Occurrence and bioaccumulation of chemical contaminants in lettuce grown in peri-urban horticulture

Peri-urban horticulture performs environmental and socio-economic functions and provides ecological services to nearby urban areas. Nevertheless, industrialization and water pollution have led to an increase in the exposure of peri-urban vegetables to contaminants such as trace elements (TEs) and organic microcontaminants (OMCs). In this study, the occurrence of chemical contaminants (i.e., 16 TEs, 33 OMCs) in soil and lettuce leaves from 4 farm fields in the peri-urban area of the city of Barcelona was assessed. A rural site, outside the peri-urban area of influence, was selected for comparison. The concentration of TEs and OMCs ranged from non-detectable to 803¿mg/kg¿dw and from non-detectable to 397¿µg/kg¿dw respectively in the peri-urban soil, and from 6¿·¿10-5 to 4.91¿mg/kg¿fw and from non-detectable to 193¿µg/kg¿fw respectively in lettuce leaves. Although the concentration of Mo, Ni, Pb, and As in the soil of the peri-urban area exceeded the environmental quality guidelines, their occurrence in lettuce complied with human food standards (except for Pb). The many fungicides (carbendazim, dimetomorph, and methylparaben) and chemicals released by plastic pipelines (tris(1-chloro-2-propyl)phosphate, bisphenol F, and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole) used in agriculture were prevalent in the soil and the edible parts of the lettuce. The occurrence of these chemical pollutants in the peri-urban area did not affect the chlorophyll, lipid, or carbohydrate content of the lettuce leaves. PCA (Principal Component Analysis) showed that soil pollution, fungicide application, and irrigation water quality are the most relevant factors determining the presence of contaminants in crops.Postprint (updated version

Interactions between microplastics and benthic biofilms in fluvial ecosystems: Knowledge gaps and future trends

Plastics, especially microplastics (<5 mm in length), are anthropogenic polymer particles that have been detected in almost all environments. Microplastics are extremely persistent pollutants and act as long-lasting reactive surfaces for additives, organic matter, and toxic substances. Biofilms are microbial assemblages that act as a sink for particulate matter, including microplastics. They are ubiquitous in freshwater ecosystems and provide key services that promote biodiversity and help sustain ecosystem function. Here, we provide a conceptual framework to describe the transient storage of microplastics in fluvial biofilm and develop hypotheses to help explain how microplastics and biofilms interact in fluvial ecosystems. We identify lines of future research that need to be addressed to better manage microplastics and biofilms, including how the sorption and desorption of environmental contaminants in microplastics affect biofilms and how microbial exchange between microplastics and the biofilm matrix affects biofilm characteristics like antibiotic resistance, speciation, biodiversity, species composition, and function. We also address the uptake mechanisms of microplastics by consumers and their propagation through the food web

Impacto de la contaminación ambiental en los cultivos periurbanos o de proximidad. Caso de estudio: el Parque Agrario del Baix Llobregat

