Study of the uptake of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs in wheat and soybean after application of sewage sludge as a fertilizer

Opportunities and challenges of using human excreta-derived fertilizers in agriculture: A review of suitability, environmental impact and societal acceptance

Human excreta-derived fertilizers (HEDFs) are organic fertilizers made from human excreta sources such as urine and feces. HEDFs can contribute to a sustainable and circular agriculture by reuse of valuable nutrients that would otherwise be discarded. However, HEDFs may contain contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, persistent organic compounds, heavy metals and pathogens which can negatively affect plant, water and soil quality. Moreover, consumer prejudice, farmer hesitance and strict regulations can discourage utilization of HEDFs. Here, we conducted a thorough review of published literature to explore the opportunities and challenges of using HEDFs in agricultural systems by evaluating the suitability of human excreta as a nutrient source, their typical contaminant composition, how they affect the quality of crops, soils and water and their societal impact and acceptance. We found that HEDFs are suitable nutrient-rich fertilizers, but may contain contaminants. Processing treatments increase the fertilizer quality by reducing these contaminants, but they do not remove all contaminants completely. Regarding the environmental impacts of these fertilizers, we found overall positive effects on crop yield, soil nutrients, plant-soil-microbe interactions and plant pathogen suppression. The use of HEDFs reduces water contamination from sewage waste dumping, but nutrient leaching dependent on soil type may still affect water quality. We found no increased risks with human pathogens compared to inorganic fertilizers but identified processing treatment as well as crop and soil type significantly affect these risks. Lastly, we found that public acceptance is possible with clear regulations and outreach to inform consumers and farmers of their multi-faceted benefits and safe usage after processing treatments. In summary, this review emphasizes the great potential of HEDFs and its positive impacts on society, especially in regions where conventional fertilizers are scarce, while also stressing the need for adaptation to specific soils and crops.

From prescription to pollution: The ecological consequences of NSAIDs in aquatic ecosystems

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely utilised to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation in both human and veterinary medicine. Despite their therapeutic benefits, NSAIDs pose environmental concerns due to their possible ecotoxicity. NSAIDs can enter aquatic ecosystems through wastewater discharge as it is very difficult to extract NSAIDs by conventional wastewater treatment, thus affecting aquatic life. These drugs induce cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, affect the functioning of endocrine systems, influence behavioural changes, and impair reproduction in fish and other aquatic organisms. This review article also discusses the use of bioindicators such as fish, bivalves, and crustaceans, to estimate NSAIDs exposure in aquatic ecosystems. It emphasises the importance of monitoring these organisms to evaluate potential risks linked with NSAIDs in aquatic environments. Addressing the environmental consequences of NSAIDs requires an inclusive strategy, including regulatory measures, public awareness, and the development of environmentally friendly alternatives to mitigate the risks caused by these widely used pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments.

Drugs in the environment - Impact on plants: A review

Medicines, like food, are necessities. Many of the commonly used pharmaceuticals, especially antibiotics and NSAIDs end up in the environment and are detected in it (especially in water) at concentrations in the ng·L-1- μg·L-1 range. Although the concentrations of individual drugs in the environment are low, their high biological activity can cause them to be toxic to the environment. This review analyzes and summarizes the effects of drugs, primarily antibiotics and NSAIDs on photosynthesizing organisms, i.e., algae, aquatic and terrestrial plants. Acute drug toxicity to algae and plants occurs most often at high, often non-existent environmental concentrations, while sublethal effects occur at low drug concentrations. The review also points out the problems associated with ecotoxicological studies and the lack of systemic solutions to better assess the risks associated with the presence of drugs in the environment.

Modeling the fate of ionizable pharmaceutical and personal care products (iPPCPs) in soil-plant systems: pH and speciation

A model was developed to simulate the pH-dependent speciation and fate of ionizable pharmaceutical and personal care products (iPPCPs) in soils and their plant uptake during thedt application of reclaimed wastewater to agricultural soils. The simulation showed that pH plays an important role in regulating the plant uptake of iPPCPs, i.e., ibuprofen (IBU; with a carboxylic group), triclosan (TCS; phenolic group), and fluoxetine (FXT; amine group) as model compounds. It took 89-487 days for various iPPCPs to reach the steady-state concentrations in soil and plant tissues. The simulated steady-state concentrations of iPPCPs in plant tissues at pH 9 is 2.2-2.3, 2.5-2.6, and 1.07-1.08 times that at pH 5 for IBU, TCS, and FXT, respectively. Assuming sorption only for neutral compounds led to miscalculation of iPPCPs concentrations in plant tissues by up to one and half orders magnitude. Efflux of compounds in soil, lettuce leaf, and soybean pods was primarily contributed by their degradation in soil and dilution due to plant tissue growth. Overall, the results demonstrated the importance of considering pH and speciation of iPPCPs when simulating their fate in the soil-plant system and plant uptake.

