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Rigby H, Dowding A, Fernandes A, Humphries D, Jones NR, Lake I, Petch RG, Reynolds CK, Rose M, Smith SR. Concentrations of organic contaminants in industrial and municipal bioresources recycled in agriculture in the UK. Sci Total Environ 2021; 765:142787. [PMID: 33246727 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Many types of bioresource materials are beneficially recycled in agriculture for soil improvement and as alternative bedding materials for livestock, but they also potentially transfer contaminants into plant and animal foods. Representative types of industrial and municipal bioresources were selected to assess the extent of organic chemical contamination, including: (i) land applied materials: treated sewage sludge (biosolids), meat and bone meal ash (MBMA), poultry litter ash (PLA), paper sludge ash (PSA) and compost-like-output (CLO), and (ii) bedding materials: recycled waste wood (RWW), dried paper sludge (DPS), paper sludge ash (PSA) and shredded cardboard. The materials generally contained lower concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) relative to earlier reports, indicating the decline in environmental emissions of these established contaminants. However, concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) remain elevated in biosolids samples from urban catchments. Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) were present in larger amounts in biosolids and CLO compared to their chlorinated counterparts and hence are of potentially greater significance in contemporary materials. The presence of non-ortho-polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in DPS was probably due to non-legacy sources of PCBs in paper production. Flame retardent chemicals were one of the most significant and extensive groups of contaminants found in the bioresource materials. Decabromodiphenylether (deca-BDE) was the most abundant polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) and may explain the formation and high concentrations of PBDD/Fs detected. Emerging flame retardant compounds, including: decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), were also detected in several of the materials. The profile of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) depended on the type of waste category; perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) was the most significant PFAS for DPS, whereas perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was dominant in biosolids and CLO. The concentrations of polychlorinated alkanes (PCAs) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) were generally much larger than the other contaminants measured, indicating that there are major anthropogenic sources of these potentially hazardous chemicals entering the environment. The study results suggest that continued vigilance is required to control emissions and sources of these contaminants to support the beneficial use of secondary bioresource materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Rigby
- Imperial College Consultants Ltd., 58 Prince's Gate, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2PG, UK
| | - Alan Dowding
- Chemical Contaminants and Residues Branch, Food Safety Policy, Food Standards Agency, Clive House, 70 Petty France, London SW1H 9EX, UK
| | - Alwyn Fernandes
- The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK; University of East Anglia, School of Environmental Sciences, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - David Humphries
- The University of Reading, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Centre for Dairy Research, POB 237, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Natalia R Jones
- University of East Anglia, School of Environmental Sciences, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Iain Lake
- University of East Anglia, School of Environmental Sciences, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Rupert G Petch
- The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK
| | - Christopher K Reynolds
- The University of Reading, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Centre for Dairy Research, POB 237, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Martin Rose
- The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera), Sand Hutton, York YO41 1LZ, UK
| | - Stephen R Smith
- Imperial College Consultants Ltd., 58 Prince's Gate, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2PG, UK.
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