L&rsquo;agricultura periurbana o de proximitat proporciona nombrosos avantatges des del punt de vista social, econ&ograve;mic i paisatg&iacute;stic. Per exemple, la curta dist&agrave;ncia entre la zona productiva i el consumidor final proporciona productes molt frescos que ofereixen propietats organol&egrave;ptiques i nutritives molt satisfact&ograve;ries, alhora que redueix la petjada de carboni associada al transport. Un altre avantatge de les zones periurbanes &eacute;s l&rsquo;acc&eacute;s a les aig&uuml;es regenerades de les plantes de depuraci&oacute; d&rsquo;aig&uuml;es residuals provinents de poblacions ve&iuml;nes, cosa que n&rsquo;assegura la disponibilitat durant el decurs de l&rsquo;any. Nogensmenys, la pres&egrave;ncia d&rsquo;infraestructures (aeroports, autopistes, ports) pot constituir una font de contaminaci&oacute; del medi atmosf&egrave;ric per deposici&oacute; humida i/o seca (part&iacute;cules en suspensi&oacute;: org&agrave;niques i inorg&agrave;niques) i altres contaminants atmosf&egrave;rics en fase gas (O3, SOx, NOx) que poden generar un estr&egrave;s abi&ograve;tic als cultius, i per tant afectar-ne el rendiment. D&rsquo;altra banda, tot i que l&rsquo;&uacute;s d&rsquo;aig&uuml;es regenerades i l&rsquo;aplicaci&oacute; de bios&ograve;lids poden ser molt positius per als conreus pel seu elevat contingut en nutrients i mat&egrave;ria org&agrave;nica, la pres&egrave;ncia de contaminants qu&iacute;mics (metalls i microcontaminants org&agrave;nics) i biol&ograve;gics (pat&ograve;gens) podria constituir un perill potencial per a la salut p&uacute;blica si s&rsquo;incorporen als cultius. En aquest treball, es presenten els resultats d&rsquo;un estudi desenvolupat al Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat (PABL) (Barcelona, Catalunya), on l&rsquo;aigua d&rsquo;irrigaci&oacute; presenta diverses qualitats fisicoqu&iacute;miques, aix&iacute; com concentracions variables de contaminants, els quals es poden transferir al s&ograve;l agr&iacute;cola i alguns a certs cultius. No obstant aix&ograve;, a la zona d&rsquo;estudi no s&rsquo;han detectat efectes sobre la productivitat agr&iacute;cola deguts a l&rsquo;alteraci&oacute; de par&agrave;metres fisiol&ograve;gics de la planta (contingut de l&iacute;pids, sucres i clorofil&middot;les).Paraules clau: agricultura periurbana, qualitat de l&rsquo;aigua de reg, contaminaci&oacute; del s&ograve;l, medi atmosf&egrave;ric, productivitat agr&iacute;cola, Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat.Peri-urban or proximity agriculture provides numerous advantages for horticulture, mainly associated with the short distance between the crop production area and the final market, leading to products of improved organoleptic and nutritive properties. Likewise, peri-urban agriculture reduces the carbon footprint associated with the transportation of orchard products between the production and consumption zones. Furthermore, the peri-urban areas have access to reclaimed waters from wastewater treatment plants of neighbouring cities, ensuring their availability throughout the productive cycle. The surrounding infrastructures (namely airports, harbours and highways), however, can increase the air pollution associated with wet and/or dry deposition (organic or inorganic) and gas phase contaminants (O3, SOx, NOx) which can lead to abiotic stress for the crops, decreasing their yield. On the other hand, reclaimed wastewater and biosolids contain a high concentration of nutrients and organic matter that is clearly beneficial to crops, but they can also contain chemical pollutants (metals and organic micropollutants) and microbiological pathogens that can be a potential hazard if they are taken up by crops. In this paper, some of the findings of a study conducted at the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park (PABL) (Barcelona, Catalonia), where the irrigation water has different physical-chemical properties and a variable concentration of pollutants, are presented. Concentrations of trace elements in soil such Mo, Ni, Pb and As exceeded the standards for agricultural soil but most crops grown in the area are compliant (except for Pb). With respect to emerging pollutants, an anticonvulsive drug (carbamazepine and its 9,10-epoxide) was detected in crops, which is consistent with the indirect water reuse. Fungicides used for crop production together with plasticizers released from irrigation tubing were detected in the drip-irrigated crops. Nevertheless, no effects on agricultural productivity or on physiological plant parameters (lipid, sugar and chlorophyll content) were observed.Keywords: peri-urban agriculture, irrigation water quality, soil pollution, air pollution, agricultural productivity, Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park.La agricultura periurbana o de proximidad proporciona numerosas ventajas desde el punto de vista social, econ&oacute;mico y paisaj&iacute;stico. Por ejemplo, la corta distancia entre la zona productiva y el consumidor final ofrece productos muy frescos cuyas propiedades organol&eacute;pticas y nutritivas son muy satisfactorias, adem&aacute;s reduce la huella de carbono asociada a su transporte. Otra ventaja adicional de la agricultura periurbana es el acceso a aguas regeneradas de las plantas de depuraci&oacute;n de aguas residuales provenientes de las poblaciones vecinas asegurando con ello su disponibilidad durante todo el ciclo productivo. Sin embargo, la presencia de infraestructuras (aeropuertos, autopistas, puertos) puede constituir una fuente de contaminaci&oacute;n del medio atmosf&eacute;rico debido a la deposici&oacute;n h&uacute;meda y/o seca (part&iacute;culas en suspensi&oacute;n: org&aacute;nicas e inorg&aacute;nicas) y otros contaminantes atmosf&eacute;ricos en fase gas (O3, SOx, NOx) que pueden generar un estr&eacute;s abi&oacute;tico a los cultivos y por tanto afectar a su rendimiento. Por otra parte, aunque el uso de aguas regeneradas y la aplicaci&oacute;n de bios&oacute;lidos pueden ser muy positivos para los cultivos debido al elevado contenido en nutrientes y materia org&aacute;nica, la presencia de contaminantes qu&iacute;micos (metales y microcontaminantes org&aacute;nicos) y biol&oacute;gicos (pat&oacute;genos) pueden constituir un peligro potencial para la salud p&uacute;blica si se incorporan a los cultivos. En este trabajo, se presentan los resultados de un estudio desarrollado en el Parque Agrario del Baix Llobregat (PABL) (Barcelona, Catalunya), donde el agua de irrigaci&oacute;n presenta diversas calidades fisicoqu&iacute;micas y concentraciones variables de contaminantes, los cuales se pueden transferir al suelo agr&iacute;cola y algunos de ellos a ciertos cultivos. No obstante, en la zona de estudio no se han detectado efectos sobre la productividad agr&iacute;cola debidos a la alteraci&oacute;n de par&aacute;metros fisiol&oacute;gicos de la planta (contenido de l&iacute;pidos, az&uacute;cares y clorofilas).Palabras clave: agricultura periurbana, calidad de agua de riego, contaminaci&oacute;n del suelo, medio atmosf&eacute;rico, productividad agr&iacute;cola, Parque Agrario del Baix Llobregat

