Concentrations of organophosphate esters in drinking water from the United Kingdom:Implications for human exposure

Data on the presence of organophosphate esters(OPEs)in drinking water and its significance as a pathway of exposure are limited.In this study,we measure for the first time,concentrations of eight OPEs in 50 UK drinking water samples.Arithmetic mean concentrations of ∑8OPEs were:6.4 and 11 ng/L in bottled(n=25)and tap water samples(n=25),respectively.Concentrations of ∑8OPEs in tap water(mean:11 ng/L)exceed significantly those in bottled water(mean:6.4 ng/L)(p˂0.01).Moreover,UK tap water is more contaminated with chlorinated,aryl-,and alkyl-OPEs than bottled water.The predominant OPEs detected were:tris(butoxyethyl)phosphate(TBOEP),tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate(TCEP),and tris(2-chloroisopropyl)phosphate(TCIPP)with arithmetic mean concentrations in the two water sample types ranging between(3.5e3.8 ng/L),(0.60-3.0 ng/L),and(1.02-2.9 ng/L),respectively.Estimated daily intakes(EDIs)(mean and high-end exposure)via drinking water for different sectors of the UK population were:infants(0.93 and 6.4 ng/kg bw/day)˃toddlers(0.46 and 3.1 ng/kg bw/day)˃children(0.35 and 2.3 ng/kg bw/day)˃adults(0.28 and 2.1 ng/kg bw/day).Based on these data,exposure to ∑8OPEs via drinking water is much lower than via:food,indoor dust ingestion,inhalation,and dermal uptake for adults and toddlers.Reassuringly,our EDIs were lower than relevant reference dose(RfD)values.However,combining our drinking water ingestion data with exposure via other pathways revealed overall exposure to 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate(EHDPP)and TCIPP to approach health-based limit values for UK toddlers under a high-end exposure scenario.

Implication of sewage sludge increased application rates on soil fertility and heavy metals contamination risk

This paper aims to assess soil fertility and risk contamination parameters in response to increased amendment rates of sewage sludge application,under semi-arid climatic conditions of Morocco,using two soil textures:soil A(clay-silty)and soil B(sandy-clay)over two years.To this end,sewage sludge and soils treatments physicochemical parameters,heavy metals content,degree of pollution and associated risks were evaluated and compared to controlled soils.The results showed that all studied parameters changed significantly(p<0.05)in a dose-dependent manner for both soils compared to the untreated control soils.Indeed,there were significant increase in organic matter(OM),total organic carbon(TOC)and nutrients content(N,P and K)of both sols as a response to increased sewage sludge amendment rates.Overall,sewage sludge application showed a positive agronomic potential for both soil and plant.However,there were concern about some heavy metals contamination risks,the results showed a gradual increase of heavy metals concentration in this order:Cu>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cd>Cr.Nevertheless,their concentrations were below the critical values established by the European Union for the agronomic use of soil.The obtained results of assessed parameters indicating SS degree of pollution and associated risks showed a low to a moderate contamination risks of heavy metals.Accordingly,environmental risks of sewage sludge application will be related to increase of heavy metals mainly in a long-term agricultural reuse.Thus,optimal management of sewage sludge application is recommended to ensure sustainability and benefits at the same time to master the contamination risks.

Study on histo-biochemical biomarkers of chromium induced toxicity in Labeo rohita

Aquatic environment gets highly polluted due to the presence of heavy metals,which are usually discharged into water bodies because of rapid industrialization.The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of chromium toxicity on histo-biochemical biomarkers of Labeo rohita.A total of 240 randomly selected fish were distributed into four aquaria(n=20).Three groups designated as T_(1),T_(2) and T_(3) were exposed with 1/3rd,1/5th and 1/10th of LC_(50) of chromium chloride,and the fourth group was chromium-free control(T0).Results showed a significant(p<0.05)decrease in blood parameters such as hematocrit,red blood cells,hemoglobin,mean cell hemoglobin and platelets.In contrast,mean cell volume and white blood cell values increased significantly.The results obtained by comet assay showed that DNA damage was increased significantly(p<0.05)in chromium-exposed groups compared to the control.At the histopathological level,observed alterations in the gill tissues are degeneration of epithelium,fusion of secondary lamellae,lamellar curling,hypertrophy,telangiectasis and oedema,while in the liver is necrosis,dilation of the vein,congestion of blood vessels,hepatocytes degeneration,melano-macrophage centers,pigmentation and hemorrhage.In the kidney,histological alterations such as glomerular destruction,necrosis,damaged blood vessels,oedema and pigmentation were seen.Those results suggest that chromium has the ability to bring variations DNA integrity,histopathology and blood of Labeo rohita.

