Compounds In Surface Waters Research Articles

Investigating (anti)estrogenic activities within South African wastewater and receiving surface waters: Implication for reliable monitoring

Natural and synthetic steroid hormones and many persistent organic pollutants are of concern for their endocrine-disrupting activities observed in receiving surface waters. Apart from the demonstrated presence of estrogen- and estrogen-mimicking compounds in surface waters, antagonistic (anti-estrogenic) responses originating from wastewater effluent have been reported but are less known. Estrogenicity and anti-estrogenicity were assessed using recombinant yeast estrogen receptor binding assays (YES/YAES) at ten South African wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) and receiving rivers in two separate sampling campaigns during the summer- and winter periods in the area. Four WWTWs were then further investigated to show daily variation in estrogenic endocrine-disrupting activities during the treatment process. Although estrogenicity was notably reduced at most of the WWTWs, some treated effluent and river water samples were shown to be above effect-based trigger values posing an endocrine-disrupting risk for aquatic life and potential health risks for humans. Furthermore, estrogenicity recorded in samples collected upstream from some WWTW discharge points also exceeded some calculated risk trigger values, which highlights the impact of alternative pollution sources contributing towards endocrine disrupting contaminants (EDCs) in the environment. The YAES further showed variable anti-estrogenic activities in treated wastewater. The current study highlights a variety of factors that may affect bioassay outcomes and conclusions drawn from the results for risk decision-making. For example, mismatches were found between estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activity, which suggests a potential masking effect in WWTW effluents and highlights the complexity of environmental samples containing chemical mixtures having variable endocrine-disrupting modes of action. Although the recombinant yeast assay is not without its limitations to show endocrine-disrupting modulation in test water systems, it serves as a cost-effective tier-1 scoping assay for further risk characterisation and intervention.

What's in Your Body of Water? A Pilot Study Using Metaphoric Framing to Reduce the Psychological Distance in Pharmaceutical Pollution Risk Communication.

Aquatic pharmaceutical pollution poses ecotoxicological risks to the environment and human health. Consumer pharmaceutical use and disposal behaviors represent a significant source of pharmaceutical compounds in surface waters, and communication strategies are needed to promote pro-environmental behaviors to reduce pharmaceutical pollution. Designing effective risk communication campaigns requires an understanding of public perceptions of aquatic pharmaceutical pollution. The purpose of this mixed-methods pilot study was to test the efficacy of using theories from cognitive linguistics and psychology (conceptual metaphor theory and construal level theory of psychological distance, respectively) in using metaphors in pharmaceutical pollution risk communication. Our methods included a randomized cross-over design in which a convenience sample of university students (n = 20) viewed visual representations of pharmaceutical pollution risks (metaphor based and non-metaphor). We used cognitive interviewing methods to assess metaphor use on participants understanding of pharmaceutical pollution risk, concern about this risk, and willingness to act. Results indicate that participants preferred the metaphorically-framed visual, and that the use of metaphor significantly reduced participants' perceived social and geographic distance of pharmaceutical pollution risk, suggesting a relationship between metaphoric framing and psychological distance warranting additional research. Theoretical and practical implications of metaphor use in risk communications are discussed.

Source apportionment of phenolic compounds based on a simultaneous monitoring of surface water and emission sources: A case study in a typical region adjacent to Taihu Lake watershed

A comprehensive characterisation of four phenolic compounds in surface water and various emission sources was conducted simultaneously in a typical industrial city upstream of the Taihu Lake watershed. The overall concentrations of the target compounds ranged from 0.15 to 2.75 μg/L in the surface water and from 0.43 to 377 μg/L in the emission sources. Relatively high concentration levels were observed in August, during which the rainy season typically occurred in the study area, indicating seasonal emission sources. The spatial distribution revealed severe phenolic-compound contamination in the northeast part of the study area. According to the relationships between the surface water and emission sources, combined-sewer overflow and surface runoff from agricultural activities were identified as seasonal emission sources that were responsible for the increased concentration levels in wet seasons. Indirect discharge of industrial wastewater was proposed as a persistent emission source responsible for the severe contamination level in the northeast region over the entire sampling period, accounting for 16.5% of the phenolic-compound load in a demonstration river section. The findings of this study are useful for identifying the sources of phenolic compounds and controlling the contamination from the main sources in a typical industrial city.

