Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging contaminants are defined as unregulated or inadequately regulated chemicals. Emerging contaminants include mainly chemicals found in pharmaceuticals, personal care products, industrial and household products, industrial additives, surfactants, and solvents. Many of them are used and released continuously into the environment, and some may cause chronic toxicity, endocrine disruption in humans and aquatic wildlife, and development of bacterial pathogen resistance.

Most of these emerging pollutants are encountered in waters via discharge of industrial and domestic sewage. The pollution of emerging pollutants in an aquatic environment is of increasing interest. Scientific knowledge and understanding of their fate, transport, and toxicity as well as of their presence in water resources and wastewater and their pathways and accumulation in the aquatic environment are still very scarce. There is thus an urgent need to strengthen scientific knowledge and adopt appropriate technological and policy approaches to monitor emerging pollutants in environmental matrixes, assess their potential human and ecosystem health risks, and prevent and control their disposal to water resources and the environment. This Special Issue will provide a platform to showcase the research progress on aforesaid fields.

The topics of the issue include but are not limited to:

1. Technical measurements of emerging chemicals in aquatic environmental matrices;
2. Occurrence, transport, and fate of emerging chemicals in aquatic environments;
3. Bioaccumulation and biotransformation of emerging chemicals in aquatic organisms;
4. Toxicity of emerging chemicals;
5. Ecosystem health risk assessment of emerging chemicals in aquatic environments.

Prof. Dr. Xiaojun Luo
Dr. Zhiguo Cao
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering jmse	2.9	3.7	2013	15.4 Days	CHF 2600
Pollutants pollutants	-	-	2021	21.7 Days	CHF 1000
Toxics toxics	4.6	3.4	2013	14.7 Days	CHF 2600
Water water	3.4	5.5	2009	16.5 Days	CHF 2600
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ijerph	-	5.4	2004	29.6 Days	CHF 2500

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Published Papers (20 papers)

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14 pages, 1995 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Association among the Presence of Rotavirus Group A and Types of Sources Located in Rural Communities

by Lucas Candido Gonçalves Barbosa, Fernando Santos Lima, Paulo Alex Neves da Silva, Graziela Picciola Bordoni, Paulo Sergio Scalize, José Daniel Gonçalves Vieira and Lilian Carla Carneiro

Water 2023, 15(9), 1763; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15091763 - 04 May 2023

Viewed by 1483

Abstract

Among the etiological agents of acute gastroenterocolitis, group A Rotavirus stands out. Proper hygiene and basic sanitation are the prophylactic means. The present research aimed to carry out the tracking of Rotavirus in waters of rural communities. The collections were carried out in [...] Read more.

Among the etiological agents of acute gastroenterocolitis, group A Rotavirus stands out. Proper hygiene and basic sanitation are the prophylactic means. The present research aimed to carry out the tracking of Rotavirus in waters of rural communities. The collections were carried out in 86 residences, distributed in 16 communities, considering the types of sources: tubular wells, excavated wells, surface springs, cistern with rainwater and springs. The elution of membranes with negative charges was used to obtain viral particles. Extraction of the genetic material and cDNA synthesis were performed according to the rules of the kit used, then qPCR was performed with an Applied Biosystems StepOne^® thermal cycler. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata^® 16.0, BioEstat^® 5.3 and Minitab^® 1. Rotavirus was detected in 47 samples (54.6%), however, there was no significant association among municipalities and the presence of Rotavirus. There was a strong association with shallow excavated well OR = 3.59 [1.05–12.28, p = 0.04]. The virus to infect humans and non-human animals, it can infect poultry, cattle and pigs. The presence of Rotavirus in surface water qualifies it as a biological marker of water quality and would occur through fecal contamination in water surface and underground. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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14 pages, 2103 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Hydrodynamic Condition on Adsorption of Sulfadiazine on Marine Sediments

by Wei Xu, Jiaxin Xu, Jie Song and Guangli Xiu

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(4), 717; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse11040717 - 26 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 957

Abstract

In the present study, the adsorption behavior of sulfadiazine (SDZ) on various sediments under different hydrodynamic conditions generated by a rocking shaker was investigated. Based on the dye mixing experiments, three regimes with different hydrodynamic characteristics, i.e., laminar, transition, and turbulent regimes, were [...] Read more.

