Investigation of the behavior and metabolism of pharmaceutical residues during purification of contaminated ground water used for drinking water supply

Residues of phenazone-type pharmaceuticals originating from spills of a former pharmaceutical production plant have recently been detected in ground water in Berlin, Germany. The degradation pathways of phenazone, propyphenazone, and dimethylaminophenazone (DMAA) during water purification were enlightened in batch experiments with groundwater and filter material obtained from operating waterworks. For phenazone and propyphenazone a complete biological transformation into their respective metabolites 1,5-dimethyl-1,2-dehydro-3-pyrazolone (DP) and 4-(2-methylethyl)-1,5-dimethyl-1,2-dehydro-3-pyrazolone (PDP) was observed. Generally, removal of phenazone-type pharmaceutical residues during rapid sand filtration was almost exclusively caused by microorganisms only present in polluted raw water. DMAA applied to fresh filter materials was rapidly degraded into its metabolites 1-acetyl-1-methyl-2-phenylhydrazide (AMPH), acetoaminoantipyrine (AAA), formylaminoantipyrine (FAA), and 1-acetyl-1-methyl-2-dimethyloxamoyl-2-phenylhydrazide (AMDOPH). DMAA, AAA, and FAA were, however, only detected at low levels in a few samples of purified water from an operating water works. Whereas, the metabolites AMDOPH and DP were detected up to 1 microg l(-1). Propyphenazone was rapidly removed and AMPH, phenazone, and PDP were only measured with concentrations in the low ng l(-1) range. The concentrations of the metabolites DP and PDP are even higher in the purified water than in the raw water caused by their formation during degradation of phenazone and propyphenazone. Reduction of filtration velocity on an experimental filter from 5 m h(-1) down to 2 m h(-1) resulted in improved removal of phenazone, propyphenazone and their metabolites DP and PDP, respectively. AMDOPH, however, was highly persistent in all experiments independent from filtration velocities and contact times.     

Sources and emission of greenhouse gases in Danube Delta lakes

Production of methane and carbon dioxide as well as methane concentrations in surface waters and emissions to the atmosphere were investigated in two flow-through lake complexes (Uzlina–Isac and Puiu–Rosu–Rosulet) in the Danube Delta during post-flood conditions in May and low water level in September 2006. Retained nutrients fuelled primary production and remineralisation of bioavailable organic matter. This led to an observable net release of methane, particularly in the lakes Uzlina, Puiu and Rosu in May. Input from the Danube River, from redbuds and benthic release contributed to CH₄ concentrations in surface waters. In addition to significant river input of CO₂, this trace gas was released via aerobic remineralisation within the water column and in top sediments. Emission patterns of CO₂ widely overlapped with those of CH₄. Generally, greenhouse gas emissions peaked in the lake complex adjacent to the Danube River in May due to strong winds and decreased with increasing hydrological distance from the Danube River. Intense remineralisation of organic matter in the Danube Delta lakes results in a net source of atmospheric greenhouse gases.     

Sorption and desorption of sulfadiazine in soil and soil-manure systems

Sulfadiazine is a widely used veterinary medicine that has high potential to enter the environment, especially the soil compartment by the application of manure on agricultural land and grass land or by the deposition of dung pats on pasture. Once it reaches the soil environments, it may enter into surface and ground water. Therefore, sorption-desorption behavior of sulfadiazine was studied under laboratory conditions in five different soils varying in their physicochemical properties. A batch equilibration technique was used with initial aqueous solution concentration of sulfadiazine at 5, 0.5, 0.05, and 0.005 microg mL(-1). Sorption-desorption data in soils with and without manure were well fitted with Freundlich model in log form (r(2), 0.99). A sorption-desorption hysteresis effect was apparent in all soils. A significant amount of sulfadiazine was found tightly bound to the soil particles and did not desorb after the desorption process. Moreover, presence of manure enhanced hysteresis effect. Hysteresis coefficient (H) value from soils in absence of manure (0.9-1.0) increased to the soils in presence of manure (0.9-1.8). Soils in the absence of manure showed low level of K(D Sorp.) values ranging from 0.1 to 24.3, suggesting low level sorption of sulfadiazine with appreciable risk of run-off and leaching, and in turn, surface and ground water contamination. However, presence of manure increased the sorption tendency of sulfadiazine significantly (K(D Sorp.), 6.9-40.2). K(D) values pertaining to desorption cycle increased from 1.2-90.4 to 10.4-167.3 in absence and presence of manure, respectively.     

