Concentrations Of Pharmaceuticals And Personal Care Products Research Articles

Effect of O3 Dose on the O3/UV Treatment Process for the Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Secondary Effluent

A municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is a melting pot of numerous pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) together with many other substances. The removal of PPCPs using advanced oxidation processes within a WWTP is one way to reduce the amount of PPCPs that potentially enter an aquatic environment. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the ozone (O3)/UV treatment process, especially, the effects of O3 dose and reaction time, on the removal of PPCPs in the secondary effluent of a WWTP. Experiments were conducted using a pilot-scale treatment process that consisted of two flow-through reactors connected in series. Each reactor was equipped with three 65 W lamps (UV65W). The experimental variables were ozone dosage (1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 mg L−1) and hydraulic retention time (HRT; 5 and 10 min). On the basis of the PPCP concentrations after O3/UV65W treatment and their limit of detection (LOD), 38 PPCPs detected in the secondary effluent were classified into 5 groups ranging from the category of “sensitive” to O3/UV65W or “unstable” in the O3/UV65W process to the category of “insensitive” to O3/UV65W or “very stable” in the O3/UV65W process.

Interictal Electroencephalogram Changes in Patients with Seizure Disorder in Al-Basrah General Hospital

This study investigated the optimum conditions for the total pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) removal from PPCPs-contaminated tap water using ozonation treatment. The optimum conditions for maximum PPCPs removal were determined through a Box-Behnken Design (BBD). Three operational variables, i.e. PPCPs concentration (1-600 µg/L, retention time15-30 min and pH 6-9 units) were investigated by setting PPCPs removal concentration as the maximum. The optimum conditions were selected with the highest desirability of 0.967 using the maximum concentration of PPCPs and highest removal of PPCPs from the water (95-100 %) with the minimum retention time for 15 min and the pH was set at pH 8.9. From a validation test of the optimum conditions, it was found that the maximum PPCPs removal from contaminated tap water was closely to the predicted ones with less than 5% error for all the four compounds which give an evidence that ozonation is a good technique to remove PPCPs from water stream.

PPCPs in a drinking water treatment plant in the Yangtze River Delta of China: Occurrence, removal and risk assessment

The occurrence and removal of 39 targeted pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from source water, through a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) to the water supply station, were investigated around the central part of Yangtze River Delta in China using both grab sampling and continuous sampling. Totally 24 of the 39 targeted PPCPs were detected in raw water, and 12 PPCPs were detected in the finished water. The highest observed concentration was enrofloxacin (85.623 ng/L) in raw water. Removal efficiencies were remarkably negative correlated with log Kow (r = - 0.777, p<0.01) after calibration control of concentration, indicating that more soluble PPCPs are easier to remove by the combined process (prechlorination and flocculation/precipitation), the concentration level also had a great impact on the removal efficiency. The normal process in the pilot DWTP seems to be ineffective for PPCPs control, with the limited removal efficiency of less than 30% for each step: pre-chlorination, flocculation and precipitation, post-chlorination and filter. There were notable differences between the data from continuous sampling and grab sampling, which should be considered for different monitoring purposes. The chlorination and the hydrolytic decomposition of PPCPs in the water supply pipe may attenuate PPCPs concentration in the pipeline network. The PPCPs examined in the effluent of DWTP do not impose a potential health risk to the local consumers due to their RQ value lower than 0.00067.

Life cycle assessment of advanced wastewater treatment processes: Involving 126 pharmaceuticals and personal care products in life cycle inventory

Continuous exposure to pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) is a critical concern given potential toxicity impacts on aquatic environments and human health, although concentrations of PPCPs in the environment are low. While several studies have focused on the fate and toxicity of organic micropollutants in wastewater, the environmental impacts of life cycle assessment induced by these organic micropollutants in advanced wastewater treatment processes are still unknown. To address this need, an environmental evaluation of three representative advanced wastewater treatment processes (ozonation, granular activated carbon adsorption and reverse osmosis) involving PPCPs removal was conducted using life cycle assessment and USEtox model in this study. Although a large amount of PPCPs can be eliminated during conventional waste highest characterization factors for freshwater toxicity, while 17α-ethinylestradiol, sertraline, and 17β-estradiol had the highest human toxicity characterization factors. From the perspective of LCA, reverse osmosis appeared to have the greatest environmental burden due to the high energy and material consumption during the treatment process. After involving 126 PPCPs in life cycle inventory, the ecotoxicity impact results were increased significantly in three advanced wastewater treatment processes. The contribution of effluent was improved in toxicity impact category, accounting more than 25% for the three processes. The effluent (including PPCPs) as the key factor was next only to electricity and chemicals in eutrophication, ecotoxicity and human toxicity impacts category particularly. Therefore, PPCPs should not be ignored in life cycle assessment of advanced wastewater treatment processes, although they are not typically monitored in wastewater. These results are valuable for conducting a comprehensive environmental evaluation of advanced wastewater treatment processes considering micro-pollutants removal. The identified PPCPs with high freshwater and human toxicity can be considered as the priority control index of organic micropollutants for wastewater treatment plants.

Spatiotemporal distributions, source apportionment and potential risks of 15 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in Qinzhou Bay, South China

In the present study, we investigated the spatiotemporal distributions and risks of 15 non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in surface water collected from Qinzhou Bay, China during the summer and winter of 2017. Our results showed that 14 out of the 15 target PPCPs were detected, and they had higher concentrations in the winter than the summer, except for N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide and indomethacin. Furthermore, N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide and caffeine respectively were the dominant contaminants in the summer and winter, with their highest concentrations up to 33.7 ng/L and 26.8 ng/L. Generally, concentrations of PPCPs were higher in the inner bay than outer bays, with untreated sewage and effluents of sewage treatment plants (STPs) as main pollution sources. The results of the risk assessment indicate that diclofenac may pose risks to aquatic organisms. Overall, our results provided occurrence and important insights into the risk management of PPCPs in Qinzhou Bay.

Bioaccumulation behaviour of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in a constructed wetland

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) is an important class of environmental contaminants and has gained increasing concerns in recent years. The bioaccumulation behaviour of PPCPs in wetland plants is not well understood. In the present study we report results of a field investigation to assess the bioaccumulation behaviour and phytoremediation efficacy of several PPCPs in Lorong Halus Wetland, a large-scale constructed wetland system in Singapore, constructed for the treatment of landfill leachate. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based methods were employed to quantify concentrations of target PPCPs in leachate and flowing water, as well as wetland plants (roots and shoots), at different locations in the wetland system. The results indicated the presence of several PPCPs in leachate, water and vegetation in the wetland. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) in the dominant wetland plant, Typha angustifolia, ranged between approximately 60 and 2000. Results indicated that Cattail Typha angustifolia was capable of remediating PPCPs to various extends, with bioconcentration factors ranging up to 2000. The suitability for phytoremediation depends on the physical chemical properties such as hydrophilicity and lipophilicity of these PPCPs.

Fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in a wastewater treatment plant with parallel secondary wastewater treatment train

Seasonal variations in the concentrations and fate of 20 selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) were investigated over one year in a wastewater treatment plant in New Zealand, which relies on a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and Bardenpho as parallel processes for its secondary treatment. Results showed that all of the monitored PPCPs were detected in the wastewater influent. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and caffeine were predominant in the influent, whereas in the effluent, β-blockers and benzotriazole were present at significant concentrations. Total PPCPs' concentration in the influent was found to be 130 μg/L. Average removal efficiency was found to be ≥ 99% for acetaminophen, caffeine, TCEP, naproxen, and ibuprofen, whereas <50% of trimethoprim, metoprolol, and benzotriazole were removed. Contrary to the existing literature, no significant differences were found in the removal of PPCPs through MBR and Bardenpho processes, hinting that optimally operated Bardenpho can be equally effective in the removal of emerging contaminants as MBR. The occurrence and removal efficiencies of PPCPs were found to exhibit significant seasonal variations, with the highest influent concentrations of PPCPs reported in autumn and winter. Heavy rainfall had an insignificant impact on PPCPs' removal efficiencies although it resulted in much-diluted concentrations of PPCPs in the influent. Spearman's correlation analysis showed significant correlations between PPCPs' mass loads in the influent, wastewater quality parameters, and environmental factors. It was also found that, except sulfamethoxazole, ecotoxicity risks were minimal for the rest of the monitored PPCPs in wastewater effluent.

Fate of pharmaceuticals in a spray-irrigation system: From wastewater to groundwater

Land application of wastewater effluent is beneficial for recharging groundwater aquifers and avoiding direct pollutant discharges to surface waters. However, the fate of non-regulated organic wastewater pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), in such wastewater reuse systems is understudied. Here, a 14-month study (October 2016 through December 2017) was conducted to evaluate the fate and potential risks of seven commonly used PPCPs in a local wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and from 13 groundwater monitoring wells at a spray-irrigation site where effluent has been spray-irrigated since the early 1980s. Acetaminophen and trimethoprim were the most frequently detected (93%) PPCPs in WWTP influent, while in the effluent, caffeine and trimethoprim were detected most frequently (70%). Wastewater treatment generally reduced concentrations of acetaminophen and caffeine by >88%; however, some compounds had low removal or were present at higher concentrations in the effluent compared with influent (e.g. naproxen, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and ofloxacin). Seasonal trends were observed, with higher PPCP concentrations in the WWTP influent and effluent in the winter. Risk calculations conducted on the wastewater effluent suggest that the risk posed by PPCPs that persisted in the effluent are medium to high to aquatic organisms. Detection frequencies of PPCPs were lower in groundwater samples compared to the effluent, with sulfamethoxazole (40%) and caffeine (32%) as the most frequently detected compounds. Similarly, average concentrations of PPCPs in groundwater were found to be nearly two orders of magnitude lower than concentrations in the effluent. Minimal seasonal influence was observed for groundwater samples. Human health risk assessments indicate that concentrations in groundwater, which is used as a drinking water source, appear to pose minimal risk.

Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products in Surface Waters from the Inner City of Beijing, China: Influence of Hospitals and Reclaimed Water Irrigation.

Surface waters from five districts in the inner city of Beijing were collected for analysis of 43 target compounds of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) to understand the spatial distribution patterns of different groups of PPCPs in the central urban area of a metropolitan city characterized by many hospitals and public parks. The total concentrations of PPCPs showed large spatial variability, ranging from 71.1 to 2400ng/L. The x-ray contrast medium iopromide was the compound with the highest concentrations. Pharmaceuticals showed similar spatial distributional patterns with large hospitals. Positive correlations between iopromide and pharmaceuticals were observed. In contrast, in general there is no correlation between iopromide and personal care products. The concentrations of PPCPs in the landscape waters were not high but were characterized by high proportions of acidic, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with low or even negative removal efficiencies in the WWTP in Beijing, suggesting that the reclaimed water irrigation can be another source of PPCPs in surface waters in the inner city of Beijing.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the urban river across the megacity Shanghai: Occurrence, source apportionment and a snapshot of influence of rainfall.

Occurrence of eleven pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) along Huangpu River, a representative urban river of megacity Shanghai, was investigated in four sampling campaigns. The overall concentrations of PPCPs ranged from <LOQ to 1455 ng/L, and untreated domestic wastewater was proposed as an important source of PPCPs in Huangpu River. Higher contamination levels of target PPCPs were detected in the lower reach (urban area) and dry season, compared to those in the upper reach (rural area) and wet season, respectively. The influence of rainfall on the occurrence of PPCPs was also extensively discussed in different regions along Huangpu River. At sampling sites in the rural area, similar or even lower concentrations of PPCPs were detected after rainfall; while increased concentrations of PPCPs were observed at most sampling sites, especially in the urban area, suggesting that overflow of untreated wastewater exceeding the capacity of wastewater treatment plants and leachates generated at temporary storage and transfer station of solid wastes might be the additional sources of PPCPs in the urban area in rainy days. These findings indicated that management of wastewater or/and solid wastes was more important to solve the problem of PPCPs contamination in the urban river of megacity.

Ozone treatment process for the removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the degradability of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) by ozonation for the treatment of secondary effluent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant. A set of experiments were conducted in a laboratory using a pilot-scale process consisting of three flow-through reactors in series, by varying the ozone dose (1–9 mg L−1), the hydraulic retention time (5–15 min), and the concentration of ozone injected into the reactors (14–42 mg L−1). Thirty-seven PPCPs were detected in the secondary effluent, which belongs to the use categories of antibiotics, analgesics, antiarrhythmic agents, anticonvulsants, vasodilators, lipid modifying agents, anti-itch drugs, anti-psychotic drugs, insect repellents, bronchodilators, diuretics, peptic ulcer drugs, NMDA receptor antagonists, antifungal drugs, antimicrobial drugs, and antineoplastic agents. These PPCPs were broadly classified into five groups ranging from “sensitive” to ozone (O3) or “unstable” in the ozonation process, to the group of “insensitive” to O3 or “very stable” in the ozonation process. These groups are based on the PPCP concentrations after the ozone treatment and their limit of detection (LOD). Furthermore, this study examined comparatively the effects of the ozone dose, the retention (reaction) time, and the concentration of O3 supplied to the reactors on the degradability of the PPCPs.

An evaluation on the intra-day dynamics, seasonal variations and removal of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products from urban wastewater treatment plants

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater have become an emerging issue due to their negative effects on human health and aquatic ecosystems. Two full-scale municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) along the Songhua River were chosen to evaluate the intra-day dynamics, seasonal variations and removal of 12 selected PPCPs. Our results suggested that the selected PPCPs were frequently detected in the influent and effluent. Caffeine was the predominant compound in the influent; while the selected PPCPs was dominated by TCS in the effluent, suggesting the different fates of selected PPCPs in the WWTPs. The intra-day dynamics of PPCPs in the influent were evaluated, suggesting that the 12 PPCPs can be grouped into three categories because of their different use patterns. The analysis of seasonal changes of PPCPs concentrations in the WWTPs suggested that the concentrations of some PPCPs were influenced by the chemical usage, degradation and temperature. The removal efficiency for the PPCPs were very high with the values ranged from 70.0% to 99.7% for WWTP#1, and from 62.5% to 99.4% for WWTP#2. Significant seasonal variations of PPCPs removal efficiency were observed. Base on the mass loading of PPCPs in the two WWTPs, our results suggested that WWTP#1 in the urban core received much more PPCPs in comparison to WWTP#2 in the suburban regions, suggesting that influences of the service population.

Diclofenac, carbamazepine and triclocarban biodegradation in agricultural soils and the microorganisms and metabolic pathways affected

The incomplete elimination of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) during wastewater treatment has resulted in their detection in the environment. PPCP biodegradation is a potential removal mechanism; however, the microorganisms and pathways involved in soils are generally unknown. Here, the biodegradation of diclofenac (DCF), carbamazepine (CBZ) and triclocarban (TCC) in four agricultural soils at concentrations typically detected in soils and biosolids (50 ng g−1) was examined. Rapid DCF removal (<7 days) was observed under aerobic conditions, but only limited biodegradation was noted under other redox conditions. CBZ and TCC degradation under aerobic conditions was slow (half-lives of 128–241 days and 165–190 days for CBZ and TCC). Phylotypes in the Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadales and Actinobacteria were significantly more abundant during DCF biodegradation compared to the controls (no DCF). For CBZ, those in the Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobia were enriched compared to the controls. Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were also enriched during TCC biodegradation. Such differences could indicate these microorganisms are associated with the biodegradation of these compounds, as they appear to be benefiting from their removal. The impact of these PPCPs on the KEGG pathways associated with metabolism was also examined. Four pathways were positively impacted during DCF biodegradation (propanoate, lysine, fatty acid & benzoate metabolism). These pathways are likely common in soils, explaining the rapid removal of DCF. There was limited impact of CBZ on the metabolic pathways. TCC removal was linked to genes associated with the degradation of simple and complex substrates. The results indicate even low concentrations of PPCPs significantly affect soil communities. The recalcitrant nature of TCC and CBZ suggests soils receiving biosolids could accumulate these chemicals, representing risks concerning crop uptake.

Kinetics and mechanisms of the degradation of PPCPs by zero-valent iron (Fe°) activated peroxydisulfate (PDS) system in groundwater

The abatement of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), including carbamazepine (CBZ), acetaminophen (ACP) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), by zero-valent iron (Fe°) activated peroxydisulfate (PDS) system (Fe°/PDS) in pure water and groundwater was investigated. The removal rates of CBZ, ACP and SMX were 85.4%, 100% and 73.1%, respectively, within 10 min by Fe°/PDS in pure water. SO4•−, •OH and O2•− were identified in the Fe°/PDS system, and O2•− was indicated to play an important role in the ACP degradation. The degradation of PPCPs increased with increasing dosages of Fe° and PDS or with decreasing pH and initial PPCP concentrations. Interestingly, the degradation of PPCPs by Fe°/PDS was significantly enhanced in groundwater compared with that in pure water, which was partially attributed to SO42− and Cl−. The first-order constants of CBZ, ACP and SMX increased from 0.021, 0.242 and 0.013 min−1 to 0.239, 2.536 and 0.259 min−1, and to 0.172, 1.516 and 0.197 min−1, respectively, with increasing the concentrations of SO42− and Cl− to 100 mg/L and 10 mg/L, respectively. This study firstly reports the unexpected enhancement of groundwater matrix on the degradation of micropollutants by Fe°/PDS, demonstrating that Fe°/PDS can be an efficient technology for groundwater remediation.