Phenol contaminated municipal wastewater treatment using date palm frond biochar:Optimization using response surface methodology

Phenol is classified as an emerging contaminant which can be very toxic even at low concentrations and should be removed from wastewaters before reaching the environment.In this study date palm frond and leaf were pyrolyzed at different temperatures to identify the best adsorbent(feedstock)and pyrolysis temperature to remove phenol from aqueous solutions.Date palm frond pyrolyzed at 600℃,termed DPF600,achieved the highest phenol removal rates of 64%and adsorption capacity of 15.93 mg/g.Response surface methodology approach using Box-Behnken design was implemented to obtain the optimal pH(6),contact time(20 h)and dosage(0.1 g)for the maximum phenol adsorption.A predicted adsorption capacity was found as 16.62 mg/g which was in close agreement with the experimental adsorption capacity of 17.38 mg/g.Isotherm and kinetic models in both linear and non-linear forms indicated that Freundlich model(R^(2)=0.99,χ^(2)=0.02,RMSE=1.09)and pseudo-second order model(R^(2)=0.99,χ^(2)=0.85,RMSE=5.41)fit best the obtained experimental data.Thermodynamics calculations affirmed that the adsorption of phenol onto DPF600 biochar was endothermic and spontaneous.The point of zero charge was found to be at 6.5 for DPF600 biochar.Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction confirmed adsorption of phenol onto DPF600 biochar.Application of DPF600 biochar to remove phenol from synthetic primary and secondary treated wastewater samples achieved 60 and 85%removal rates and 241 mg/g and 22.28 mg/g adsorption capacities,respectively.Regeneration studies showed promising adsorption capacities indicating the efficacy of DPF600 for the removal of phenol from wastewater.

Quantification of aflatoxins and health risk assessment through intake of herbal medicine formulations

Aflatoxins(AFs)are frequent contaminants of herbs,which pose a health risk to regular consumers.This study quantified AFs(AFB1,AFB2,AFG1,AFG2,and Total AFs)in 100 of frequently used herbal medicine formulations in Northern Jordan,and assessed the health risk associated with its intake.About half of the samples had levels lower than the detection limit,while the concentrations of AFB1 and Total AFs were higher than the European limits in 10%and 23%of the collected samples,respectively.The mean average daily dose(ADD)of AFB1 through the consumption of the formulations was 3.32×10^(-6)and ranged between 1.21×10^(-9)and 0.00045 ng/kg bwt/day,while the mean ADD of Total AFs was 6.80×10^(-5)and ranged between 3.21×10^(-9)and 0.0015 ng/kg bwt/day.The margin of exposure(MOE)for each medicine herein was far greater than 10,000 as recommended by European Food Safety Authority(EFSA)for carcinogenic and genotoxic substances.Estimated cancer risk due to life time exposure to AFB1 in herbal medicines was 1.03×10^(-5)(ranged between 4.51×10^(-4)to 1.19×10^(-9)cancers/10^(5) individuals/75 year).The frequent occurrence of AFs in the analyzed samples raised questions on their potential harmful consequences on heavy consumers,and suggested that further official measures could minimize contamination and improve management of the associated cancer risk.

Sodium lauryl sulfate and its potential impacts on organisms and the environment:A thematic analysis

Due to its ubiquitous presence in the environment and the lack of a scientific consensus regarding the environmental safety of the widely used anionic surfactant Sodium Lauryl Sulfate(CAS No:151-21-3),a systematic literature review and thematic analysis was conducted.All studies about sodium lauryl sulfate(SLS)in the environment in key databases were reviewed,with coding methods used to identify impact categories from SLS exposure without potential narration bias.Based on the limited number of studies on SLS,there is empirical evidence of this surfactant contributing to environmental toxicity at various concentrations(0.004-3509 mg L^(-1)),with aquatic organisms at a higher risk from exposure.Furthermore,exposure to SLS can elicit changes to various organismic processes and environmental equilibrium.Hence,further study on SLS in various environmental compartments is recommended to monitor the level of SLS pollution,understand its behavior upon contact with various environmental media,and understand its impacts on flora and fauna.Lastly,SLS quantification should be done on commonly used consumer products to potentially regulate its use and to consequently curb SLS pollution from its source.

