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Denora M, Candido V, Brunetti G, De Mastro F, Murgolo S, De Ceglie C, Salerno C, Gatta G, Giuliani MM, Mehmeti A, Bartholomeus RP, Perniola M. Uptake and accumulation of emerging contaminants in processing tomato irrigated with tertiary treated wastewater effluent: a pilot-scale study. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1238163. [PMID: 37692419 PMCID: PMC10484752 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1238163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
The reuse of treated wastewater for crop irrigation is vital in water-scarce semi-arid regions. However, concerns arise regarding emerging contaminants (ECs) that persist in treated wastewater and may accumulate in irrigated crops, potentially entering the food chain and the environment. This pilot-scale study conducted in southern Italy focused on tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv Taylor F1) irrigated with treated wastewater to investigate EC uptake, accumulation, and translocation processes. The experiment spanned from June to September 2021 and involved three irrigation strategies: conventional water (FW), treated wastewater spiked with 10 target contaminants at the European average dose (TWWx1), and tertiary WWTP effluent spiked with the target contaminants at a triple dose (TWWx3). The results showed distinct behavior and distribution of ECs between the TWWx1 and TWWx3 strategies. In the TWWx3 strategy, clarithromycin, carbamazepine, metoprolol, fluconazole, and climbazole exhibited interactions with the soil-plant system, with varying degradation rates, soil accumulation rates, and plant accumulation rates. In contrast, naproxen, ketoprofen, diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim showed degradation. These findings imply that some ECs may be actively taken up by plants, potentially introducing them into the food chain and raising concerns for humans and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Denora
- Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures, University of Basilicata, Via Lanera, Matera, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Candido
- Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures, University of Basilicata, Via Lanera, Matera, Italy
| | - Gennaro Brunetti
- Department of Soil, Plant, and Food Science, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco De Mastro
- Department of Soil, Plant, and Food Science, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Sapia Murgolo
- Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Bari, Italy
| | - Cristina De Ceglie
- Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Bari, Italy
| | - Carlo Salerno
- Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gatta
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Food, Natural Resources and Engineering (DAFNE), University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Marcella Michela Giuliani
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Food, Natural Resources and Engineering (DAFNE), University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Andi Mehmeti
- Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures, University of Basilicata, Via Lanera, Matera, Italy
- Mediterranean Agronomic Insitute of Bari (CIHEAM Bari), Valenzano, Italy
| | - Ruud P. Bartholomeus
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, Netherlands
- Soil Physics and Land Management, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Michele Perniola
- Department of European and Mediterranean Cultures, University of Basilicata, Via Lanera, Matera, Italy
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