Category: Emerging contaminants

Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor to Remove Pesticides and Pharmaceuticals from Wastewater: A Bibliometric Review

Ribeiro, M. H. G., Silva, M. C. A., & Benetti, A. D. (2024). “Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor to Remove Pesticides and Pharmaceuticals from Wastewater: A Bibliometric Review.” Environmental Quality Management, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/tqem.22261

Abstract

With the development of state-of-the-art analytical methods, new compounds have been detected in water and sewage. Due to their diverse and complex nature, these compounds have been classified as contaminants of emerging concern (CEC). Among the CEC, there are products of pharmaceutical origin and pesticides. Due to the damage caused by these contaminants to human health and the environment, there is a need to develop technologies for their removal in wastewater treatment. An anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) is a technology that can potentially remove emerging compounds by combining biological treatment associated with membrane filtration. Thus, this article mapped literature describing the use of AnMBR for removing drugs and pesticides through a bibliometric review. A relatively low number of publications related to this subject was observed in the last 10 years. Most of the research has been done in the Middle East, South, and Southeast Asia. The main themes addressed by the articles were the treatment of drugs, bacteria, and antibiotic-resistant genes. In particular, research on the removal of pesticides by AnMBR was scarce.

Drugs, microplastics, forever chemicals a growing concern in Great Lakes

Read the full story from Michigan Public Radio.

The release of everyday wastewater from our homes and businesses into the environment is Canada’s largest source of water pollution. This dirty water is full of toxic substances that can harm our lakes and rivers. Some is removed or treated, like the phosphorus in sewage that creates harmful algae blooms in water. But many more unmonitored and invisible substances — or “contaminants of emerging concern” — in wastewater end up being dumped into the Great Lakes, which hold around 20% of the world’s surface freshwater and about 85% of North America’s.

What is a liquid? Utilities sue to avoid coal ash cleanup — and lose.

Read the full story at Grist.

Across America, millions of tons of toxic waste are sitting in pits next to coal plants. But whether they will get cleaned up has come down to a legal debate over the definitions of words. 

In 2015, following a pair of disastrous spills at coal plants in North Carolina and Tennessee, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a rule that required power companies to dispose of toxic waste at coal plants safely. The EPA’s rule required that coal ash, a byproduct of the coal power process which contains heavy metals like arsenic and mercury, cannot be left in contact with a “free liquid” — one that could move in and out of the ash itself — and it had to be stored in a manner that prevented “infiltration” by a liquid. 

Non-Targeted PFAS Suspect Screening and Quantification of Drinking Water Samples Collected through Community Engaged Research in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River Basin

Weed, Rebecca A., Grace Campbell, Lacey Brown, Katlyn May, Dana Sargent, Emily Sutton, Kemp Burdette, Wayne Rider, Erin S. Baker, and Jeffrey R. Enders. 2024. “Non-Targeted PFAS Suspect Screening and Quantification of Drinking Water Samples Collected through Community Engaged Research in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River Basin” Toxics 12(6), 403. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12060403 [open access]

Abstract

A community engaged research (CER) approach was used to provide an exposure assessment of poly- and perfluorinated (PFAS) compounds in North Carolina residential drinking water. Working in concert with community partners, who acted as liaisons to local residents, samples were collected by North Carolina residents from three different locations along the Cape Fear River basin: upper, middle, and lower areas of the river. Residents collected either drinking water samples from their homes or recreational water samples from near their residence that were then submitted by the community partners for PFAS analysis. All samples were processed using weak anion exchange (WAX) solid phase extraction and analyzed using a non-targeted suspect screening approach as well as a quantitative approach that included a panel of 45 PFAS analytes, several of which are specific to chemical industries near the collection site locations. The non-targeted approach, which utilized a suspect screening list (obtained from EPA CompTox database) identified several PFAS compounds at a level two confidence rating (Schymanski scale); compounds identified included a fluorinated insecticide, a fluorinated herbicide, a PFAS used in polymer chemistry, and another that is used in battery production. Notably, at several locations, PFOA (39.8 ng/L) and PFOS (205.3 ng/L) were at levels that exceeded the mandatory EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 4 ng/L. Additionally, several sites had detectable levels of PFAS that are unique to a local chemical manufacturer. These findings were communicated back to the community partners who then disseminated this information to the local residents to help empower and aid in making decisions for reducing their PFAS exposure.

Hazardous waste incinerators see PFAS disposal opportunity, emissions questions remain

Read the full story at Waste Dive.

The U.S. EPA’s latest destruction and disposal guidance provides updated data on the effectiveness of incineration, while also noting the need for research about products of incomplete combustion.

Europe tackles tricky toxins with new technologies

Read the full story in Horizons.