A comparative study of adsorption behavior of rifampicin,streptomycin,and ibuprofen contaminants from aqueous solutions onto chitosan:Dynamic interactions,kinetics,diffusions,and mechanisms

Adsorptive removal and dynamic interaction of three different pharmaceutical pollutants,namely rifampicin(RIF),streptomycin(STM),and ibuprofen(IBU)onto chitosan were systematically investigated using a batch adsorption technique at different processing parameters.In this study,chitosan was derived from mud-crab shells,as an innovative way to use the waste from marine foods as adsorbents.The kinetics,intraparticle diffusion,mechanism,and thermodynamics of the adsorption were systematically evaluated and analyzed using kinetic models,Boyd mass transfer and WebereMorris intraparticle diffusion models,Langmuir,Freundlich,DubinineRadushkevich,and Temkin isotherm models,and the Gibbs equation.The adsorption isotherm of the larger molecules,RIF and STM,could be explained by the Langmuir isotherm model,in contrast,that of IBU,which is a much smaller molecule,followed the Freundlich isotherm model.The maximum adsorption capacity of RIF,STM,and IBU on chitosan was estimated to be 66.91 mg g^(-1),11.00 mg g^(-1),and 24.21 mg g^(-1),respectively,which are higher compared to those on a variety of agricultural wastes,suggesting that this biopolymer is a potential practical and economical adsorbent to remove the pharmaceutical compounds from wastewater.The adsorption mechanism of the pharmaceutical compounds on chitosan is proposed based on the vibrational spectroscopic analyses,XRD patterns,and DSC thermograms of the biopolymer before and after adsorption process.

Distribution of Cr,Cd,Cu,Pb and Zn in organs of three selected local fish species of Turag river,Bangladesh and impact assessment on human health

The current study estimates the contamination status of heavy metals in fish organs of three local fish species including Amblypharyngodon microlepis(Mola),Trichogaster chuna(Chuna Khalisha)and Annaldale Loach(Gutum fish)which were collected from Turag river during the months from January to March 2022.The heavy metal concentrations of river water and fish organs were assessed through Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer(AAS).Heavy metals in river water was detected in the order of Ni>Zn>Cu>Cd>Pb>Cr while metal accumulation in the fish organs were detected in the order of Zn>Cr>Cu>Pb>Cd,Zn>Cu>Cr>Pb>Cd and Zn>Cu>Cr>Pb>Cd for Trichogaster chuna,Amblypharyngodon microlepis and Annaldale Loach respectively.Among the detected heavy metals,highest contamination factor(CF)of Zn(1.104198)in intestine and lowest CF of Cu(0.00315)was detected in muscle of Amblypharyngodon microlepis(Mola).On the other hand,highest CF of Cd(1.072772)in liver and lowest CF of Zn(0.0225016)in gill of Trichogaster chuna(Chuna Khalisha)was detected.In case of Annaldale Loach(Gutum fish),highest CF of Cu(0.304122)in liver and lowest CF of Zn(0.002593)in intestine was detected.The total target hazard quotients(TTHQ)values of Amblypharyngodon microlepis in liver(1.18816)exceeded allowable threshold of 1 while TTHQ values in the muscle(1.8862)and liver(1.03995)of Annaldale Loach(Gutum fish)surpassed the acceptable standard limit as well.The TTHQ values(Gill-0.18764,Muscle-2.1633,Intestine-1.68741,liver-1.03995,kidney-1.82188)for all of the organs of Trichogaster chuna(Chuna Khalisha)exceeded the acceptable standard limit which indicated possible non-cancer risk for all consumers and some of the fishes found unsafe if they are consumed for a longer time.However,the target cancer risk(TCR)values indicated no potential cancer risks by consumption of those fishes.The regulatory authorities should pay more attention to reduce the river water contamination through industrial effluents which might affect public health.

