In 1995, common tern (Sterna hirundo) eggs from the big German rivers, the Rhine, Weser and Elbe were collected to study the contamination with organochlorines and mercury. We found distinct differences between the rivers: common tern eggs from the Rhine had higher concentrations of PCBs and HCHs, while eggs from the Elbe had higher residues of DDT, HCB and mercury. Also toxic PCB congeners had higher residue levels in the Rhine. Considering all organochlorines, samples from the Rhine also had the highest concentrations, while those from the Elbe were the lowest. With 5.7 μg×g?1 fresh weight, the ΖCBs had a level endangering breeding success. Fish eating birds should be used as indicators of the contamination of the rivers with environmental chemicals and should be included in monitoring programmes. 相似文献
Pharmaceutically active substances are a class of emerging contaminants, which has led to increasing concern about potential environmental risks. After excretion, substantial amounts of unchanged pharmaceuticals and their metabolites are discharged into domestic wastewaters. The absence of data on the environmental exposure in Eastern Europe is significant, since use patterns and volumes differ from country to country. In Romania, the majority of wastewater, from highly populated cities and industrial complex zones, is still discharged into surface waters without proper treatment or after inefficient treatment. In respect to this, it is important to determine the environmental occurrence and behavior of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewaters and surface waters. The objective of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of selected PPCPs during the transport in the Somes River by mass flow analysis before and after upgrading a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Cluj-Napoca, which serves 350,000 inhabitants and is the largest plant discharging into the Somes River. The concentrations of PPCPs at Cluj-Napoca can be correlated with the high population and a high number of hospitals located in the catchment area leading to higher mass flows. The results of this study are expected to provide information, with respect to the Romanian conditions, for environmental scientists, WWTP operators, and legal authorities. The data should support the improvement of existing WWTPs and implementation of new ones where necessary and, therefore, minimize the input of contaminants into ambient waters.
Materials and methods
The PPCPs were selected on the basis of consumption at the regional scale, reported aquatic toxicity, and the suitability of the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method for the determination of the compounds at trace levels. The studied PPCPs, caffeine (stimulant), carbamazepine (antiepileptic), pentoxifylline (anticoagulant), cyclophosphamide (cytostatic), ibuprofen (analgesic), and galaxolide (musk fragrance), were determined in samples of the Somes River. The analytes were enriched by solid-phase extraction and subsequently determined by GC/MS. Caffeine, pentoxifylline, and galaxolide were determined underivatized, whereas the acidic pharmaceuticals carbamazepine, cyclophosphamide, and ibuprofen were determined after derivatization with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide.
Results and discussion
The concentrations in the Somes River varied from below 10 ng/L up to 10 μg/L. A substantial decrease of the exposure in the Somes River could be observed due to the upgrade of the municipal WWTP in Cluj-Napoca. The loads in the river stretch between Cluj-Napoca and Dej (Somes Mic) varied strongly: caffeine (400–2,000 g/day), carbamazepine (78–213 g/day), galaxolide (140–684 g/day), ibuprofen (84–108 g/day). After the upgrade of the WWTP Cluj-Napoca, the concentrations in the Somes of caffeine, pentoxifylline, cyclophosphamide, galaxolide, and tonalide were significantly reduced (over 75%). One might be cautious comparing both studies because the relative efficiency of the WWTP’s removal of PPCP was not evaluated. However, the significantly lower concentrations of most compounds after the upgrade of the WWTP Cluj-Napoca allow one to infer that the technical measures at the source substantially reduced inputs of contaminants to the receiving river. Dej loads of the poorly biodegradable substance carbamazepine increased by a factor of 2–3 as a result of wastewater discharges into the river. The disproportionate increase in caffeine loads by a factor of 4 below Cluj-Napoca indicates inputs of untreated wastewater from the Somes Mare due to the discharge of untreated wastewater derived from Bistrita, Nasaud, and Beclean (115,000 inhabitants).
Conclusions
The relative contribution of treated and untreated wastewater in surface water might be assessed by measuring chemical markers. Recalcitrant pharmaceuticals like carbamazepine are suitable as chemical markers for estimating the relative contribution of wastewater in surface water. The easily degradable caffeine might be a good indicator for raw sewage and hardly treated wastewaters.