Occurrence and distribution of perfluorinated compounds in surface water of Lake Qiandao(Xin'anjiang Reservoir

为查明千岛湖水体中全氟化合物（PFCs）的污染特征，于2017年丰水期和枯水期分别采集13个监测断面的表层水样品，采用固相萃取净化、富集水样，超高效液相色谱-串联质谱联用法测定水中16种PFCs，研究其残留水平和分布特征.监测结果表明，千岛湖表层水共检出5种中短链PFCs，包括C₄全氟烷基磺酸以及C₄、C₅、C₆和C₈ 4种全氟烷基羧酸.ΣPFCs浓度范围为1.70～6.21 ng/L，以全氟辛酸（PFOA）为主要污染物，其浓度范围为0.52～3.61 ng/L，全氟辛烷磺酸（PFOS）则未检出.与国内外同类水体相比，PFOA和PFOS浓度水平均处于低污染水平.枯水期千岛湖水中PFCs污染程度高于丰水期，整体上呈现点源污染特征.各断面水体中ΣPFCs浓度枯水期差异较大，而丰水期基本处于同一浓度水平.空间分布上主要入湖河流新安江上游断面街口和威坪的PFCs浓度明显高于其他主要入湖河流断面以及湖区断面.;This study investigated the occurrence and distribution of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in surface water of Lake Qiandao. Surface water samples, collected from 13 sites in the lake were analyzed for 16 PFCs during wet and dry seasons in 2017. All samples were prepared by solid-phase extraction and analyzed using the ultra performance liquid chromatography interfaced to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The results showed that 5 medium- and short-chain PFCs including C₄ perfluorinated sulfonate (PFSA) and C₄-C₆ and C₈ perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) were detected in the surface water. The total concentrations of PFCs ranged from 1.70 to 6.21 ng/L, while perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) dominated, with ranges of 0.52-3.61 ng/L, and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was not detected in all samples. Compared with other similar water bodies at home and abroad, the concentrations of PFOA and PFOS in Lake Qiandao were at low pollution levels. The ΣPFCs concentrations in surface water of most sites were higher in dry season than those in wet season, implying that it was from the point-source, and the spatial distribution varied more significantly among sampling sites in the dry season. The mass concentration of PFCs at the sampling sites located in upstream of the Xin'an River, the mainstream of the lake, such as Jiankou and Weiping were relatively high.

Photochemical fate of quaternary ammonium compounds in river water.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are not completely removed during wastewater treatment and are frequently detected in surface waters and sediments. The photochemical transformation of QACs has not been thoroughly investigated as a potential degradation pathway affecting their fate in the environment. Kinetic studies of common QACs with and without aromatic groups under simulated and natural sunlight conditions were performed with model sensitizers and dissolved organic matter to estimate photochemical half-lives in the aquatic environment. All QACs investigated react with hydroxyl radicals at diffusion-controlled rates (∼2.9 × 109 to 1.2 × 1010 M-1 s-1). Benzethonium reacted via direct photolysis (ΦBZT,outdoor = 1.7 × 10-2 (mol Ei-1)). Benzethonium also reacted with the triplet excited state model sensitizer 2-acetylnaphthalene, but evidence suggests this reaction pathway is unimportant in natural waters due to faster quenching of the triplet 2-acetylnapthalene by oxygen. Reactivity with singlet oxygen for the QACs was minimal. Overall, reactions with hydroxyl radicals will dominate over direct photolysis due to limited spectral overlap of sunlight emission and QAC absorbance. Photolysis half-lives are predicted to be 12 to 94 days, indicating slow abiotic degradation in surface water.

Occurrence and Risk Assessment of Steroidal Hormones and Phenolic Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Surface Water in Cuautla River, Mexico

In this study, two hormones 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), and three phenolic compounds, bisphenol A (BPA), 4-N-nonylphenol (4-NP) and 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), were determined in surface water in the Cuautla River at the State of Morelos during the dry-season in Mexico. The endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) were extracted from water samples using solid-phase extraction (SPE) with end-capped C18, and then the extracts were chemically derivatized to TMS (trimethylsylane)-compounds and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GCMS). The most abundant compound was BPA (22.46 ± 30.17 ng L−1), followed by 4-t-OP (11.24 ± 11.76 ng L−1), 4-NP (7.53 ± 14.88 ng L−1), EE2 (2.37 ± 4.36 ng L−1) and E2 (0.97 ± 1.82 ng L−1). The residual amounts of target compounds could either reach stream surface water from direct domestic wastewater discharges, conventional wastewater treatment plant or can be a result from the use of agrochemicals in crop areas. The EDCs in Cuautla River exerted a high pressure on the aquatic ecosystem because their presences in surface water caused medium and high potential ecological risk. Besides, it was found that aquatic organisms were exposed to estrogenic activity.