Migration of aluminum from food contact materials to food—a health risk for consumers? Part II of III: migration of aluminum from drinking bottles and moka pots made of aluminum to beverages

Background

Drinking bottles and stove-top moka pots made of aluminum have become very popular. Storing drinks in bottles and preparing coffee in a moka pot may result in the migration of aluminum to the beverage.

Results/Conclusions

In a systematic study of aluminum drinking bottles, it has been shown that drinking a mixture of apple juice and mineral water in an aluminum bottle may reach 86.6% of the total weekly intake (TWI) for adults, and drinking tea from an aluminum bottle may exceed the TWI (145%) for a child weighing 15 kg. In contrast, preparing coffee in an aluminum moka pot results in a maximum of 4% to TWI, if an average of 3.17 L coffee is consumed per week, even if the pots are washed in the dishwasher, against the explicit instructions of the manufacturer.

     

Migration of aluminum from food contact materials to food—a health risk for consumers? Part I of III: exposure to aluminum,release of aluminum,tolerable weekly intake (TWI), toxicological effects of aluminum,study design,and methods

Background

In spite of the prevalence of aluminum in nature, no organism has been found to date which requires this element for its biological functions. The possible health risks to human beings resulting from uptake of aluminum include detrimental effects to the hemopoietic system, the nervous system and bones. Aluminum is used in many fields and occurs in numerous foodstuffs. Food contact materials containing aluminum represent an anthropogenic source of dietary aluminum.

Results

As a result of their frequent use in private households a study was undertaken to detect migration of this metal to foodstuffs from drink containers, coffee pots, grill pans, and camping cookware made of aluminum.

Conclusions

An estimate of the health risk to consumers is calculated, based on the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) specified by the European Food Safety Authority of 1 mg/kg body weight for all groups of people. In some instances the TWI is significantly exceeded, dependent upon the food contact material and the food itself.

     

Air quality co-benefits of subnational carbon policies

To mitigate climate change, governments ranging from city to multi-national have adopted greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets. While the location of GHG reductions does not affect their climate benefits, it can impact human health benefits associated with co-emitted pollutants. Here, an advanced modeling framework is used to explore how subnational level GHG targets influence air pollutant co-benefits from ground level ozone and fine particulate matter. Two carbon policy scenarios are analyzed, each reducing the same total amount of GHG emissions in the Northeast US: an economy-wide Cap and Trade (CAT) program reducing emissions from all sectors of the economy, and a Clean Energy Standard (CES) reducing emissions from the electricity sector only. Results suggest that a regional CES policy will cost about 10 times more than a CAT policy. Despite having the same regional targets in the Northeast, carbon leakage to non-capped regions varies between policies. Consequently, a regional CAT policy will result in national carbon reductions that are over six times greater than the carbon reduced by the CES in 2030. Monetized regional human health benefits of the CAT and CES policies are 844% and 185% of the costs of each policy, respectively. Benefits for both policies are thus estimated to exceed their costs in the Northeast US. The estimated value of human health co-benefits associated with air pollution reductions for the CES scenario is two times that of the CAT scenario.