Occurrence, transformation, bioaccumulation, risk and analysis of pharmaceutical and personal care products from wastewater: a review

Almost all aspects of society from food security to disease control and prevention have benefited from pharmaceutical and personal care products, yet these products are a major source of contamination that ends up in wastewater and ecosystems. This issue has been sharply accentuated during the coronavirus disease pandemic 2019 (COVID-19) due to the higher use of disinfectants and other products. Here we review pharmaceutical and personal care products with focus on their occurrence in the environment, detection, risk, and removal.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10311-022-01498-7.

High-Throughput Microbial Community Analyses to Establish a Natural Fungal and Bacterial Consortium from Sewage Sludge Enriched with Three Pharmaceutical Compounds

Emerging and unregulated contaminants end up in soils via stabilized/composted sewage sludges, paired with possible risks associated with the development of microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents or an imbalance in the microbial communities. An enrichment experiment was performed, fortifying the sewage sludge with carbamazepine, ketoprofen and diclofenac as model compounds, with the aim to obtain strains with the capability to transform these pollutants. Culturable microorganisms were obtained at the end of the experiment. Among fungi, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Alternaria alternata and Penicillium raistrickii showed remarkable degradation rates. Population shifts in bacterial and fungal communities were also studied during the selective pressure using Illumina MiSeq. These analyses showed a predominance of Ascomycota (Dothideomycetes and Aspergillaceae) and Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, suggesting the possibility of selecting native microorganisms to carry out bioremediation processes using tailored techniques.

Reaction of spring barley seedlings and H. incongruens crustaceans to the presence of acetylsalicylic acid in soil

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is one of the more commonly used analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory as well as anticoagulant drugs available in the OTC (over the counter) segment. Due to the considerable use of this drug, an attempt was made to determine the effect of ASA on the crustacean Heterocypris incongruens and the monocotyledonous plant spring barley. The tested compounds were introduced into soil in which these organisms "lived". The study showed that ASA had an adverse effect on seed germination potential as well as a negative effect on spring barley growth; however, and photosynthetic pigments content was observed only at the highest concentrations of the studied compounds. ASA did not cause oxidative stress in plants but did also cause disturbances in the growth of H. incongruens, without causing their mortality. As a result, ASA may have certain negative effects on both crustaceans and monocots.

Uptake, Occurrence, and Effects of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Analgesics in Plants and Edible Crops

The plant uptake of pharmaceuticals that include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesics from contaminated environment has benefits and drawbacks. These pharmaceuticals enter plants mostly through irrigation with contaminated water and application of sewage sludge as soil fertilizer. Aquatic plants withdraw these pharmaceuticals from water through their roots. Numerous studies have observed the translocation of these pharmaceuticals from the roots into the aerial tissues. Furthermore, the occurrence of the metabolites of NSAIDs in plants has been observed. This article provides an in-depth critical review of the plant uptake of NSAIDs and analgesics, their translocation, and toxic effects on plant species. In addition, the occurrence of metabolites of NSAIDs in plants and the application of constructed wetlands using plants for remediation are reviewed. Factors that affect the plant uptake and translocation of these pharmaceuticals are examined. Gaps and future research are provided to guide forthcoming investigations on important aspects that worth explorations.

Effect of diclofenac and naproxen and their mixture on spring barley seedlings and Heterocypris incongruens

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a popular group of drugs used worldwide. These drugs are also available over the counter, which implies that their consumption is not strictly regulated. They are released through wastewater and feces and can have adverse effects on the environment. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of two NSAIDs, diclofenac (DCF) and naproxen (NAP), and their mixture (DCF + NAP) on spring barley seedlings and ostracods Heterocypris incongruens. The tested drugs had a negative impact on bivalve ostracods and the studied plants. DCF was the most toxic toward ostracods, while spring barley seedlings were affected the most by NAP. The application of the tested compounds and their mixture resulted in a decrease in fresh weight yield and the content of photosynthetic pigments. In addition, an increase in H₂O₂ and proline content and changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (POD, APX, CAT, and SOD) were observed.