In the present study, the adsorption behavior of sulfadiazine (SDZ) on various sediments under different hydrodynamic conditions generated by a rocking shaker was investigated. Based on the dye mixing experiments, three regimes with different hydrodynamic characteristics, i.e., laminar, transition, and turbulent regimes, were identified. The hydrodynamic intensity was found to have a positive effect on the adsorption of SDZ, In general, the adsorption capacity followed the order of turbulent > transition > laminar > static. Compared to quartz sands, montmorillonite exhibited a narrower range of adsorption capacity under different hydrodynamic conditions, which implies it is less sensitive to the hydrodynamic conditions. For adsorption kinetics, sands fit the pseudo-first-order model, while montmorillonite fits the pseudo-second-order model. For adsorption thermodynamics, the Freundlich model showed a better correlation coefficient for all sediments. In addition, it was found that particle size could affect the antibiotic adsorption capacity, and the presence of salts inhibited the adsorption performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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15 pages, 2307 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Quantification of the Synthetic Phenolic Antioxidant Cyanox 1790 in Bottled Water with SPE-HPLC/MS/MS and Determination of the Impact of the Use of Recycled Packaging on Its Generation

by Joaquín Hernández-Fernández, Rodrigo Ortega-Toro and John R. Castro-Suarez

Water 2023, 15(5), 933; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15050933 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1653

Abstract

One route of exposure to SPAs is through bottled water since the polymers used to make plastic bottles contain these SPAs, which migrate from the plastic to the water. Solid-phase extraction (SPE), HPLC-MS, FTIR, and DSC are used to identify and quantify these [...] Read more.

One route of exposure to SPAs is through bottled water since the polymers used to make plastic bottles contain these SPAs, which migrate from the plastic to the water. Solid-phase extraction (SPE), HPLC-MS, FTIR, and DSC are used to identify and quantify these SPAs in water. Interday measurements of cyanox 1790 in water with HPLC showed RSD, error, and R² lower than 3.78, 9.3, and 0.99995, respectively. For intraday measurements of cyanox 1790 in water, the RSD, error, and R² were less than 4.1, 11.2, and 0.99995, respectively. Concentrations of Cyanox 1790 in water from non-recycled bottles ranged from 0.01 ± 0.0004 to 4.15 ± 0. 14 ppm, while the levels of cyanox 1790 in water in recycled bottles ranged between 0.01 ± 0.0005 and 11.27 ± 0.12 ppm. In the tests carried out, an increase in the migration of Cyanox 1790 from plastic bottles to water was identified, since the ppm of Cyanox increased in the water as the days of storage increased at 40 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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15 pages, 4282 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

The Degradation Process of Typical Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Tidal Streams in Subtropical Cities: A Case Study of the Wuchong Stream, South China

by Qunpo Jia, Yanpeng Cai, Xiao Yuan, Bowen Li and Bo Li

Toxics 2023, 11(3), 203; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxics11030203 - 22 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1200

Abstract

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are commonly used to prevent unwanted insects in urban fields. Degradation processes have been one of the important environmental behaviors of NEOs in an aquatic environment. In this research, hydrolysis, biodegradation, and photolysis processes of four typical NEOs (i.e., thiacloprid [...] Read more.

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are commonly used to prevent unwanted insects in urban fields. Degradation processes have been one of the important environmental behaviors of NEOs in an aquatic environment. In this research, hydrolysis, biodegradation, and photolysis processes of four typical NEOs (i.e., thiacloprid (THA), clothianidin (CLO), acetamiprid (ACE), and imidacloprid (IMI)) were examined through the adoption of response surface methodology–central composite design (RSM-CCD) for an urban tidal stream in South China. The influences of multiple environmental parameters and concentration levels on the three degradation processes of these NEOs were then evaluated. The results indicated that the three degradation processes of the typical NEOs followed a pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics model. The primary degradation process of the NEOs were hydrolysis and photolysis processes in the urban stream. The hydrolysis degradation rate of THA was the highest (1.97 × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹), and that of CLO was the lowest (1.28 × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹). The temperature of water samples was the main environmental factor influencing the degradation processes of these NEOs in the urban tidal stream. Salinity and humic acids could inhibit the degradation processes of the NEOs. Under the influence of extreme climate events, the biodegradation processes of these typical NEOs could be suppressed, and other degradation processes could be further accelerated. In addition, extreme climate events could pose severe challenges to the migration and degradation process simulation of NEOs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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19 pages, 2235 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Screening for Antibiotics and Their Degradation Products in Surface and Wastewaters of the POCTEFA Territory by Solid-Phase Extraction-UPLC-Electrospray MS/MS

by Sebastiano Gozzo, Samuel Moles, Katarzyna Kińska, Maria P. Ormad, Rosa Mosteo, Jairo Gómez, Francisco Laborda and Joanna Szpunar

Water 2023, 15(1), 14; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w15010014 - 21 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2248

Abstract

A method based on UPLC-MS/MS (ultraperformance liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry) was optimized for the analysis of a broad set of antibiotics and their metabolites in surface and wastewaters after their preconcentration by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The method was applied to the monitoring of [...] Read more.

