreover, these environmental issues alter DNA/histone methylation leading to decreased reproductive competence. This review emphasizes the importance of understanding the effects of environmentally relevant issues on the epigenetic regulation of phenotypic variations in fish. The goal is to expand our knowledge of how epigenetics can either facilitate or hinder species' adaptation to these adverse conditions. Furthermore, this review outlines the areas that warrant further investigation in understanding epigenetic reactions to various environmental issues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sameh A Abdelnour
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt.
| | - Mohammed A E Naiel
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt
| | - Mourad Ben Said
- Laboratory of Microbiology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba, 2010, Tunisia; Department of Basic Sciences, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba, 2010, Tunisia
| | - Afnan M Alnajeebi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahd A Nasr
- Biology Department, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amin A Al-Doaiss
- Biology Department, College of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zeinab M H Mahasneh
- Department of Animal Production, School of Agriculture, The University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, Jordan
| | - Ahmed E Noreldin
- Department of Histology and Cytology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22511, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chirsir P, Palm EH, Baskaran S, Schymanski EL, Wang Z, Wolf R, Hale SE, Arp HPH. Grouping strategies for assessing and managing persistent and mobile substances. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EUROPE 2024; 36:102. [PMID: 38784824 PMCID: PMC11108893 DOI: 10.1186/s12302-024-00919-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Background Persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT), or very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) substances are a wide class of chemicals that are recalcitrant to degradation, easily transported, and potentially harmful to humans and the environment. Due to their persistence and mobility, these substances are often widespread in the environment once emitted, particularly in water resources, causing increased challenges during water treatment processes. Some PMT/vPvM substances such as GenX and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid have been identified as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) under the European Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. With hundreds to thousands of potential PMT/vPvM substances yet to be assessed and managed, effective and efficient approaches that avoid a case-by-case assessment and prevent regrettable substitution are necessary to achieve the European Union's zero-pollution goal for a non-toxic environment by 2050. Main Substance grouping has helped global regulation of some highly hazardous chemicals, e.g., through the Montreal Protocol and the Stockholm Convention. This article explores the potential of grouping strategies for identifying, assessing and managing PMT/vPvM substances. The aim is to facilitate early identification of lesser-known or new substances that potentially meet PMT/vPvM criteria, prompt additional testing, avoid regrettable use or substitution, and integrate into existing risk management strategies. Thus, this article provides an overview of PMT/vPvM substances and reviews the definition of PMT/vPvM criteria and various lists of PMT/vPvM substances available. It covers the current definition of groups, compares the use of substance grouping for hazard assessment and regulation, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of grouping substances for regulation. The article then explores strategies for grouping PMT/vPvM substances, including read-across, structural similarity and commonly retained moieties, as well as the potential application of these strategies using cheminformatics to predict P, M and T properties for selected examples. Conclusions Effective substance grouping can accelerate the assessment and management of PMT/vPvM substances, especially for substances that lack information. Advances to read-across methods and cheminformatics tools are needed to support efficient and effective chemical management, preventing broad entry of hazardous chemicals into the global market and favouring safer and more sustainable alternatives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parviel Chirsir
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 6 Avenue du Swing, 4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Emma H. Palm
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 6 Avenue du Swing, 4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Sivani Baskaran
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, 0806 Oslo, Norway
| | - Emma L. Schymanski
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 6 Avenue du Swing, 4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Zhanyun Wang
- Technology and Society Laboratory, Empa-Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Raoul Wolf
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, 0806 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah E. Hale
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruher Straße 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Hans Peter H. Arp
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, 0806 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zahn D, Arp HPH, Fenner K, Georgi A, Hafner J, Hale SE, Hollender J, Letzel T, Schymanski EL, Sigmund G, Reemtsma T. Should Transformation Products Change the Way We Manage Chemicals? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:7710-7718. [PMID: 38656189 PMCID: PMC11080041 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
When chemical pollutants enter the environment, they can undergo diverse transformation processes, forming a wide range of transformation products (TPs), some of them benign and others more harmful than their precursors. To date, the majority of TPs remain largely unrecognized and unregulated, particularly as TPs are generally not part of routine chemical risk or hazard assessment. Since many TPs formed from oxidative processes are more polar than their precursors, they may be especially relevant in the context of persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) and very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) substances, which are two new hazard classes that have recently been established on a European level. We highlight herein that as a result, TPs deserve more attention in research, chemicals regulation, and chemicals management. This perspective summarizes the main challenges preventing a better integration of TPs in these areas: (1) the lack of reliable high-throughput TP identification methods, (2) uncertainties in TP prediction, (3) inadequately considered TP formation during (advanced) water treatment, and (4) insufficient integration and harmonization of TPs in most regulatory frameworks. A way forward to tackle these challenges and integrate TPs into chemical management is proposed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zahn
- Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hans Peter H. Arp
- Norwegian
Geotechnical Institute (NGI), P.O. Box 3930, Ullevål Stadion, 0806 Oslo, Norway
- Department
of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science
and Technology (NTNU), N-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Swiss
Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anett Georgi
- Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jasmin Hafner
- Swiss
Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sarah E. Hale
- TZW: DVGW
Water Technology Center, Karlsruher Str. 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Juliane Hollender
- Swiss
Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
- ETH
Zurich, Institute of Biogeochemistry and
Pollutant Dynamics, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Letzel
- AFIN-TS
GmbH (Analytisches Forschungsinstitut für Non-Target Screening), Am Mittleren Moos 48, 86167 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Emma L. Schymanski
- Luxembourg
Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University
of Luxembourg, 6 avenue
du Swing, L-4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Gabriel Sigmund
- Environmental
Technology, Wageningen University &
Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Thorsten Reemtsma
- Helmholtz
Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- University of Leipzig, Linnéstrasse 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li P, Su W, Zhong L, Wang H, Huang X, Ruan T, Jiang G. Occurrence and Ecological Risk of Alkylamine Triazines in Chinese Estuarine Sediments: An Emerging Class of Persistent, Mobile, and Toxic Substances. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6814-6824. [PMID: 38581381 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Identifying persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) substances from synthetic chemicals is critical for chemical management and ecological risk assessment. Inspired by the triazine analogues (e.g., atrazine and melamine) in the original European Union's list of PMT substances, the occurrence and compositions of alkylamine triazines (AATs) in the estuarine sediments of main rivers along the eastern coast of China were comprehensively explored by an integrated strategy of target, suspect, and nontarget screening analysis. A total of 44 AATs were identified, of which 23 were confirmed by comparison with authentic standards. Among the remaining tentatively identified analogues, 18 were emerging pollutants not previously reported in the environment. Tri- and di-AATs were the dominant analogues, and varied geographic distributions of AATs were apparent in the investigated regions. Toxic unit calculations indicated that there were acute and chronic risks to algae from AATs on a large geographical scale, with the antifouling biocide cybutryne as a key driver. The assessment of physicochemical properties further revealed that more than half of the AATs could be categorized as potential PMT and very persistent and very mobile substances at the screening level. These results highlight that AATs are a class of PMT substances posing high ecological impacts on the aquatic environment and therefore require more attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pengyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Wenyuan Su
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Laijin Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Haotian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ting Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Hu J, Lyu Y, Li M, Wang L, Jiang Y, Sun W. Discovering Novel Organophosphorus Compounds in Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents through Suspect Screening and Nontarget Analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6402-6414. [PMID: 38546437 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Limited knowledge on the structure of emerging organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) hampers our comprehensive understanding of their environmental occurrence and potential risks. Through suspect and nontarget screening, combining data-dependent acquisition, data-independent acquisition, and parallel reaction monitoring modes, we identified 