Behavior of ionophore antibiotics in aquatic environments in Argentina: The distribution on different scales in water courses and the role of wetlands in depuration

We studied for the first time three ionophore anticoccidial drugs: monensin (MON), lasalocid (LAS), and salinomycin (SAL) as emerging pollutants originating from animal and plant husbandry in surface waters (n = 89) in one of the most extensive hydrological basins in South América (Del Plata basin). The soluble fraction of ionophores was pretreated by solid-phase extraction and analyzed by LC-MS/MS at a limit of detection of 1.7 ng·L−1. A statistical approach noted the need to report parameters calculated by methods based on the number of observations and the censorship percentage over substitution methods for more precise estimations of environmental data with a high percentage of left-censored data. Water collectors adjacent to intensive-husbandry facilities, placed in direct runoffs from animal excreta, or in wastewater emissions contained median concentrations of MON and SAL approximately 70 times higher than those found in regional tributaries and main courses of 5 sub-basins of the pampas and mesopotamic regions, thus exhibiting a relevance to other similar agricultural pollutants widely reported as pesticides. Chemical speciation of these compounds in surface water was characterized especially for MON and SAL, where the pH and chemical oxygen demand of the natural water body was associated with the concentration of the soluble fraction. The concentrations in abundant rivers such as the Gualeguay deliver a contribution to a natural wetland such as the Paraná-River delta, which registered only one sample with a [MON] ≤ the limit of quantification. Since wetlands possess a limited removal capability, these affluent contributions recorded strongly indicate that attention must be paid to the development of guidelines involving quality criteria for assessing the impact of ionophore antibiotics on such ecosystems.

Identification of mutagenic and endocrine disrupting compounds in surface water and wastewater treatment plant effluents using high-resolution effect-directed analysis

Effect-directed analysis (EDA) has shown its added value for the detection and identification of compounds with varying toxicological properties in water quality research. However, for routine toxicity assessment of multiple toxicological endpoints, current EDA is considered labor intensive and time consuming. To achieve faster EDA and identification, a high-throughput (HT) EDA platform, coupling a downscaled luminescent Ames and cell-based reporter gene assays with a high-resolution fraction collector and UPLC-QTOF MS, was developed. The applicability of the HT-EDA platform in the analysis of aquatic samples was demonstrated by analysis of extracts from WWTP influent, effluent and surface water. Downscaled assays allowed detection of mutagenicity and androgen, estrogen and glucocorticoid agonism following high-resolution fractionation in 228 fractions. From 8 masses tentatively identified through non-target analysis, 2 masses were further investigated and chemically and biologically confirmed as the mutagen 1,2,3-benzotriazole and the androgen androstenedione. The compatibility of the high-throughput EDA platform with analysis of water samples and the incorporation of mutagenic and endocrine disruption endpoints allow for future application in routine monitoring in drinking water quality control and improved identification of (emerging) mutagens and endocrine disruptors.

The multi‐stage vertical bioreactor in water engineering

AbstractThe excess of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous compounds in surface water (ie, coastal areas, lakes, and rivers) is responsible for major economic, public health, and environmental crises. Their impact is measured in multi‐billion‐dollar losses, in greenhouse gas emissions and severe algal blooms whose toxicity and geographical dimensions are being monitored and recorded. The present paper focuses on four areas, namely: (a) the economic impact of nutrient pollution, (b) a brief glance at the evolution of the technologies associated with nutrient removal from water/wastewater, (c) a review of the existing conventional planar reactors used in nutrient removal plants, and (d) a description of a novel multi‐stage vertical bioreactor and its removal performance, microbial ecology, comparative costs, and construction flexibility. This bioreactor with acronym STAR (simultaneous treatment for ammonia/phosphate removal) is the first multistage bioreactor with vertical configuration used for the simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and biological phosphorus removal from wastewater. The bioreactor shows high nutrient removal efficiencies of over 95% for both phosphorous and nitrogen compounds. Due to its vertical configuration, this bioreactor requires a smaller footprint and its modularity makes it exceedingly flexible to accommodate to the restricted construction spaces in urban areas.

