The effect of triclosan on microbial community structure in three soils

The application of sewage sludge to land can expose soils to a range of associated chemical toxicants. In this paper we explore the effects of the broad spectrum anti-microbial compound triclosan on the phenotypic composition of the microbial communities of three soils of contrasting texture (loamy sand, sandy loam and clay) using phospholipid fatty-acid (PLFA) analysis. Each soil type was dosed and subsequently re-dosed 6 weeks later with triclosan at five nominal concentrations in microcosms (10, 100, 500, 1000 mg kg⁻¹ and a zero-dose control). PLFA profiles were analysed using multivariate statistics focussing on changes in the soil phenotypic community structure. Additionally, ratios of fungal:bacterial PLFA indicators and cyclo:mono-unsaturated PLFAs (a common stress indicator) were calculated. It was hypothesised that triclosan addition would alter the community structure in each soil with a particular effect on the fungal:bacterial ratio, since bacteria are likely to be more susceptible to triclosan than fungi. It was also hypothesised that the PLFA response to re-dosing would be suppressed due to acclimation. Although the microbial community structure changed over the course of the experiment, the response was complex. Soil type and time emerged as the most important explanatory factors. Principal component analysis was used to detect phenotypic responses to different doses of triclosan in each soil. As expected, there was a significant increase in the fungal:bacterial ratio with triclosan dose especially in treatments with the highest nominal concentrations. Furthermore, the PLFA response to re-dosing was negligible in all soils confirming the acclimation hypothesis.     

Photodegradation of quinestrol in waters and the transformation products by UV irradiation

Quinestrol is synthetic estrogen used in contraceptive and hormone replacement therapy and occasionally for treating breast cancer and prostate cancer. It can make its way into the environment through sewage discharge and waste disposal produced by human excretions. In this study, the photodegradation kinetics of quinestrol in various conditions was investigated by UV and solar irradiation. The affecting factors were studied including concentration of hydrogen peroxide, different water types, and the initial concentrations of quinestrol. Concurrently, the transformation products and presumed pathways of quinestrol in distilled water by UV irradiation were identified and proposed. The results showed that the degradation of quinestrol in both irradiation conditions followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. More rapid degradation was observed by UV irradiation (k = 0.018 min⁻¹) than solar irradiation (k = 0.004 h⁻¹), and the photodegradation rate of quinestrol depended on the concentration of hydrogen peroxide, the initial concentration of quinestrol and water types. The transformation products of quinestrol in distilled water were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. When exposed to UV irradiation, quinestrol in aqueous solution was rapidly degraded, giving at least ten photodegradation products. The chemical structures of ten degradation products were identified on the basis of mass spectrum interpretation and literature data.     

Fates and transport of PPCPs in soil receiving reclaimed water irrigation

Fates and transport of 9 commonly found PPCPs of the reclaimed water were simulated based on the HYDRUS-1D software that was validated with data generated from field experiments. Under the default scenario in which the model parameters and input data represented the typical conditions of turf grass irrigation in southern California, the adsorption, degradation, and volatilization of clofibric acid, ibuprofen, 4-tert-octylphenol, 4-n-nonylphenol, naproxen, triclosan, diclofenac sodium, bisphenol A and estrone in the receiving soils were tracked for 10 years. At the end, their accumulations in the 90 cm soil profile varied from less than 1 ng g⁻¹ to about 140 ng g⁻¹ and their concentrations in the drainage water in the 90 cm soil depth varied from nil to μg L⁻¹ levels. The adsorption and microbial degradation processes interacted to contain the PPCPs entirely within surface 40 cm of the soil profiles. Leaching and volatilization were not significant processes governing the PPCPs in the soils. The extent of accumulations in the soils did not appear to produce undue ecological risks to the soil biota. PPCPs did not represent any potential environmental harm in reclaimed water irrigation.     