Assessment of health risk of the baikal region population associated with the wildfire air pollution:Approaches,modelling,digital environment

The latest forecasts indicate wildfire activity in many parts of the world.Wildfire smoke contains hazardous air pollutants such as carbon monoxide,nitrogen dioxide,ozone,particulate matter et cetera.However,prediction of this impact and on time medical care are difficult due to the lack of digital decision-making systems.The aim of this study is to assess population health risks associated with the sub-daily exposure to wildfire smoke produced by massive foci of combustion near the populated areas and at a significant distance from them.We consider reflex reactions as a response to a short-term exposure.The maximum value of the 95th percentile from the series of observations at the monitoring point was used to assess the hazard.For the mathematical description of the“concentration-effect”relationship,the model of individual thresholds is applicable.This model describes a dependence as a straight line under the condition that the concentration is expressed in the form of a normalprobabilistic scale.The frequency of additional cases is determined by studying the number of requests for medical assistance(including calls for ambulance)with complaints of respiratory disorders,lacrimation,etc.on the territories affected by wildfires smokes.The indicator is calculated per 1000 population.The probability of negative biological effects in response to the impact of wildfire smoke is associated mainly with the content of CO and TPM in the conditions of the Baikal region.The frequency of additional requests for medical care ranged from 0.137 to 0.933 per 1000 exposed population during the fire period in settlements where risk levels are>0.01.We developed a digital environment that allows us to get information about harmful substances in the outdoor air from different sources and in different formats and data schemes.The digital environment supports implementation of models for assessing hazards to human body organs.

Benoxacor is enantioselectively metabolized by microsomes and cytosol from the human liver

Benoxacor is a safener added to current-use herbicide formulations to protect the target crop from herbicidal toxicity.It is an emerging environmental contaminant that has been detected in surface waters,raising the possibility of human exposure via drinking water.Because it is not subject to the same regulations as active pesticide ingredients,its metabolism and toxicity in humans have not been studied.Here we investigate the enantioselective metabolism of benoxacor in human subcellular fractions.Pooled human liver microsomes(pHLM)and cytosol(pHLC)were incubated with racemic benoxacor for up to 30-min.Gas chromatographic analyses were used to measure the enantioselective depletion of benoxacor.pHLMs with and without nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADPH,co-factor for cytochrome P450 enzymes[CYPs])and pHLC with glutathione(GSH,co-factor for glutathione Stransferases[GSTs])metabolized benoxacor.These results demonstrate that microsomal CYPs,microsomal carboxylesterase(CESs),and cytosolic GSTs metabolize benoxacor.Females were predicted to have a higher clearance of benoxacor by GSTs than males.Male and female pHLM incubations with NADPH showed enrichment of the first eluting benoxacor enantiomer(E1-benoxacor).pHLM incubations without NADPH and pHLC incubations with GSH showed an enrichment of the second eluting enantiomer of benoxacor(E2-benoxacor).Our results indicate that human hepatic microsomal and cytosolic enzymes enantioselectively metabolize benoxacor,a fact that needs to be considered when investigating human exposures and toxicities of benoxacor.

Fate,transport,and risk assessment of widely prescribed pharmaceuticals in terrestrial and aquatic systems:A review

Rapid development of pharmaceuticals outpaces the efforts to regulate and monitor their trace concentrations in the environment.This emerging issue can only be solved through field studies,solid fate and transport models,and adequate risk assessment of the concerned contaminants.This approach requires the availability of toxicological information about the contaminants along with an understanding of their full potential in different media of the environment.This review paper focuses on commonly used seven pharmaceutical families across the globe:antacids,antibiotics,antidepressants,antiepileptics,beta blockers,lipid lowering drugs,and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.Within each family,pharmaceuticals which are widely prescribed,studied,and frequently detected in environment were selected.The concentration levels in the environment,updated physicochemical properties,main natural removal mechanism,and ecological risk assessment towards the receptors of those pharmaceuticals in aquatic and terrestrial systems were analyzed.The following results were observed in the literature:1)removal of the pharmaceuticals from wastewater treatment plants is reduced when the dissolved organic matter present;2)many studies have cited older physicochemical properties of the concerned pharmaceuticals assuming relative conditions in their studies which can affect the accuracy of a model;3)the number of studies are very limited for fate and transport in the soil;and 4)there is lack of cumulative risk assessment of mixed pharmaceutical substances.Therefore,this review will provide modeler with updated physiochemical properties;it will guide researchers to focus on removal of those contaminants at different lifecycle stages;and it will provide guidance to policy makers to develop effective policies and regulations.