Distribution of Perfluorinated Compounds in Surface Water and Soil in Partial Areas of Shandong Province, China

ABSTRACTThe work investigated the distribution of twelve perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in surface water and soil in the partial areas of Shandong Province, China. The total concentration of PFCs was in the range of 36.1–1,236.21 ng/L in surface water and 4.23–48.72 ng/g dw (dry weight) in the soil. The concentration of PFOA is higher than that of PFOS in all the surface water and soil. There was a positive correlation between PFOS and PFOA. The ratio method and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to identify the potential source of PFCs in surface water. The results showed that atmospheric precipitation, industrial emissions and domestic sewage were the main reasons for PFCs pollution in the surface water of partial areas of Shandong Province, China.

Evaluating the Impact of Wastewater Effluent on Microbial Communities in the Panke, an Urban River

Pharmaceuticals are consumed in high amounts and can enter as emerging organic compounds in surface waters as they are only partially retained in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Receiving pharmaceuticals may burden the aquatic environment, as they are designed to be bioactive even at low concentrations. Sediment biofilm populations were analyzed in river sediments due to the exposure of an inflow of WWTP effluents. Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed of 108 sediment samples, which were taken from multiple cores within three sampling locations in the Panke River, with one sampling site located downstream of the inflow. Sequencing data were processed to infer microbial community structure in samples concerning the environmental variables, such as micropollutants and physicochemical parameters measured for each core. More than 25 different micropollutants were measured in pore water samples, in which bezafibrate, clofibric acid, carbamazepine, and diclofenac were detected at high concentrations. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons revealed Nitrospirae, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Ignavibacteriae as the most abundant groups in the samples. Differences in microbial community composition were observed with respect to micropollutants. However, our findings revealed that the composition of the microbial community was not only governed by the effluent. The significant changes in the alpha- and beta-diversity were explained by phenobarbital and SO42−, which did not originate from the WWTP indicating that more unobserved factors are also likely to play a role in affecting the biofilm community’s composition.

Spatiotemporal variations of pharmacologically active compounds in surface waters of a summer holiday destination

The release of pharmacologically active compounds (PhACs) into aquatic ecosystems poses an environmental risk resulting in a chronic exposure of non-target organisms. A great variety of PhACs, of generally low concentrations, and the complicated sample preparation, makes circumstantial the accurate detection and quantification. Additionally, there is little information published about the spatiotemporal variation of the PhAC load in a larger catchment area utilised for touristic purposes. In addition to the natural biotic and abiotic changes, the seasonal variation of tourism also has a dramatic impact on water quality and the natural ecosystem in larger catchment areas. Therefore, our aim was to develop a reliable solid-phase extraction (SPE)-supercritical fluid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (SFC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous multi-residue analysis of drugs to reveal the spatiotemporal changes in the PhAC contaminations in the waters of an important touristic region, the catchment area of the largest shallow lake in Central Europe, Lake Balaton (Hungary). The environmental application of the developed method revealed 69 out of the traced 134 chemical compounds, including 15 PhACs, which were detected from natural waters for the first time. Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) loads have a major role in the PhAC contamination of the studied area; at the same time, the mass tourism-induced PhAC contamination was also detectable. Furthermore, the impact of tourism was indicated by elevated concentrations of recreational substances (e.g., caffeine and illicit drugs) in the touristic season affecting the water quality of this important summer holiday destination.

Exposure and ecological risk of phthalate esters in the Taihu Lake basin, China

The environmental spatial distribution and exposure risk of 6 phthalate esters (PAEs) including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and dibutyl phthalate (DBP), in surface water and sediment of Taihu Lake basin, China, were investigated at 65 sites. The exposure concentrations of 6 PAEs (∑6PAEs) detected in the samples spanned a range of 0.740–13.0 μg/L in surface water and 5.15–20.9 mg/kg in sediment. DBP and DEHP were the predominant compounds in surface water, with mean concentrations of 1.59 μg/L and 1.29 μg/L, respectively. DnOP was the predominant compound in sediment with mean concentration of 7.41 mg/kg. Ecological risk assessment was conducted by the hazard quotient method in which the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) was derived from the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) curve. The results showed that DEHP in water phase posed a higher environmental risk than the other PAEs, while the DEP in sediment posed a high risk to the aquatic system. The study contributed to better understanding the presence of PAEs in Taihu Lake basin and provided valuable information for managing and controlling PAEs pollution.