Pharmaceutical Compounds in Aquatic Environments-Occurrence, Fate and Bioremediation Prospective

Various contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) have been detected in different ecosystems, posing a threat to living organisms and the environment. Pharmaceuticals are among the many CECs that enter the environment through different pathways, with wastewater treatment plants being the main input of these pollutants. Several technologies for the removal of these pollutants have been developed through the years, but there is still a lack of sustainable technologies suitable for being applied in natural environments. In this regard, solutions based on natural biological processes are attractive for the recovery of contaminated environments. Bioremediation is one of these natural-based solutions and takes advantage of the capacity of microorganisms to degrade different organic pollutants. Degradation of pollutants by native microorganisms is already known to be an important detoxification mechanism that is involved in natural attenuation processes that occur in the environment. Thus, bioremediation technologies based on the selection of natural degrading bacteria seem to be a promising clean-up technology suitable for application in natural environments. In this review, an overview of the occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals is carried out, in which bioremediation tools are explored for the removal of these pollutants from impacted environments.

Organic farming: Does it contribute to contaminant-free produce and ensure food safety?

Organic farming for higher ecological and human health benefits has been adopted in about 186 countries, covering a total area of 71.5 Mha worldwide. Because of the associated practices, the flows of several environmental pollutants into the organic products threaten food safety and human health. The contaminants that occur at higher concentrations in organic produce include persistent organic pollutants (61.3-436.9 ng g^-1 lamb meat, and 0.28 pg g^-1-2.75 ng g^-1 bovine meat), heavy metals (0.5-33.0 mg kg^-1 lettuce), organochlorine pesticides (11-199 μg g^-1 carrots), cyclodienes, hexachlorocyclohexanes, hexabromocyclododecane (2-3 times higher than in conventionally produced porcine meat), hexachlorobenzene (1.38-14.49 ng g^-1 fat in milk), and non-brominated flame retardants (1.3-3.2 times higher than in conventional produce of greenhouse-grown tomato and cucumber). Moreover, some pollutants like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances with a longer half-life (1.50-9.10 yrs) are reported to occur in several organic products. In fact, several legacy persistent organic pollutants are known for their significant trophic magnification in an urban terrestrial ecosystem. In addition, many plant functionalities are adversely affected in organic farming. Therefore, the long-term usage of organic products containing such pollutants poses a significant threat to human health. The major limitation in organic livestock production is the severe shortage of organic feed. Several variable standards and technical regulations set by the government and private agencies are the major obstacles in the global marketing of organic products. The present review critically addresses the impact of organic farming on hidden risks due to the use of composts as the amendment resources that enhance the phytoaccumulation and trophic transfer of pollutants, the functional diversity of the ecosystems, and poor harmonization among the policies and regulations in different countries for organic farming. The future directions of research have been suggested to mitigate unintended flows of pollutants into the organic products.

Sewage sludge in agriculture - the effects of selected chemical pollutants and emerging genetic resistance determinants on the quality of soil and crops - a review

In line with sustainable development principles and in order to combat climate change, which contributes to progressive soil depletion, various solutions are being sought to use treated sewage sludge as a soil amendment to improve soil quality and enrich arable soils with adequate amounts of biogenic compounds. This review article focuses on the effects of the agricultural use of biosolids on the environment. The article reviews the existing knowledge on selected emerging contaminants in treated sewage sludge and describes the impact of these pollutants on the environment and living organisms based on 183 publications selected from over 16,000 papers on related topics published over the last ten years. This study deals not only with chemical contaminants but also genetic determinants of resistance to these compounds. Current research has questioned the agricultural use of biosolids due to the presence of mutual interactions between antibiotics, heavy metals, the genetic determinants of resistance (antibiotic resistance genes - ARGs and heavy metal resistance genes - HMRGs) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as the risks associated with their transfer to the environment. This study emphasizes the need for more extensive legal regulations that account for other pollutants of environmental concern (PEC), particularly in countries where sewage sludge is applied in agriculture most extensively. Future research should focus on more effective methods of eliminating PEC from sewage sludge, especially from the sludge that is used to fertilize agricultural land, because even small amounts of these micropollutants can have serious implications for the health and life of humans and animals.