Removal and formation of chlorinated triclosan derivatives in wastewater treatment plants using chlorine and UV disinfection

Triclosan, a common antimicrobial agent, may react during the disinfection of wastewater with free chlorine to form three chlorinated triclosan derivatives (CTDs). This is of concern because the CTDs may be photochemically transformed to tri- and tetra-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins when discharged into natural waters. In this study, wastewater influent, secondary (pre-disinfection) effluent, and final (post-disinfection) effluent samples were collected on two occasions each from two activated sludge wastewater treatment plants, one using chlorine disinfection and one using UV disinfection. Concentrations of triclosan and three CTDs were determined using ultra performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with isotope dilution methodology. Triclosan and the CTDs were detected in every influent sample at levels ranging from 453 to 4530 and 2 to 98 ng L⁻¹, respectively, though both were efficiently removed from the liquid phase during activated sludge treatment. Triclosan concentrations in the pre-disinfection effluent ranged from 36 to 212 ng L⁻¹, while CTD concentrations were below the limit of quantification (1 ng L⁻¹) for most samples. In the treatment plant that used chlorine disinfection, triclosan concentrations decreased while CTDs were formed during chlorination, as evidenced by CTD levels as high as 22 ng L⁻¹ in the final effluent. No CTDs were detected in the final effluent of the treatment plant that used UV disinfection. The total CTD concentration in the final effluent of the chlorinating treatment plant reached nearly one third of the triclosan concentration, demonstrating that the chlorine disinfection step played a substantial role in the fate of triclosan in this system.     

Effects of growth substrate on triclosan biodegradation potential of oxygenase-expressing bacteria

Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent, an endocrine disrupting compound, and an emerging contaminant in the environment. This is the first study investigating triclosan biodegradation potential of four oxygenase-expressing bacteria: Rhodococcus jostii RHA1, Mycobacterium vaccae JOB5, Rhodococcus ruber ENV425, and Burkholderia xenovorans LB400. B. xenovorans LB400 and R. ruber ENV425 were unable to degrade triclosan. Propane-grown M. vaccae JOB5 can completely degrade triclosan (5 mg L⁻¹). R. jostii RHA1 grown on biphenyl, propane, and LB medium with dicyclopropylketone (DCPK), an alkane monooxygenase inducer, was able to degrade the added triclosan (5 mg L⁻¹) to different extents. Incomplete degradation of triclosan by RHA1 is probably due to triclosan product toxicity. The highest triclosan transformation capacity (T_c, defined as the amount of triclosan degraded/the number of cells inactivated; 5.63 × 10⁻³ ng triclosan/16S rRNA gene copies) was observed for biphenyl-grown RHA1 and the lowest T_c (0.20 × 10⁻³ ng-triclosan/16S rRNA gene copies) was observed for propane-grown RHA1. No triclosan degradation metabolites were detected during triclosan degradation by propane- and LB + DCPK-grown RHA1. When using biphenyl-grown RHA1 for degradation, four chlorinated metabolites (2,4-dichlorophenol, monohydroxy-triclosan, dihydroxy-triclosan, and 2-chlorohydroquinone (a new triclosan metabolite)) were detected. Based on the detected metabolites, a meta-cleavage pathway was proposed for triclosan degradation.     

Determination of o-phthalic acid in snow and its photochemical degradation by capillary gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization and mass spectrometric detection

Phthalic acid and its photochemical degradation has been determined in snow and rainwater samples collected during winters (2003-2010) in the Southeast of Massachusetts using capillary gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization and mass spectrometric detection. Water samples were dried using a rotary evaporator and derivatized with a 14% BF₃/methanol reagent before GC analysis. The developed method proved simple and accurate. Phthalic acid was found in snow samples collected in a concentration range of 7.22-76.5 nM. The photodegradation of phthalate was carried out under 300 nm UV light. The direct photodecomposition of the acid is slow (5% h⁻¹). However, the addition of dissolved Fe(III) species at 2.0 μM accelerated the light-induced degradation of phthalic acid by 3.5 times in the atmospheric water samples. Photodegradation rates of phthalic acid increases with decreasing pH value of water samples in the range of pH 2.8-4.5.     

Temperature and water pressure head effects on the degradation of the diketonitrile metabolite of isoxaflutole in a loamy soil under two tillage systems

Laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of temperature and water pressure head on the degradation of the diketonitrile metabolite (DKN) of isoxaflutole during 84 d in samples collected in a loamy soil under conventional (CT) and conservation (MT) tillage systems. Soil temperature was the major factor controlling DKN degradation in the two tillage systems. The shortest half-lives (T_1/2) were measured in the seedbed samples under MT at 25 °C and −33 cm water pressure head. We found that mouldboard ploughing under CT was responsible for the spatial variability of herbicide degradation properties, whereas under MT herbicide degradation was associated to the vertical distribution of organic matter.     

