Presence and Reduction of Anthropogenic Substances with UV Light and Oxidizing Disinfectants in Wastewater—A Case Study at Kuopio, Finland

Comprehensive analysis of a widely pharmaceutical, furosemide, and its degradation products in aquatic systems: Occurrence, fate, and ecotoxicity

Many pharmaceutical compounds end up in the environment due to incomplete removal by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Some compounds are sometimes present in significant concentrations and therefore represent a risk to the aquatic environment. Furosemide is one of the most widely used drugs in the world. Considered as an essential drug by the World Health Organization, this powerful loop diuretic is used extensively to treat hypertension, heart and kidney failure and many other purposes. However, this important consumption also results in a significant release of furosemide in wastewater and in the receiving environment where concentrations of a few hundred ng/L to several thousand have been found in the literature, making furosemide a compound of great concern. Also, during its transport in wastewater systems and WWTPs, furosemide can be degraded by various processes resulting in the production of more than 74 by-products. Furosemide may therefore present a significant risk to ecosystem health due not only to its direct cytotoxic, genotoxic and hepatotoxic effects in animals, but also indirectly through its transformation products, which are poorly characterized. Many articles classify furosemide as a priority pollutant according to its occurrence in the environment, its persistence, its elimination by WWTPs, its toxicity and ecotoxicity. Here, we present a state-of-the-art review of this emerging pollutant of interest, tracking it, from its consumption to its fate in the aquatic environment. Discussion points include the occurrence of furosemide in various matrices, the efficiency of many processes for the degradation of furosemide, the subsequent production of degradation products following these treatments, as well as their toxicity.

Solution blow spinning polysulfone-Aliquat 336 nanofibers: synthesis, characterization, and application for the extraction and preconcentration of losartan from aqueous solutions

Nanofibers are materials used in a wide range of applications due to their unique physicochemical properties. As an alternative to the most common method of its manufacturing (electrospinning) blow spinning has been used since it has greater production efficiency and simplicity. A wide variety of polymers is used for its preparation and can be modified to improve the interaction and selectivity toward specific analytes. Thereby nanofibers have been used for the extraction or removal of organic compounds such as drugs but there are still few reports of drug extractions like losartan. In this work polysulfone-Aliquat 336 nanofibers were prepared using the blow spinning method to extract and preconcentrate losartan. The studies showed that Aliquat 336 incorporation significantly improve the extraction of losartan with polysulfone fibers. Adsorption process was thermodynamically favorable with an adsorption capacity of 15.45 mg·g−1. Thus, it was possible to extract more than 92% of initial losartan using 10 mg of polysulfone-Aliquat 336 fibers (9 and 3.5% (w/v)), at pH 6 from deionized water and synthetic wastewater. Finally, losartan preconcentration was evaluated to facilitate its quantification using ultraviolet–visible spectrometry (UV-Vis), which allowed the determination of this drug at concentrations below the detection limit.

Monitoring of a Broad Set of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewaters by High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry and Evaluation of Heterogenous Catalytic Ozonation for Their Removal in a Pre-Industrial Level Unit

The removal of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) occurring in wastewater effluents, such as pharmaceutically active substances (PhACs) and personal care products, pose a big research challenge since they can be a major source of pollution for water bodies and a danger to public health. The objective of this work was to perform a comprehensive monitoring of a broad set of PhACs (>130) in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) close to Thessaloniki (Greece), as well as to evaluate the potential of heterogeneous catalytic ozonation for the removal of CECs from wastewater through a continuous flow system. The high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis revealed the highest average concentrations for irbesartan (1817 ng/L). Antihypertensives along with antibiotics, psychiatrics, and β-blockers were found to aggravate the effluents. Removal efficiency after conventional treatment was >30%. The results from catalytic ozonation unit operation indicate that the introduction of a proper solid material that acts as catalyst can enhance the removal of CECs. A preliminary risk assessment using the risk quotient (RQ) revealed that irbesartan and telmisartan entail high acute risk. The overall results underline the urgent need to incessantly monitor PhACs and expand the toxicological studies to establish the sublethal and chronic effects on aquatic organisms.

Wastewater Treatment: Current and Future Techniques

Recently, national and international effluent standards have become more stringent, posing a significant challenge in the water treatment industry. Accordingly, treatment techniques with minimal energy consumption and maximal performance are urgently required for wastewater and water treatments. This topic was investigated from both technical and environmental perspectives to improve water and wastewater treatment techniques and enhance the quality of water bodies. This Special Issue (SI) has attracted investigations by researchers worldwide, including those from Australia, the United States, Finland, Turkey, South Africa, Oman, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Pakistan. In this SI, research and review articles propose and discuss efficient water and wastewater treatment techniques. We hope that the readers of Water can learn about new aspects of wastewater treatment using physicochemical, biological, and hybrid techniques. Finally, we hope that this SI will contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, which is to ensure a secure water supply globally through cost-efficient technologies.