Determination of Emerging Contaminants in Cereals by Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Cereals are staple foods for human consumption in both developed and developing countries. In order to improve agricultural outputs, resources like reclaimed water for irrigation and biosolids and manure as fertilizers are frequently used, although they may increase the input of contaminants that can potentially be absorbed by crops and enter the food chain. Emerging contaminants (human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, personal care products, surfactants, plasticizers, and industrial additives, among others) are continuously introduced in the environment from a variety sources and these contaminants may enter the food chain through plant uptake. In this study, an analytical method, based on ultrasound-assisted extraction and dispersive solid-phase cleanup, was developed for the determination of emerging contaminants from different classes in four highly consumed cereal grains (wheat, oat, barley, and rice). These analytes were selected considering the results of our previous studies carried out in soil and vegetables and those frequently detected in real samples were chosen. The target compounds selected were bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), methyl paraben, propyl paraben, linear chain nonylphenol in position 4 (4-n-NP), mixture of ring and chain isomers of NP and six pharmaceutical compounds (allopurinol, mefenamic acid, carbamazepine, paracetamol, diclofenac and ibuprofen). Recoveries ranging from 68 to 119% with relative standard deviations (RSD) <18% were obtained for all the compounds except for allopurinol, with recoveries that ranged from 30 to 66% with RSD ≤ 12% and the limits of detection achieved ranged from 0.03 to 4.9 ng/g. The method was applied to the analysis of 16 cereal samples, ten were purchased in local supermarkets and the rest were collected directly from agricultural fields, five of which were fertilized with organic amendments. Bisphenol A (BPA) was detected in all samples at levels that ranged from 1.6 to 1,742 ng/g. Bisphenol F, a substitute for BPA, was also found in six samples (up to 22 ng/g). Linear 4-n-NP was found in a reduced number of samples but the mixture of NP isomers was found in all the samples, being the mean concentrations in wheat, barley, oat and rice 49, 90, 142, and 184 ng/g, respectively.

Soil influences on uptake and transfer of pharmaceuticals from sewage sludge amended soils to spinach

Sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants, which may contain various contaminants including pharmaceuticals, is often used as a soil amendment. These contaminants may subsequently be taken up by plants. In the present study we examined uptake of select pharmaceuticals from sewage sludge applied to soils by spinach plants. Seven soils were amended with sewage sludge from two wastewater treatment plants (A and B). Concentrations of compounds in plant tissues (roots and leaves) of spinach planted 45 days in these soils under greenhouse conditions were evaluated after harvest. The largest bioaccumulation in the roots and leaves was observed for sertraline (bioaccumulation factors (BAF) of 3.3-37.9 and 1-13.4, respectively), tramadol (1.3-10.0 and 4.8-30.0), and carbamazepine (2.2-17.2 and 6.1-48.8) and its metabolite carbamazepine 10,11-epoxide (not-quantified to 7.3 and 9.3-96.7). Elevated bioaccumulation in spinach roots was also identified for telmisartan (3.0-20.3) and miconazole (4.3-15.1), and leaves for metoprolol acid (not-quantified to 24.3). BAF values resulting from application of sludge B were similar to or moderately higher than BAFs from sludge A. The BAF values of carbamazepine and carbamazepine 10,11-epoxide in all tissues were negatively correlated with soil cation exchange capacity (CEC). This negative correlation between BAF and CEC was also observed for tramadol (A-roots and B-leaves), citalopram (B-roots), and telmisartan (B-roots) or between BAF and clay content for metoprolol acid (A-leaves and B-roots), tramadol (B-roots and A-leaves) and venlafaxine (B-roots). However, in the case of some other compounds (i.e. sertraline, amitriptyline, mirtazapine, metoprolol), uptake and the subsequent translocation and transformation from 3 soils of a higher pH and base cation saturation (Stagnic Chernozem Siltic, Haplic Chernozem and Greyic Phaeozem) significantly differed from 4 soils with a lower pH and base cation saturation (Haplic Luvisol, Haplic Cambisol, Dystric Cambisol and Arenosol Epieutric). Such observations proved strong compound dependent influences of soil conditions on various compounds bioaccumulations in plants and necessity of studying these processes always in diverse soils.