A method based on UPLC-MS/MS (ultraperformance liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry) was optimized for the analysis of a broad set of antibiotics and their metabolites in surface and wastewaters after their preconcentration by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The method was applied to the monitoring of the river basin of the POCTEFA (Interregional Programme Spain-France-Andorra) territory (Spain and France) in frame of a sampling campaign (2020–2021) including 40 sampling points, 28 of them corresponding to surface waters and 12 to wastewaters. In total, 21 antibiotics belonging to different families, i.e., ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, azithromycin, and their metabolites were detected. A higher overall antibiotic contamination was observed in the Spanish part of the POCTEFA territory. Several metabolites of the target antibiotics, some of them supposed to be more toxic than their parent compounds, were identified in the entire sampling network. Fluoroquinolones and sulfamethoxazole, as well as their metabolites, presented the highest detection frequency both in wastewaters and surface waters, and, consequently, should be considered as target compounds in the monitoring of the water resources of the POCTEFA territory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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29 pages, 7079 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Hydrodynamic Impacts on the Fate of Polychlorinated Biphenyl 153 in the Marine Environment

by Elena Mikheeva, Johannes Bieser and Corinna Schrum

Water 2022, 14(23), 3952; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14233952 - 05 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1761

Abstract

Due to their long half-life, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) tend to contaminate not only coastal areas, but they travel over long distances, eventually reaching remote areas such the Arctic. The physical and biogeochemical features of every coastal area govern the main distribution patterns of [...] Read more.

Due to their long half-life, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) tend to contaminate not only coastal areas, but they travel over long distances, eventually reaching remote areas such the Arctic. The physical and biogeochemical features of every coastal area govern the main distribution patterns of freshly introduced PCBs into the marine system. Some of these processes are determined by chemical properties of the individual PCB congener. Thus, atmospheric influx along with ad/absorption on non-living organic material, photolytical and biological degradation processes vary from one PCB congener to another. For a detailed fate analysis of individual congeners, we developed a new chemical model, based on the GOTM-ECOSMO-FABM model framework. Here, we exemplarily present results for PCB₁₅₃ based on 1D simulations of four regions in the North-Baltic Sea. The study area is characterized by different hydrodynamic and biogeochemical conditions. We investigate the impact of resuspension, mixing and the biological pump, sea ice and tides on the final phasal distribution of PCB₁₅₃. Different combinations of these factors lead to the development of different areas of PCB₁₅₃ accumulation, with the formation of hotspot areas, and influence the total uptake and concentration of PCB₁₅₃ in the water column. As a result, two major dynamics determine the fate of PCB₁₅₃ in the coastal ocean: (i) Primary production leads to PCB₁₅₃ being adsorbed by organic material. Partitioning to organic material and sedimentation of organic particles removes dissolved PCB₁₅₃ from the surface ocean and increases atmospheric influx. (ii) Tidal-induced resuspension and mixing control the benthic–pelagic exchange of PCB₁₅₃ and its distribution in the water column. Depending on the resuspension regime and stratification, sediments can become a permanent (Gotland Deep, the Baltic Sea) or seasonal sink for PCB₁₅₃. In regions with seasonal stratification and high near bottom turbulence (Northern North Sea), resuspension events can lead to pronounced peaks in PCB₁₅₃ concentrations and can therefore have a major impact on bioaccumulation. Under the conditions of permanent mixing and high bottom turbulence (Southern North Sea, Bothnian Bay), pollutants are hardly accumulating in sediments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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13 pages, 2665 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Antipsychotic Drugs (Sulpiride and Clozapine) on Serotonergic and Dopaminergic Neurotransmitter Systems in Octopus Brain Tissue

by Xijian Peng, Qiuxia Xu, Yuanming Guo and Bo Zhang

Water 2022, 14(17), 2608; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14172608 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1826

Abstract

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from specific activities often enter surface and groundwater, adversely affecting the physiological functions of non-target organisms and posing a serious threat to a wide range of aquatic organisms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate [...] Read more.

