Search

Recovery and reuse of nutrients is a major challenge in agriculture. A new process contributing to a circular economy is the anaerobic digestion of food waste, which is a sustainable way of recycling nutrients as the digestate can be used as fertiliser in agriculture and horticulture. However, the digestate may be polluted with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that can be circulated back into the food chain, posing a risk to the environment and human health. In this work, the nutrient solution was spiked with 18 selected CECs frequently detected in food waste biogas facilities, and subsequent uptake and fate of these CECs were evaluated in pak choi grown in two different nutrient solutions (mineral and organic). All spiked compounds except two (propylparaben, fenbendazole) were taken up by pak choi plants, with perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) and sertraline displaying the highest concentrations (270 and 190 μg/kg fresh weight, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in uptake between mineral and organic nutrient solutions. Uptake of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was negatively correlated with perfluorocarbon chain length and dependent on the functional group (r = −0.73). Sixteen transformation products (TPs) were tentatively identified using suspect screening, most of which were Phase II or even Phase III metabolites. Six of these TPs were identified for the first time in plant metabolism and their metabolic pathways were considered. [Display omitted] • PFAS uptake depended on perfluorocarbon chain length and functional group. • Sixteen TPs were tentatively identified, most of which were Phase II or III TPs. • Six TPs were reported for the first time in plant metabolism. • Nutrient solution (mineral, organic) did not affect CEC uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrethroids (PYR) and UV filters (UVF) were investigated in tissues of paired mother-fetus dolphins from Brazilian coast in order to investigate the possibility of maternal transfer of these emerging contaminants. Comparison of PYR and UVF concentrations in maternal and fetal blubber revealed Franciscana transferred efficiently both contaminants to fetuses (F/M > 1) and Guiana dolphin transferred efficiently PYR to fetuses (F/M > 1) different than UVF (F/M < 1). PYR and UVF concentrations in fetuses were the highest-ever reported in biota (up to 6640 and 11,530 ng/g lw, respectively). Muscle was the organ with the highest PYR and UVF concentrations (p < 0.001), suggesting that these two classes of emerging contaminants may have more affinity for proteins than for lipids. The high PYR and UVF concentrations found in fetuses demonstrate these compounds are efficiently transferred through placenta. This study is the first to report maternal transfer of pyrethroids and UV filters in marine mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Electrokinetic soil remediation was assessed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. • Oxygen-rich molecules were transported to the anode by electromigration. • Large hydrogen-rich molecules were carried to the cathode by electroosmotic flow. • A highly automated suspect screening method for >3000 PFASs was applied. • The overlooked contaminant perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid was tentatively identified. Contamination of soils with organic pollutants is an increasing global problem, so novel soil remediation techniques are urgently needed. One such technique is electrokinetic remediation, in which an electric field is applied over the soil to extract contaminants. Previous evaluations of the technique have been limited to a few specific compounds. In this study, we integrated the latest advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to identify molecular fingerprints, and used the results to improve the mechanistic understanding necessary for successful remediation. A laboratory-scale 0.38 mA cm−2 electrodialytic treatment was applied for 21 days to a contaminated soil from a firefighter training facility in Sweden. Non-target analysis allowed generic evaluation of changes in the soil organic fraction by tentatively determining the elemental composition of compounds present. The results showed that smaller oxygen-rich molecules were significantly transported to the anode by electromigration, while larger hydrogen-saturated molecules were transported to the cathode by electroosmotic flow. Wide suspect screening with >3000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) tentatively identified seven new PFASs in the test soil, including perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS), and PFASs with butoxy, ethoxy, ethanol, and ethylcyclohexanesulfonate functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study investigated the occurrence of 135 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) – pharmaceuticals, pesticides, a set of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) (parabens, bisphenols, hormones, triazoles, organophosphorus flame retardants and triclosan), UV-filters, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) – in 59 fish samples, collected in 2010 in 4 Spanish Rivers (Guadalquivir, Júcar, Ebro and Llobregat). Of the 135 CECs, 76 including 8 pharmaceuticals, 25 pesticides, 10 EDCs, 5 UV-filters, 15 PFASs and 13 HFRs were detected. Pharmaceuticals were the less frequently found and at lower concentrations. Pesticides, EDCs, UV-filters, PFASs and HFRs were detected more frequently (>50% of the samples). The maximum concentrations were 15 ng/g dry weight (dw) for pharmaceuticals (diclofenac), 840 ng/g dw for pesticides (chlorpyrifos), 224 ng/g dw for EDCs (bisphenol A), 242 ng/g dw for UV-filters (EHMC), 1738 ng/g dw for PFASs (PFHxA) and 64 ng/g dw for HFRs (Dec 602). The contaminants detected in fish are commonly detected also in sediments. In light of current knowledge, the risk assessment revealed that there was no risk for humans related to the exposure to CECs via freshwater fish consumption. However, results provide detailed information on the mixtures of CECs accumulated that would be very useful to identify their effects on aquatic biota. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Concentration levels of 135 CECs in wild fresh fish of 4 Spanish Rivers • Fish exposed to mixture of CECs at sublethal levels • Pesticides and EDCs more frequent at higher concentrations • Accumulation in fish positively associated to log K ow • These fish can be regularly consumed without causing contaminant-related health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pharmaceuticals consumption was estimated via wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). • WBE estimates were compared with population-matched pharmaceutical prescriptions. • 28 out of 38 pharmaceuticals were within 0.7 orders of magnitude difference. • Deviations between measurements and prescriptions were consistent in both cities. • Including faecal and urinary excretion improved the fitting of 19 of 21 compounds. While the extent of pharmaceutical consumption within a society/community is of high relevance to its health, economy and general wellbeing, this data is often not readily available. Herein, we strengthen a wastewater–based epidemiology (WBE) approach as a way to track the consumption of pharmaceuticals within the sampled community. This method is less laborious than established questionnaire or databases approaches and allows a higher temporal and spatial resolution. The WBE approach was conducted by sampling influent wastewater from two wastewater treatment plants of different size. A total of 39 targeted compounds were quantified by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The number of prescriptions and the defined daily doses for each prescription was obtained from the reference database of The Catalan Health System to validate the wastewater-based approach. The wastewater sampling and the data inquiry were both executed during the same period (October 2019) and standardised for comparison to treatments per 1,000 inhabitants per day. The back-calculation parameters were improved from previous studies by including the faecal excretion rate of the pharmaceuticals. For prescription only pharmaceuticals, where prescription numbers are expected to be a good estimate of consumption, our WBE approach agreed with 27 out of 32 (<0.7 order of magnitude). Common over-the-counter pharmaceuticals such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen showed much higher values for treatments per day per 1,000 inhabitant in wastewater than prescribed, reflecting the usefulness of WBE in obtaining an estimate of the total consumption i.e. with and without a prescription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]