1. |
- Bodin, Hristina, 1977-, et al.
(author)
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Effects of biopellets composed of microalgae and fungi on pharmaceuticals present at environmentally relevant levels in water
- 2016
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In: Ecological Engineering. - : Elsevier. - 0925-8574 .- 1872-6992. ; 91, s. 169-172
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Removal of seven pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, carbamazepine, diclofenac, metoprolol, naproxen, ranitidine and sulfamethoxazole) from water was investigated using three different microbial treatments with: (1) the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, (2) the fungus Aspergillus niger and (3) biopellets composed of both microorganisms. The three-day experiment was performed under laboratory conditions and pharmaceuticals were spiked at the environmentally relevant concentration of 10 mu g L-1. The biopellets and fungal treatments resulted in significantly lower ranitidine concentration compared with the initial value. Also, treatment with biopellets resulted in significantly lower final ranitidine concentrations compared to those found after control and microalgal treatments. Low removal rates were obtained for other substances, possibly because the amount of microbial biomass used was 16-500-fold lower than that normally used in activated sludge processes in wastewater treatments plants. Thus, the pharmaceutical removal potential, elimination potential and performance of biopellets should be further investigated at higher biomass concentrations. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.
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2. |
- Ahrens, Lutz, et al.
(author)
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Critical review: Grand challenges in assessing the adverse effects of contaminants of emerging concern on aquatic food webs
- 2019
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In: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. - : Wiley. - 0730-7268 .- 1552-8618. ; 38, s. 46-60
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Much progress has been made in the past few decades in understanding the sources, transport, fate, and biological effects of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in aquatic ecosystems. Despite these advancements, significant obstacles still prevent comprehensive assessments of the environmental risks associated with the presence of CECs. Many of these obstacles center around the extrapolation of effects of single chemicals observed in the laboratory or effects found in individual organisms or species in the field to impacts of multiple stressors on aquatic food webs. In the present review, we identify 5 challenges that must be addressed to promote studies of CECs from singular exposure events to multispecies aquatic food web interactions. There needs to be: 1) more detailed information on the complexity of mixtures of CECs in the aquatic environment, 2) a greater understanding of the sublethal effects of CECs on a wide range of aquatic organisms, 3) an ascertaining of the biological consequences of variable duration CEC exposures within and across generations in aquatic species, 4) a linkage of multiple stressors with CEC exposure in aquatic systems, and 5) a documenting of the trophic consequences of CEC exposure across aquatic food webs. We examine the current literature to show how these challenges can be addressed to fill knowledge gaps. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:46-60. (c) 2018 SETAC
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3. |
- Blum, Kristin M., 1989-, et al.
(author)
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Mass fluxes per capita of organic contaminants from on-site sewage treatment facilities
- 2018
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In: Chemosphere. - : Elsevier BV. - 0045-6535 .- 1879-1298. ; :201, s. 864-873
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This study is the first attempt to quantify environmental fluxes per capita of organic contaminants discharged from on-site sewage treatment facilities (OSSFs) in affected recipients. Five sites were monitored around the River Fyris in Sweden: three mainly affected by OSSFs and two mainly affected by municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine environmental concentrations of 30 anthropogenic contaminants, including organophosphorus compounds, rubber and plastic additives, UV stabilizers, fragrances, surfactant ingredients and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Uni- and multivariate statistical analysis of the most frequently detected contaminants showed that median fluxes per capita of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate, tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, and n-butylbenzene sulfonamide were similar at OSSF and STP sites, but the mass fluxes per capita of tris-(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate, 2-(methylthio)benzothiazole, and galaxolide, were significantly lower (~2 to 3-fold) at OSSF sites than at STP sites (Mann-Whitney, α = 0.05). Differences between these sites were larger in samples collected in summer and autumn than in samples collected in winter. Deviations likely originated from differences in treatment technology and distances between source and sampling sites. Further studies are needed to characterize mass fluxes per capita of contaminants in waters that directly receive discharges from OSSFs.
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4. |
- Blum, Kristin M., et al.