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) from specific activities often enter surface and groundwater, adversely affecting the physiological functions of non-target organisms and posing a serious threat to a wide range of aquatic organisms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of the antipsychotic drugs sulpiride and clozapine on dopaminergic (DAergic) and serotonergic (5-hydroxytryptaminergic, i.e., 5-HTergic) neurotransmitter systems in the brain of a short-arm octopus (Octopus ochellatus). Octopus ochellatus adults were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of sulpiride, clozapine, or a mixture of sulpiride and clozapine. The effects of the drug on the transcription and expression levels of major functional molecules in the DAergic and 5-HTergic systems of the brain were analyzed. By antagonizing the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) or 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (5-HTR2A), the two drugs induced abnormal transcription and expression levels of important functional molecules in the brain’s DA and 5-HT signaling pathways. In addition, dose-dependent adverse reactions were observed with these antipsychotics. Our results suggest that sulpiride and clozapine interfere with DAergic and 5-HTergic neurotransmitter systems in the brain of Amphioctopus fangsiao (O. ochellatus), possibly affecting brain functions, such as reproduction, predation, camouflage, learning, and memory. As a result, they pose a serious threat to the health of Amphioctopus fangsiao. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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16 pages, 12318 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Occurrence and Transport of Isothiazolinone-Type Biocides from Commercial Products to Aquatic Environment and Environmental Risk Assessment

by Iuliana Paun, Florinela Pirvu, Vasile Ion Iancu and Florentina Laura Chiriac

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7777; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19137777 - 24 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2452

Abstract

This study investigated the occurrence and transport of four isothiazolinone-type biocides from commercial products to wastewater treatment plants (influents, sludges, and effluents) and to natural emissaries (upstream and downstream the wastewater treatment plants) in Romania. All four biocides were determined in personal care [...] Read more.

This study investigated the occurrence and transport of four isothiazolinone-type biocides from commercial products to wastewater treatment plants (influents, sludges, and effluents) and to natural emissaries (upstream and downstream the wastewater treatment plants) in Romania. All four biocides were determined in personal care and household products, with the highest concentration of 76.4 µg/L OIT (2-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one). For environmental samples, three of the four isothiazolinones were determined, CMI (5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one) being the prominent compound for water samples. The maximum concentration of 84.0 µg/L in influent, 122 µg/L upstream, and 144 µg/L downstream the wastewater treatment plants were obtained for CMI. Unlike water samples, in the sewage sludge samples, OIT proved to be the dominant compound, with concentration up to 5.80 µg/g d.w. The extremely high levels of isothiazolinone determined in different WWTPs from Romania may be due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, during which a much larger amount of cleaning, hygiene, and personal care products was used. The isothiazolinone-type biocides were readily removed from the influents of the five WWTPs, with the mean removal rate up to 67.5%. The mean mass loading value for the targeted biocides based on influent was 20.4 μg/day/1000 people, while the average environmental emissions were 6.93 μg/day/1000 people for effluents. The results obtained for riverine water combine with statistical analysis showed that the anthropogenic activities are the major contamination sources of the surface waters. Preliminary ecological risk evaluation showed that BIT (1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one), OIT, and CMI could pose a very high risks to different aquatic species living in the receiving aquatic environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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40 pages, 3442 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment: A Review on Eco-Toxicology and the Remediation Potential of Algae

by Monika Hejna, Dominika Kapuścińska and Anna Aksmann

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7717; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19137717 - 23 Jun 2022

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 4580

Abstract

The pollution of the aquatic environment has become a worldwide problem. The widespread use of pesticides, heavy metals and pharmaceuticals through anthropogenic activities has increased the emission of such contaminants into wastewater. Pharmaceuticals constitute a significant class of aquatic contaminants and can seriously [...] Read more.

The pollution of the aquatic environment has become a worldwide problem. The widespread use of pesticides, heavy metals and pharmaceuticals through anthropogenic activities has increased the emission of such contaminants into wastewater. Pharmaceuticals constitute a significant class of aquatic contaminants and can seriously threaten the health of non-target organisms. No strict legal regulations on the consumption and release of pharmaceuticals into water bodies have been implemented on a global scale. Different conventional wastewater treatments are not well-designed to remove emerging contaminants from wastewater with high efficiency. Therefore, particular attention has been paid to the phycoremediation technique, which seems to be a promising choice as a low-cost and environment-friendly wastewater treatment. This technique uses macro- or micro-algae for the removal or biotransformation of pollutants and is constantly being developed to cope with the issue of wastewater contamination. The aims of this review are: (i) to examine the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in water, and their toxicity on non-target organisms and to describe the inefficient conventional wastewater treatments; (ii) present cost-efficient algal-based techniques of contamination removal; (iii) to characterize types of algae cultivation systems; and (iv) to describe the challenges and advantages of phycoremediation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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18 pages, 2937 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Occurrence and Fate of Triclosan and Triclocarban in Selected Wastewater Systems across Durban Metropolis, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

by Babatunde Femi Bakare and Gbadebo Clement Adeyinka

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(11), 6769; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19116769 - 01 Jun 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1765

Abstract

Triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) are antimicrobial agents that have been used in personal care and consumer products in the past decades. In this study, influent, effluent, and sludge samples collected in selected wastewater treatment plants across the Durban metropolis were qualitatively and [...] Read more.

Triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) are antimicrobial agents that have been used in personal care and consumer products in the past decades. In this study, influent, effluent, and sludge samples collected in selected wastewater treatment plants across the Durban metropolis were qualitatively and quantitatively investigated. It was revealed that the concentration of TCS ranged from 1.906 to 73.462 µg/L, from 1.732 to 6.980 µg/L, and from 0.138 to 2.455 µg/kg in influent, effluent, and sludge samples, respectively. The concentrations of TCC were found to be between 0.320 and 45.261 µg/L, <LOQ–1.103 µg/L, and from 0.107 to 8.827 µg/kg in the influent, effluent, and sludge samples, respectively. Higher concentrations of TCS as compared with TCC were observed in the aqueous samples. However, the concentrations of TCC in the sludge samples were significantly higher than the level of TCS. More water solubility of TCS could be responsible for the observed trend in the influent and effluent samples, while the trend observed in the sludge could be due to the more hydrophobicity character of TCC. The results of this study indicated that substantial amounts of TCS and TCC are been removed during the treatment process which could be a major reason for the decline in the levels recorded in the effluent samples, therefore, reducing the amount of the TCS and TCC that would eventually end up in the surface rivers. Qualitative analyses of the samples indicated the presence of caffeine, tert-butylhydroquinone, chloroxylenol, phenol, 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethyl butyl), and dimethyl-bisphenol A. Further investigative ecological risk assessment studies are crucial due to the potential threat the contaminants may pose to aquatic lives and humans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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11 pages, 2082 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Chemical Leaching from Tire Wear Particles with Various Treadwear Ratings

by Yoonah Jeong, Seokhwan Lee and Sang-Hee Woo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6006; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19106006 - 15 May 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2486

Abstract

Physical friction between a tire and the road surface generates tire wear particles (TWPs), which are a source of microplastics and particulate matter. This study investigated the trends of chemical leaching from TWPs depending on the treadwear rating of the tire. A road [...] Read more.

Physical friction between a tire and the road surface generates tire wear particles (TWPs), which are a source of microplastics and particulate matter. This study investigated the trends of chemical leaching from TWPs depending on the treadwear rating of the tire. A road simulator was used to produce TWPs from tires with various treadwear ratings. Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze the chemical leaching from TWPs, with a particular focus on benzothiazole and its derivative 2-hydroxy benzothiazole. However, chemical mapping via high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry detected another derivative: 2-mercaptobenzothiazole. The benzothiazole groups were observed to have different leaching tendencies, implying that using benzothiazole as a marker compound may lead to incorrect TWP quantitation. The results of this research also suggest that the ecotoxicological influence of TWPs can vary with the treadwear rating of a tire. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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14 pages, 3971 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

COVID-19 Lockdowns—Effect on Concentration of Pharmaceuticals and Illicit Drugs in Two Major Croatian Rivers

by Draženka Stipaničev, Siniša Repec, Matej Vucić, Mario Lovrić and Göran Klobučar

Toxics 2022, 10(5), 241; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxics10050241 - 10 May 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3106

Abstract

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, contingency measures in the form of lockdowns were implemented all over the world, including in Croatia. The aim of this study was to detect if those severe, imposed restrictions of social interactions reflected on the [...] Read more.

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, contingency measures in the form of lockdowns were implemented all over the world, including in Croatia. The aim of this study was to detect if those severe, imposed restrictions of social interactions reflected on the water quality of rivers receiving wastewaters from urban areas. A total of 18 different pharmaceuticals (PhACs) and illicit drugs (IDrgs), as well as their metabolites, were measured for 16 months (January 2020–April 2021) in 12 different locations at in the Sava and Drava Rivers, Croatia, using UHPLC coupled to LCMS. This period encompassed two major Covid lockdowns (March–May 2020 and October 2020–March 2021). Several PhACs more than halved in river water mass flow during the lockdowns. The results of this study confirm that Covid lockdowns caused lower cumulative concentrations and mass flow of measured PhACs/IDrgs in the Sava and Drava Rivers. This was not influenced by the increased use of drugs for the treatment of the COVID-19, like antibiotics and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The decreases in measured PhACs/IDrgs concentrations and mass flows were more pronounced during the first lockdown, which was stricter than the second. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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19 pages, 2171 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Potential Harmful Transformation Products of Selected Micropollutants in Outdoor and Indoor Swimming Pool Water

by Edyta Kudlek, Anna Lempart-Rapacewicz and Mariusz Dudziak

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5660; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095660 - 06 May 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1483

Abstract

This paper presents the estimation of micropollutant decomposition effectiveness and the identification of transformation intermediates formed during selected processes used in the treatment of swimming pool water. Tests were carried out under both indoor and outdoor conditions to simulate the removal of contaminants [...] Read more.