Implications: In this research, an advanced modeling framework is used to determine the potential impacts of regional carbon policies on air pollution co-benefits associated with ground level ozone and fine particulate matter. Study results show that spatially heterogeneous GHG policies have the potential to create areas of air pollution dis-benefit. It is also shown that monetized human health benefits within the area covered by policy may be larger than the model estimated cost of the policy. These findings are of particular interest both as U.S. states work to develop plans to meet state-level carbon emissions reduction targets set by the EPA through the Clean Power Plan, and in the absence of comprehensive national carbon policy.     

Evaluation of the methyl ester O-methyl acetate derivative of muramic acid for the determination of peptidoglycan in environmental samples by ion-trap GC-MS-MS

Muramic acid (MA) is a unique amino sugar that is a constituent of the peptidoglycan (PG) present in prokaryotic cell walls. MA can serve as a marker for quantifying bacterial load, e.g. in indoor environments, by using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). We demonstrated recently that the methyl ester O-methyl acetate (MMA) derivative can be used to detect MA in house dust by ion-trap GC-MS-MS. However, since the MMA derivative is not formed from free MA quantification was not optimal. Here we report 1) significant improvements in sample preparation of the MMA derivative and 2) an evaluation of the performance of derivative, using for comparison the alditol acetate derivative, the gold standard in quantitative trace analysis of MA in complex matrices. The MMA derivative was analysed using an MS instrument with internal ionization and the alditol acetate derivative was analysed using an instrument with external ionization. 13C-labelled cyanobacteria, containing MA in their PG, were used as the internal standard. A linear relationship was found between the two methods in studies on 27 parallel samples of airborne dust from school classes collected on filters. Although the analytical sensitivity of the MMA derivatives was somewhat slightly lower than of the alditol acetate derivative, this may be due to differences in yield of derivative, sample clean-up efficiency, or different performance of the GC columns or MS instruments. However preparation of the MMA derivative is quick and compatible with preparation of methyl esters of 3-hydroxy fatty acids (used as markers of Gram negative endotoxin) allowing the levels of both markers to be determined in the same dust sample. In conclusion, the MMA procedure can be used to determine MA in environmental samples with good reproducibility provided the concentration of the 13C-labelled MA internal standard in the cyanobacteria is first determined with an alternative method.     

Revisiting the “Ozone Hole” Metaphor: From Observational Window to Global Environmental Threat

In 1985, just over 30 years ago, the “ozone hole” made its appearance in the press as a truly global environmental threat. As one of the most important environmental issues of the twentieth century, the “ozone hole” is also a remarkable metaphorical, visual, and imaginary construction. This essay examines the historical trajectory of the famous “ozone hole” from its birth within the astronomical community at the beginning of the twentieth century to its contemporary framing as a global environmental threat. The article provides evidence why metaphors constitute a valuable object of historically informed studies of scientific practice, and shows in particular how metaphorical landscapes shift over time, mapping at the same time larger social and political developments. The essay ends by showing how scientific images and metaphorical framings interact and how they shape scientific and popular discourse on nature, as well as our understanding of the global environment.     

Human bones obtained from routine joint replacement surgery as a tool for studies of plutonium, americium and ⁹⁰Sr body-burden in general public

The paper presents a new sampling method for studying in-body radioactive contamination by bone-seeking radionuclides such as ⁹⁰Sr, ^239+240Pu, ²³⁸Pu, ²⁴¹Am and selected gamma-emitters, in human bones. The presented results were obtained for samples retrieved from routine surgeries, namely knee or hip joints replacements with implants, performed on individuals from Southern Poland. This allowed to collect representative sets of general public samples. The applied analytical radiochemical procedure for bone matrix is described in details. Due to low concentrations of ²³⁸Pu the ratio of Pu isotopes which might be used for Pu source identification is obtained only as upper limits other then global fallout (for example Chernobyl) origin of Pu. Calculated concentrations of radioisotopes are comparable to the existing data from post-mortem studies on human bones retrieved from autopsy or exhumations. Human bones removed during knee or hip joint surgery provide a simple and ethical way for obtaining samples for plutonium, americium and ⁹⁰Sr in-body contamination studies in general public.