From source to tap

In this study, water samples from the surroundings of Uppsala were examined for residues of pesticides, pharmaceuticals and other contaminants characteristic for human fecal contamination. The aim was to perform a screening of water samples to investigate the level of pollution with the mentioned compound groups. Samples were taken from upstream and downstream river water, lake water, a drinking water treatment plant and treated drinking water. The contaminants were extracted from water samples with two different solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Identification and quantification was achieved via separation with ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) followed by positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI) coupled to a high-resolution time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer. Out of 17 analyzed contaminants, 9 could be detected in environmental samples of which 5 were detected in finished drinking water. None of the targeted pesticides were found in environmental samples or drinking water. The average method recovery was 51% and 39% depending on the extraction method. The limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.07 ng L-1 up to 74 ng L-1. Contaminant concentrations in environmental samples ranged from 0.55 ng L-1 to 40 ng L-1 and in drinking water from 0.22 ng L-1 to 8.0 ng L-1. Compounds detected were atenolol, benzoylecgonine, bezafibrate, caffeine, carbamazepine, co-tinine, diclofenac, metoprolol and nicotine. Compounds not detected were atrazine, cyanazine, isoproturon, ketoprofen, monensin, quinmerac and simazine. The results show that several of the target analytes were present in the environment and in drinking water at low but measurable concentrations, which shows that the drinking water treatment plant is not able to successfully remove the contaminants with conventional treatment techniques. A pilot plant with membrane technology is ineffective as well, except when coupled to granular activated carbon (GAC). Risk quotients were determined and revealed that no hazards for human health or aquatic organisms can be expected from the detected contaminant concentrations

Microplastic in the water cycle : sampling, sample preparation, analyses, occurrence and assessment

Gedruckt erschienen im Universitätsverlag der TU Berlin, ISBN 978-3-7983-3162-4Das interdisziplinäre Forschungsprojekt MiWa widmete sich grundlegenden Fragestellungen zur Analytik und Wirkung von Mikroplastik-Partikeln im Wasserkreislauf. Es wurden Methoden der Umweltprobennahme, der Probenaufbereitung und verschiedene Detektionsverfahren zur Charakterisierung und Quantifizierung von Mikroplastik intensiv untersucht, miteinander verglichen und weiterentwickelt. Öko- und humantoxikologische Untersuchungen dienten dem Zweck, die potenziell von Mikroplastik ausgehende Gefährdung für die aquatische Umwelt und den Menschen zu analysieren und zu bewerten. Eine Harmonisierung und Standardisierung von Methoden der Probennahme, Probenaufbereitung und Mikroplastik-Detektion sind trotz der erheblichen Fortschritte derzeit nur teilweise möglich. Die ökotoxikologischen Studien zeigen zwar die Aufnahme von Mikroplastik-Partikeln durch einige Organismen, jedoch konnte bisher keine schädigende Wirkung nachgewiesen werden. Dabei wurden für eine Auswahl aquatischer Modellspezies sowohl Szenarien direkter als auch indirekter Exposition innerhalb einer Nahrungskette betrachtet. Interaktionen mit menschlichen Modellzellen wurden bislang nur bei Mikroplastik-Partikeln mit Größen weit unterhalb von 1 µm (also Nanoplastik) beobachtet. Eine umfassende Bewertung ist bislang nicht möglich.The interdisciplinary research project MiWa focused on principle knowledge gaps of analytical detection and effects of microplastic in fresh water cycles. Methods for environmental sampling, sample preparation and different analytical identification and quantification were intensively investigated, compared and further developed. Toxicological studies were conducted to assess potential risks of microplastic particles towards the environment and human health. Harmonization and standardization are still only partially possible despite various improvements. The eco-toxicological experiments confirmed the intake of microplastic particles by different organisms but no hazardous effects could be found. Both direct ingestions and indirect exposition within food webs were tested. Interactions with exemplary human cells were only observed for particle sizes far below 1 µm (thus nanoplastic). An assessment is currently only possible to a limited extent.BMBF, 02WRS1378, Mikroplastik im Wasserkreislauf (MiWa

Addressing climate change with behavioral science: A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

International audienceEffectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions’ effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior—several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people’s initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors

Addressing climate change with behavioral science::A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Effectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions’ effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior—several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people’s initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors

Addressing climate change with behavioral science: A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Effectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions’ effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior—several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people’s initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors