Seasonal variations in the concentration and removal of nonylphenol ethoxylates from the wastewater of a sewage treatment plant

In this study, we investigated the occurrence and fate of nonylphenol (NP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO) and nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO) in a full scale sewage treatment plant, which applied an Anaerobic/Oxic process. Concentrations of NP, NP1EO and NP2EO in the wastewater were measured during the period spanning a whole year. The results showed remarkable seasonal variation in the concentrations of the compounds. The NPnEO compounds were most abundant in winter, with the total concentrations of influent NP, NP1EO and NP2EO ranging from 3900 to 7000 ng/L, 4000 to 4800 ng/L and 5200 to 7200 ng/L, respectively. Regarding the total removal efficiencies of the three types of short-chain NPnEO compounds, different trends were exhibited according to different seasons. The average removal efficiency of NP for the different seasons ranked as follows: winter > summer > autumn > spring; NP2EO concentrations decreased as follows: summer > autumn > winter > spring, while NP1EO concentrations reduced according to: spring > summer > autumn > winter. We also investigated the contribution ratio of individual treatment units in the A/O process, with the findings suggesting that the anaerobic treatment unit plays an important role in the elimination of short-chain NPnEOs from the wastewater.     

多种聚氧乙烯牛脂胺混合物MON 0818的水生环境危害评估：实验室急性暴露实验基础上的物种敏感度分布

本实验利用标准短期(48- 96 h)实验室测试测定了包括初级生产者,底栖无脊椎动物,水蚤类动物,软体动物和鱼类在内的15种水生生物对于MON 0818的敏感性。MON 0818是一种商业表面活性剂,由多种聚氧乙烯牛脂胺混合而成。此外本实验使用模糊网纹蚤(Ceriodaphnia dubia)潜在的长期(8 d)毒性,确定了暴露浓度。长期毒性测试中未在任何终端指标中发现显著效果。利用得出的数据和文献记载得到物种敏感度在4种暴露条件下的分布,通过对比物种敏感度分布进行了tier-1危害评估。评估显示在本研究规划下(以综述为原型,研究林业除草剂;12 L标准每公顷,等于4.27 kg每公顷) 最差的情况(无意中以最大标签使用速率直接过量喷洒到15 cm深的水体中)会造成中等危害(43.1%的物种处于暴露中,高于中位有效浓度水平)。在更多以最大使用速率使用的典型情况下,受到损害的物种降至20.9%(6 L标准每公顷,相当于2.14 kg每公顷),在更频繁的雇佣施用速率(2.5 L标准每公顷,相当于0.89 kg每公顷)下,受损物种比例降至6.9%。通过草甘膦在环境中的最大测定浓度计算得到MON 0818的浓度,最终受损物种比例(3.8%)则小于此浓度下受损物种比例(5%)。
精选自Jose L. Rodriguez-Gil, Ryan Prosser, David Poirier, Linda Lissemore, Dean Thompson, Mark Hanson, Keith R. Solomon. Aquatic hazard assessment of MON 0818, a commercial mixture of alkylamine ethoxylates commonly used in glyphosate-containing herbicide formulations. Part 1: Species sensitivity distribution from laboratory acute exposures. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Volume 36, Issue 2, pages 501–511, July 2017. DOI: 10.1002/etc.3559
详情请见http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/etc.3559/full
     

固定化混合菌Z1对制革废水Cr3+和OPnEO的同步去除及其响应面法优化

以微紫青霉菌B5和醋酸钙不动杆H1按照1∶1配置成混合菌Z1,并分别以聚乙二醇、改性秸秆、海藻酸钠对混合菌Z1进行包埋,探究其对Cr~(3+)和OPnEO的同步去除处理情况,结果得到OPnEO的去除率分别为53.42%、46.29%、55.14%;而Cr~(3+)的去除率分别达到58.41%、54.24%、60.95%,确定海藻酸钠为Z1的最佳包埋材料.以Cr~(3+)去除率为响应值,利用Plackett-Burman实验确定Cr~(3+)的初始浓度、pH值、温度为影响混合菌Z1去除Cr~(3+)的3个主要因素;运用最陡爬坡实验设计,结合Box-Behnken实验设计及响应面法分析,确定海藻酸钠固定化混合菌Z1在初始pH 7.64、Cr~(3+)初始浓度856.34 mg·L~(-1)、温度30.39℃、OPnEO初始浓度950 mg·L~(-1)、外加2 m L胰蛋白胨条件下培养7 d,Cr~(3+)的去除率达到77.69%,比单因素实验条件下Cr~(3+)的去除率提高7%.     

Advanced oxidation of alkylphenol ethoxylates in aqueous systems

Alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates are ubiquitous wastewater contaminants. In this study the oxidation of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO) and octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEO) by oxidant systems generating hydroxide radicals was evaluated. The reaction of each oxidant with a technical mixture of NPEO (Tergitol™) and OPEO (Triton X-100™) in ultrapure laboratory water and four aqueous environmental matrices was carried out in order to develop an understanding of reaction kinetics. The oxidation of APEOs was evaluated by hydroxyl radical generated by (1) hydrogen peroxide in the presence of ultraviolet light, (2) Fenton’s reagent, and (3) a photo-Fenton’s process. The second order kinetic rate constant for both NPEO and OPEO with hydroxyl radical was calculated to be 1.1 × 10¹⁰ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. The efficacy of the AOPs within an aqueous environmental matrix was dependent on the rate of formation of hydroxyl radical and the scavenging capacity of the matrix. A model based on the hydroxyl radical formation, scavenging capacity and the kinetic rate constant of target APEO was developed from the existing literature and applied to predict the concentration of APEOs in solution during advanced oxidation in different aqueous environmental matrices.     

NPEOs及其代谢产物在城市污水处理厂中的归趋分析

壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚(NPEOs)是一种常见的表面活性剂,但其代谢产物壬基酚(NP)等具有内分泌干扰特性,因此引起了人们的广泛关注.以NPEOs及其代谢产物作为研究对象,综述了它们在城市污水处理厂中的浓度水平和迁移转化规律,并探讨了城市污水处理厂中影响NPEOs及其代谢产物去除效率的因素.结果表明,NPEOs及其代谢产物在污水处理厂的进水中普遍存在,其浓度水平与季节、地理位置、生活习惯等有关;在污水处理过程中,NPEOs及其代谢产物的去除效率与工艺及运行参数有关.NPEOs及其代谢产物的归趋包括生物降解、被污泥吸附和存留在出水中,内分泌干扰物质(如NP和NPECs等)在污水处理过程中被生成,并随出水和污泥进入环境,可为城市污水处理厂构建安全转化的控制技术系统提供科学依据.     

Quantification of 17 endocrine disruptor compounds and their spatial and seasonal distribution in the Iberian Ave River and its coastline

The Ave River flows through the most urbanized and industrialized Porto district areas. Despite ovotestis was recently reported in male fish from the estuary, no data exist on the water levels of natural and pharmaceutical estrogens (17β-estradiol, estrone, and 17α-ethynylestradiol), xenoestrogenic industrial pollutants (4-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol and their mono and diethoxylates, and bisphenol A), phytoestrogens (formononetin, biochanin A, daidzein, and genistein), and sitosterol. Absence of analyses applies to the river, estuary, and nearby coastline. Those compounds mimic the action of endogenous estradiol, being well-recognized endocrine disrupters (EDCs). To conclude about suspected influxes of estrogenic EDCs into the river and coastline, water samples were taken at eight sites every two months, during one year (2010), at low tide. Data showed ubiquitous presence of potentially hazardous amounts of estrogens (particularly ethynylestradiol, up to 10 ng L^?1), nonylphenol (up to 250 ng L^?1), and sitosterol (up to 6 μg L^?1), which helps explaining the ovotestis emergence in local fish. Also, because physicochemical parameters used in water quality evaluation, such as pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and nitrites levels, were within legal limits – suggesting good quality – our study supports that assessment of human and environmental risks by targeting surface waters requires integrating EDCs monitoring in routine analyses.     