Assessing uptake of antimicrobials by Zea mays L. and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance genes in manure-fertilized soil

Manure-borne antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) are of environmental concern due to their potential to be transferred into the food-web via plant-uptake. In this study, Zea mays L. seeds were grown in three different soil conditions: soil without dairy manure, dairy manure-amended soil, and antimicrobial spiked dairy manure-amended soil, to investigate the potential uptake of antimicrobials and ARGs present in manure. The antimicrobial spiked manure consisted of dairy manure fortified with 1 mg/Kg of each individual antimicrobial compounds belonging to the sulfonamide and tetracycline classes. Samples of the Zea mays L. plants were harvested over the course of three weeks to determine potential uptake of antimicrobials from soil to plant shoots, and to compare prevalence of ARGs in manure amended soils and plant tissue. Antimicrobial analysis was performed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and ARGs (sul1, tetO, and OXA-1) were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The study found that both tetracycline and sulfamerazine antimicrobials bioaccumulated in the Zea mays L., reaching concentrations of nearly 3000 ng/g and 1260 ng/g, respectively. Tetracycline residues predominated in the soil, while sulfonamides had mainly bioaccumulated in Zea mays L. tissue. The greatest average uptake factor within the Zea mays L. tissue was 8 for tetracyclines and 110 for sulfonamides indicating larger bioaccumulation of sulfonamides. Additionally, three ARGs (sul1, tetO, and OXA-1) were detected in the soil, only after manure application. However, ARGs were not detected in any of the plant samples.

Uptake of pharmaceuticals by plants grown under hydroponic conditions and natural occurring plant species: A review

Sizeable amount of research has been conducted on the possible uptake of pharmaceuticals by plants from contaminated soil and water used for irrigation of crops. In most cases, pharmaceuticals are taken by roots and translocated into various tissues by transpiration and diffusion. Due to the plant uptake, the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in food sources such as vegetables is a public concern. Few review papers focusing on the uptake of pharmaceuticals, in particular antibiotics, and their translocation in plant tissues have been published. In the current review paper, the work conducted on the uptake of pharmaceuticals belonging to different therapeutic groups such as antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, β-blockers and antiepileptics is reviewed. Such work includes the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in plants, translocation once taken by plants, toxicity studies as well as implications and future studies. Furthermore, the advantages and drawbacks associated with the detection and uptake of these pharmaceuticals by plants are discussed. In addition, the physico-chemical properties that could influence the plant uptake of pharmaceuticals are deliberated.

Prevalence of selected pharmaceuticals in surface water receiving untreated sewage in northwest Pakistan

This study investigated the occurrence of four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and four benzodiazepines/anti-depressants (ADs) in municipal wastewater in Mardan city, Pakistan, and in River Kabul and River Indus receiving untreated sewage. Liquid chromatography with a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used for the analysis of paracetamol, diclofenac, ibuprofen, and codeine (NSAIDs) and diazepam, bromazepam, lorazepam, and temazepam (ADs). Except codeine and lorazepam, all the target compounds were observed in sewage and surface water in various concentrations. In sewage, paracetamol was found at the higher end (32.4 μg/L) of the reported ranges in literature for other countries. Results of river samples showed that the target compounds were usually lower in concentration than the respective EC₅₀ values for aquatic organisms. However, the levels for paracetamol and ibuprofen were critical depicting the consequence of untreated disposal. Environmental risk assessment by estimating the risk quotient (RQ) as the ratio of measured environmental concentration and predicted no-effect concentration showed medium to high (RQ > 1 and 0.1 < RQ < 1) risk from paracetamol and ibuprofen to aquatic organisms in River Kabul and Kalpani stream, Pakistan.

Response of Lemna gibba L. to high and environmentally relevant concentrations of ibuprofen: Removal, metabolism and morpho-physiological traits for biomonitoring of emerging contaminants

The increasing worldwide consumption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products such as ibuprofen (IBU) is leading to the widespread and persistent occurrence of these chemicals and their transformation products in soils and waters. Although at low concentrations, the continuous discharge of these micropollutants and the incomplete removal by the actual wastewater treatments can provoke accumulation in the environment with risks for the trophic chain. Non-target organisms as duckweed can be used for the environmental monitoring of pharmaceutical emerging contaminants. In this work, plants of Lemna gibba L. were exposed to high (0.20 and 1mgL^-1) and environmentally relevant (0.02mgL^-1) concentrations of IBU to investigate their removal and metabolization capacity. The main oxidized IBU metabolites in humans (hydroxy-IBU and carboxy-IBU) were determined in the intact plants and in the growth solutions, together with non-destructive physiological parameters and phytotoxic indicators. The IBU uptake increased with the increasing of IBU concentration in the medium, but the relative accumulation of the pharmaceutical and generation of hydroxy-IBU was higher in presence of the lower IBU treatments. Carboxy-IBU was not found in the plant tissue and solutions. The changes observed in growth and photosynthetic performances were not able to induce phyto-toxic effects. Apart from a mean physical-chemical degradation of 8.2%, the IBU removal by plants was highly efficient (89-92.5%) in all the conditions tested, highlighting the role of L. gibba in the biodegradation of emerging contaminants.

Impact of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals on the Agricultural Environment: A Re-inspection

The use of veterinary pharmaceuticals (VPs) is a result of growing animal production. Manure, a great crop fertilizer, contains a significant amount of VPs. The investigation of VPs in manure is prevalent, because of the potential risk for environmental organisms, as well as human health. A re-evaluation of the impact of veterinary pharmaceuticals on the agricultural environment is needed, even though several publications appear every year. The aim of this review was to collate the data from fields investigated for the presence of VPs as an inevitable component of manure. Data on VP concentrations in manure, soils, groundwater and plants were collected from the literature. All of this was connected with biotic and abiotic degradation, leaching and plant uptake. The data showed that the sorption of VPs into soil particles is a process which decreases the negative impact of VPs on the microbial community, the pollution of groundwater, and plant uptake. What was evident was that most of the data came from experiments conducted under conditions different from those in the environment, resulting in an overestimation of data (especially in the case of leaching). The general conclusion is that the application of manure on crop fields leads to a negligible risk for plants, bacteria, and finally humans, but in future every group of compounds needs to be investigated separately, because of the high divergence of properties.

Phytotoxicity of 15 common pharmaceuticals on the germination of Lactuca sativa and photosynthesis of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Pharmaceuticals reach terrestrial environments through the application of treated wastewaters and biosolids to agricultural soils. We have investigated the toxicity of 15 common pharmaceuticals, classified as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), blood lipid-lowering agents, β-blockers and antibiotics, in two photosynthetic organisms. Twelve pharmaceuticals caused inhibitory effects on the radicle and hypocotyl elongation of Lactuca sativa seeds. The EC50 values obtained were in the range of 170-5656 mg L-1 in the case of the radicle and 188-4558 mg L-1 for the hypocotyl. Propranolol was the most toxic drug for both root and hypocotyl elongation, followed by the NSAIDs, then gemfibrozil and tetracycline. Other effects, such as root necrosis, inhibition of root growth and curly hairs, were detected. However, even at the highest concentrations tested (3000 mg L-1), seed germination was not affected. NSAIDs decreased the photosynthetic yield of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, but only salicylic acid showed EC50 values below 1000 mg L-1. The first effects detected at low concentrations, together with the concentrations found in environmental samples, indicate that the use of biosolids and wastewaters containing pharmaceuticals should be regulated and their compositions assessed in order to prevent medium- and long-term impacts on agricultural soils and crops.

Development and comparison of four methods for the extraction of antibiotics from a vegetative matrix

Studies have shown the potential for antibiotic uptake into food crops from irrigation water and soils containing pharmaceuticals. The objective of the present study was to develop and compare methods quantifying uptake of antibiotics in food crops. Four methods were evaluated: freeze-and-thaw cell lysing, mechanical maceration, tissue sonication, and microwave-assisted solvent extraction. Four antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, lincomycin, oxytetracycline, and sulfamethoxazole) were tested representing 4 classes of antibiotics. The methods were evaluated based on method detection limits, analyte recoveries, and sample preparation time. The 2 most viable methods, freeze-and-thaw lysing and mechanical maceration, were used on replicate lettuce (Lactuca sativa) samples grown using irrigation water spiked with 3 of the antibiotic contaminants. Only lincomycin and sulfamethoxazole were detected in lettuce samples at concentrations as high as 1757 ng/g and 425 ng/g, with detection limits of 57 ng/g and 35 ng/g, respectively. Freeze-and-thaw cell lysing provided the highest level of extraction efficiency on environmental samples and required the least amount of sample preparation while providing adequate detection limits and reproducible analyte recovery.

Removal of the pharmaceuticals ibuprofen and iohexol by four wetland plant species in hydroponic culture: plant uptake and microbial degradation

We aimed at assessing the effects of four wetland plant species commonly used in constructed wetland systems: Typha, Phragmites, Iris and Juncus for removing ibuprofen (IBU) and iohexol (IOH) from spiked culture solution and exploring the mechanisms responsible for the removal. IBU was nearly completely removed by all plant species during the 24-day experiment, whereas the IOH removal varied between 13 and 80 %. Typha and Phragmites were the most efficient in removing IBU and IOH, respectively, with first-order removal rate constants of 0.38 and 0.06 day(-1), respectively. The pharmaceuticals were taken up by the roots and translocated to the aerial tissues. However, at the end of the experiment, plant accumulation constituted only up to 1.1 and 5.7 % of the amount of IBU and IOH spiked initially. The data suggest that the plants mainly function by facilitating pharmaceutical degradation in the rhizosphere through release of root exudates.