This paper presents the estimation of micropollutant decomposition effectiveness and the identification of transformation intermediates formed during selected processes used in the treatment of swimming pool water. Tests were carried out under both indoor and outdoor conditions to simulate the removal of contaminants in different types of pool water basins. Model swimming pool water spiked with caffeine, carbamazepine, bisphenol A and oxadiazon were subjected to chlorination, ozonation, UV radiation, and artificial and sun lightening, carried out as single or combined processes. It was noted that organic micropollutants decompose faster during exposure to natural sunlight than artificial lighting. Caffeine and carbamazepine belong to compounds that are resistant to single ozone or light decomposition. Bisphenol A was completely removed by the action of the chlorination agent NaOCl. The highest compound removal degrees were noted for the integrated action of natural sunlight, NaOCl and O₃. This process allows also for the decomposition of all caffeine and oxadiazon decomposition by-products that potentially are toxic to swimming pool users. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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26 pages, 6363 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Detection of the Sinking State of Liquid Oil in Breaking Waves Based on Synthesized Data: A Behavior Process Study of Sunken and Submerged Oil

by Shibiao Fang, Lin Mu, Kuan Liu and Darong Liu

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(5), 604; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jmse10050604 - 29 Apr 2022

Viewed by 1351

Abstract

In computer vision, pollutant detection is a highly concerning issue, and it has been widely used in the fields of pollutant identification, tracking, and precise positioning. In the ocean, oil tends to disperse into the water column as droplets under breaking waves, and [...] Read more.

In computer vision, pollutant detection is a highly concerning issue, and it has been widely used in the fields of pollutant identification, tracking, and precise positioning. In the ocean, oil tends to disperse into the water column as droplets under breaking waves, and it is called sunken and submerged oil. Aiming at the most difficult issue of identifying liquid submerged oil pollution, this paper proposes a method of synthesized data containing specific markers for oil detection. The Canny operator was used to remove the background of the liquid submerged oil. Then, affine transformation was applied to simulate the real situation of oil deformation. Linear mapping was presented by matrix multiplication, and translation was represented by vector addition. At last, bilinear interpolation was used to integrate the oil into the image of the laboratory pictures. In addition, this research randomly added interference information, so that the probability distribution of synthesized data was closer to the probability distribution of the real data. Then, this paper combined various methods to improve the accuracy of liquid oil detection, such as Feature Pyramid Networks, RoIAlign, difficult sample mining. Based on the above methods, 1838 images were synthesized in this paper and combined into a training set. The results show that the average accuracy of the oil detection is increased by 79.72%. The accuracy of the synthesized data method for labeled oil detection was 18.56% higher than that of oil detection without labeling. This research solves the difficulty of obtaining sunken and submerged oil images and the high cost of image annotation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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12 pages, 2524 KiB  

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Amino-Functionalized Polystyrene Nano-Plastics Induce Mitochondria Damage in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

by Yiqi Fu, Mengqi Fan, Liwang Xu, Hui Wang, Qinglian Hu and Yuanxiang Jin

Toxics 2022, 10(5), 215; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/toxics10050215 - 25 Apr 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2525

Abstract

As emerging contaminants, nano-plastics have become a major cause for concern for their adverse effects on the ecosystem and human health. The nano-sized properties of nano-plastics enable their exposure risks to humans through the food chain or other ways. However, the fate and [...] Read more.

As emerging contaminants, nano-plastics have become a major cause for concern for their adverse effects on the ecosystem and human health. The nano-sized properties of nano-plastics enable their exposure risks to humans through the food chain or other ways. However, the fate and adverse impact of nano-plastics on the human cardiovascular system are lacking. In this regard, the human umbilical vein endothelial cell line HUVEC was applied as a cell model to investigate the biological effects of noncharged polystyrene nano-plastics (PS NPs) and amino-functionalized nano-plastics (NH₂-PS NPs). The positively charged PS NPs exhibited higher cytotoxicity to HUVEC, as evidenced by the decreased cell viability, enhanced ROS generation, and decreased mitochondria membrane potential triggered by NH₂-PS NPs. Importantly, RT-PCR analysis revealed that NH₂-PS NPs dysregulated the mitochondrial dynamics, replication, and function-related gene expression. This study demonstrated that NH₂-PS NPs presented higher risks to endothelial cells than non-charged nano-plastics by interfering with mitochondria, which supported the direct evidence and expanded the potential risks of PS NPs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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26 pages, 8013 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Tool for Modeling the Fecal Contamination in Rivers with Turbulent Flows—Application to the Seine et Marne Rivers (Parisian Region, France)

by Lan-Anh Van, Kim-Dan Nguyen, François Le Marrec and Aïcha Jairy

Water 2022, 14(8), 1191; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14081191 - 08 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2007