Nitrate-induced photodegradation of atenolol in aqueous solution: kinetics, toxicity and degradation pathways

The extensive utilization of β-blockers worldwide led to frequent detection in natural water. In this study the photolysis behavior of atenolol (ATL) and toxicity of its photodegradation products were investigated in the presence of nitrate ions. The results showed that ATL photodegradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics upon simulated solar irradiation. The photodegradation was found to be dependent on nitrate concentration and increasing the nitrate from 0.5 mM L⁻¹ to 10 mM L⁻¹ led to the enhancement of rate constant from 0.00101 min⁻¹ to 0.00716 min⁻¹. Hydroxyl radical was determined to play a key role in the photolysis process by using isopropanol as molecular probe. Increasing the solution pH from 4.8 to 10.4, the photodegradation rate slightly decreased from 0.00246 min⁻¹ to 0.00195 min⁻¹, probably due to pH-dependent effect of nitrate-induced OH formation. Bicarbonate decreased the photodegradation of ATL in the presence of nitrate ions mainly through pH effect, while humic substance inhibited the photodegradation via both attenuating light and competing radicals. Upon irradiation for 240 min, only 10% reduction of total organic carbon (TOC) can be achieved in spite of 72% transformation rate of ATL, implying a majority of ATL transformed into intermediate products rather than complete mineralization. The main photoproducts of ATL were identified by using solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS) techniques and possible nitrate-induced photodegradation pathways were proposed. The toxicity of the phototransformation products was evaluated using aquatic species Daphnia magna, and the results revealed that photodegradation was an effective mechanism for ATL toxicity reduction in natural waters.     

Triclosan in individual human milk samples from Australia

Triclosan is a chlorinated phenol ether that has been in widespread use as a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent for four decades. When compared to the limited international data available on human body burden of triclosan, results from a pooled blood study suggested that triclosan concentrations in Australia were a factor two higher than observed in Sweden. This study determined triclosan levels in individual human milk samples (n = 151) collected between 2002 and 2005 from primiparous Australian mothers. It provided the first report of population triclosan levels and individual variation in Australia and gave a measure of infant exposure via breast feeding. The distribution of triclosan concentration was positively skewed, with 7.2% of the samples below the LOQ, 66% with a concentration of less than or equal to 1.0 ng g⁻¹ fresh weight and the remaining samples above 1 ng g⁻¹ reaching a maximum concentration of 19 ng g⁻¹ fresh weight. The mean and median triclosan concentrations were 1.3 ± 2.7 ng g⁻¹ f.w. and 0.26 ng g⁻¹ f.w., respectively. The results of this study showed high variability in triclosan concentrations between individuals and no correlations with maternal age (p = 0.094), maternal weight (p = 0.971) or infant age at the time of sample collection (p = 0.621). A large number of samples contained low or non-quantifiable concentrations of triclosan and so, in Australia, ubiquitous background exposure due to environmental sources is low. This means that body burden can be influenced by an individual’s use of triclosan containing product. Given that triclosan containing product use is continuing, it is important that monitoring in both humans and the environment is continued and that triclosan containing products are adequately labeled so that an individual can choose to avoid exposure.     

Effect of fluctuating soil humidity on in situ bioavailability and degradation of atrazine

This study elucidates the effect of fluctuating soil moisture on the co-metabolic degradation of atrazine (6-chloro-N²-ethyl-N⁴-isopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) in soil. Degradation experiments with ¹⁴C-ring-labelled atrazine were carried out at (i) constant (CH) and (ii) fluctuating soil humidity (FH). Temperature was kept constant in all experiments. Experiments under constant soil moisture conditions were conducted at a water potential of −15 kPa and the sets which were run under fluctuating soil moisture conditions were subjected to eight drying-rewetting cycles where they were dried to a water potential of around −200 kPa and rewetted to −15 kPa. Mineralization was monitored continuously over a period of 56 d. Every two weeks the pesticide residues in soil pore water (PW), the methanol-extractable pesticide residues, the non-extractable residues (NER), and the total cell counts were determined. In the soil with FH conditions, mineralization of atrazine as well as the formation of the intermediate product deisopropyl-2-hydroxyatrazine was increased compared to the soil with constant humidity. In general, we found a significant correlation between the formation of this metabolite and atrazine mineralization. The cell counts were not different in the two experimental variants. These results indicate that the microbial activity was not a limiting factor but the mineralization of atrazine was essentially controlled by the bioavailability of the parent compound and the degradation product deisopropyl-2-hydroxyatrazine.     