Laboratory guidelines for the detection and quantification of plastics particles from freshwater environmental samples

The present document develops the laboratory protocols to analyse plastic pollution in freshwater environmental samples, although the methods followed can be extrapolated to other ecosystems. These protocols are developed in the framework of the PLASTICØPYR project, which aims to tackle plastic pollution associated with mountain tourism activities by developing transversal actions involving several stakeholders. These guidelines are developed in order to quantify plastic pollution in different river habitats, from large items (macro- and mesoplastics) to tiny plastic particles (microplastics). The protocols are developed for the analysis of microplastics (MicP) up to 63 µm, from samples from the water column, the fluvial sediments, the fluvial biota (i.e., brown trout and biofilm), as well as plastic particles present in the atmosphere (either wet or dry deposition). The MicP analysis is done following the Nile Red method, a fluorescent dye that facilitates the observation of small particles. Although Nile Red cannot provide chemical characterisation, it can be compatible with MicP identification techniques, such as FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy). The samples procedure includes: the extraction of MicP from the inorganic matrix by density separation (using ZnCl2), a digestion step with hydrogen peroxide and catalysed with Fenton's reagent to eliminate the organic remains and finally, the staining of the sample with Nile Red.Peer reviewe

Occurrence and human health risk assessment of antibiotics and trace elements in Lactuca sativa amended with different organic fertilizers