First determination of the highly genotoxic fungal contaminant altertoxin II in a naturally infested apple sample

Altertoxin II is an epoxide-holding perylene quinone and secondary metabolite produced by Alternaria molds.Its genotoxic potential and the high concentrations determined in laboratory fungal cultures resulted in an increased scientific interest in this emerging contaminant.However,no natural occurrence in food has been reported to date to the best of our knowledge.Here,we unambiguously identified altertoxin II in a naturally infected,unprocessed apple.Applying a validated LC-MS/MS method,fruit peel spots(approx.1 mm in diameter),typically associated with Alternaria infestation,were tested for 17 mycotoxins produced by this genus.Negligible concentrations of tentoxin were determined 24 h after harvest,and the dibenzopyrones alternariol,alternariol monomethyl ether(AME)and AME-3-sulfate after six months of storage.Overall,these contamination patterns can be considered unlikely to be of toxicological concern for consumers.However,an inconspicuous peel lesion(0.5×1 cm)separately sampled from a stored apple,exhibited considerably high concentrations of 14 Alternaria toxins,including dibenzopyrones,their barely studied modified forms(glucosides and sulfates),as well as genotoxic perylene quinones including altertoxin II.Considering the toxicological potential of this compound,contaminations in such infected fruit parts should not be underestimated,e.g.in the case of exposure through the consumption of fresh smoothies or fruit juices.

A review of the role of emerging environmental contaminants in the development of breast cancer in women

The incidence of breast cancer is on a rise worldwide;it is a disease having a complex etiology.Besides genetics,environmental and other lifestyle factors play a role in the development of the disease.There has been a keen interest in studying associations between breast cancer and exposures to emerging environmental chemicals,which mimic estrogens or influence estrogen levels and signaling in the human body.The common consequence of an endocrine disrupting chemical exposure is that it may have an impact on breast cancer etiology by stimulating formation as well as progression of breast cancer.Exposures to selected emerging environmental contaminants such as alkylphenols(APs),bisphenol A(BPA),parabens,perfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs),phthalates,polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs),synthetic musks and triclosan,and their probable role in breast cancer development are reviewed.Studies evaluated include the experimental in vitro and in vivo studies as well as human population based studies.In vitro and in vivo evidences indicate that a number of emerging environmental contaminants may play a role in the initiation and/or progression of breast cancer.Although exposures have been assessed in some human populations,breast and other cancer risks associated with these exposures are largely unknown.Efforts should be focussed on the evaluation of these environmental exposures in human populations and their interactions with each other and other genetic and lifestyle risk factors.

Emerging contaminants as global environmental hazards.A bibliometric analysis

This paper presents a bibliometric analysis of peer-reviewed scientific literature on emerging contaminants published from 2000 through 2019.A total of 4968 documents(among research articles and review papers)collected from Scopus database were analyzed using the VOSviewer 1.6.11 software.According to our results,this topic has been capturing researchers’attention over the years and the latter five years of the analysis timespan corresponds to the period of highest scientific productivity on this subject,when a 70.4%of all analyzed documents were published.United States,China,Spain,Italy and Canada were the tope5 most productive countries in terms of number of published works,while Science of the Total Environment,Chemosphere,Environmental Science and Pollution Research,Environmental Pollution and Water Research stood out as the journals with the highest number of publications,gathering a 31%of papers and 34%of all citations.According to the frequency of author keywords,the main specific research topic assessed by the researchers are the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater and the removal of such pollutants by the application of adsorption and advanced oxidation processes.

Photo enhanced degradation of contaminants of emerging concern in waste water

Emerging contaminants are posing serious global threats to the environment due to their diversity,recalcitrant nature and bioaccumulation.More disturbing is the fact that current wastewater treatment systems do not have the capacity to deal with these class of compounds.The quest to develop new technologies to mitigate the adverse effects of these contaminants has engendered new research interest on photo-enhanced processes.Photo-enhanced processes,with the potential of mineralizing environmental pollutants,currently appears to be the main viable technology for dealing with emerging contaminants.The process of contaminant degradation could either proceed via oxidation or reduction routes,referred to as advanced oxidation processes(AOPs)and advanced reduction processes(ARPs)respectively.Recently,different processes have been incorporated into a single system in order to explore the synergy that ensue from the combination of these processes.These processes that are currently at the front line in dealing with various classes of emerging contaminants,whose presence in the environment continues to grow on a daily basis,are the focus of this review.