Effect of sludge treatment on the bioaccumulation of nonylphenol in grass grown on sludge-amended soil

We studied the accumulation of p353-nonylphenol residues in the biomass of grass grown in soil amended with sewage sludge submitted to various conditioning/dewatering treatments. Incubation experiments were conducted growing Poa pratensis in sludge-amended soils and applying one ¹⁴C-labelled isomer of nonylphenol in the different systems. More metabolites than parent compounds were recovered in both roots and leaves of the grass. The type of sludge conditioning and dewatering treatment had a slight effect on the bioaccumulation of nonylphenol and its metabolites. When the grass was cultivated in soils amended with dewatered sludge without conditioning pretreatment, an increased accumulation was observed in the roots, while the final biomass of the grass was lower.     

Reproduction disturbances of Brachionus calyciflorus (rotifer) for the screening of environmental endocrine disrupters

Rotifers and especially the Brachionus calyciflorus species have already shown advantages (e.g. good sensitivity, simplicity, ecological relevance, short generation time) for the chronic toxicity assessment of water pollutants. In this study, the B. calyciflorus three-day test was evaluated on ethinylestradiol, nonylphenol and testosterone for the determination of endocrine disrupting (reproductive) effects. Reproduction (intrinsic rate of population increase) and sex ratio (males/females and mictic females/amictic females) were explored and discussed as suitable endpoints. B. calyciflorus has shown a fair sensitivity to detect reproductive disrupting effects after exposure to ethinylestradiol, nonylphenol and testosterone. Population growth (intrinsic rate of population increase, r) and the ratio ovigerous females/non-ovigerous females are both suitable endpoints, whereas the occurrence of males was not frequent enough to be used as endpoint.     

The dissipation of nonlyphenol in stream and pond water under simulated field conditions

Abstract

The dissipation of 1.0 ppm nonylphenol in stream and pond water, incubated in flasks at 16°C under simulated field conditions up to 44 days indicated that the half‐life was 2.5 days if the flasks were open, and 16 days if they were closed. A transformed product was detected in the closed flasks.

Translocation of nonylphenol in water occurred when treated water samples were incubated in the presence of sediment. After 10 days, nonylphenol was detected only in the sediment, but not in water (detection limit = 10 ppb). About 80% of the nonylphenol was degraded in 71 days, but no degradation occurred if the water and the sediment were autoclaved prior to incubation.     

Comparative toxicity study of a novel non-ionic surfactant, vanillin ethoxylates, and nonylphenol ethoxylates in Chinese hamster ovary cells in vitro

Surfactants such as alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEOs) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) are commonly used worldwide, but the majority of these compounds, together with their metabolites, have been reported to induce severe biological toxicity. Here, we evaluated for the first time the cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and mitochondrial damage in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells caused by a novel non-ionic surfactant, vanillin ethoxylates (VAEOs), an alternative to APEOs. In parallel, the same in vitro bioassays were conducted on NPEOs along with their metabolic byproducts 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and vanillin. The results showed that the cytotoxic potency order was NPEOs?>?4-NP?>?VAEOs > vanillin using CCK-8 assays. Also, 4-NP showed potential direct DNA damage in SOS/umu tests, whereas NPEOs, VAEOs and vanillin showed no positive result with and without S9 addition. In addition, none of the test compounds showed obvious genotoxic effects with low olive tail moment value using comet assays. However, all test compounds were shown to cause mitochondrial impairment by increasing mitochondrial mass and decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential in a concentration-dependent manner. And further analysis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial superoxide (MNSOD) measurement showed that mitochondrial impairment was induced by oxidative stress with intracellular ROS and MNSOD overproduction. It's worth noting that VAEOs and vanillin cause relative lower cytotoxic, genotoxic and mitochondrial damage effects than NPEOs and 4-NP, indicating that VAEOs have the potential to substitute NPEOs as suitable surfactants. Take together, this study elucidates the toxicity profiles of VAEOs and NPEOs relatively comprehensively, and further toxicity analyses are suggested in the population, community and ecosystem.