Soil amendment with organic fertilizers is an effective approach to improve soil fertility. However, organic fertilizers may contain pollutants such as trace elements (TEs) and antibiotics (ABs), which, once deployed in arable soil, can be taken up by vegetables and have adverse effects on crops and human health. This study assesses the presence of 15 TEs and 16 ABs in lettuce grown in a greenhouse facility and amended with 3 different organic fertilizers (sewage sludge (SS), organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), and swine manure (SM)) at 3 different fertilization doses. The results show that lettuces amended with SS resulted in the lowest content of TEs. Although 11 ABs were detected in the SM and SS fertilizers, only 3 ABs were detected in lettuce leaves. The concentrations of detected ABs in lettuce ranged from 0.67 ng/g fw (lincomycin) to 14.2 ng/g fw (ciprofloxacin) in SS. The organic fertilization dose did not affect the lettuce uptake of TEs or ABs. Moreover, the use of SS resulted in the highest lettuce yield of the organic amendments. The total hazard quotients (THQs) obtained for TEs and ABs were less than 1 for all the studied fertilization treatments. The highest THQs for TEs were observed in lettuce amended with SM (0.11–0.16), whereas the highest THQs for ABs were observed in SS treatments (0.06–0.09). The results thus suggest that consumption of lettuces amended with organic fertilizers would not pose a risk to human health due to the presence of studied TEs or ABs, but potentially harmful combined effects cannot ruled out.The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Competitiveness through Project AGL2017-89518-R. Rui You gratefully acknowledges the fellowship from the China Scholarship Council

Impacte de la contaminació ambiental als cultius periurbans o de proximitat. Estudi de cas: el parc agrari del Baix Llobregat

