PPCP Monitoring in Drinking Water Supply Systems: The Example of Káraný Waterworks in Central Bohemia

Occurrence and sources of hormones in water resources-environmental and health impact

Within recent years, hormones have become emergent contaminants in the water environment. They easily accumulate in living organisms which in effect leads to numerous health problems (endocrine-disrupting mechanism is one of the most known toxic effects). Microbial resistance to antibiotics also became one of the emergent issues related to hormone presence. It was shown that the most common in the environment occur estrogens (E1, E2, E3, and EE2). It has been proven that large amounts of hormones are released from aquaculture as well as from wastewater treatment plants (due to the relatively low separation efficiency of conventional wastewater treatment processes). Within the article's scope, the literature review was performed. The analysis was regarding the characterization of the hormone substances present in the environment, their influence on living organisms and the environment, as well as its potential sources classification.

Artificial infiltration in drinking water production: Addressing chemical hazards using effect-based methods

Artificial infiltration is an established managed aquifer recharge method that is commonly incorporated into drinking water processes. However, groundwater sourced from this type of purification method is prone to contamination with chemical hazards. Such an instance was previously shown at a Swedish DWTP where the river water was contaminated by hazardous chemicals during artificial infiltration. Further, there remains a paucity of research studying the quality of drinking water following this type of treatment from an effect-based bioanalytical perspective. In the current study, an effect-based assessment for chemical hazards was conducted for a Swedish drinking water system comprised of two DWTPs fed artificially-infiltrated river water. In this system, artificial infiltration of the river water takes approximately six to eight months. A sampling event was conducted in the autumn season and the samples were enriched by solid phase extraction. A panel of cell-based reporter gene assays representing several toxicity pathways was selected: oxidative stress response (Nrf2 activity), aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation, and hormone receptor-mediated effects (estrogen receptor [ER], androgen receptor [AR]). AhR and ER bioactivities were detected in samples collected from the river intake and in the open-air infiltration basins prior to artificial infiltration. However, the AhR activity decreased and ER activity was effectively removed following artificial infiltration. In the Nrf2 and AR assays, no bioactivities above cut-off levels were detected in any samples collected along the entire treatment process of the drinking water production from source to tap. Using a suite of bioassays, the current study highlighted the effectiveness of artificial infiltration in reducing bioactive compounds in this raw river water. Although artificial infiltration is a common purification method in drinking water production, the limited number of effect-based studies evaluating the effectiveness of this method emphasizes the need for further research to better understand the risks and benefits of this water treatment process.

Effect of Applied Electrical Stimuli to Interdigitated Electrode Sensors While Detecting 17α-Ethinylestradiol in Water Samples

The effect of impedance measurements of applied voltage on the detection of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) in water samples using interdigitated electrodes (IDE) coated or not with thin films, is described. Firstly, the effect of immersion in EE2 aqueous solutions of layer-by-layer films prepared with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), graphene oxide (GO), poly(1-(4-(3-carboxy-4-hydroxyphenylazo) benzene sulfonamido) 1,2 ethanediyl, sodium salt) (PAZO), polyethylenimine (PEI) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) was analyzed. These results demonstrated that PAH/GO films desorb during the immersion on EE2 solutions, while EE2 adsorbs on PAH/PAZO and PEI/PSS films with characteristic time values of 16.7 and 7.1 min, respectively, demonstrating that both films are adequate for the development of EE2 sensors. However, as the adsorption characteristic time is shorter, and the EE2 adsorbed amount is smaller, the PEI/PSS films are more suitable for the development of sensors. The effect of the applied voltage was analyzed using both IDEs covered with PEI/PSS films as well as those uncoated. The capacitance spectra are best fitted to analyze this effect, and the loss tangent spectra are advantageous to analyze the aqueous media. Furthermore, it was concluded that lower voltage values are best suited to perform measurements of this nature, given that higher voltages lead to less reliable results and cause irreparable damage to the sensors.

Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Water Environment of Poland: A Review

The issue of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the water environment has gained increasing interest worldwide. To determine the nature and extent of this problem for Poland, this paper presents a review of research on the presence of PPCPs in Poland, looking at results for different water samples, including wastewater (before and after treatment), landfill leachate, surface water (standing water bodies and rivers), seawater, groundwater and drinking water. The review is based on over 50 scientific articles and dissertations referring to studies of PPCPs. It also briefly outlines possible sources and the fate of PPCPs in the aquatic environment. The review of Polish research has revealed that studies have previously covered at least 39 PPCP groups (270 compounds in total). These studies focused mainly on wastewater and rivers, and only a few concerned landfill leachate and seawater. They most often reported on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. The highest concentrations of the analysed PPCPs were found mainly in raw wastewater (e.g., naproxen, up to 551,960 ng/L), but they were also occasionally found in surface water (e.g., azithromycin, erythromycin, irbesartan and metoprolol) and in groundwater (e.g., N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, known as DEET, up to 17,280 ng/L). Extremely high concentrations of bisphenol A (up to 2,202,000 ng/L) and diclofenac (up to 108,340 ng/L) were found in landfill leachate. Although numerous substances have been detected, PPCPs are still not monitored regularly, which makes it difficult to obtain a clear understanding of their incidence in the water environment.

Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation

Contaminants of emerging concern in water are an ongoing challenge globally [...]

Pharmaceuticals Load in the Svihov Water Reservoir (Czech Republic) and Impacts on Quality of Treated Drinking Water

An important component of micropollutants are PPCPs (pharmaceuticals and personal care products). This paper contains the results of the monitoring of surface water, groundwater and wastewater in the surrounding area of the Svihov drinking water reservoir. Over the period 2017–2019, over 21,000 water samples were taken and analyzed for 112 pharmaceuticals, their metabolites, and other chemicals. The results are discussed in detail for two streams with the highest observed concentration of PPCPs (Hnevkovice, Dolni Kralovice) and two streams with the highest water inflow into the reservoir, representing also the highest mass flow of PPCPs into the reservoir (Miletin, Kacerov). The overall analysis of the results shows that acesulfame, azithromycin, caffeine, gabapentin, hydrochlorothiazide, ibuprofen and its metabolites, oxypurinol, paraxanthine, and saccharin (on some profiles up to tens of thousands ng/dm3) attain the highest concentration and occur most frequently. The evaluation of raw water and treated drinking water quality showed the significant positive effect of water retention in the reservoir (retention time of 413 days) and also of the treatment process, so that the treated drinking water is of high quality and contains only negligible residues of few PPCPs near the detection limit of the analytical method used.