(author)
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Non-target screening and prioritization of potentially persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic domestic wastewater contaminants and their removal in on-site and large-scale sewage treatment plants
- 2017
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 575, s. 265-275
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- On-site sewage treatment facilities (OSSFs), which are used to reduce nutrient emissions in rural areas, were screened for anthropogenic compounds with two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC × GC–MS). The detected compounds were prioritized based on their persistence, bioaccumulation, ecotoxicity, removal efficiency, and concentrations. This comprehensive prioritization strategy, which was used for the first time on OSSF samples, ranked galaxolide, α-tocopheryl acetate, octocrylene, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol, several chlorinated organophosphorus flame retardants and linear alkyl benzenes as the most relevant compounds being emitted from OSSFs. Twenty-six target analytes were then selected for further removal efficiency analysis, including compounds from the priority list along with substances from the same chemical classes, and a few reference compounds. We found significantly better removal of two polar contaminants 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol (p = 0.0003) and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (p = 0.005) in soil beds, a common type of OSSF in Sweden, compared with conventional sewage treatment plants. We also report median removal efficiencies in OSSFs for compounds not studied in this context before, viz. α-tocopheryl acetate (96%), benzophenone (83%), 2-(methylthio)benzothiazole (64%), 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol (33%), and a range of organophosphorus flame retardants (19% to 98%). The environmental load of the top prioritized compounds in soil bed effluents were in the thousands of nanogram per liter range, viz. 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol (3000 ng L− 1), galaxolide (1400 ng L− 1), octocrylene (1200 ng L− 1), and α-tocopheryl acetate (660 ng L− 1).
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5. |
- Bodin, Hristina, et al.
(author)
-
Effects of biopellets composed of microalgae and fungi on pharmaceuticals present at environmentally relevant levels in water
- 2016
-
In: Ecological EngineeringThe Journal of Ecotechnology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0925-8574 .- 1872-6992. ; 91, s. 169-172
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Removal of seven pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, carbamazepine, diclofenac, metoprolol, naproxen, ranitidine and sulfamethoxazole) from water was investigated using three different microbial treatments with: (1) the microalga Chlorella vulgaris, (2) the fungus Aspergillus niger and (3) biopellets composed of both microorganisms. The three-day experiment was performed under laboratory conditions and pharmaceuticals were spiked at the environmentally relevant concentration of 10 mu g L-1. The biopellets and fungal treatments resulted in significantly lower ranitidine concentration compared with the initial value. Also, treatment with biopellets resulted in significantly lower final ranitidine concentrations compared to those found after control and microalgal treatments. Low removal rates were obtained for other substances, possibly because the amount of microbial biomass used was 16-500-fold lower than that normally used in activated sludge processes in wastewater treatments plants. Thus, the pharmaceutical removal potential, elimination potential and performance of biopellets should be further investigated at higher biomass concentrations. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.
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6. |
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7. |
- Dalahmeh, Sahar, et al.
(author)
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Biochar efficiently removes recalcitrant pharmaceuticals from wastewater
- 2017
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This study investigated the potential of biochar as a filter medium for removal of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) and wastewater macro-pollutants in on-site wastewater treatment systems. Removal of carbamazepine among other selected PhACs was investigated over 22 weeks experiment in four treatments: biochar (BC) with active and inactive biofilm (BC-active-biofilm, BC-inactive-biofilm), biochar without biofilm for adsorption only (BC-no-biofilm) and sand with active biofilm (Sand-active-biofilm). Carbamazepine removal in BC-no-biofilm (98%) was high due to adsorption, while nonexistent removal was observed in Sand-active-biofilm, revealing low biodegradability of carbamazepine. Removal of carbamazepine in BC-active-biofilm was stable (>98%), while it declined with time in BC-inactive-biofilm. In conclusion, biochar is a promising filter material supporting active biofilm and adsorption for the removal of PhACs in on-site wastewater treatment systems.
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8. |
- Dalahmeh, Sahar, et al.