60 OPCs (17 traditional and 43 emerging compounds) in effluents of 14 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Beijing and Qinghai, China. These OPCs comprise 26 organophosphate triesters, 17 organophosphate diesters, 6 organophosphonates, 7 organothiophosphate esters, and 4 other OPCs. Notably, 14 suspect OPCs were newly identified in WWTP effluents, and 16 nontarget OPCs were newly discovered in environmental matrices. Specifically, the cyclic phosphonate, (5-ethyl-2-methyl-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinan-5-yl)methyl dimethyl phosphonate P-oxide (PMMMPn), consistently appeared in all WWTP effluents, with semiquantitative concentrations ranging from 44.4 to 282 ng/L. Its analogue, di-PMMMPn, presented in 93% of wastewater samples. Compositional differences between the WWTP effluents of two cities were mainly attributed to emerging OPCs. Hazard and ecological risk assessment underscored the substantial contribution of chlorinated organophosphate esters and organothiophosphate esters to overall risks of OPCs in WWTP effluents. This study provides the most comprehensive OPC profiles in WWTP effluents to date, highlighting the need for further research on their occurrence, fate, and risks, particularly for chlorinated OPCs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingrun Hu
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yitao Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Mingzhen Li
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China
| | - Lei Wang
- School of Agriculture, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Weiling Sun
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Han M, Liang J, Jin B, Wang Z, Wu W, Arp HPH. Machine learning coupled with causal inference to identify COVID-19 related chemicals that pose a high concern to drinking water. iScience 2024; 27:109012. [PMID: 38352231 PMCID: PMC10863329 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Various synthetic substances were utilized in large quantities during the recent coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19. Some of these chemicals could potentially enter drinking water sources. Persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) substances have been recognized as a threat to drinking water resources. It has not yet been assessed how many COVID-19 related substances could be considered PMT substances. One reason is the lack of high-quality experimental data for the identification of PMT substances. To solve this problem, we applied a machine learning model to identify the PMT substances among COVID-19 related chemicals. The optimal model achieved an accuracy of 90.6% based on external test data. The model interpretation and causal inference indicated that our approach understood causation between PMT properties and molecular descriptors. Notably, the screening results showed that over 60% of the COVID-19 chemicals considered are candidate PMT substances, which should be prioritized to prevent undue pollution of water resources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Han
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10069, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Jun Liang
- School of Software, South China Normal University, Foshan 528225, China
| | - Biao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10069, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Protection and Resources Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Ziwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10069, China
| | - Wanlu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10069, China
| | - Hans Peter H. Arp
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), P.O. Box 3930 Ullevaal Stadion, N-0806 Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Arp HPH, Wolf R, Hale SE, Baskaran S, Glüge J, Scheringer M, Trier X, Cousins IT, Timmer H, Hofman-Caris R, Lennquist A, Bannink AD, Stroomberg GJ, Sjerps RMA, Montes R, Rodil R, Quintana JB, Zahn D, Gallard H, Mohr T, Schliebner I, Neumann M. Letter to the editor regarding Collard et al. (2023): "Persistence and mobility (defined as organic-carbon partitioning) do not correlate to the detection of substances found in surface and groundwater: Criticism of the regulatory concept of persistent and mobile substances". THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:165927. [PMID: 37532049 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hans Peter H Arp
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), P.O. Box 3930, Ullevål Stadion, 0806 Oslo, Norway; Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), N-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Raoul Wolf
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), P.O. Box 3930, Ullevål Stadion, 0806 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah E Hale
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), P.O. Box 3930, Ullevål Stadion, 0806 Oslo, Norway; DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser, Karlsruher Str. 84, 76139 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Sivani Baskaran
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), P.O. Box 3930, Ullevål Stadion, 0806 Oslo, Norway
| | - Juliane Glüge
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Xenia Trier
- University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Ian T Cousins
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Harrie Timmer
- Vewin, Association of Dutch water companies, Bezuidenhoutseweg 12, NL 2594 AV The Hague, the Netherlands
| | - Roberta Hofman-Caris
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; University of Applied Sciences, Life Sciences and Chemistry, Heidelberglaan 7, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Wageningen University and Research, Environmental Technology, Droevendaalsesteeg 4, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Anna Lennquist