Determination of selected organochlorine pesticide (OCP) compounds from the Jukskei River catchment area in Gauteng, South Africa

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are continually detected in the environment due to their increasing applications in agriculture and industry. The presence of OCPs in the environment is not desirable since they are well known to have negative impact in humans, animals and birds. Thus, there has been a continual demand to monitor the presence of OCPs within the environment. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and Soxhlet extraction (SE) methods (using dichloromethane as the extracting solvent,) were optimised and evaluated for the determination of these compounds in surface water (unfiltered and filtered) and sediment samples. The crude extracts obtained were subjected to column chromatography for clean-up. Thereafter, 1 µl of the cleaned extracts were injected into the GC equipped with ECD. Percentage recoveries obtained for OCPs ranged from 98.90±7.32 (2,4'-DDE) - 124.1±8.23 endosulfan II (ENDO II) % and from 98.99±5.30 (2,4'-DDE) - 121.1±0.38 (4,4'-DDE) % in spiked triply distilled water and sediment samples respectively. The levels of OCPs obtained in unfiltered environmental water samples ranged from 0.631±0.03 (γ-HCH) - 1 540±0.19 ng·ml-1 (4,4'-DDT) while levels in filtered water samples ranged from 0.895±0.01 (γ-HCH) - 9 089±0.08 ng·ml-1 (HEPTA). Levels of analysed OCPs obtained in sediments ranged from 0.266±0.01 (δ-HCH) - 22 914±2.85 ng·gdw-1 (2,4'-DDE). Analytes adsorbed on the sample bottles used for water samples collection gave levels which ranged from 0.01±0.01 - 1.06±0.02 ng·ml-1 for OCPs. The levels obtained from the catchment were significantly higher than the water criteria values recommended by USEPA and DWAF for the protection of the aquatic environment. Levels obtained were also higher than those of other studies conducted so far in South African aquatic environments. There is, therefore, a definite pollution of the Jukskei River catchment by the OCPs studied.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Water from the Yangtze River and Its Tributaries at the Dividing Point Between the Middle and Lower Reaches.

The Yangtze River drainage basins are China's most important economic development zones and also the locations of several large-scale fluorine chemical industries. In order to reveal the contribution from the tributaries at the dividing point between the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River with respect to perfluorinated substances (PFASs), 17 PFAS compounds in surface water, groundwater, and tap water samples were analyzed in the tributary system of the Jiujiang section of the Yangtze River. The total concentrations of PFASs in the surface waters ranged from 7.8 to 586.2ng/L. High proportion of short-chain compound PFBS in surface waters in Nanchang City, Poyang Lake, and the Yangtze River was observed which is likely of WWTPs' origin.

Environmental monitoring and risk assessment of pesticide residues in surface waters of the Louros River (N.W. Greece)

Estuarine environments are being constantly stressed by new sources of pollution (e.g. pesticides) derived from activities of industry and intensive agriculture. The present study aims at quantify pesticides of three different categories (fungicides, herbicides and insecticides) in the Louros River (Epirus region, North-Western Greece). A monitoring study of 34 compounds was carried out in surface river waters from June 2011 until May 2012. Seven water sampling stations were established and 35 water samples were collected. A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), depending on the compound, was developed and validated. During the monitoring study 25 pesticides were detected (13 herbicides, 9 insecticides, 3 fungicides). The most commonly encountered pesticides were quizalofop-ethyl, trifluralin and pendimethaline. Tebufenpyrad was found in all sampling stations and seasons, with the highest concentrations of 0.330 μg/L at Tsopeli Lagoon exceeding the rather low concentrations reported nationwide. Regarding the environmental risk due to the presence of target compounds in surface waters, this was estimated by calculating risk quotients (RQs) for different aquatic organisms (algae, zooplankton and fish). The results denoted a possible threat for the aquatic environment, rendering in this way the RQ method as a useful screening tool. In any case, further extensive study is needed for acetochlor, pirimiphos-methyl, endosulfan-a and azinphos-ethyl in order to better correlate their occurrence and potential toxic effects in aquatic life and humans.

