SchussenAktivplus: reduction of micropollutants and of potentially pathogenic bacteria for further water quality improvement of the river Schussen, a tributary of Lake Constance, Germany

The project focuses on the efficiency of combined technologies to reduce the release of micropollutants and bacteria into surface waters via sewage treatment plants of different size and via stormwater overflow basins of different types. As a model river in a highly populated catchment area, the river Schussen and, as a control, the river Argen, two tributaries of Lake Constance, Southern Germany, are under investigation in this project. The efficiency of the different cleaning technologies is monitored by a wide range of exposure and effect analyses including chemical and microbiological techniques as well as effect studies ranging from molecules to communities

Efficiency of advanced wastewater treatment technologies for the reduction of hormonal activity in effluents and connected surface water bodies by means of vitellogenin analyses in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario)

Endocrine effects in the aquatic environment are in the focus of scientists and media along with debates on the necessity of further steps in wastewater treatment. In the present study VTG responses were compared to evaluate upgrades at wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). We investigated several advanced sewage treatment technologies at two WWTPs connected to the Schussen, a tributary of Lake Constance, for the reduction of hormonal activity: (1) a powdered activated charcoal filter at the WWTP Langwiese; and (2) a combination of ozonation, sand filter, and granulated activated carbon filter at the WWTP Eriskirch. Rainbow trout and brown trout were either directly exposed to the effluents in aquaria or cages, or in a bypass system flown through by surface water of the Schussen. As a reference, trout were kept in bypass aquaria at the Argen River, which is less influenced by micropollutants. As a biomarker for estrogenicity, we analyzed the yolk precursor protein vitellogenin in immature rainbow trout and brown trout and in trout larvae (100 days post-fertilization) prior to and after the upgrade with the new technologies. Trout of different ages and species were used to detect differences in their sensitivity. At both bypass stations, larvae of brown trout showed significantly higher vitellogenin levels prior to the upgrade compared to negative control levels. Female brown trout exposed at the bypass station downstream of the WWTP showed decreased vitellogenin levels after the upgrade. In 1-year-old immature trout directly exposed to the respective effluents, no significant effects of the upgrades on vitellogenin levels were found. In general, larger effects were observed in brown trout than in rainbow trout, indicating that they are more sensitive test organisms

Does wastewater treatment plant upgrading with activated carbon result in an improvement of fish health?

International audienceIn the present study, the efficiency of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) upgraded with a powdered activated carbon unit for the reduction of micropollutants and the related advantages for fish health have been analyzed by means of different biomarkers, i.e. histopathological investigations, analyses of glycogen content and stress proteins, as well as by chemical analyses in different matrices. Comparative analyses were conducted prior and subsequent to the installation of the additional purification unit. Chemical analyses revealed a significant reduction of several pharmaceuticals, including diclofenac, carba-mazepine and metoprolol, in samples of effluent and surface water downstream of the WWTP after its upgrade. In addition, diminished concentrations of diclofenac and PFOS were detected in tissues of analyzed fish. Histopathological investigations of fish liver, gills, and kidney revealed improved tissue integrity in fish after improved wastewater treatment. In parallel, biochemical measurements of glycogen revealed increased energy resources in fish liver and, furthermore, hsp70 levels in livers of exposed rainbow trout and in kidneys of exposed brown trout were lower after than before the WWTP upgrade. In summary, additional treatment with powdered activated carbon led to a reduction of potentially hazardous chemicals in the effluent and the adjacent river and, consequently, to an improvement of fish health in the receiving water course

SchussenAktiv-Eine Modellstudie zur Effizienz der Reduktion der Gehalte an anthropogenen Spurenstoffen durch Aktivkohle in Kläranlagen: Expositions-und Effektmonitoring vor Inbetriebnahme der Adsorptionsstufe auf der Kläranlage Langwiese des AZV Mariatal, Ravensburg