- The International Chemical Secretariat, ChemSec, Första Långgatan 18, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - André D Bannink
- RIWA Association of River Waterworks, Groenendael 6, 3439 LV Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Gerard J Stroomberg
- RIWA Association of River Waterworks, Groenendael 6, 3439 LV Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | | | - Rosa Montes
- Institute for Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, R. Constantino Candeira S.N., 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rosario Rodil
- Institute for Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, R. Constantino Candeira S.N., 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - José Benito Quintana
- Institute for Research on Chemical and Biological Analysis (IAQBUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, R. Constantino Candeira S.N., 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Daniel Zahn
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hervé Gallard
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers UMR CNRS 7285, 1 rue Marcel Doré, TSA 41105, 86073 Poitiers Cedex 9, France
| | - Tobias Mohr
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Section IV 2.3 Chemicals, Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Ivo Schliebner
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Section IV 2.3 Chemicals, Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Michael Neumann
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Section IV 2.3 Chemicals, Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Zhang Z, Wang S, Brown TN, Sangion A, Arnot JA, Li L. Modeling sorption of environmental organic chemicals from water to soils. WATER RESEARCH X 2024; 22:100219. [PMID: 38596456 PMCID: PMC11002749 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2024.100219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Reliable estimation of chemical sorption from water to solid phases is an essential prerequisite for reasonable assessments of chemical hazards and risks. However, current fate and exposure models mostly rely on algorithms that lack the capability to quantify chemical sorption resulting from interactions with multiple soil constituents, including amorphous organic matter, carbonaceous organic matter, and mineral matter. Here, we introduce a novel, generic approach that explicitly combines the gravimetric composition of various solid constituents and poly-parameter linear free energy relationships to calculate the solid-water sorption coefficient (Kd) for non-ionizable or predominantly neutral organic chemicals with diverse properties in a neutral environment. Our approach demonstrates an overall statistical uncertainty of approximately 0.9 log units associated with predictions for different types of soil. By applying this approach to estimate the sorption of 70 diverse chemicals from water to two types of soils, we uncover that different chemicals predominantly exhibit sorption onto different soil constituents. Moreover, we provide mechanistic insights into the limitation of relying solely on organic carbon normalized sorption coefficient (KOC) in chemical hazard assessment, as the measured KOC can vary significantly across different soil types, and therefore, a universal cut-off threshold may not be appropriate. This research highlights the importance of considering chemical properties and multiple solid constituents in sorption modeling and offers a valuable theoretical approach for improved chemical hazard and exposure assessments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhizhen Zhang
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, 1664, N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557-274, United States
| | - Shenghong Wang
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, 1664, N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557-274, United States
| | - Trevor N. Brown
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting, Toronto, Ontario M4M 1W4, Canada
| | | | - Jon A. Arnot
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting, Toronto, Ontario M4M 1W4, Canada
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Li Li
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, 1664, N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557-274, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Hu J, Lyu Y, Chen H, Li S, Sun W. Suspect and Nontarget Screening Reveal the Underestimated Risks of Antibiotic Transformation Products in Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17439-17451. [PMID: 37930269 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics are anthropogenic contaminants with a global presence and of deep concern in aquatic environments, while less is known about the occurrence and risks of their transformation products (TPs). Herein, we developed a comprehensive suspect and nontarget screening workflow based on high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify unknown antibiotic TPs in wastewater treatment plant effluents. We identified 211 compounds (35 parent antibiotics and 176 TPs) at confidence levels of ≥3 and 107 TPs originated from macrolides. TPs were quantified by 17 TPs standards and semiquantified by the predicted response factors and accounted for 55.6-95.1% (76.7% on average) of the total concentrations of parents and TPs. 22.2%, 63.1%, and 18.8% of the identified TPs were estimated to be more persistent, mobile, and toxic than their parent antibiotics, respectively. Further ecological risk assessment based on concentrations and toxicity to aquatic organisms revealed that the cumulative risks of TPs were generally higher than those of parents. Despite the newly formed N-oxide TPs, the tertiary treatment process (mainly ozonation) could decrease the averaged 20.3% of concentrations and 36.2% of the risks of antibiotic-related compounds. This study highlights the necessity to include antibiotic TPs in environmental scrutiny and risk assessment of antibiotics in different aquatic environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingrun Hu
