European-wide spatial analysis of sewage treatment plants and the possible benefits to nature of advanced treatment to reduce pharmaceutical emissions

Pharmaceuticals are known to widely occur in the environment and to affect the health of ecosystems. Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are main emission pathways for pharmaceuticals, which are often not sufficiently removed during wastewater treatment. In Europe, STP treatment requirements are specified under the Urban WasteWater Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The introduction of advanced treatment techniques, such as ozonation and activated carbon, under the UWWTD is expected to be an important option to reduce pharmaceutical emissions. In this study, we present a European-wide analysis of STPs reported under the UWWTD, their current treatment level and potential to remove a set of 58 prioritised pharmaceuticals. Three different scenarios were analysed to show 1) UWWTD present effectiveness, 2) the effectiveness at full UWWTD compliance, and 3) the effectiveness when advanced treatment is implemented at STPs with a treatment capacity of &gt;100.000 person equivalents. Based on a literature study, the potential of individual STPs to reduce pharmaceutical emissions ranged from an average of 9% for STPs with primary treatment to 84% for STPs applying advanced treatment. Results of our calculations show that European-wide emission of pharmaceuticals can be reduced with 68% when large STPs are updated with advanced treatment, but spatial differences exist. We argue that adequate attention should also be paid with regards to preventing environmental impacts of STPs with a capacity &lt;100.000 p.e. Circa 44% of total STP effluent is emitted near Natura2000 sites (EU nature protection areas). Of all surface waters receiving STP effluent for which the ecological status has been assessed under the Water Framework Directive, 77% have a status of less than good. Relatively often only primary treatment is applied to wastewater emitted into coastal waters. This analysis can be used to further model pharmaceutical concentrations in European surface waters, to identify STPs for which more advanced treatment might be required and to protect EU aquatic biodiversity.</p

Comparing conventional and green fracturing fluids by chemical characterisation and effect-based screening.

There is public and scientific concern about air, soil and water contamination and possible adverse environmental and human health effects as a result of hydraulic fracturing activities. The use of greener chemicals in fracturing fluid aims to mitigate these effects. This study compares fracturing fluids marketed as either ‘conventional’ or ‘green’, as assessed by their chemical composition and their toxicity in bioassays. Chemical composition was analysed via non-target screening using liquid chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry, while toxicity was evaluated by the Ames fluctuation test to assess mutagenicity and CALUX reporter gene assays to determine specific toxicity. Overall, the results do not indicate that the ‘green’ fluids are less harmful than the ‘conventional’ ones. First, there is no clear indication that the selected green fluids contain chemicals present at lower concentrations than the selected conventional fluids. Second, the predicted environmental fate of the identified compounds does not seem to be clearly distinct between the ‘green’ and ‘conventional’ fluids, based on the available data for the top five chemicals based on signal intensity that were tentatively identified. Furthermore, Ames fluctuation test results indicate that the green fluids have a similar genotoxic potential than the conventional fluids. Results of the CALUX reporter gene assays add to the evidence that there is no clear difference between the green and conventional fluids. These results do not support the claim that currently available and tested green-labeled fracturing fluids are environmentally more friendly alternatives to conventional fracturing fluids

Ecologische effecten van metaalverontreiniging in het overstromingsgebied van de Dommel. Triade onderzoek, ecologische risico's en mogelijkheden voor inrichting en beheer

De rivier de Dommel is sterk verontreinigd met cadmium en zink als gevolg van historische activiteiten van de zinkindustrie. Bij overstroming worden deze metalen, gebonden aan organisch stof en kleideeltjes, afgezet op de bodem in het overstromingsgebied. Als gevolg hiervan is ook het overstromingsgebied van de Dommel plaatselijk sterk verontreinigd. De overheid heeft voor een belangrijk deel van het Dommeldal natuurdoelstellingen opgesteld, waaronder het realiseren van de Ecologische Hoofd Structuur. Onduidelijkheid over de invloed van de metaalverontreiniging op de ecologie en natuurontwikkeling heeft geleid tot stagnatie van grondaankopen om deze EHS te kunnen realiseren. Om deze stagnatie op te heffen heeft het projectbureau Actief Bodembeheer de Kempen nader onderzoek laten uitvoeren. Het onderzoek heeft zich gericht op de vraag wat de locatiespecifieke ecologische risico’s zijn van de cadmium- en zinkverontreinigingen bij verschillende natuur(doel)typen die in het Dommeldal aanwezig zijn of ontwikkeld gaan worden. Het betreft hier de natuur(doel)typen die zich in een gebied bevinden dat gemiddeld één of meerdere keren per tien jaar overstroomd wordt. Deze natuur(doel)typen zijn voornamelijk bloemrijk grasland, nat schraalgrasland, moeras en elzenbroekbos. Het onderzoek is stapsgewijs uitgevoerd en wordt TRIADE genoemd vanwege de drie componenten waaruit het is opgebouwd te weten chemie, toxicologie en veldmetinge

Microbial responses to zinc in soil microcosms with and without a natural assemblage of enchytraeids.

The presence of higher trophic levels in studies on the toxicity on soil contaminants to microbial processes increases ecological realism. This study assessed the toxicity of zinc to soil microbial processes in the presence and absence of enchytraeids (Oligochaeta, Annelida). We incubated microcosms under standard conditions without or inoculated with a natural assemblage of enchytraeid species. Total zinc concentrations of 365 to 1,360 mg/kg caused no mortality of enchytraeids during six weeks' incubation. Soil nitrate concentrations showed a negative trend under zinc addition and soil ammonium concentrations were the highest at zinc concentrations of 1,360 mg/kg, indicating impairment of ammonium oxidation. Zinc decreased bacterial carbon biomass and caused a dose-response decrease of the respiration, but this was not observed in the presence of enchytraeids. Respiration, ammonium concentrations, and soil moisture contents were increased by enchytraeids. We observed no interaction between the addition of zinc and the presence of enchytraeids. The effect of enchytraeids on soil-moisture contents and microbial processes, and the importance of enchytraeid-microbial interactions are discussed. © 2005 SETAC

Combined effects of zinc and earthworm density on soil ecosystem functioning

In traditional environmental risk assessment for soils, interactions between biota, contaminants and soil functioning are seldom taken into account. Also, single species toxicity tests are conducted with a fixed number of test animals. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of zinc (0¿620 mg Zn kg¿1 dry soil) on soil ecosystem processes at different densities of the earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. Experiments were conducted using 1-liter microcosms equipped with respirometers. The presence of L. rubellus stimulated relevant soil processes and parameters: litter fragmentation, leaf litter mass loss from the soil surface, soil organic matter (SOM) content and soil respiration. Zinc was not lethal to L. rubellus, but negatively impacted soil respiration at the highest concentrations. Litter mass loss from the soil surface was also decreased by zinc and there was a significant interaction with worm density. The results of the study demonstrate that the impact of zinc on soil processes depends on the presence and densities of key soil organisms such as earthworms that influence decomposition and SOM content. The outcome of this research can be used to make existing models for site-specific risk assessment more ecologically relevant, linking effects of contaminants on soil fauna populations with effects on ecosystem functioning

Vervolgonderzoek ecologische risico's Noorderbos; rapportage fase 1

Om inzicht te krijgen in de gevolgen van verzuring op de mobiliteit en toxiciteit van de met chroom, arseen en zware metalen verontreinigde bodem is een deel van de in eerder onderzoek aangelegde veldplots in het Noorderbos te Tilburg kunstmatig verzuurd