Abstract

Bacterial pollution in the water comes in particular from Escherichia coli and fecal coliforms, responsible for gastroenteritis and diarrhea, intestinal streptococci or enterococci (urinary tract infections and peritonitis), salmonella which can cause serious gastroenteritis, shigella (dysen-teritis, gastroenteritis), cholera vibrio (cholera). As 23 sites [...] Read more.

Bacterial pollution in the water comes in particular from Escherichia coli and fecal coliforms, responsible for gastroenteritis and diarrhea, intestinal streptococci or enterococci (urinary tract infections and peritonitis), salmonella which can cause serious gastroenteritis, shigella (dysen-teritis, gastroenteritis), cholera vibrio (cholera). As 23 sites on the Seine and Marne Rivers (Parisian Region) would be identified as the natation competition sites for the Paris-2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the water quality at these sites should be seriously monitored. Numerical modeling can be considered one powerful tool to watch the water quality parameters. However, measurements show that the water quality is not homogeneous in a river cross-section, and one-dimensional (1D) models are not enough to accurately calculate the bacteriological concentration dispersion in the aquatic environments. Therefore, a two-dimensional model has been developed by coupling the TELEMAC-2D model and its water quality module WAQTEL for simulating bathing water quality in the Seine and Marne Rivers. The model was validated against in situ measurements and was compared against a 1D model. Results show that this model can simulate not only the longitudinal evolution but also the transverse dispersion of bacteriological pollutants. Then, a 3D multi-layer model has been developed around a bathing site using the TELEMAC-3D model. The result of the 3D model is promising and allows us to get a finer representation of the bacteriological concentration in three dimensions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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9 pages, 1420 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Removal of Sulfonamide Resistance Genes in Fishery Reclamation Mining Subsidence Area by Zeolite

by Tao Yuan, Zi-Bo Lin, Sen Cheng, Rui Wang and Ping Lu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 4281; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19074281 - 02 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1843

Abstract

A majority of subsidence lakes were reclaimed as fish ponds, but the widespread use of antibiotics has caused the pollution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This paper uses zeolite as a filter material to construct a horizontal submersible wastewater treatment device and explores [...] Read more.

A majority of subsidence lakes were reclaimed as fish ponds, but the widespread use of antibiotics has caused the pollution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This paper uses zeolite as a filter material to construct a horizontal submersible wastewater treatment device and explores its effect on the removal of conventional pollutants and sulfonamide ARGs in wastewater. The results showed that the removal of total nitrogen and ammonia nitrogen by the zeolite filter media were 59.0% and 63.8%, respectively, which were higher than the removal of total phosphorus and COD. The absolute abundances of sul1 and sul2 in wastewater were 2.81 × 10⁴ copies·L⁻¹ and 2.42 × 10³ copies·L⁻¹. On average, 60.62% of sul1 and 75.84% of sul2 can be removed, and more than 90% of sul1 and sul2 can be removed. Experiments showed that the residence time of wastewater in the treatment device had a significant impact on removal. The microbial community structure of aquaculture wastewater was quite different before and after wastewater treatment. The abundance changes of Saccharimonadales and Mycobacterium affect the removal of sulfonamide ARGs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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13 pages, 2066 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Toxic Effects of Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S on Chlorella Pyrenoidosa under Single and Combined Action

by Junrong Li, Yingjun Wang, Na Li, Yan He, Hong Xiao, Dexin Fang and Chao Chen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 4245; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19074245 - 02 Apr 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1795