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yitao Lyu
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Si Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Farmland Soil Pollution Prevention and Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Weiling Sun
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing 100871, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhang Z, Sangion A, Wang S, Gouin T, Brown T, Arnot JA, Li L. Hazard vs. exposure: Does it make a difference in identifying chemicals with persistence and mobility concerns? WATER RESEARCH 2023; 245:120610. [PMID: 37717328 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Persistent and mobile (PM) chemicals are considered emerging threats to the environment and drinking water because they can be transported over long distances, penetrate natural and artificial barriers, and resist removal by traditional water treatment procedures. Current chemical regulatory frameworks raise concerns over PM chemicals due to their potential to cause high human exposure through drinking water contamination. However, the criteria used to screen and identify these chemicals often rely on hazard properties related to stability and sorption, such as biodegradation half-lives and organic-carbon-normalized sorption coefficients as respective measures of P and M. Here, we conduct a model-based assessment to examine the consistency between hazard-based and exposure-based approaches in assessing PM chemicals, by evaluating whether chemicals identified as highly P and M are consistently associated with high drinking water exposure potential (DWEP). We discover that chemicals with the top DWEPs tend to be PM chemicals, but the reverse is not always true, because DWEPs are also impacted by volatilization for air-distributed chemicals and advective particle-bound transport for particle-bound chemicals. Our findings suggest that the hazard metrics are better suited for de-prioritizing, as opposed to prioritizing, chemicals that are unlikely to result in significant human exposure through drinking water, as unfavorable values of hazard metrics are a necessary but not sufficient condition for a high DWEP. We also find that distinct mechanisms determine the DWEP in different sources of drinking water: Sorption and stability are more influential on the DWEP of chemicals in groundwater and surface water, respectively, whereas both sorption and stability equally impact water undergoing riverbank filtration. Future studies should focus on optimizing the identification of persistent and mobile chemicals to ensure that exposure potential is taken into consideration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhizhen Zhang
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664, N. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89557-274, United States
| | | | - Shenghong Wang
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664, N. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89557-274, United States
| | - Todd Gouin
- TG Environmental Research, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1PL, United Kingdom
| | - Trevor Brown
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting, Toronto, Ontario M4M 1W4, Canada
| | - Jon A Arnot
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting, Toronto, Ontario M4M 1W4, Canada; Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Li Li
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664, N. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada 89557-274, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Hafner J, Fenner K, Scheidegger A. Systematic Handling of Environmental Fate Data for Model Development-Illustrated for the Case of Biodegradation Half-Life Data. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2023; 10:859-864. [PMID: 37840818 PMCID: PMC10569042 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The assessment of environmental hazard indicators such as persistence, mobility, toxicity, or bioaccumulation of chemicals often results in highly variable experimental outcomes. Persistence is particularly affected due to a multitude of influencing environmental factors, with biodegradation experiments resulting in half-lives spanning several orders of magnitude. Also, half-lives may lie beyond the limits of reliable half-life quantification, and the number of available data points per substance may vary considerably, requiring a statistically robust approach for the characterization of data. Here, we apply Bayesian inference to address these challenges and characterize the distributions of reported soil half-lives. Our model estimates the mean, standard deviation, and corresponding uncertainties from a set of reported half-lives experimentally obtained for a single substance. We apply our inference model to 893 pesticides and pesticide transformation products with experimental soil half-lives of varying data quantity and quality, and we infer the half-life distribution for each compound. By estimating average half-lives, their experimental variability, and the uncertainty of the estimations, we provide a reliable data source for building predictive models, which are urgently needed by regulatory authorities to manage existing chemicals and by industry to design benign, nonpersistent chemicals. Our approach can be readily adapted for other environmental hazard indicators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Hafner
- Swiss
Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
- University
of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Swiss
Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
- University
of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Scheidegger
- Swiss
Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600 Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Malnes D, Waara S, Figuière R, Ahrens L, Wiberg K, Köhler SJ, Golovko O. Hazard screening of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in Sweden's three largest lakes and their associated rivers. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 453:131376. [PMID: 37094447 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131376] [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: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) substances have recently garnered increased attention by environmental researchers, the water sector and environmental protection agencies. In this study, acute and chronic species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) were retrieved from literature data for previously quantified contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in Swedish surface waters (n = 92) and risk quotients (RQ) were calculated. To better understand the characteristics of the detected CECs in non-urban lake sites (n = 71), these compounds were checked against established criteria for potentially toxic PMs (PM(T)s) and occurrence in the aquatic environment, respectively. For the CECs with missing SSDs (n = 15 [acute], n = 41 [chronic]), ecotoxicity data were extracted for eight taxonomic groups, and if data were sufficient (n ≥ 3), SSDs were derived. The retrieved and newly developed SSDs were then used in an environmental hazard assessment (EHA) in the investigated Swedish rivers and lakes. In the rivers, 8 CECs had RQ> 1 in at least one location, and 20 CECs posed a moderate risk (0.01 < RQ < 1). In total, 21 of the 71 detected substances had already been identified as PM(T)/vPvM substances. Our study shows the importance of studying field data at large spatial scale to reveal potential environmental hazards far from source areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Malnes
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Sylvia Waara
- Rydberg Laboratory of Applied Sciences, Department of Environmental and Biosciences, Halmstad University, SE-301 18, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Romain Figuière
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University (ACES), SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lutz Ahrens
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Karin Wiberg
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stephan J Köhler
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Oksana Golovko
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Löffler P, Escher BI, Baduel C, Virta MP, Lai FY. Antimicrobial Transformation Products in the Aquatic Environment: Global Occurrence, Ecotoxicological Risks, and Potential of Antibiotic Resistance. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37335844 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c09854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
The global spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is concerning for the health of humans, animals, and the environment in a One Health perspective. Assessments of AMR and associated environmental hazards mostly focus on antimicrobial parent compounds, while largely overlooking their transformation products (TPs). This review lists antimicrobial TPs identified in surface water environments and examines their potential for AMR promotion, ecological risk, as well as human health and environmental hazards using in silico models. Our review also summarizes the key transformation compartments of TPs, related pathways for TPs reaching surface waters and methodologies for studying the fate of TPs. The 56 antimicrobial TPs covered by the review were prioritized via scoring and ranking of various risk and hazard parameters. Most data on occurrences to date have been reported in Europe, while little is known about antibiotic TPs in Africa, Central and South America, Asia, and Oceania. Occurrence data on antiviral TPs and other antibacterial TPs are even scarcer. We propose evaluation of structural similarity between parent compounds and TPs for TP risk assessment. We predicted a risk of AMR for 13 TPs, especially TPs of tetracyclines and macrolides. We estimated the ecotoxicological effect concentrations of TPs from the experimental effect data of the parent chemical for bacteria, algae and water fleas, scaled by potency differences predicted by quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) for baseline toxicity and a scaling factor for structural similarity. Inclusion of TPs in mixtures with their parent increased the ecological risk quotient over the threshold of one for 7 of the 24 antimicrobials included in this analysis, while only one parent had a risk quotient above one. Thirteen TPs, from which 6 were macrolide TPs, posed a risk to at least one of the three tested species. There were 12/21 TPs identified that are likely to exhibit a similar or higher level of mutagenicity/carcinogenicity, respectively, than their parent compound, with tetracycline TPs often showing increased mutagenicity. Most TPs with increased carcinogenicity belonged to sulfonamides. Most of the TPs were predicted to be mobile but not bioaccumulative, and 14 were predicted to be persistent. The six highest-priority TPs originated from the tetracycline antibiotic family and antivirals. This review, and in particular our ranking of antimicrobial TPs of concern, can support authorities in planning related intervention strategies and source mitigation of antimicrobials toward a sustainable future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Löffler