Photophysical and photochemical properties of the pharmaceutical compound salbutamol in aqueous solutions

Salbutamol is a potent β₂-adrenergic receptor agonist widely used in the treatment of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. An increasing number of studies have detected salbutamol in natural water systems worldwide. Studies have shown that sunlight degrades salbutamol resulting in the formation of products; some showing higher toxicity to bacteria Vibrio fischeri than the parent compound. In this contribution, steady-state absorption and emission techniques, high-performance liquid chromatography, and transient absorption spectroscopy are used to investigate the photochemistry of salbutamol in aqueous buffer solutions at controlled pH values. Ground- and excited-state calculations that include solvent effects are performed to guide the interpretation of the experimental results. Salbutamol is sensitive to UVB light absorption in the pH range from 3 to 12, forming products that absorb light at longer wavelengths than the parent compound. Quantum yields of degradation reveal that the deprotonated species is 10-fold more photo-active than the protonated species. In line with this result, the fluorescence quantum yield of the protonated species is more than an order of magnitude higher than that of the deprotonated species. Transient absorption spectroscopy shows that population of the triplet state occurs with a rate constant of 7.1 × 10⁸ s⁻¹ in the protonated species, while a rate constant of 1.7 × 10¹⁰ s⁻¹ is measured for the deprotonated species. While degradation of the deprotonated species is not affected by the presence of molecular oxygen, a twofold increase in the photodegradation yield of the protonated species in air-saturated conditions is observed.     

The dissipation rates of trichlorfon and its degradation product dichlorvos in cabbage and soil

The residual levels and dissipation rate of trichlorfon, and its degradation product, dichlorvos, in cabbage crops and the soil in which these were grown, were determined by gas chromatography at two geographically distant experimental sites, one in Kunming and one in Beijing, China. Trichlorfon was applied at two dosages (900 g ai ha⁻¹ and 1350 g ai ha⁻¹). Maximum final residues of trichlorfon in soil and cabbage were 1.23 mg kg⁻¹ and 1.81 mg kg⁻¹ respectively at Kunming, and 0.35 mg kg⁻¹ and 0.70 mg kg⁻¹ respectively at Beijing. However, the final residues of dichlorvos in both cabbage and soil was only 0.04 mg kg⁻¹ at Kunming, and only 0.03 mg kg⁻¹, or “not detectable”, at Beijing. The mean half-life of trichlorfon in cabbage was 1.80 d with a dissipation rate of 90% over 5 d, while that in soil was 3.05 d with a dissipation rate of 90% over 14 d at one experimental site. The dissipation rates of trichlorfon and its degradation product dichlorvos at the two experimental sites were different, suggesting that degradation of these pesticides was affected by local soil characteristics and climate. When applied at both the recommended dosage and at 1.5 times this, no detectable residues of either trichlorfon or dichlorvos were found in soil or cabbage at harvest. Although trichlorfon can easily degrade into dichlorvos, which is highly toxic to humans and other animals, the observed low residual levels of dichlorvos suggest that trichlorfon is safe when applied at the recommended dosage.     

Triclosan affects the microbial community in simulated sewage-drain-field soil and slows down xenobiotic degradation

Effects of the common antibacterial agent triclosan on microbial communities and degradation of domestic xenobiotics were studied in simulated sewage-drain-field soil. Cultivable microbial populations decreased 22-fold in the presence of 4 mg kg⁻¹ of triclosan, and triclosan-resistant Pseudomonas strains were strongly enriched. Exposure to triclosan also changed the general metabolic profile (Ecoplate substrate profiling) and the general profile (T-RFLP) of the microbial community. Triclosan degradation was slow at all concentrations tested (0.33-81 mg kg⁻¹) during 50-days of incubation. Mineralization experiments (¹⁴C-tracers) and chemical analyses (LC-MS/MS) showed that the persistence of a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and a common analgesic (ibuprofen) increased with increasing triclosan concentrations (0.16-100 mg kg⁻¹). The largest effect was seen for LAS mineralization which was severely reduced by 0.16 mg kg⁻¹ of triclosan. Our findings indicate that environmentally realistic concentrations of triclosan may affect the efficiency of biodegradation in percolation systems.     