Occurrence of pharmaceutical and personal care products(PPCPs)in wastewater and receiving waters in South Africa using LC-Orbitrap™MS

There is continued interest in the occurrence and monitoring of emerging contaminants(ECs)in wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs)to assess their potential impact when released into the environment.The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of pharmaceutical and personal care products(PPCPs)in WWTP influents and effluents and receiving river waters in Pretoria,South Africa.Targeted screening and identification of PPCPs in the samples was done using liquid chromatography(LC)coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS)Orbitrap™HRMS,after clean-up and preconcentration with Waters Oasis®hydrophilic-lipophilic-balanced(HLB)solid phase extraction(SPE)cartridges.Of the 156 target analytes screened in the study,120 could be satisfactorily determined under the study conditions,with 71 and 73 compounds being detected and quantified in the influent and effluent samples,respectively.Concentrations in the influents ranged from<ILOQ-14.2 mgL^-1and those in the effluent from<ILOQ-2.45 mgL^-1.It was found that 84%of the quantified compounds belonged to various classes of pharmaceuticals.Ibuprofen,caffeine,paracetamol and estradiol were the major individual contaminants in influent samples with average concentrations of 14.2,8.68,4.79 and 1.02 mgL^-1,respectively.In the effluent samples,the highest concentrations were recorded for estradiol(2.45 mgL^-1),ibuprofen(1.03 mgL^-1)and efavirenz(0.58 mgL^-1).The highest mean concentrations(above 0.5 mgL^-1)recorded in the river water samples were for ibuprofen,(4.14 mgL^-1downstream;3.19 mgL^-1upstream),caffeine(2.98 mgL^-1downstream;1.42 mgL^-1upstream),paraxanthine(1.22 mgL^-1downstream;0.798 mgL^-1upstream).Analysis of river water samples also revealed that PPCP contamination in the river system cannot be solely attributed to the WWTP effluents.Twenty-four compounds presented in this study are reported for the first time in South African surface waters.

Development and application of a SPE-LC-QTOF method for the quantification of micropollutants of emerging concern in drinking waters from the Brazilian capital

The Brazilian Federal District is located under a savannah climate characterized by an intense dry season,resulting in severe problems related to water availability.This situation motivates the search for alternate water sources,leading to the indirect water reuse in the Paranoa Lake,an artificial reservoir located in the heart of the Brazilian capital.This work aimed the assessment of 35 micropollutants of emerging concern by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry.Solid-phase extraction conditions(Oasis HLB)were optimized by a factorial design.Analytes were then assessed in 0.45 mm filtered samples(1 L)under three different pH by matrix-matched calibration with standard additions and high-resolution multiple reaction monitoring acquisition.Caffeine,bisphenol A and the insect repellant DEET were detected in all investigated samples(n=14),followed by atrazine(86%of the samples),carbamazepine(71%),paraxanthine(71%),mefenamic acid(64%),nicotine(57%),atenolol(43%)and sulfamethoxazole(43%).Although not frequently detected,the reproductive hormones,estrone,17β-estradiol and estriol,as well as the ovulation inhibitor 17α-ethinylestradiol were detected in a sample from the Paranoa Lake WTP in concentrations ranging from 3.71±0.08 and 5.6±0.1 ng L^-1.Under these levels,risk quotients indicate the potential for adverse effects to both human health and the environment.