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala SE-75007, Sweden
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, UZ, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christine Baduel
- Université Grenoble Alpes, IRD, CNRS, Grenoble INP, IGE, 38 050 Grenoble, France
| | - Marko P Virta
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Multidisciplinary Center of Excellence in Antimicrobial Resistance Research, Helsinki 00100, Finland
| | - Foon Yin Lai
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Uppsala SE-75007, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Rudin E, Glüge J, Scheringer M. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) registered under REACH-What can we learn from the submitted data and how important will mobility be in PFASs hazard assessment? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 877:162618. [PMID: 36907396 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The EU is planning to restrict the manufacture, placing on the market and use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) as a class. For such a broad regulatory approach, a lot of different data are required, including data on the hazardous properties of PFASs. Here, we analyze substances that fulfill the OECD definition of PFASs and that are registered under the regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) in the EU to obtain a better data basis for PFASs and to elucidate the range of PFASs on the market in the EU. As of September 2021, at least 531 PFASs had been registered under REACH. Our hazard assessment of the PFASs registered under REACH shows that the currently available data are not sufficient to identify those PFASs that are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB). Using some basic assumptions - which are 1) PFASs or their metabolites do not mineralize, 2) neutral hydrophobic substances bioaccumulate unless they are metabolized and 3) all chemicals exhibit baseline toxicity, and effect concentrations cannot be above effect concentrations for baseline toxicity - shows that at least 17 of the 177 PFASs with full registration are PBT substances, 14 more than currently identified. Moreover, if mobility is considered as a hazard criterion, at least 19 additional substances will need to be considered hazardous. The regulation of persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) and very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) substances would therefore also affect PFASs. However, many of the substances that have not been identified as PBT, vPvB, PMT or vPvM are either persistent and toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative or persistent and mobile. The planned PFASs restriction will therefore be important for a more effective regulation of these substances.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Rudin
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland; Institute for Ecopreneurship, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Juliane Glüge
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Escher BI, Altenburger R, Blüher M, Colbourne JK, Ebinghaus R, Fantke P, Hein M, Köck W, Kümmerer K, Leipold S, Li X, Scheringer M, Scholz S, Schloter M, Schweizer PJ, Tal T, Tetko I, Traidl-Hoffmann C, Wick LY, Fenner K. Modernizing persistence-bioaccumulation-toxicity (PBT) assessment with high throughput animal-free methods. Arch Toxicol 2023; 97:1267-1283. [PMID: 36952002 PMCID: PMC10110678 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03485-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
The assessment of persistence (P), bioaccumulation (B), and toxicity (T) of a chemical is a crucial first step at ensuring chemical safety and is a cornerstone of the European Union's chemicals regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals). Existing methods for PBT assessment are overly complex and cumbersome, have produced incorrect conclusions, and rely heavily on animal-intensive testing. We explore how new-approach methodologies (NAMs) can overcome the limitations of current PBT assessment. We propose two innovative hazard indicators, termed cumulative toxicity equivalents (CTE) and persistent toxicity equivalents (PTE). Together they are intended to replace existing PBT indicators and can also accommodate the emerging concept of PMT (where M stands for mobility). The proposed "toxicity equivalents" can be measured with high throughput in vitro bioassays. CTE refers to the toxic effects measured directly in any given sample, including single chemicals, substitution products, or mixtures. PTE is the equivalent measure of cumulative toxicity equivalents measured after simulated environmental degradation of the sample. With an appropriate panel of animal-free or alternative in vitro bioassays, CTE and PTE comprise key environmental and human health hazard indicators. CTE and PTE do not require analytical identification of transformation products and mixture components but instead prompt two key questions: is the chemical or mixture toxic, and is this toxicity persistent or can it be attenuated by environmental degradation? Taken together, the proposed hazard indicators CTE and PTE have the potential to integrate P, B/M and T assessment into one high-throughput experimental workflow that sidesteps the need for analytical measurements and will support the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability of the European Union.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beate I Escher
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany.
