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Kovačič A, Andreasidou E, Brus A, Vehar A, Potočnik D, Hudobivnik MJ, Heath D, Pintar M, Maršič NK, Ogrinc N, Blaznik U, Heath E. Contaminant uptake in wastewater irrigated tomatoes. J Hazard Mater 2023; 448:130964. [PMID: 36860048 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
As population growth and climate change add to the problem of water scarcity in many regions, the argument for using treated wastewater for irrigation is becoming increasingly compelling, which makes understanding the risks associated with the uptake of harmful chemicals by crops crucial. In this study, the uptake of 14 chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) and 27 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) was studied in tomatoes grown in soil-less (hydroponically) and soil (lysimeters) media irrigated with potable and treated wastewater using LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS. Bisphenol S, 2,4 bisphenol F, and naproxen were detected in fruits irrigated with spiked potable water and wastewater under both conditions, with BPS having the highest concentration (0.034-0.134 µg kg-1 f. w.). The levels of all three compounds were statistically more significant in tomatoes grown hydroponically (<LOQ - 0.137 µg kg-1 f. w.) than in soil (<LOQ - 0.083 µg kg-1 f. w.). Their elemental composition shows differences between tomatoes grown hydroponically or in soil and tomatoes irrigated with wastewater and potable water. Contaminants at determined levels showed low dietary chronic exposure. When the health-based guidance values for the studied CECs are determined, results from this study will be helpful for risk assessors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Kovačič
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia; International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Eirini Andreasidou
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia; International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Anže Brus
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Anja Vehar
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia; International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Doris Potočnik
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Marta Jagodic Hudobivnik
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - David Heath
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Marina Pintar
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, Ljubljaan 1000, Slovenia
| | - Nina Kacjan Maršič
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, Ljubljaan 1000, Slovenia
| | - Nives Ogrinc
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia; International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Urška Blaznik
- Environmental Health Centre, National Institute of Public Health, Trubarjeva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ester Heath
- Department of Environmental science, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia; International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia.
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Vehar A, Kovačič A, Hvala N, Škufca D, Levstek M, Stražar M, Žgajnar Gotvajn A, Heath E. An Assessment of Mass Flows, Removal and Environmental Emissions of Bisphenols in a Sequencing Batch Reactor Wastewater Treatment Plant. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27238634. [PMID: 36500727 PMCID: PMC9736069 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This study analyzed 16 bisphenols (BPs) in wastewater and sludge samples collected from different stages at a municipal wastewater treatment plant based on sequencing batch reactor technology. It also describes developing an analytical method for determining BPs in the solid phase of activated sludge based on solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Obtained concentrations are converted into mass flows, and the biodegradation of BPs and adsorption to primary and secondary sludge are determined. Ten of the sixteen BPs were present in the influent with concentrations up to 434 ng L-1 (BPS). Only five BPs with concentrations up to 79 ng L-1 (BPA) were determined in the plant effluent, accounting for 8 % of the total BPs determined in the influent. Eleven per cent of the total BPs were adsorbed on primary and secondary sludge. Overall, BPs biodegradation efficiency was 81%. The highest daily emissions via effluent release (1.48 g day-1) and sludge disposal (4.63 g day-1) were for BPA, while total emissions reached 2 g day-1 via effluent and 6 g day-1 via sludge disposal. The data show that the concentrations of BPs in sludge are not negligible, and their environmental emissions should be monitored and further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Vehar
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ana Kovačič
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nadja Hvala
- Department of Systems and Control, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - David Škufca
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marjetka Levstek
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Domžale-Kamnik d.o.o., Študljanska Cesta 91, 1230 Domžale, Slovenia
| | - Marjetka Stražar
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Domžale-Kamnik d.o.o., Študljanska Cesta 91, 1230 Domžale, Slovenia
| | - Andreja Žgajnar Gotvajn
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Technical Safety, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna Pot 113, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ester Heath
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova Cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence:
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Kovačič A, Modic M, Hojnik N, Vehar A, Kosjek T, Heath D, Walsh JL, Cvelbar U, Heath E. Degradation of bisphenol A and S in wastewater during cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment. Sci Total Environ 2022; 837:155707. [PMID: 35537510 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Developing novel, fast and efficient ecologically benign processes for removing organic contaminants is important for the continued development of water treatment. For this reason, this study investigates the implementation of Cold Atmospheric pressure Plasma (CAP) generated in ambient air as an efficient tool for the removal of Bisphenol A (BPA) and Bisphenol S (BPS)-known endocrine disrupting compounds in water and wastewater, by monitoring degradation kinetics and its transformation products. The highest removal efficiencies of BPA (>98%) and BPS (>70%) were obtained after 480 s of CAP exposure. A pseudo-first-order kinetic revealed that BPA (-kt = 4.4 ̶ 9.0 ms-1) degrades faster than BPS (-kt = 0.4 ̶ 2.4 ms-1) and that the degradation is also time- and CAP power-dependent, while the initial concentration or matrix type had a negligible effect. This study also tentatively identified three previously reported and one novel transformation product of BPA and four novel transformation products of BPS. Their postulated structures suggested similar breakdown mechanisms, i.e., hydroxylation followed by ring cleavage. The results demonstrate that CAP technology is an effective process for the degradation of both BPA and BPS without the need for additional chemicals, indicating that CAP is a promising technology for water and wastewater remediation worthy of further investigation and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Kovačič
- Department of Environmental Sciences O2, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Martina Modic
- Laboratory for Gaseous Electronics F6, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nataša Hojnik
- Laboratory for Gaseous Electronics F6, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anja Vehar
- Department of Environmental Sciences O2, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tina Kosjek
- Department of Environmental Sciences O2, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - David Heath
- Department of Environmental Sciences O2, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - James L Walsh
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronics, University of Liverpool, 9 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GJ, United Kingdom
| | - Uroš Cvelbar
- Laboratory for Gaseous Electronics F6, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ester Heath
- Department of Environmental Sciences O2, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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