Recommendations and perspectives
Municipal WWTPs have the potential of a significant contribution in reducing the load of contaminants to ambient waters. The efficiency of the wastewater treatment in Cluj-Napoca improved considerably after the upgrade of the WWTP. Therefore, it is crucial that several WWTPs must be implemented or improved in the Somes Valley Watershed in order to reduce the discharge of contaminants in the Somes River from these point sources.
Background, Aims and Scope The global problem concerning contamination of the environment as a consequence of human activities is increasing. Most of
the environmental contaminants are chemical by-products and heavy metals such as lead (Pb). Lead released into the environment
makes its way into the air, soil and water. Lead contributes to a variety of health effects such as decline in mental, cognitive
and physical health of the individual. An alternative way of reducing Pb concentration from the soil is through phytoremediation.
Phytoremediation is an alternative method that uses plants to clean up a contaminated area. The objectives of this study were:
(1) to determine the survival rate and vegetative characteristics of three grass species such as vetivergrass, cogongrass
and carabaograss grown in soils with different Pb levels; and (2) to determine and compare the ability of the three grass
species as potential phytoremediators in terms of Pb accumulation by plants.
Methods The three test plants: vetivergrass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.); cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica L.); and carabaograss (Paspalum conjugatum L.) were grown in individual plastic bags containing soils with 75 mg kg−1 (37.5 kg ha−1) and 150 mg kg−1 (75 kg ha−1) of Pb, respectively. The Pb contents of the test plants and the soil were analyzed before and after experimental treatments
using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. This study was laid out following a 3 × 2 factorial experiment in a completely
randomized design.
Results On the vegetative characteristics of the test plants, vetivergrass registered the highest whole plant dry matter weight (33.85–39.39
Mg ha−1). Carabaograss had the lowest herbage mass production of 4.12 Mg ha−1 and 5.72 Mg ha−1 from soils added with 75 and 150 mg Pb kg−1, respectively. Vetivergrass also had the highest percent plant survival which meant it best tolerated the Pb contamination
in soils. Vetivergrass registered the highest rate of Pb absorption (10.16 ± 2.81 mg kg−1). This was followed by cogongrass (2.34 ± 0.52 mg kg−1) and carabaograss with a mean Pb level of 0.49 ± 0.56 mg kg−1. Levels of Pb among the three grasses (shoots + roots) did not vary significantly with the amount of Pb added (75 and 150
mg kg−1) to the soil.
Discussion Vetivergrass yielded the highest biomass; it also has the greatest amount of Pb absorbed (roots + shoots). This can be attributed
to the highly extensive root system of vetivergrass with the presence of an enormous amount of root hairs. Extensive root
system denotes more contact to nutrients in soils, therefore more likelihood of nutrient absorption and Pb uptake. The efficiency
of plants as phytoremediators could be correlated with the plants’ total biomass. This implies that the higher the biomass,
the greater the Pb uptake. Plants characteristically exhibit remarkable capacity to absorb what they need and exclude what
they do not need. Some plants utilize exclusion mechanisms, where there is a reduced uptake by the roots or a restricted transport
of the metals from root to shoots. Combination of high metal accumulation and high biomass production results in the most
metal removal from the soil.
Conclusions The present study indicated that vetivergrass possessed many beneficial characteristics to uptake Pb from contaminated soil.
It was the most tolerant and could grow in soil contaminated with high Pb concentration. Cogongrass and carabaograss are also
potential phytoremediators since they can absorb small amount of Pb in soils, although cogongrass is more tolerant to Pb-contaminated
soil compared with carabaograss. The important implication of our findings is that vetivergrass can be used for phytoextraction
on sites contaminated with high levels of heavy metals; particularly Pb.
Recommendations and Perspectives High levels of Pb in localized areas are still a concern especially in urban areas with high levels of traffic, near Pb smelters,
battery plants, or industrial facilities that burn fuel ending up in water and soils. The grasses used in the study, and particularly
vetivergrass, can be used to phytoremediate urban soil with various contaminations by planting these grasses in lawns and
public parks.
ESS-Submission Editor: Dr. Willie Peijnenburg (wjgm.peijnenburg@rivm.nl) 相似文献