An underground reservoir in Denmark is the location of a unique experiment: to test a technology for helping rid the environment of a widespread toxic pollution.

The aquifer, near the town of Korsør, contains high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are chemicals that have been used worldwide since the 1940s in hundreds of goods, including firefighting foams. The chemicals contaminated the Korsør reservoir through runoff from a nearby firefighting school that used such foams in training exercises.

The end to forever chemicals in snack packaging?

Read the full story at Bakery and Snacks.

As the US prohibits PFAS chemicals in new food products’ grease-proofing packaging materials and Europe identifies a gap in testing data, calls louden for a total ban on the harmful substances.

States need to keep PFAS ’forever chemicals’ out of the water. It won’t be cheap.

Read the full story at Stateline.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued new standards last month for PFAS levels in drinking water, giving water systems three years to conduct testing, and another two years to install treatment systems if contaminants are detected. State officials and utilities say it’s going to be difficult and costly to meet the requirements.

Cross Plains Solutions unveils SoyFoam, a PFAS-free firefighting foam

Read the full story in Fire Engineering.

Cross Plains Solutions’ SoyFoam TF 1122 is the first and only firefighting foam GreenScreen Certified® at the Gold level. SoyFoam is 100% free of intentionally added PFAS and is made with no fluorines. It’s also certified ready biodegradable by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development and is certified as 84% biobased through the U.S. Department of Agriculture BioPreferred® program.

This environmental victory may reinforce injustices in Black communities

Read the full story at Capital B.

While virtually every environmental group across the nation celebrated the Biden administration’s historic steps to lower pollution last month, John Beard sat patiently. 

After years of advocacy and hundreds of scientific studies, the federal government designated two “forever chemicals” as hazardous substances. This move makes it easier to mandate the removal of these man-made compounds from the environment.

Exposure to these chemicals, found in virtually everything from Air Jordan duffle bags to lipsticks, has been connected to decreased fertility, developmental delays, and a slew of cancers. So, this new designation is remarkably poised to improve the health of the nation. 

But, as he often does, Beard, an oil refinery worker turned environmental activist in Port Arthur, Texas, waited for the other shoe to drop. 

“Every time we think someone on a white horse or the cavalry is showing up to give us some help,” he said, “we find out that they’ve only dug the hole even deeper for us.” 

As Capital B has reported, often, these nationwide boons have unintentionally reinforced environmental injustices in historically overburdened communities, many of which are majority Black. This scenario may be no different.

UMaine researchers developing wood-based alternative to PFAS

Read the full story from Maine Public Radio.

Researchers at the University of Maine are developing a highly refined cellulose coating made from wood that could replace coatings of “forever chemicals” in commercial production.

The process refines the wood product, which can come from a variety of sources, to create an effective barrier to oil and grease in products like food containers.

UMaine’s Dr. Colleen Walker said the product is currently a white paste, similar in consistency to mashed potato, and one of the challenges is how to apply the coating to consumer products on a commercial scale.

Ask the Expert: How does NIEHS research on PFAS affect me?

Read the full story in Environmental Factor.

Research supported by NIEHS is helping to better assess and reduce exposure to a group of chemicals known as PFAS. These per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are added to many consumer products to make them nonstick, waterproof, and stain-resistant, persist in the environment and are sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals.” PFAS have been linked to a variety of health effects, including changes in immune and liver function, obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, and lower birth weights.

Federal public health and environmental agencies recently took significant steps to reduce exposure to PFAS. In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published PFAS Information for Clinicians explaining how and when to order blood tests for patients exposed to PFAS. In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the phaseout of PFAS substances used to grease-proof paper food packaging. And in April, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the first-ever legally enforceable PFAS drinking water standards to limit the amount of six PFAS in public water systems (see sidebar). Studies led by NIEHS scientists and grant recipients factored into the agencies’ decision making.

Scott Masten, Ph.D., who directs the Office of Portfolio Strategy in the NIEHS Division of Translational Toxicology (DTT), discussed the recent PFAS measures and what people can do to reduce their exposures.

Investigating the sources and fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food waste compost

Timshina, A. S., Robey, N. M., Oldnettle, A., Barron, S., Mehdi, Q., Cerlanek, A., Townsend, T. G., & Bowden, J. A. (2024). Investigating the sources and fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food waste compost. Waste Management, 180, 125–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2024.03.026

Abstract

Composting municipal food waste is a key strategy for beneficially reusing methane-producing waste that would otherwise occupy landfill space. However, land-applied compost can cycle per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) back into the food supply and the environment. We partnered with a pilot-scale windrow composting facility to investigate the sources and fate of 40 PFAS in food waste compost. A comparison of feedstock materials yielded concentrations of ∑PFAS under 1 ng g−1 in mulch and food waste and at 1380 ng g−1 in leachate from used compostable food contact materials. Concentrations of targeted ∑PFAS increased with compost maturity along the windrow (1.85–23.1 ng g−1) and in mature stockpiles of increasing curing age (12.6–84.3 ng g−1). Among 15 PFAS quantified in compost, short-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) – C5 and C6 PFCAs in particular – led the increasing trend, suggesting biotransformation of precursor PFAS into these terminal PFAS through aerobic decomposition. Several precursor PFAS were also measured, including fluorotelomer carboxylic acids (FTCAs) and polyfluorinated phosphate diesters (PAPs). However, since most targeted analytical methods and proposed regulations prioritize terminal PFAS, testing fully matured compost would provide the most relevant snapshot of PFAS that could be land applied. In addition, removing co-disposed food contact materials from the FW feedstock onsite yielded only a 37 % reduction of PFAS loads in subsequent compost, likely due to PFAS leaching during co-disposal. Source-separation of food contact materials is currently the best management practice for meaningful reduction of PFAS in food waste composts intended for land application.

Environmental profiles, hazard identification, and toxicological hallmarks of emerging tire rubber-related contaminants 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone

Jiang, Y., Wang, C., Ma, L., Gao, T., & Wāng, Y. (2024). “Environmental profiles, hazard identification, and toxicological hallmarks of emerging tire rubber-related contaminants 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone.” Environment International, 187, 108677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.108677

Abstract

N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N’-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) is commonly used in rubber compounds as antioxidants to protect against degradation from heat, oxygen, and ozone exposure. This practice extends the lifespan of rubber products, including tires, by preventing cracking, aging, and deterioration. However, the environmental consequences of waste generated during rubber product use, particularly the formation of 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-Q) through the reaction of 6PPD with ozone, have raised significant concerns due to their detrimental effects on ecosystems. Extensive research has revealed the widespread occurrence of 6PPD and its derivate 6PPD-Q in various environmental compartments, including air, water, and soil. The emerging substance of 6PPD-Q has been shown to pose acute mortality and long-term hazards to aquatic and terrestrial organisms at concentrations below environmentally relevant levels. Studies have demonstrated toxic effects of 6PPD-Q on a range of organisms, including zebrafish, nematodes, and mammals. These effects include neurobehavioral changes, reproductive dysfunction, and digestive damage through various exposure pathways. Mechanistic insights suggest that mitochondrial stress, DNA adduct formation, and disruption of lipid metabolism contribute to the toxicity induced by 6PPD-Q. Recent findings of 6PPD-Q in human samples, such as blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid, underscore the importance of further research on the public health and toxicological implications of these compounds. The distribution, fate, biological effects, and underlying mechanisms of 6PPD-Q in the environment highlight the urgent need for additional research to understand and address the environmental and health impacts of these compounds.

There’s Something in What We Eat: An Overview on the Extraction Techniques and Chromatographic Analysis for PFAS Identification in Agri-Food Products

Iannone, Alessia, Fabiana Carriera, Sergio Passarella, Alessandra Fratianni, and Pasquale Avino (2024). “There’s Something in What We Eat: An Overview on the Extraction Techniques and Chromatographic Analysis for PFAS Identification in Agri-Food Products” Foods 13(7), 1085. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13071085

Abstract

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of anthropogenic chemicals used in a range of industrial processes and consumer products. Recently, their ubiquitous presence in the environment as well as their toxicological effects in humans have gained relevant attention. Although the occurrence of PFASs is widely investigated in scientific community, the standardization of analytical method for all matrices still remains an important issue. In this review, we discussed extraction and detection methods in depth to evaluate the best procedures of PFAS identification in terms of analytical parameters (e.g., limits of detection (LODs), limits of quantification (LOQs), recoveries). Extraction approaches based on liquid–liquid extraction (LLE), alkaline digestion, and solid phase extraction (SPE), followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis are the main analytical methods applied in the literature. The results showed detectable recoveries of PFOA and PFOS in meat, milk, vegetables, eggs products (90.6–101.2% and of 89.2–98.4%), and fish (96–108%). Furthermore, the low LOD and LOQ values obtained for meat (0.00592–0.01907 ng g−1; 0.050 ng g−1), milk (0.003–0.009 ng g−1; 0.010–0.027 ng g−1), fruit (0.002–0.009 ng g−1; 0.006–0.024 ng g−1), and fish (0.00369–0.017.33 ng g−1; 0.05 ng g−1) also confirmed the effectiveness of the recent quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method (QuEChERS) for simple, speedy, and sensitive ultra-trace PFAS analysis.