SchussenAktiv-a Model Study on the Efficacy in Reducing Anthropogenic Micropollutants by Activated Carbon Filtration in Wastewater Treatment Plants-Exposure and Effect Monitoring Prior to the Startup of the Charcoal Adsorption System at the Wastewater Treatment Plant Langwiese, Association for Wastewater Treatment Mariatal, City of Ravensburg, GermanyInternational audienceZusammenfassung Durch den kombinierten Einsatz verschiedener Methoden ist nachweisbar, dass sich Spurenstoffe auf den Gesundheitszustand wasserlebender Organismen und die Integrität aquatischer Le-bensgemeinschaft negativ auswirken. Im Projekt SchussenAktiv konnte die Präsenz von Spurenstoffen mit toxischen (z.B. gento-xischen) und hormonellen (z.B. östrogenartigen) Potentialen so-wie tatsächlichen Wirkungen in Verbindung gebracht werden. Die große Variabilität im Nachweis östrogenartig wirkender Chemi-kalien spiegelt sich auch in der Variabilität der nachgewiesenen östrogenen Wirkpotenziale und Wirkungen bei Fischen und Fisch-nährtieren wider. Die reduzierte Anzahl sensitiver Taxa unterhalb der untersuchten Kläranlage Langwiese (AZV Mariatal, Ravens-burg) an der Schussen spricht dafür, dass sich negative Effekte be-reits auf biozönotischer Ebene manifestiert haben. Ein Zusam-menspiel toxischer und hormoneller Einflüsse auf die Organismen in der Schussen ist hierbei aufgrund der erzielten Resultate wahr-scheinlich. Für die als Referenzgewässer ausgewählte Argen konn-te gezeigt werden, dass die untersuchte Probenahmestelle zwar insgesamt als deutlich weniger belastet gelten kann als die Probe-nahmestellen an der Schussen, dass a ber auch hier Bedarf be-steht, bestimmte Expositionen (z. B.-Sitosterol, Cadmium, Ar-sen, Quecksilber, Zink) und Effekte (z. B. Acetylcholinesterase-hemmung bei Fischen, fehlende Abundanz von Gammariden) ge-nauer zu betrachten um gegebenenfalls ihre Ursachen zu eruieren. Using a combination of different chemical and biological methods the project SchussenAktiv provided evidence that micropollutants negatively influence the health status of aquatic organisms and the integrity of aquatic ecosystems. It was possible to establish plausible connections between the presence of distinct micropol-lutants in the environment, toxic (e.g. genotoxic) or hormonal (e.g. estrogen-like) potentials in effluent or surface water samples , and the respective effects in feral fish. Large variability in the abundance of estrogen-like substances was reflected in the variation of both estrogenic potentials and estrogenic effects in fish and invertebrates. The decreased number of sensitive taxa in the river Schussen downstream the wastewater treatment plant Langwiese revealed evidence for detrimental effects also on the community structure. In general, the results of SchussenAktiv led to the suggestion that both toxic and endocrine-active chemicals interact in influencing organisms abundant in the Schussen river downstream sewage treatment plant. In contrast, the sampling site at the Argen river, chosen as a reference, was found to be clearly less polluted than the investigated sites along the Schussen. Nevertheless , detected pollutants (-sitosterol, cadmium, arsenic, mercury , zinc) and effects (AChE inhibition in fish, absence of gam-marids) call for a causal analysis also in the river Argen

E-screen assay (cytotoxicity).

<p>Results of the E-screen assay regarding the cytotoxicity of the analysed samples. Expressed in 1/EC₅₀ Tox (concentration in which 50% of the cells are able to grow) units; means and standard deviation. WW (Waste water of WWTP Langwiese) n = 9, S 0 n = 5, S 1 n = 4, S 3 n = 11, S 6 n = 11 and S 4 n = 11.</p

Dates of the sampling campaigns.

<p>Dates of the sampling campaigns.</p