Photodegradation of azithromycin in various aqueous systems under simulated and natural solar radiation: kinetics and identification of photoproducts

This article describes the photolysis of azithromycin, a macrolide antibiotic with reported occurrence in environmental waters, under simulated solar radiation. The photodegradation followed first-order reaction kinetics in five matrices examined. In HPLC water, the degradation rate was the slowest (half-life: 20 h), whereas in artificial freshwater supplemented with nitrate (5 mg L⁻¹) or humic acids (0.5 mg L⁻¹) the degradation of azithromycin was enhanced by factors of 5 and 16, respectively, which indicated the role of indirect photolysis involving the formation of highly reactive species. Following chromatographic separation on a UPLC system, the characterization of the transformation products was accomplished using high-resolution QqToF-MS analysis. The presence of seven photoproducts was observed and their formation was postulated to originate from (bis)-N-demethylation in the desosamine sugar, O-demethylation in the cladinose sugar, combinations thereof, as well as from hydrolytic cleavages of the desosamine and/or cladinose residue. Two of these photoproducts could also be detected in natural photodegradation process in river water which was spiked with azithromycin.     

Characterization of polychlorinated biphenyls and brominated flame retardants in sludge,sediment and fish from municipal dumpsite at Surabaya,Indonesia

We investigated the PCBs, PBDEs and HBCDs contamination in sludge, sediments and fish from various locations including raw leachate pond, leachate treatment plans (LTPs), control wells and reference site at open landfill of municipal dumpsite, Surabaya City, Indonesia. 62 PCBs and 14 PBDEs congeners, and 3 HBCDs isomers were identified and quantified using GC–MS and LC–MS/MS, respectively. Concentration ranges and median (value in parentheses) of PCBs, PBDEs and HBCDs were from not detected (ND) to 60 (3.9) ng g⁻¹ dw, 0.0075 to 45 (4.5) ng g⁻¹ dw and ND to 2.8 (0.052) ng g⁻¹ dw in sludge and sediments, respectively. While in two polled of fish samples were 30–55 ng g⁻¹ lw, 6.6–11 ng g⁻¹ lw and 1.6–3.3 ng g⁻¹ lw, respectively. Among the sampling sites, the highest level of PCBs and PBDEs were detected in sludge from raw leachate pond. However, PCBs and PBDEs levels were showing decreased in LTP-1 that could be due to the bacterial degradation but not in LTP-2, HBCDs were more stable in both LTPs. Levels of PCBs and BFRs in sludge at the present study were lower than those reported in sewage sludge reported from some other countries. PCBs profiles were mainly composed in that order by CB-138, -153, -180, -101, -118 and -28, while by BDE-47, -99, -100, -153, -154 and -28 for PBDEs in sludge, sediments and fish. Profiles of HBCDs were predominantly composed by γ- and α-isomers in sludge and fish, respectively. Debromination, dechlorination, commercial formulations used and congener-specific accumulation of those contaminants are the factors influenced the profiles.     

SMX degradation by ozonation and UV radiation: a kinetic study

The rate constants of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation by ozonation and UV₂₅₄ radiation were investigated under various parameters including influent ozone gas concentration, initial SMX concentration, UV light intensity, ionic strength, water quality in terms of varying anions (bicarbonate, sulfate and nitrate), humic acid (HA) and pH. The results indicated that the removal of SMX by ozonation and UV₂₅₄ radiation fitted well to a pseudo first-order kinetic model and the rate constants were in the range of (0.9-9.8) × 10⁻³ and (1.7-18.9) × 10⁻³ s⁻¹, respectively. The second-order rate constants of SMX with ozone (k_O3), under varying operational parameters, were also determined and varied in the range of (0.60-3.38) ± 0.13 × 10⁵ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. In addition, SMX degradation through UV pretreatment followed by ozonation in the presence of HA was proved to be an effective method which can remove SMX with a low ozone dose. The results suggested that ozonation of SMX was more affected by concentration of influent ozone gas, alkalinity, and HA, while incident UV light intensity, pH, and HA were the dominant factors influencing UV degradation of SMX.     

Residues and dynamics of pymetrozine in rice field ecosystem

The fate of pymetrozine was studied in rice field ecosystem, and a simple and reliable analytical method for determination of pymetrozine in soil, rice straw, paddy water and brown rice was developed. Pymetrozine residues were extracted from samples, cleaned up by solid phase extraction (SPE) and then determined by high-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS). The average recovery was 81.2-88.1% from soil, 83.4-88.6% from rice straw, 87.3-94.1% from paddy water and 82.9-85.3% from brown rice. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 15%. The limits of detection (LODs) of pymetrozine calculated as a sample concentration were 0.0003 mg kg⁻¹ (mg L⁻¹) for soil and paddy water, 0.001 mg kg⁻¹ for brown rice and rice straw. The results of kinetics study of pymetrozine residue showed that pymetrozine degradation in water, soil, and rice straw coincided with C = 0.194e^−0.986t, C = 0.044e^−0.099t, and C = 0.988e^−0.780t, respectively; the half-lives were about 0.70 d, 7.0 d and 0.89 d, respectively. The degradation rate of pymetrozine in water was the fastest, followed by rice straw. The highest final pymetrozine residues in brown rice were 0.01 mg kg⁻¹, which was lower than the EU’s upper limit of 0.02 mg kg⁻¹ in rice. Therefore, a dosage of 300-600 g a.i.hm⁻² was recommended, which could be considered as safe to human beings and animals.     

