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Taste traces: Capsaicin and sweeteners as anthropogenic markers in municipal wastewater.
Taste traces: Capsaicin and sweeteners as anthropogenic markers in municipal wastewater.
- Source :
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The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2024 Feb 20; Vol. 912, pp. 169194. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Dec 07. - Publication Year :
- 2024
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Abstract
- Dietary-derived substances possess significant potential as anthropogenic markers owing to the large consumption and different intake habit. To investigate and evaluate such markers, wastewater samples from 35 wastewater treatment plants across 29 Chinese cities were collected to analyze artificial sweeteners (acesulfame and cyclamate) and natural spicy compounds (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin). Acesulfame (mean: 14.6 μg/L), cyclamate (mean: 24.3 μg/L), and capsaicin (mean: 101 ng/L) can be further investigated as anthropogenic markers due to their high detection frequency at high concentrations. Spatial use patterns revealed that acesulfame (5.31 g/d/1000 inhabitants (inh)) and cyclamate (8.16 g/d/1000 inh) use in northern China notably surpassed that in southern China (1.79 g/d/1000 inh and 3.23 g/d/1000 inh, p < 0.05). Conversely, chili pepper use was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in southern China (6702 g/d/1000 inh) than in northern China (2751 g/d/1000 inh), signifying a preference for sweetness in the northern regions and a predilection for spiciness in the southern regions. The total annual use of acesulfame (1842 t), cyclamate (3110 t), and chili (18.4 million tonnes) in China was estimated by this study, which was close to the national statistical production. In addition, sweetener use was negatively associated with the elderly population ratio, suggesting that the elderly population might not consume sweet foods. This study reveals the dietary sources of anthropogenic markers, highlighting the need for further research on the environmental implications of such markers.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests.<br /> (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Subjects :
- Aged
Humans
Cyclamates
Taste
Capsaicin
Sweetening Agents analysis
Wastewater
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1879-1026
- Volume :
- 912
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The Science of the total environment
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 38070568
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169194