Opinion paper about organic trace pollutants in wastewater: Toxicity assessment in a European perspective

This opinion paper focuses on the role of eco-toxicological tools in the assessment of possible impacts of emerging contaminants on the aquatic ecosystem, hence, on human health. Indeed, organic trace pollutants present in raw and treated wastewater are the pivot targets: a multidisciplinary approach allows defining the basic principles for managing this issue, from setting a proper monitoring campaign up to evaluating the optimal process treatment. Giving hints on trace pollutants fate and behaviour, attention is focused on the choice of the bioassay(s), by analysing the meaning of possible biological answers. Data interpretation and exploitation are detailed with the final goal of providing criteria in order to be able to select the best targeted treatment options. The manuscript dealswith conventional and innovative analytical approaches for assessing toxicity, by reviewing laboratory and field assays; illustrative real scale and laboratory applications integrate and exemplify the proposed approach. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.COST-European Cooperation in Science and TechnologyEuropean Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) [ES1202]; Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [172050]The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by COST-European Cooperation in Science and Technology, to the COST Action ES1202 Conceiving Wastewater Treatment in 2020-Energetic, Environmental and Economic Challenges (Water_2020). Biljana Skrbic would like to thanks the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia for financial support through project no. 172050

Opinion paper about organic trace pollutants in wastewater: Toxicity assessment in a European perspective

This opinion paper focuses on the role of eco- toxicological tools in the assessment of possible impacts of emerging contaminants on the aquatic ecosystem, hence, on human health. Indeed, organic trace pollutants present in raw and treated wastewater are the pivot targets: a multidisciplinary approach allows defining the basic principles for managing this issue, from setting a proper monitoring campaign up to evaluating the optimal process treatment. Giving hints on trace pollutants fate and behavior, attention is focused on the choice of the bioassay( s), by analyzing the meaning of possible biological answers. Data interpretation and exploitation are detailed with the final goal of providing criteria in order to be able to select the best-targeted treatment options. The manuscript deals with conventional and innovative analytical approaches for assessing toxicity, by reviewing laboratory and field assays ; illustrative real scale and laboratory applications integrate and exemplify the proposed approach

Management of Macrolide Antibiotics (Erythromycin, Clarithromycin and Azithromycin) in the Environment: A Case Study of Environmental Pollution in Lithuania

Of all the antibiotics used today for human treatment in the world, macrolide antibiotics—erythromycin, clarithromycin and azithromycin—stand out the most for misuse, and they were included as high-risk substances in the monitoring Watch List of Regulation 2018/840/EU. The aim of the present research was to investigate the level of target human pharmaceuticals’ prevalence in the environment by the substance flow analysis (SFA) approach and to determine the potential risks of the antibiotics for the environment. The target for the environmental investigations was Lithuania. For SFA, 2021 consumption input data were used, and such key processes as the consumption rate, disposal and distribution of pharmaceuticals in the environment were analyzed. The analysis revealed that the largest part of pharmaceutical contaminants (80.1%) enters wastewater treatment plants. The risk quotient approach was based on the determination of predicted environmental concentrations (PECs), measured environmental concentrations (MECs) and their ratio to the predicted no-effect environmental concentrations (PNECs). The analysis revealed that clarithromycin causes a high potential risk for the aquatic environment in effluents from the wastewater treatment plants (WWTP); PEC/PNEC > 7. For azithromycin and erythromycin, the estimated PEC values were between 0.1 and 1. Clarithromycin concentration in the effluents of two target WWTPs showed a significant risk quotient (MEC/PNEC) of higher than 7. Recommendations on how to reduce the release of pharmaceutical residues into the environment have been proposed in the framework of the environmental management system

Towards Recommendations for Design of Wetlands for Post-Tertiary Treatment of Waste Water in the Baltic Sea Region – Gdańsk Case Study

There are many challenges that need to be addressed if the far reaching objectives on high environmental status as required in the EU Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive will be met in the Baltic Sea Region within the next decade. For wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) this implies, in spite of the many improvements made during the last decade, development and introduction of new technology to further reduce eutrophying compounds, hazardous chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Constructed wetlands when properly designed and operated have been shown to be robust systems with low energy requirements that may not only reduce many types of pollutants but may also provide many additional ecosystem services beyond requirements generally imposed by authorities. For example, they may support and enhance biodiversity and be used to convert brownfield areas in urban landscapes to recreational areas. Reduced cost is possible if treated water is reused in industry or for irrigation. In a project, supported by the Swedish Institute, a group of scientists, a water company and water using industry has together with local authorities through workshops, field studies and literature studies worked on finding a general first recommendation on design and operation. In this paper we will present the scientific rational and legal constraints for the general design and operation of a wetland system for post-tertiary treatment of waste water from WWTPs using Gdańsk as an example. The proposal includes a first part, which mainly will be focusing on pollutant and pathogen removal using particle traps and a HSSF wetland on land owned by the WWTP and a second part consisting of a FWS wetland which, in addition to further polishing the water, will enhance biodiversity and provide recreational areas on derelict land owned by the city.Financial support: Swedish InstituteWETEFF: Towards recommendation for design, operation and monitoring of constructed wetlands for treatment of effluent from waste water treatment plants in the Baltic Sea Regio

Principles for the application of life cycle sustainability assessment

PURPOSE AND CONTEXT: This paper aims to establish principles for the increased application and use of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). Sustainable development (SD) encompassing resilient economies and social stability of the global system is growingly important for decision-makers from business and governments. The “17 SDGs” emerge as a high-level shared blueprint for peace, abundance, and prosperity for people and the planet, and “sustainability” for supporting improvements of products and organizations. A “sustainability” interpretation—successful in aligning stakeholders’ understanding—subdivides the impacts according to a triple bottom line or three pillars: economic, social, and environmental impacts. These context and urgent needs inspired the LCSA framework. This entails a sustainability assessment of products and organizations in accordance with the three pillars, while adopting a life cycle perspective. METHODS: The Life Cycle Initiative promotes since 2011 a pragmatic LCSA framework based on the three techniques: LCSA = environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) + life cycle costing (LCC) + social life cycle assessment (S-LCA). This is the focus of the paper, while acknowledging previous developments. Identified and reviewed literature shows challenges of addressing the three pillars in the LCSA framework implementation like considering only two pillars; not being fully aligned with ISO 14040; lacking interconnectedness among the three pillars; not having clear criteria for results’ weighting nor clear results’ interpretation; and not following cause-effect chains and mechanisms leading to an endpoint. Agreement building among LCSA experts and reviewing processes strengthened the consensus on this paper. Broad support and outreach are ensured by publishing this as position paper. RESULTS: For harmonizing practical LCSA applications, easing interpretation, and increasing usefulness, consensed ten LCSA principles (10P) are established: understanding the areas of protection, alignment with ISO 14040, completeness, stakeholders’ and product utility considerations, materiality of system boundaries, transparency, consistency, explicit trade-offs’ communication, and caution when compensating impacts. Examples were provided based on a fictional plastic water bottle CONCLUSIONS: In spite of increasing needs for and interest in SD and sustainability supporting tools, LCSA is at an early application stage of application. The 10P aim to promote more and better LCSA applications by ensuring alignment with ISO 14040, completeness and clear interpretation of integrated results, among others. For consolidating its use, however, more consensus-building is needed (e.g., on value-laden ethical aspects of LCSA, interdependencies and interconnectedness among the three dimensions, and harmonization and integration of the three techniques) and technical and policy recommendations for application