Determination of nine pharmaceutical active compounds in surface waters from Paraopeba River Basin in Brazil by LTPE-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

A simple, inexpensive, versatile, and environment-friendly extraction method, using low-temperature partitioning extraction (LTPE), was validated to quantify pharmaceutical-active compounds (PhACs) in surface water samples by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The PhACs analyzed were acetaminophen, bezafibrate, diclofenac, diltiazem, fluconazole, linezolid, miconazole, ondansetron hydrochloride, and trimethoprim. The detection and quantification limits ranged from 0.15 to 12.30ngL-1 and 0.43 to 40.60ngL-1, respectively. Recovery rates ranged from 46 to 135%, and relative standard deviation (RSD%) varied between 0.49 and 6.13%. This method was applied to monitor water contamination by PhACs in the Paraopeba River Basin (PRB), Minas Gerais state, Brazil. All PhACs, except linezolid which was not detected, were found in PRB water samples in concentrations that ranged from 2.6ngL-1 to 2.62μgL-1.

Pharmaceutically active compounds in the Xiangjiang River, China: Distribution pattern, source apportionment, and risk assessment

The occurrence of 36 pharmaceutically active compounds in surface water of the Xiangjiang River was investigated in two seasons (n = 38). Twenty-five of these compounds were detected, with cefotaxime (maximum concentration 830 ng L−1) the most abundant compound followed by amoxicillin (maximum concentration 710 ng L−1). The spatiotemporal distribution was observed; indicating that pollution hotspots were mostly located in economically developed and densely populated regions such as Changsha City. Lower concentrations were found in summer than winter, which may be attributed to the dilution effect of a flood event and higher water temperatures. The distribution of pharmaceuticals was significantly correlated with temperature and ammonia nitrogen content. A principal component analysis-multiple linear regression model estimated that domestic sewage was the main source of pharmaceuticals, although the source composition varied among different sampling sites. Risk assessment was conducted using both individual and mixture models for preliminary identification of potential hazards. Sulfamethoxazole, clarithromycin, and azithromycin posed a high risk to algae, while sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, and erythromycin-H2O showed a medium risk to invertebrates. Moreover, the mixture risk quotients calculated using a concentration addition model ranged from 0.31 to 9.60 in winter, and from 0.06 to 0.61 in summer, indicating a potential risk to the aquatic environment. This study provides scientific support to policy-makers to establish contaminant management priorities and enriches the global data on emerging contaminants.

Modelling the Diclofenac and Indomethacin Recovery by Molecularly Imprinted Polymer

Pharmaceutical compounds in surface waters are an emerging environmental concern due to their biological activity, which consequently present a new challenge for drinking water and wastewater treatment systems. In this work, diclofenac (DCF) and indomethacin (IDM) have been used as target molecules or templates in order to be removed by means of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP). MIP-DCF and MIP-IDM were synthesised and tested using two mathematical models, which are Lagergren and Thomas models. In addition, functional groups of the active functional sites and the target molecules have also been studied by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Both MIPs followed the Lagergren pseudo first order kinetic model. Comparing the original MIP-DCF and MIP-DCF after loading with DCF, differences in their functional groups were found. In conclusion, MIP-DCF and MIP-IDM work as good sorbents to recover these emerging pharmaceuticals persistent pollutants from water.

Development of an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of the 17 EU Watch List compounds in surface waters: a Spanish case study

Environmental contextIn 2015, the European Union issued a Watch List of organic pollutants resulting from anthropogenic activities. A major obstacle to controlling these pollutants in the environment is the difficulty of their simultaneous measurement at low concentrations. We developed an analytical method for the simultaneous determination in surface water of the 17 pollutants included in the EU Watch List. AbstractA multi-class method was developed for the simultaneous determination of the 17 organic pollutants included in the EU Decision 2015/495 regarding surface waters. The target analytes were three estrogens, four pharmaceuticals, a food additive, a solar filter and eight pesticides. The target compounds were extracted through solid-phase extraction with Oasis HLB cartridges. Determination was carried out by high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS). All compounds were satisfactorily determined in one single injection, with a chromatographic run time of only 20min. The limit of detection (LOD) of the proposed method was in the range of 0.08–13ngL−1. For most of the target compounds, except for 17α-ethinylestradiol, 17β-estradiol and estrone, the LOD values were equal or below those required by the EU Decision 2015/495. Accuracy was in the range of 69–120%, whereas inter-day variability was below 20% in all cases. The validated method was applied to assess the presence of these compounds in Mediterranean surface waters. Samples were collected from 18 sampling sites located in the south of Spain. Up to 14 compounds were detected, among them, the pharmaceutical compounds were the pollutants most frequently detected at concentration levels up to 1158ngL−1 (diclofenac).