L'agricultura periurbana o de proximitat proporciona nombrosos avantatges des del punt de vista social, econòmic i paisatgístic. Per exemple, la curta distància entre la zona productiva i el consumidor final proporciona productes molt frescos que ofereixen propietats organolèptiques i nutritives molt satisfactòries, alhora que redueix la petjada de carboni associada al transport. Un altre avantatge de les zones periurbanes és l'accés a les aigües regenerades de les plantes de depuració d'aigües residuals provinents de poblacions veïnes, cosa que n'assegura la disponibilitat durant el decurs de l'any. Nogensmenys, la presència d'infraestructures (aeroports, autopistes, ports) pot constituir una font de contaminació del medi atmosfèric per deposició humida i/o seca (partícules en suspensió: orgàniques i inorgàniques) i altres contaminants atmosfèrics en fase gas (O3, SOx, NOx) que poden generar un estrès abiòtic als cultius, i per tant afectar-ne el rendiment. D'altra banda, tot i que l'ús d'aigües regenerades i l'aplicació de biosòlids poden ser molt positius per als conreus pel seu elevat contingut en nutrients i matèria orgànica, la presència de contaminants químics (metalls i microcontaminants orgànics) i biològics (patògens) podria constituir un perill potencial per a la salut pública si s'incorporen als cultius. En aquest treball, es presenten els resultats d'un estudi desenvolupat al Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat (PABL) (Barcelona, Catalunya), on l'aigua d'irrigació presenta diverses qualitats fisicoquímiques, així com concentracions variables de contaminants, els quals es poden transferir al sòl agrícola i alguns a certs cultius. No obstant això, a la zona d'estudi no s'han detectat efectes sobre la productivitat agrícola deguts a l'alteració de paràmetres fisiològics de la planta (contingut de lípids, sucres i clorofil·les).Peri-urban or proximity agriculture provides numerous advantages for horticulture, mainly associated with the short distance between the crop production area and the final market, leading to products of improved organoleptic and nutritive properties. Likewise, peri-urban agriculture reduces the carbon footprint associated with the transportation of orchard products between the production and consumption zones. Furthermore, the peri-urban areas have access to reclaimed waters from wastewater treatment plants of neighbouring cities, ensuring their availability throughout the productive cycle. The surrounding infrastructures (namely airports, harbours and highways), however, can increase the air pollution associated with wet and/or dry deposition (organic or inorganic) and gas phase contaminants (O3, SOx, NOx) which can lead to abiotic stress for the crops, decreasing their yield. On the other hand, reclaimed wastewater and biosolids contain a high concentration of nutrients and organic matter that is clearly beneficial to crops, but they can also contain chemical pollutants (metals and organic micropollutants) and microbiological pathogens that can be a potential hazard if they are taken up by crops. In this paper, some of the findings of a study conducted at the Baix Llobregat Agricultural Park (PABL) (Barcelona, Catalonia), where the irrigation water has different physical-chemical properties and a variable concentration of pollutants, are presented. Concentrations of trace elements in soil such Mo, Ni, Pb and As exceeded the standards for agricultural soil but most crops grown in the area are compliant (except for Pb). With respect to emerging pollutants, an anticonvulsive drug (carbamazepine and its 9,10-epoxide) was detected in crops, which is consistent with the indirect water reuse. Fungicides used for crop production together with plasticizers released from irrigation tubing were detected in the drip-irrigated crops. Nevertheless, no effects on agricultural productivity or on physiological plant parameters (lipid, sugar and chlorophyll content) were observed.La agricultura periurbana o de proximidad proporciona numerosas ventajas desde el punto de vista social, económico y paisajístico. Por ejemplo, la corta distancia entre la zona productiva y el consumidor final ofrece productos muy frescos cuyas propiedades organolépticas y nutritivas son muy satisfactorias, además reduce la huella de carbono asociada a su transporte. Otra ventaja adicional de la agricultura periurbana es el acceso a aguas regeneradas de las plantas de depuración de aguas residuales provenientes de las poblaciones vecinas asegurando con ello su disponibilidad durante todo el ciclo productivo. Sin embargo, la presencia de infraestructuras (aeropuertos, autopistas, puertos) puede constituir una fuente de contaminación del medio atmosférico debido a la deposición húmeda y/o seca (partículas en suspensión: orgánicas e inorgánicas) y otros contaminantes atmosféricos en fase gas (O3, SOx, NOx) que pueden generar un estrés abiótico a los cultivos y por tanto afectar a su rendimiento. Por otra parte, aunque el uso de aguas regeneradas y la aplicación de biosólidos pueden ser muy positivos para los cultivos debido al elevado contenido en nutrientes y materia orgánica, la presencia de contaminantes químicos (metales y microcontaminantes orgánicos) y biológicos (patógenos) pueden constituir un peligro potencial para la salud pública si se incorporan a los cultivos. En este trabajo, se presentan los resultados de un estudio desarrollado en el Parque Agrario del Baix Llobregat (PABL) (Barcelona, Catalunya), donde el agua de irrigación presenta diversas calidades fisicoquímicas y concentraciones variables de contaminantes, los cuales se pueden transferir al suelo agrícola y algunos de ellos a ciertos cultivos. No obstante, en la zona de estudio no se han detectado efectos sobre la productividad agrícola debidos a la alteración de parámetros fisiológicos de la planta (contenido de lípidos, azúcares y clorofilas)

Occurrence and human health implications of chemical contaminants in vegetables grown in peri-urban agriculture

Recent studies have proven that vegetables cultivated in peri-urban areas are exposed to a greater concentration of organic microcontaminants (OMCs) and trace elements (TEs) than those grown in rural areas. In this study, the occurrence and human health risk of chemical contaminants (16 TEs and 33 OMCs) in edible parts of lettuce, tomato, cauliflower, and broad beans from two farm fields in the peri-urban area of the city of Barcelona and one rural site outside the peri-urban area were assessed. The concentration of TEs and OMCs (on fresh weight basis) ranged from non-detectable to 17.4 mg/kg and from non-detectable to 256 μg/kg, respectively. Tomato fruits showed the highest concentration of TEs and OMCs. Principal component analysis indicated that the occurrence of chemical contaminants in vegetables depended on the commodity rather than the location (peri-urban vs rural). Risk assessment using hazardous quotient (HQ) and threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) approaches showed that the risk for the consumption of target vegetables in the peri-urban area was low and similar to that observed for the rural site. Total HQ values for TEs were always below 1, and a minimum consumption of 150 g/day for children and 380 g/day for adults is required to reach the TTC due to the presence of pesticides. Further studies are needed to estimate the combined effect of TEs and OMCs on human health. © 2018 The AuthorsThe authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MEIC) through Project AGL2014-59353-R . A. M. and Dr. V. M. would also like to acknowledge an FPI fellowship ( BES-2015-075745 ) and a Ramon y Cajal contract ( RYC-2013-12522 ) from the MEIC . The authors would further like to greatly thank the officers and farmers of the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park for their assistance, as well as Ms. Yolanda Rodríguez, Ms. Marta Turull, Ms. Rui You, and Mr. Manel Martín for their technical assistance with the sampling and sample preparation. Appendix APeer reviewe

Occurrence of chemical contaminants in peri-urban agricultural irrigation waters and assessment of their phytotoxicity and crop productivity

Water scarcity and water pollution have increased the pressure on water resources worldwide. This pressure is particularly important in highly populated areaswherewater demand exceeds the available natural resources. In this regard, water reuse has emerged as an excellent water source alternative for peri-urban agriculture. Nevertheless, itmust copewith the occurrence of chemical contaminants, ranging fromtrace elements (TEs) to organic microcontaminants. In this study, chemical contaminants (i.e., 15 TEs, 34 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs)), bulk parameters, and nutrients from irrigation waters and crop productivity (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Bodar and Lactuca sativa L. cv. Batavia) were seasonally surveyed in 4 farm plots in the peri-urban area of the city of Barcelona. A pristine site, where rain-groundwater is used for irrigation, was selected for background concentrations. The average concentration levels of TEs and CECs in the irrigation water impacted by treated wastewater (TWW) were 3 (35±75 µg L-1) and 13 (553±1050 ng L-1) times higher than at the pristine site respectively. Principal component analysiswas used to classify the irrigationwaters by chemical composition. To assess the impact of the occurrence of these contaminants on agriculture, a seed germination assay (Lactuca sativa L) and real field-scale study of crop productivity (i.e., lettuce and tomato)were used. Although irrigation waters from the peri-urban area exhibited a higher frequency of detection and concentration of the assessed chemical contaminants than those of the pristine site (P1), no significant differences were found in seed phytotoxicity or crop productivity. In fact, the crops impacted by TWW showed higher productivity than the other farm plots studied, which was associated with the higher nutrient availability for plants.Peer ReviewedPostprint (updated version

Guidelines of field-tested procedures and methods for monitoring plastic litter in Mountain riverine systems

58 páginasAbstract: The present document is the first attempt to guide the study of plastic pollution in riverine mountain systems draining touristic watersheds. These protocols have been tested and validated in the field, specifically in the Pyrenees, and are recommended for monitoring the environmental impact of tourism. This guideline gathers specific procedures for the sampling of different river habitats (riparian zone, water column, and streambed) to quantify and assess plastic pollution (macro-, meso-, and microplastics) produced by tourism activity, and also for the determination of the river system’s environmental quality. Description: This guideline gathers specific procedures for sampling different river habitats according to their implication for plastic dynamics. Plastic debris is retained in the riparian areas and can be remobilized by floodwaters and surface runoff, ending in the river flow. Macroplastics from the riverside can be fragmented into small particles (meso- and microplastics). These particles can be transported downstream in the water column, be retained in the streambed in sediments and biofilms, or enter the trophic network and bioaccumulate. Atmospheric controls are recommended to quantify those plastic particles transported by wind, rain, and snowfall. Plastic presence may be explained by human activity, but also, its dynamics may depend on the natural characteristics of the river catchment. To assess the anthropogenic impact and the environmental quality of the river system, we recommend a set of procedures, such as determine the riparian forest quality index, characterize the streambed morphology, measure different physicochemical parameters, and assess biofilms' community.Peer reviewe

Guide des procédures et méthodes testées sur le terrain pour le suivi des déchets plastiques dans les bassins versants de montagne

Peer reviewe