Plant uptake of pharmaceutical and personal care products from recycled water and biosolids: a review

Reuse of treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation is growing in arid and semi-arid regions, while increasing amounts of biosolids are being applied to fields to improve agricultural outputs. These historically under-utilized resources contain "emerging contaminants", such as pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), which may enter agricultural soils and potentially contaminate food crops. In this review, we summarize recent research and provide a detailed overview of PPCPs in the soil-plant systems, including analytical methods for determination of PPCPs in plant tissues, fate of PPCPs in agricultural soils receiving treated wastewater irrigation or biosolids amendment, and plant uptake of PPCPs under laboratory and field conditions. Mechanisms of uptake and translocation of PPCPs and their metabolisms in plants are also reviewed. Field studies showed that the concentration levels of PPCPs in crops that were irrigated with treated wastewater or applied with biosolids were very low. Potential human exposure to PPCPs through dietary intake was discussed. Information gaps and questions for future research have been identified in this review.

A review on emerging contaminants in wastewaters and the environment: current knowledge, understudied areas and recommendations for future monitoring

This review identifies understudied areas of emerging contaminant (EC) research in wastewaters and the environment, and recommends direction for future monitoring. Non-regulated trace organic ECs including pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs and personal care products are focused on due to ongoing policy initiatives and the expectant broadening of environmental legislation. These ECs are ubiquitous in the aquatic environment, mainly derived from the discharge of municipal wastewater effluents. Their presence is of concern due to the possible ecological impact (e.g., endocrine disruption) to biota within the environment. To better understand their fate in wastewaters and in the environment, a standardised approach to sampling is needed. This ensures representative data is attained and facilitates a better understanding of spatial and temporal trends of EC occurrence. During wastewater treatment, there is a lack of suspended particulate matter analysis due to further preparation requirements and a lack of good analytical approaches. This results in the under-reporting of several ECs entering wastewater treatment works (WwTWs) and the aquatic environment. Also, sludge can act as a concentrating medium for some chemicals during wastewater treatment. The majority of treated sludge is applied directly to agricultural land without analysis for ECs. As a result there is a paucity of information on the fate of ECs in soils and consequently, there has been no driver to investigate the toxicity to exposed terrestrial organisms. Therefore a more holistic approach to environmental monitoring is required, such that the fate and impact of ECs in all exposed environmental compartments are studied. The traditional analytical approach of applying targeted screening with low resolution mass spectrometry (e.g., triple quadrupoles) results in numerous chemicals such as transformation products going undetected. These can exhibit similar toxicity to the parent EC, demonstrating the necessity of using an integrated analytical approach which compliments targeted and non-targeted screening with biological assays to measure ecological impact. With respect to current toxicity testing protocols, failure to consider the enantiomeric distribution of chiral compounds found in the environment, and the possible toxicological differences between enantiomers is concerning. Such information is essential for the development of more accurate environmental risk assessment.

Evaluation of biological endpoints in crop plants after exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): implications for phytotoxicological assessment of novel contaminants

Human pharmaceuticals have been detected in the terrestrial environment at µg to mg kg(-1) concentrations. Repeated application of sewage sludge (biosolids) and increasing reclaimed wastewater use for irrigation could lead to accumulation of these novel contaminants in soil systems. Despite this, potential phytotoxicological effects on higher plants have rarely been evaluated. These studies aimed to test effects upon germination, development, growth and physiology of two crop plants, namely radish (Raphanus sativus Spakler 3) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa All Year Around), after exposure to different, but structurally related non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) at environmentally relevant concentrations. A range of biological endpoints comprising biomass, length, water content, specific root and shoot length, root to shoot ratio, daily progress of stages of cell elongation and organ emergence (primary root, hypocotyl elongation, cotyledon emergence, cotyledon opening, and no change), as well as photosynthetic measurements were evaluated. Compounds from the fenamic acid class were found to affect R. sativus root endpoints (root length and water content), while ibuprofen affected early root development of L. sativa. In general, phytotoxicological effects on root endpoints demonstrated that impacts upon higher plants are not only compound specific, but also differ between plant species. It was found that the usage of a wide range of biological endpoints (all simple, cost-effective and ecologically relevant) were beneficial in detecting differences in plant responses to NSAID exposure. Due to paucity and discrepancy within the few previously available phytotoxicological studies with pharmaceuticals, it is now essential to allocate time and resources to consider development of suitable chronic toxicity tests, and some suggestions regarding this are presented.