(author)
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Potential of biochar filters for onsite sewage treatment: Adsorption and biological degradation of pharmaceuticals in laboratory filters with active, inactive and no biofilm
- 2018
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 612, s. 192-201
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study investigated the potential of biochar filters as a replacement or complement for sand filters for removal of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) from wastewater in onsite sewage facilities (OSSF). Specifically, the study investigated the effects of biodegradation, adsorption and a combination of these processes on removal of four model PhACs from wastewater in biochar filters operated under hydraulic loading conditions mimicking those found in onsite infiltration beds. Concentrations and removal of the four PhACs (i.e. carbamazepine, metoprolol, ranitidine and caffeine) were investigated over 22 weeks in four treatments: biochar (BC) with active or inactive biofilm (BC-active-biofilm, BC-inactive-biofilm), biochar without biofilm (BC-no-biofilm) and sand with active biofilm (Sand-active-biofilm). The adsorption of carbamazepine was high in BC-no-biofilm (99% removal after 22 weeks), while biodegradation was very low in Sand-active-biofilm (7% removal after 22 weeks). Removal of carbamazepine in BC-active-biofilm was high and stable over the 22 weeks (>98%), showing a significant role of biofilm in filter biogeneration. However, carbamazepine removal declined over time in BC-inactive-biofilm, from 99% in week 13 to 73% in week 22. Metoprolol was poorly degraded in Sand-active-biofilm (37% after 22 weeks), while adsorption seemed to be the major pathway for removal of metoprolol in biochar. Ranitidine and caffeine were efficiently removed by either adsorption (97% and 9S%, respectively, after 22 weeks) or biodegradation (99% and >99%, respectively, after 22 weeks). In conclusion, biochar is a promising filter medium for OSSF, especially for persistent PhACs such as carbamazepine and metoprolol. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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9. |
- Ferrero, Pablo Gago, et al.
(author)
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Impact of on-site, small and large scale wastewater treatment facilities on levels and fate of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, artificial sweeteners, pesticides, and perfluoroalkyl substances in recipient waters
- 2017
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 601-602, s. 1289-1297
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- One of the main risks associated with effluents from both wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and on-site sewage treatment facilities (OSSFs) is the release of micropollutants (MPs) in receiving water bodies. However, the impact of MPs present in the effluents of OSSFs in the aquatic environment has not been studied so far. The current study evaluates the impact of the effluents of OSSFs and small-to-large scale WWTPs on natural waters. The discharge of 74 MPs was assessed including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, artificial sweeteners and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). The sampling was carried out within a Swedish catchment and included three sites that are exclusively affected by OSSFs and other sites that are mainly affected by WWTPs or a mixture of sources (7 sites, 28 samples). Results show that although OSSFs serve a much smaller total number of people, the MPs emitted from OSSFs reached the aquatic environment in significant quantities (concentrations of >150 ng L-1 of Sigma MPs). The composition profiles for sites affected by WWTPs were similar and were dominated by sucralose (27% of the Sigma MPs), caffeine (27% of the Sigma MPs), lamotrigine (10% of the Sigma MPs), desvenlafaxine (5% of the Sigma MPs), and diclofenac (4% of the Sigma MPs). In contrast, the sites affected by OSSFs showed high variability, exhibiting a different profile from those affected by WWTPs and also from each other, demonstrating that OSSFs are not homogeneous sources of MPs. Some specific compounds, such as diethyltoluamide (DEET) and caffeine, were proportionally much more important at sites affected by OSSFs than at sites affected by WWTPs (representing a much higher percentage of the Sigma MPs in the OSSFs). In contrast, PFASs did not show high concentration variation among the different sampling sites and the composition profiles were relatively similar, indicating that these substances follow different routes of entry into the aquatic environment. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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10. |
- Gros Calvo, Meritxell, et al.
(author)
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Pharmaceuticals in source separated sanitation systems : Fecal sludge and blackwater treatment
- 2019
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study investigated, for the first time, the occurrence and fate of 29 multiple-class pharmaceuticals (PhACs) in two source separated sanitation systems based on: (i) batch experiments for the anaerobic digestion (AD) of fecal sludge under mesophilic (37 °C) and thermophilic (52 °C) conditions, and (ii) a full-scale blackwater treatment plant using wet composting and sanitation with urea addition. Results revealed high concentrations of PhACs in raw fecal sludge and blackwater samples, with concentrations up to hundreds of μg L−1 and μg kg−1 dry weight (dw) in liquid and solid fractions, respectively. For mesophilic and thermophilic treatments in the batch experiments, average PhACs removal rates of 31% and 45%, respectively, were observed. The average removal efficiency was slightly better for the full-scale blackwater treatment, with 49% average removal, and few compounds, such as atenolol, valsartan and hydrochlorothiazide, showed almost complete degradation. In the AD treatments, no significant differences were observed between mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. For the full-scale blackwater treatment, the aerobic wet composting step proved to be the most efficient in PhACs reduction, while urea addition had an almost negligible effect for most PhACs, except for citalopram, venlafaxine, oxazepam, valsartan and atorvastatin, for which minor reductions (on average 25%) were observed. Even though both treatment systems reduced initial PhACs loads considerably, significant PhAC concentrations remained in the treated effluents, indicating that fecal sludge and blackwater fertilizations could be a relevant vector for dissemination of PhACs into agricultural fields and thus the environment.
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