Methyl-triclosan binding to human serum albumin: Multi-spectroscopic study and visualized molecular simulation

Methyl-triclosan (MTCS), a transformation product and metabolite of triclosan, has been widely spread in environment through the daily use of triclosan which is a commonly used anti-bacterial and anti-fungal substance in consumer products. Once entering human body, MTCS could affect the conformation of human serum albumin (HSA) by forming MTCS–HSA complex and alter function of protein and endocrine in human body. To evaluate the potential toxicity of MTCS, the binding mechanism of HSA with MTCS was investigated by UV–vis absorption, circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Binding constants, thermodynamic parameters, the binding forces and the specific binding site were studied in detail. Binding constant at room tempreture (T = 298 K) is 6.32 × 10³ L mol⁻¹; ΔH⁰, ΔS⁰ and ΔG⁰ were 22.48 kJ mol⁻¹, 148.16 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ and −21.68 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. The results showed that the interactions between MTCS and HSA are mainly hydrophobic forces. The effects of MTCS on HSA conformation were also discussed. The binding distance (r = 1.2 nm) for MTCS–HSA system was calculated by the efficiency of fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The visualized binding details were also exhibited by molecular modeling method and the results could agree well with that from the experimental study.     

Highly organic natural media as permeable reactive barriers: TCE partitioning and anaerobic degradation profile in eucalyptus mulch and compost

The occurrence, removal efficiency and seasonal variation of 22 antibiotics, including eight fluoroquinolones, nine sulfonamides and five macrolides, were investigated in eight sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Beijing, China. A total of 14 antibiotics were detected in wastewater samples, with the maximum concentration being 3.1 μg L⁻¹ in the influent samples and 1.2 μg L⁻¹ in the effluent samples. The most frequently detected antibiotics were ofloxacin, norfloxacin, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin and roxithromycin; of these, the concentration of ofloxacin was the highest in most of the influent and effluent samples. Eighteen antibiotics were detected in the sludge samples, with concentrations ranging from 1.0 × 10⁻¹ to 2.1 × 10⁴ μg kg⁻¹. The dominant antibiotics found in the sludge samples were the fluoroquinolones, with ofloxacin having the highest concentration in all the sludge samples. The antibiotics could not be removed completely by the STPs, and the mean removal efficiency ranged from −34 to 72%. Of all the antibiotics, the fluoroquinolones were removed comparatively more efficiently, probably due to their adsorption to sludge. Seasonal variation of the antibiotics in the sludge samples was also studied. The concentrations of antibiotics in winter were higher than in spring and autumn. Since the total levels of the fluoroquinolones detected in the influent samples were lower than the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of 8.0 μg L⁻¹, the residues of these antibiotics would be unlikely to have adverse effects on microorganisms involved in sewage treatment processes.     

Transport of chlorinated dioxins and furans in soil columns: modeling pentachlorophenol pole-treating oil influence

Column experiments were conducted to validate a screening model predicting the influence of pentachlorophenol (PCP) pole-treating oil on the vertical migration of its impurities, chlorinated dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs). PCP pole-treating oil (15 mL d⁻¹) and water (20 mL d⁻¹) were added daily to the top of sand and organic soil columns during 35 d. Column soil samples were analyzed to determine concentrations of hydrocarbons and PCDD/Fs at several depths in the columns (0-30 cm) and their evolution in time (7, 14, 21 and 35 d).The model predicted a significant vertical migration of PCDD/Fs due to the presence of oil as a free phase and PCDD/Fs were found in the different column layers at concentrations consistent with model predictions (same order of magnitude). Measured PCDD/Fs concentrations are in total disagreement with literature data and with model prediction in the absence of oil free phase, which implies PCDD/F properties alone cannot be used to predict their fate in the current context: the influence of PCP pole-treating oil must be accounted for to properly explain their migration.