Ex-ante fate assessment of trace organic contaminants for decision making: a post-normal estimation for sludge recycling in Reunion

The environmental fate of organic waste-derived trace organic contaminants is a recent focus of research. Public awareness of this issue and concern about the potential risks are increasing, partly as a result of this research. Knowledge remains sparse but, due to growing waste volumes and contaminant concentrations, situations are arising where decisions are urgently needed and the stakes are high. We present an approach to provide stakeholders with the soundest possible information on relevant risks in specific situations where local experimental data are scarce or inexistent. With accuracy taking precedence over precision in such situations, the quantitative fate assessment aspect of the approach considers uncertainty at all levels in order to estimate best-to-worst-case (cumulative uncertainty) fuzzy fate ranges. The approach was applied to conditions that prevail on the island of Réunion. Contrasting possible organic residue recycling scenarios are considered in which trace organic contaminants originate either from pig slurry or sewage sludge. The stakeholders' concerns targeted are leaching, soil persistence and crop (sugarcane) shoot translocation. The fate assessment results in soil removal dynamics that vary over a wide range, even for a particular chemical in a particular scenario. For 3 out of 27 chemicals residual soil concentrations after one sugarcane crop cycle could possibly exceed the 100 ng/g dry weight mass fraction range, only in a worst case situation. Substances predicted to be of the highest mobility (erythromycin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin) might produce appreciable leaching only in the event of substantial rainfall shortly after a high rate decadal application. And only the higher bound sugarcane shoot concentration estimates of 17 α-ethinylestradiol and tris(chloropropyl)phosphate are significant.

Treated wastewater irrigation: uptake of pharmaceutical and personal care products by common vegetables under field conditions

Global water shortage is placing an unprecedented pressure on water supplies. Treated wastewater is a valuable water resource, but its reuse for agricultural irrigation faces a roadblock: the public concern over the potential accumulation of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) into human diet. In the present study, we measured the levels of 19 commonly occurring pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in 8 vegetables irrigated with treated wastewater under field conditions. Tertiary treated wastewater without or with a fortification of each PPCP at 250 ng/L, was used to irrigate crops until harvest. Plant samples at premature and mature stages were collected. Analysis of edible tissues showed a detection frequency of 64% and 91% in all vegetables from the treated wastewater and fortified water treatments, respectively. The edible samples from the two treatments contained the same PPCPs, including caffeine, meprobamate, primidone, DEET, carbamazepine, dilantin, naproxen, and triclosan. The total concentrations of PPCPs detected in edible tissues from the treated wastewater and fortified irrigation treatments were in the range of 0.01-3.87 and 0.15-7.3 ng/g (dry weight), respectively. Annual exposure of PPCPs from the consumption of mature vegetables irrigated with the fortified water was estimated to be only 3.69 μg per capita. Results from the present study showed that the accumulation of PPCPs in vegetables irrigated with treated wastewater was likely limited under field conditions.

Comparative uptake and translocation of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) by common vegetables

Reuse of treated wastewater to irrigate agricultural crops is increasing in many arid and semi-arid areas around the world. The presence of numerous pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in treated wastewater and their potential transfer into food produce such as vegetables poses an unknown human health risk. The goal of this study was to identify PPCPs that have a comparatively high potential for plant uptake and translocation. A total of 20 frequently-occurring PPCPs were compared for their accumulation into four staple vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cucumber, and pepper) grown in nutrient solutions containing PPCPs at 0.5 or 5μgL(-1). Triclocarban, fluoxetine, triclosan, and diazepam were found at high levels in roots, while meprobamate, primidone, carbamazepine, dilantin, and diuron exhibited more active translocation from roots to leaves. Root uptake of neutral PPCPs was positively correlated with the pH adjusted log Kow(i.e., log Dow), and was likely driven by chemical adsorption onto the root surfaces. In contrast, translocation from roots to leaves was negatively related to log Dow, suggesting hydrophilicity-regulated transport via xylems. Compounds preferentially sorbed to roots should be further evaluated for their uptake in tuber vegetables (e.g., carrot, radish) under field conditions, while those easily translocated into leaves (e.g., carbamazepine, dilantin) merit focused consideration for leafy and other vegetables (e.g., lettuce, cucumber). However, estimation of dietary intake by humans suggested the implied risks from exposure to PPCPs via wastewater irrigation to be negligible.