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important industrial chemical; bisphenol S (BPS) is a substitute for BPA. Both are frequently detected in rivers, sewage, and surface water, and have a great impact on the water environment. The effects of BPA and BPS on cell [...] Read more.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an important industrial chemical; bisphenol S (BPS) is a substitute for BPA. Both are frequently detected in rivers, sewage, and surface water, and have a great impact on the water environment. The effects of BPA and BPS on cell growth, chlorophyll a content, and oxidative stress of Chlorella pyrenoidosa (C. pyrenoidosa) were studied. When BPA and BPS acted alone or in combination, compared with the blank control group, the growth of C. pyrenoidosa in the experimental group showed a pattern of “low promotion and high inhibition”, and the inhibition rate reached the maximum on the 6th day. Under the combined action, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level of C. pyrenoidosa first increased, and then decreased. In addition, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) increased with the increase in combined concentration. In the 0.5 P treatment group, SOD and POD activity reached peak values of 29.59 U/mg∙prot and 1.35 U/mg∙prot, respectively. The combined toxicity of BPA and BPS to C. pyrenoidosa was evaluated as a synergistic effect by using toxicity unit and additive index methods. This study evaluated the effects of BPA and BPS on algae in the aquatic environment, providing some data support for their potential ecological risks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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16 pages, 2036 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

The Content Level, Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics, and Health-Risk Assessment of Trace Elements in Upper Lancang River (Changdu Section)

by Min Liu, Zhongwei Zhang, Li Lin, Liangyuan Zhao, Lei Dong, Haiyang Jin, Jingyi Zou, Rui Li and Yunjiao He

Water 2022, 14(7), 1115; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14071115 - 31 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1376

Abstract

Evaluation of trace elements in the water of Lancang River during the wet season (October) and dry season (December) was carried out to analyze the content of trace elements in the water, spatial and seasonal variations, enrichment, and health risks of dissolved trace [...] Read more.

Evaluation of trace elements in the water of Lancang River during the wet season (October) and dry season (December) was carried out to analyze the content of trace elements in the water, spatial and seasonal variations, enrichment, and health risks of dissolved trace metal. The results showed that the content of trace elements in the main stream of the upper Lancang River met the “Environmental Quality Standard for Surface Water” (GB3838-2002) Class I water-quality standard, but the Fe content in sampling points during the wet season exceeded the limit value of water-quality standard. Compared with other rivers in Tibet, the contents of As, Fe, and Pb in the study were relatively high. While Pb, As, and Zn were the mainly enriched trace elements. The water temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, As, Cr, and Cu in the main stream of the upper Lancang River with significant seasonal variations. The content of trace elements in the front of the dam was lower than that in the tail and under the dam. The trace elements in the water of the reservoir area increased with an increase in the depth, and the reservoir had a certain interception effect on the trace elements. The As content in the main stream of the Lancang River was greatly affected by the branch of Angqu with high content of As. The HQ_ingestion and HI of As in the part of the river in the study exceeded 1, and the water-quality health risks of the Guoduo reservoir tail and urban reaches were higher than those of other reaches, which should be paid more attention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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13 pages, 4400 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Model Predictive Control Strategy for the Degradation of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds by UV/H₂O₂ Oxidation Process

by Juwon Lee, Sook-Hyun Nam, Jae-Wuk Koo, Eunju Kim and Tae-Mun Hwang

Water 2022, 14(3), 385; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/w14030385 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2072

Abstract

Hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenging demand can be an indicator that represents the water quality characteristics of raw water. It is one of the key parameters predicting UV/H₂O₂ system performance and affects the operating parameters. Based on the •OH scavenging demand, [...] Read more.

Hydroxyl radical (•OH) scavenging demand can be an indicator that represents the water quality characteristics of raw water. It is one of the key parameters predicting UV/H₂O₂ system performance and affects the operating parameters. Based on the •OH scavenging demand, we developed a model predictive control strategy to meet the target compound removal efficiency and energy consumption simultaneously. Selected pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) were classified into three groups depending on the UV direct photolysis and susceptibility to •OH. Group 1 for photo-susceptible PhACs (acetaminophen, amoxicillin, diclofenac, iopromide, ketoprofen, and sulfamethoxazole); group 2 for PhACs susceptible to both direct photolysis and •OH oxidation (bisphenol A, carbamazepine, ibuprofen, naproxen, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline); and group 3 for photo-resistant PhACs (atenolol, atrazine, caffeine, and nitrobenzene). The results of modeling to achieve 90% removal of PhACs at N and B plants were as follows. For group 2, the optimized operating parameter ranges were as follow (N plant: UV 510–702 mJ cm⁻², H₂O₂ 2.96–3.80 mg L⁻¹, EED 1088–1302 kWh m⁻³; B plant: UV dose 1179–1397 mJ cm⁻², H₂O₂ dose 3.56–7.44 mg L⁻¹, EED 1712–2085 kWh m⁻³). It was confirmed that the optimal operating conditions and EED values changed according to the •OH scavenging demand. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Emerging Contaminants in the Aquatic Environment)

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