Emerging contaminants in biosolids:Presence,fate and analytical techniques

Emerging contaminants(ECs)represent a small fraction of the large chemical pollution puzzle where a wide variety of potentially hazardous chemicals reach the environment,and new compounds are continuously synthesized and released in wastewater treatment plants and ultimately in effluent and biosolids.ECs have been classified into various categories;however,this article focuses on the fate of major categories,namely pharmaceutical and personal care products(PPCPs),per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances(PFAS),flame retardants,surfactants,endocrine-disrupting chemicals(EDCs),and microplastics(MPs).These ECs when discharged to sewer and downstream wastewater treatment plants can undergo further transformations and either degrade,persist or convert into by-products which have the potential in some cases to be more hazardous.Because of potential dangerous impacts of the availability of these contaminants in the environment,information on the fate and behavior of these pollutants is highly important to develop new strategies,such as the regulation of chemicals imported into Australia and Australian consumer goods and environmental policies to mitigate them in a sustainable way.Moreover,advanced technologies are required for the detection and identification of novel contaminants emerging in the environment at ultra low levels.The application of chromatographic techniques coupled with mass spectroscopy has provided attractive breakthroughs to detect new emerging contaminants.However,it is crucially important to understand the sensitivity and robustness of these analytical techniques when dealing with complex matrices such as biosolids.In addition,most of the literature was focused on selected compounds or a family of compounds and the existing reviews have paid less attention to examine the formation of metabolites during the wastewater treatment process and their impacts on the ecosystem.This review presents an overview of the presence of different classes of ECs around the world,their quantification from different sources like wastewater(influents or effluents),sludge and biosolids.In addition,the transformation of ECs during the treatment process,the formation of intermediate products and their impacts on the environment are also critically discussed.Three major steps of ECs analysis include sample preparation,extraction and clean-up,and analysis;hence,different methods employed for extraction and clean-up,and analytical techniques for identification are thoroughly discussed,their advantages and limitations are also highlighted.This comprehensive review article is believed to enhance the understanding of ECs in sewage sludge and would be useful to the readers of the relevant communities and various stakeholders to investigate potential technologies to maximize destruction of ECs.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the freshwater aquatic environment

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products(PPCPs)are a unique group of emerging environmental contaminants,due to their inherent ability to induce physiological effects in human at low doses.An increasing number of studies has confirmed the presence of various PPCPs in different environmental compartments,which raises concerns about the potential adverse effects to humans and wildlife.Therefore,this article reviews the current state-of-knowledge on PPCPs in the freshwater aquatic environment.The environmental risk posed by these contaminants is evaluated in light of the persistence,bioaccumulation and toxicity criteria.Available literature on the sources,transport and degradation of PPCPs in the aquatic environment are evaluated,followed by a comprehensive review of the reported concentrations of different PPCP groups in the freshwater aquatic environment(water,sediment and biota)of the five continents.Finally,future perspectives for research on PPCPs in the freshwater aquatic environment are discussed in light of the identified research gaps in current knowledge.

European cooperation to tackle the legacies of hexachlorocyclohexane(HCH)and lindane

Hexachlorocyclohexane(HCH)waste isomers from lindane production are the largest single POPs legacy,with an estimated 4.8 to 7.4 million tonnes of disposed waste.The largest part of this waste e 1.8 to 3 million tonnes e was disposed in Europe,where most producers were located.This paper provides a short overview of projects supported by the European Union(EU)to address this waste legacy and to implement the Stockholm Convention for this group of POPs with associated protection of soil,ecosystems and human health.We report here particularly on the results of a project financed by the EU called the“HCH in EU project”,which aimed to develop a systematic inventory of sites where HCH was handled and potentially resulted in contamination.The compiled information provide guidance for competent authorities to further assess their national HCH inventory and to further develop a strategy to address this large POP legacy in future.The systematic inventory revealed that there were at least 299 sites where HCH was handled.These sites include 54 former production sites,76 pesticide processing plants that used lindane,59 uncontrolled HCH waste isomer deposits,29 landfills with HCH waste,34 former or current storage sites for stocks of obsolete pesticides including technical HCH or lindane,and 16 HCH treatment or disposal sites.Additionally,at 31 of the sites lindane/technical HCH was used in applications with significant risk of soil pollution,such as wood treatment.The number of sites in this latter category is likely higher and will need further assessment.In addition to this inventory,the“HCH in EU project”produced detailed country reports,a guidance document for how to find potentially HCHimpacted sites,and a strategy document for implementing the sustainable management of these sites EU-wide,with proposed actions at the EU,country,and site level.Furthermore,the project has facilitated information exchange and e together with other related EU projects e has led to sharing information and best practices among member states and to establishing a network of authorities and other stakeholders working on the lindane/HCH waste legacy.This collaboration will facilitate a more systematic and better coordinated process to further assess,secure,and remediate the large HCH waste legacy and reduce and control lindane/HCH releases in the EU and possibly beyond.Such a coordinated effort and exchange of information for inventorying and managing contaminated sites might also be useful for other POPs such as PFOS/PFOA or dioxins.