Recognition of the prioritized types and individual of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the drinking water of Shanghai and a health risk assessment

ABSTRACTPharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) exist and are often grouped into categories according to their functional mechanism and effect on human health. In this study, six types of PPCPs were detected and characterized in the drinking water of Shanghai, covering 35 water treatment plants. The PPCPs concentrations were ranged from 2.57 ng/L to 19.4 ng/L and over 10 ng/L in nearly half of the samples. Hormones, blockers, and veterinary drugs were considered to contribute negligibly to the overall pollution from PPCPs for their low concentrations. However, dicyclohexylamine and psycholeptics were detected in all samples, with a maximum concentration of 11.8 ng/L, 7.82 ng/L, and 9.07 ng/L for dicyclohexylamine, sertraline, and sulpiride, respectively. In addition, high toxicity antitumor drug cyclophosphamide was detected in one-third of the samples and the highest concentration was 3.72 ng/L.In all, the four PPCPs evaluated accounted for over 80% of the detected PPCPs levels. Therefore, it was determined that the major PPCPs are contributing to water pollution in the region. While these compounds do not pose a potential human health risk at their present levels, close attention should be paid to the use of these PPCPs and their discharge into drinking water source.

Impacts of irrigation water sources and geochemical conditions on vertical distribution of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in the vadose zone soils

Groundwater pollution by emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), has caused increasing concerns around the world. The vadose zone is an active zone where lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere interact. It is an important medium for PPCPs removal and entry into groundwater from irrigation using wastewater or polluted surface water. In the present study, the occurrence and distribution of eleven PPCPs in areas with a vadose zone (up to 16 m) was investigated from wastewater irrigated farmland, groundwater irrigated farmland and a seasonal river course in Beijing (China). Nine out of eleven PPCPs were detectable, and carbamazepine and caffeine had the highest detection frequencies, above 50%. The PPCPs were detectable deep in 16 m below ground level (bgl), and their concentrations ranged from <LOD (limit of detection) to 12.5 μg/kg. Compared to the vadose zone soils irrigated with groundwater, wastewater-irrigated vadose zone soils had significantly higher PPCPs detection frequencies and contamination levels, suggesting the important roles of irrigation water sources on PPCPs accumulation and transport in the vadose zone. Additionally, PPCPs vertical distribution presented a bell-shape pattern in the vadose zone soils with wastewater irrigation, peaking at 3–6 m bgl. Redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated a significant correlation between PPCPs concentrations in the vadose zone soils and geochemical variables, including available potassium and silt content. This study provides important evidence on the influential factors of PPCPs accumulation and migration in the vadose zone soils resulted from wastewater irrigation. The incomplete removal of PPCPs poses certain risks in subsurface environment, potentially challenging groundwater quality and drinking water safety.

Occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and their associated environmental risks in a large shallow lake in north China.

Eighteen selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), consisting of five non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals (N-APs), four sulfonamides (SAs), four tetracyclines (TCs), four macrolides (MCs), and one quinolone (QN) were detected in water, pore water, and sediment samples from Baiyangdian Lake, China. A total of 31 water samples and 29 sediment samples were collected in March 2017. Caffeine was detected with 100% frequency in surface water, pore water, and sediment samples. Carbamazepine was detected with 100% frequency in surface water and sediment samples. Five N-APs were prominent, with mean concentrations of 4.90-266.24ng/l in surface water and 5.07-14.73μg/kg in sediment samples. Four MCs were prominent, with mean concentrations of 0.97-29.92ng/l in pore water samples. The total concentrations of the different classes of PPCPs followed the order: N-APs (53.26%)>MCs (25.39)>SAs (10.06%)>TCs (7.64%)>QNs (3.64%) in surface water; N-APs (42.70%)>MCs (25.43%)>TCs (14.69%)>SAs (13.90%)>QNs (3.24%) in sediment samples, and MCs (42.12%)>N-APs (34.80%)>SAs (11.71%)>TCs (7.48%)>QNs (3.88%) in pore water samples. The geographical differences of PPCP concentrations were largely due to anthropogenic activities. Sewage discharged from Baoding City and human activities around Baiyangdian Lake were the main sources of PPCPs in the lake. An environmental risk assessment for the upper quartile concentration was undertaken using calculated risk quotients and indicated a low or medium-high risk from 18 PPCPs in Baiyangdian Lake and its five upstream rivers.

Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Municipal Wastewater and the Marine Receiving Environment Near Victoria Canada

Concerns over the fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) within the environment have been growing with the advent of more precise analytical methods. The discharge of municipal wastewater has been identified as a significant source of these contaminants, particularly where wastewater treatment is minimal. Here we present results from a comprehensive monitoring regime located around Victoria, BC, Canada. Samples were collected between 2009 and 2016 from a variety of sources including marine water, sediment and biota adjacent to two major untreated sewage outfalls, as well as the sewage itself. PPCP concentrations within the untreated sewage were high, and the sediment surrounding the outfalls showed corresponding contamination. However, this contamination dropped quickly with distance from the outfall such that by 800 m distance most PPCPs were below detection limits. Tissue samples of resident Northern Horse mussels (Modiolus modiolus) collected adjacent to one of the major sewage outfalls showed high single sample concentrations of the antimicrobial triclosan (317 ng g-1 dry weight), the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (176 ng g-1 dry weight), as well as the antidepressant sertraline (84.1 ng g-1 dry weight). Reference stations from around the region showed very low concentrations of contamination with almost all PPCP concentrations being below detection limits. Within the sewage, concentrations were largely stable overtime, with the exception of triclosan and triclocarban which both showed declines over the study period.

Reduced anxiety is associated with the accumulation of six serotonin reuptake inhibitors in wastewater treatment effluent exposed goldfish Carassius auratus

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been found in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and their recipient watersheds. To assess the potential of WWTP effluents to alter fish behaviour, we caged male goldfish (Carassius auratus) for 21-days at three sites along a contamination gradient downstream from a WWTP which discharges into Cootes Paradise Marsh, on the western tip of Lake Ontario. We also included a fourth caging site as an external reference site within Lake Ontario at the Jordan Harbour Conservation Area. We then measured concentrations of PPCPs and monoamine neurotransmitters in caged goldfish plasma, and conducted behavioural assays measuring activity, startle response, and feeding. We detected fifteen different PPCPs in goldfish plasma including six serotonin reuptake inhibitors (amitriptyline, citalopram, fluoxetine/norfluoxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, and diphenhydramine). Plasma concentrations of serotonin were significantly greater in plasma of fish caged closer to the WWTP effluent outfall site. The fish caged near and downstream of the WWTP effluent were bolder, more exploratory, and more active overall than fish caged at the reference site. Taken together, our results suggest that fish downstream of WWTPs are accumulating PPCPs at levels sufficient to alter neurotransmitter concentrations and to also impair ecologically-relevant behaviours.

Pharmaceutical and personal care products-induced stress symptoms and detoxification mechanisms in cucumber plants.

Contamination of agricultural soils by pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) resulting from the application of treated wastewater, biosolids and animal wastes constitutes a potential environmental risk in many countries. To date a handful of studies have considered the phytotoxicity of individual PPCPs in crop plants, however, little is known about the effect of PPCPs as mixtures at environmentally relevant levels. This study investigated the uptake and transport, physiological responses and detoxification of a mixture of 17 PPCPs in cucumber seedlings. All PPCPs were detected at higher concentrations in roots compared to leaves, with root activity inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. At 5-50μg/L, the mature leaves exhibited burnt edges as well as a reduction in photosynthesis pigments. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid peroxidation increased with increasing PPCP concentrations; and their contents were greater in roots than in leaves for all PPCP treatments. Enzymes involved in various functions, including oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase) and xenobiotic metabolism (peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase), were elevated to different levels depending on the PPCP concentration. Glutathione content gradually increased in leaves, while a maxima occurred at 0.5μgL-1 PPCPs in roots, followed by a decrease thereafter. This study illustrated the complexity of phytotoxicity after exposure to PPCP mixtures, and provided insights into the molecular mechanisms likely responsible for the detoxification of PPCPs in higher plants.