PUBLICATION

Comprehensive assessment of chemical residues in surface and wastewater using passive sampling, chemical, biological, and fish behavioral assays

Authors
Brunelle, L.D., Huang, I.J., Angeles, L.F., Running, L.S., Sirotkin, H.I., McElroy, A.E., Aga, D.S.
ID
ZDB-PUB-220305-16
Date
2022
Source
The Science of the total environment   828: 154176 (Journal)
Registered Authors
McElroy, Anne, Sirotkin, Howard
Keywords
Contaminants of emerging concern, Hudson River, Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, Non-targeted analysis, Pharmaceuticals and personal care products
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Environmental Monitoring/methods
  • Male
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Rivers/chemistry
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry
  • Vitellogenins
  • Wastewater*/analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical*/analysis
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical*/toxicity
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
35245556 Full text @ Sci. Total Environ.
Abstract
Effluents from ten full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) that discharge into the Hudson River, surface waters, and wild-caught fish samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) to examine the influence of wastewater discharge on the concentrations of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and their ecological impacts on fish. Analysis was based on targeted detection of 41 pharmaceuticals, and non-targeted analysis (suspect screening) of CECs. Biological effects of treated WWTP effluents were assessed using a larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) swimming behavior assay. Concentrations of residues in surface waters were determined in grab samples and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS). In addition, vitellogenin peptides, used as biomarkers of endocrine disruption, were quantified using LC/MS/MS in the wild-caught fish plasmas. Overall, 94 chemical residues were identified, including 63 pharmaceuticals, 10 industrial chemicals, and 21 pesticides. Eight targeted pharmaceuticals were detected in 100% of effluent samples with median detections of: bupropion (194 ng/L), carbamazepine (91 ng/L), ciprofloxacin (190 ng/L), citalopram (172 ng/L), desvenlafaxine (667 ng/L), iopamidol (3790 ng/L), primidone (86 ng/L), and venlafaxine (231 ng/L). Over 30 chemical residues were detected in wild-caught fish tissues. Notably, zebrafish larvae exposed to chemical extracts of effluents from 9 of 10 WWTPs, in at least one season, were significantly hyperactive. Vitellogenin expression in male or immature fish occurred 2.8 times more frequently in fish collected from the Hudson River as compared to a reference site receiving no direct effluent input. Due to the low concentrations of pharmaceuticals detected in effluents, it is likely that chemicals other than pharmaceuticals measured are responsible for the behavioral changes observed. The combined use of POCIS and non-target analysis demonstrated significant increase in the chemical coverage for CEC detection, providing a better insight on the impacts of WWTP effluents and agricultural practices on surface water quality.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping