Determination of anti-anxiety and anti-epileptic drugs in hospital effluent and a preliminary risk assessment

In this study, an analytical methodology was developed for the determination of psycho-active drugs in the treated effluent of the University Hospital at the Federal University of Santa Maria, RS – Brazil. Samples were collected from point A (Emergency) and point B (General effluent). The adopted methodology included a pre-concentration procedure involving the use of solid phase extraction and determination by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The limit of detection for bromazepam and lorazepam was 4.9 ± 1.0 ng L⁻¹ and, for carbamazepine, clonazepam and diazepam was 6.1 ± 1.5 ng L⁻¹. The limit of quantification was 30.0 ± 1.1 ng L⁻¹, for bromazepam, clonazepam and lorazepam; for carbamazepine was 50.0 ± 1.8 ng L⁻¹ and was 40.0 ± 1.0 ng L⁻¹ for diazepam. The mean concentrations in the Emergency and General effluent treated currents were as follows: for bromazepam, 195 ± 6 ng L⁻¹ and 137 ± 7 ng L⁻¹; for carbamazepine, 590 ± 6 ng L⁻¹ and 461 ± 10 ng L⁻¹; for diazepam, 645 ± 1 ng L⁻¹ and 571 ± 10 ng L⁻¹; for lorazepam, 96 ± 7 ng L⁻¹ and 42 ± 4 ng L⁻¹; and for clonazepam, 134 ± 10 ng L⁻¹ and 57 ± 10 ng L⁻¹. A preliminary risk assessment was conducted: carbamazepine and diazepam require considerable attention owing to their environmental toxicity. The occurrence of these psychoactive-drugs and the environmental risks that they pose demonstrated the need for a more efficient treatment system. As far we are aware, there have been no comparable studies to this on the hazards of hospital effluents in Brazil, and very few that have carried out a risk assessment of psycho-active drugs in hospital effluent in general.     

Phytoavailability and extractability of potassium,magnesium and manganese in calcareous soil amended with olive oil wastewater

Abstract

Land disposal of olive oil wastewater using it as a soil amendment requires a knowledge of the effects that its application may produce on the status of the mineral nutrients in the plant‐soil system. A pot experiment using calcareous soil was performed in a growth chamber to examine the effects of olive oil wastewater on the availability and postharvest soil extractability of K, Mg and Mn. The experiment included 6 treatments: two rates of olive oil wastewater, two mineral fertilizer treatments containing K (which supplied K in amounts equivalent to the K supplied by the olive oil wastewater treatments), a K‐free mineral fertilizer treatment, and a control. The pots were sown with ryegrass as the test plant, harvesting 3 times at intervals of one month. Olive oil wastewater has demonstrated a considerable capacity for supplying K that can be assimilated by the plant, tending in fact to surpass the mineral potassium fertilizer tested. The application of olive oil wastewater tends to reduce the concentration of Mg in the plant, similarly to the effect of adding mineral potassium fertilizer. An enhancement of Mn availability takes place in the soil amended with olive oil wastewater, which on occasion has produced Mn concentrations in plant that could be considered phytotoxic or at least excessive. After harvesting, we observed an increase in the amount of exchangeable K in soil with added industrial wastewater. However, these increases are lower than those in soil treated with mineral potassium fertilizer. The levels of exchangeable, carbonate‐bound, organic‐bound and residual Mg in soil were higher in treatments incorporating olive oil wastewater than in those with added mineral K, with the opposite tendency occurring in the amount of Fe‐Mn oxides‐bound Mg in soil. Treatments based on olive oil wastewater, especially in high doses, increased the amount of exchangeable and carbonate‐bound Mn in soil, in comparison with treatments adding mineral fertilizers with or without K. In contrast, the addition of industrial wastewater caused a drop in the amount of Fe‐Mn oxides‐bound and organic‐bound Mn in soil.     

微米Cu／Fe对污染土壤洗脱液中有机氯农药的降解

以表面活性剂TritonX-100（TX-100）为洗脱剂,某有机氯农药（organochlorinepesticides,OCPs）污染场地土壤为对象,七氯、氯丹和灭蚁灵为目标污染物,研究微米Cu／Fe双金属对污染土壤洗脱液中OCPs的降解效果。考察了洗脱液中OCPs初始浓度、洗脱液pH值、微米零价铁加入量和cu负载量对Cu／Fe去除OCPs效果的影响。结果表明,微米Cu／Fe可以有效的去除土壤洗脱液中目标污染物。当微米零价铁加入量为1．0g（25g／L）,cu负载量为1．0％,洗脱液pH值为6．89时,Cu／Fe对2号土壤洗脱液中七氯、γ-氯丹、α-氯丹和灭蚁灵的去除效果最好,去除率分别为100．0％、99．3％、80．8％和71．1％。洗脱液中OCPs初始浓度越低,微米零价铁加入量越大,Cu／Fe对OCPs去除率越高;偏酸性条件有利于Cu／Fe对γ-氯丹和灭蚁灵的去除,而α-氯丹在中性条件下去除效果最好;1号土壤和2号土壤洗脱液的最佳铜负载量分别为2．O％和1．0％。     