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94-96, E72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Rolf Altenburger
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias Blüher
- Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (HI-MAG) of the Helmholtz Munich-German Research Centre for Environmental Health (GmbH) at the University of Leipzig and University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - John K Colbourne
- Environmental Genomics Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Ralf Ebinghaus
- Institute of Coastal Environmental Chemistry, Helmholtz Zentrum Hereon, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502, Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Peter Fantke
- Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Environmental and Resource Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet 424, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Michaela Hein
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Köck
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Klaus Kümmerer
- Institute of Sustainable and Environmental Chemistry, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, 21335, Lüneburg, Germany
- International Sustainable Chemistry Collaboration Centre (ISC3), Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36, D-53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sina Leipold
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany
- Department for Political Science, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Bachstr. 18k, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Xiaojing Li
- Environmental Genomics Group, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Scholz
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Schloter
- Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Environmental Health Centre, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Centre for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Pia-Johanna Schweizer
- Research Institute for Sustainability-Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Berliner Strasse 130, 14467, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tamara Tal
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Igor Tetko
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Centre, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Centre for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann
- Environmental Medicine Faculty of Medicine, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstrasse 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Environmental Health Centre, Helmholtz Munich - German Research Centre for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Lukas Y Wick
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstr. 15, E04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Collard M, Camenzuli L, Lyon D, Saunders D, Vallotton N, Curtis-Jackson P. Persistence and Mobility (defined as organic‑carbon partitioning) do not correlate to the detection of substances found in surface and groundwater: Criticism of the regulatory concept of Persistent and mobile substances. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 865:161228. [PMID: 36586701 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) includes actions to ensure the protection of drinking water resources from chemical pollution. To proactively identify potential pollutants, the German Environment Agency (UBA) proposed the Persistent and Mobile (PM) concept according to which Persistence (criteria of REACH Annex XIII) and Mobility (log Koc < 4) would be proxies for a substance's degradation potential and transport velocity, two processes believed to drive the potential for contamination of surface and groundwater as drinking water sources. Two studies identified hundreds of PM substances while three subsequent studies have selected some of these substances for monitoring in surface, ground- and/or drinking water to support the concept. In the present work, the Persistence of the aforementioned substances was reassessed based on all experimental data publicly available. Depending on the exact study examined, it was found that 15 % to 40 % of the substances were erroneously concluded as P. The reinterpretation of the data indicates that a PM substance does not have a higher likelihood to be detected in surface or groundwater than a non-PM substance. In addition, the PM properties do not have any influence on the level of contamination. Twenty-six to 75 % of the substances selected because they were identified as PM were not found in surface or ground water despite being selected for their high emission pattern. Regulations based primarily on the PM concept, like the CLP and possibly REACH and UN-GHS, are unlikely to appropriately identify substances of concern for drinking water sources. It is more likely that chemical presence in surface and groundwater is driven by emission patterns or local factors. The development of specific exposure models would better contribute to the protection of drinking water resources and consumers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Delina Lyon
- Concawe, Boulevard du Souverain 165, B-1160 Brussels, Belgium.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Huang C, Jin B, Han M, Zhang G, Arp HPH. Identifying persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) organic compounds detected in shale gas wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159821. [PMID: 36334658 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Shale gas exploitation is a water-intensive process, generating flowback and produced water (FPW) with complex chemical compositions. Reuse, disposal and treatment of FPW are of increasing concern, because of the potential risk of FPW contamination to the surrounding aquatic environment and drinking water sources when emitted. Among numerous organic substances present in FPW, of particular concern are those that are persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) and very persistent and very mobile (vPvM). PMT and vPvM substances have the greatest potential to spread in groundwater and are the hardest to remediate. This study presents the outcome of a literature review to identify organic compounds that were previously detected in FPW. The 162 target compounds identified from this review were assessed to see if they can be considered PMT/vPvM substances based on their substance properties. Our results indicated that most FPW substances are "not PMT", accounting for 108 (66.7 %) compouds. In total 22 FPW substances can be considered PMT/vPvM or very likely to meet this criteria if more data were available. Examples of PMT substances in FPW include anthracene, 1,4-dioxane and 1,4-dichlorobenzene. PMT/vPvM compounds identified in FPW should be prioritized for risk management measures and monitoring in order to protect regional water resources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chen Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10069, China
| | - Biao Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10069, China.
| | - Min Han
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10069, China
| | - Gan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Hans Peter H Arp
- Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), P.O. Box 3930, Ullevaal Stadion, N-0806 Oslo, Norway; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| |
Collapse
|