Fenton氧化法深度处理抗生素废水二级出水

采用Fenton氧化法对青霉素和土霉素混合废水二级处理出水进行深度处理,通过正交和单因素实验研究了废水初始反应pH值、H2O2投加量、Fe2+/H2O2摩尔比及反应时间等因素对废水处理效果的影响。实验结果表明,Fenton氧化法处理的最佳反应条件为:初始pH值4、H2O2(30%)投加量50 mL/L、Fe2+/H2O2摩尔比1/20和反应时间60 min,处理后出水COD小于120 mg/L,COD去除率在75%以上,急性毒性(HgCl2毒性当量)小于0.07 mg/L,满足《发酵类制药工业水污染物排放标准》(GB21903-2008)表2标准要求。     

DNA damage in caged Gammarus fossarum amphipods: a tool for freshwater genotoxicity assessment

The aim of this study was to propose a tool for freshwater environmental genotoxicity assessment using Gammarus fossarum, a high ecologically relevant species. In a first part, gammarids were caged upstream and downstream wastewater treatment plant effluent output. The sensitivity of genotoxic responses of haemocytes, oocytes and spermatozoa was compared using the Comet assay. Spermatozoa appeared to be the most sensitive, suitable and relevant cell type for genotoxicity risk assessment. In a second part, a watershed-scale study was conducted over 2 years to evaluate the applicability of our caging procedure. The genotoxic impact of a contamination was followed, taking into account seasonal variability. DNA damage in spermatozoa exhibited low basal level and low variability in control upstream sites, providing a reliable discrimination of polluted sites. Finally, DNA damage in caged G. fossarum has been proved to be a sensitive and reproducible tool for freshwater genotoxicity assessment.     

EGSB出水回流对EGSB—SBR工艺处理果汁废水的影响

采用EGSB—SBR工艺处理实际果汁废水(COD 2 608~6 500 mg/L,p H 5.0~7.0)。在EGSB反应器成功启动及驯化完成的情况下,连续运行49 d。实验结果表明:第25天起,控制EGSB回流比为3.00∶1,EGSB反应器可在无须添加Na HCO3的条件下稳定运行,从而降低了废水处理成本;第25天起,平均进水COD,BOD5,SS分别为5 968,2 130,1 020 mg/L,平均出水COD,BOD5,SS分别降至131,11,50 mg/L,平均COD,BOD5,SS去除率分别为98%,99%,95%;组合工艺对该实际果汁废水具有良好的处理效果。     

Sugarcane vinasse: Environmental implications of its use

The inadequate and indiscriminate disposal of sugarcane vinasse in soils and water bodies has received much attention since decades ago, due to environmental problems associated to this practice. Vinasse is the final by-product of the biomass distillation, mainly for the production of ethanol, from sugar crops (beet and sugarcane), starch crops (corn, wheat, rice, and cassava), or cellulosic material (harvesting crop residues, sugarcane bagasse, and wood). Because of the large quantities of vinasse produced, alternative treatments and uses have been developed, such as recycling of vinasse in fermentation, fertirrigation, concentration by evaporation, and yeast and energy production. This review was aimed at examining the available data on the subject as a contribution to update the information on sugarcane vinasse, from its characteristics and chemical composition to alternatives uses in Brazil: fertirrigation, concentration by evaporation, energy production; the effects on soil physical, chemical and biological properties; its influence on seed germination, its use as biostimulant and environmental contaminant. The low pH, electric conductivity, and chemical elements present in sugarcane vinasse may cause changes in the chemical and physical–chemical properties of soils, rivers, and lakes with frequent discharges over a long period of time, and also have adverse effects on agricultural soils and biota in general. Thus, new studies and green methods need to be developed aiming at sugarcane vinasse recycling and disposal.     

REUSE OF DOMESTIC WASTEWATER FOR IRRIGATION IN ARID ZONES: A CASE STUDY1

ABSTRACT: The domestic sewage of the city of Beer-Sheva, Israel, which is located in an arid region, is treated in a series of facultative ponds. The treated effluent is stored temporarily in an open surface earthen reservoir (about 0.5 ± 10⁶ m³ in volume) and then used for irrigation. The effluent is applied via sprinkler and trickle irrigation systems. The main crops irrigated are cotton, wheat, alfalfa, and corn. Total cotton yield is over 5500 kg/ha, and the wheat grain yield is over 7500 kg/ha. The amount of effluent applied is about 6500 m³/ha for cotton (including preplant irrigation), and the wheat receives about 4500 m³/ha via irrigation and an additional 2000 m³/ha from precipitation. Due to the nutrient content in the effluent, the above yields are obtained without any additional fertilization.     

BIOECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR WASTEWATER REUSE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION1

ABSTRACT: Urban wastewater can be a valuable source of water and plant nutrients for agricultural producers, particularly in arid regions. The scientific literature reveals cautious optimism concerning the biological, institutional, and economic viability of irrigating crops with secondary-treated effluent. A derived effluent demand function for agricultural producers near Tucson, Arizona, reveals a potential annual demand of 11,000 acre-feet under present price and proposed delivery system conditions. In this case, wastewater could be exchanged for ground water and both the urban and rural areas would gain.     

ON TAXATION AND FIRMS CHOICE OF WASTE WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY1

ABSTRACT: The interaction between the level of taxation and the firms accruing choice of treatment technology is discussed. It is shown that there is a risk of overtaxation, that is, simply increasing taxation may fail to improve environmental quality but only increase production costs and thus consumer prices.