Cristina Postigo - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Cristina Postigo
Hydrology and …, 2008
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Special Publications, 2000
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ACS Symposium Series, 2015
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The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2015
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The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2011
ABSTRACT Drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs) are an unintended consequence of using ch... more ABSTRACT Drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs) are an unintended consequence of using chemical disinfectants to kill harmful pathogens in water. DBPs are formed by the reaction of disinfectants with naturally occurring organic matter, bromide, and iodide, as well as from anthropogenic pollutants. Potential health risks of DBPs from drinking water include bladder cancer, early-term miscarriage, and birth defects. Risks from swimming pool DBP exposures include asthma and other respiratory effects. Several DBPs, such as trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), bromide, and chlorite, are regulated in the U.S. and in other countries, but other “emerging” DBPs, such as iodo-acids, halonitromethanes, haloamides, halofuranones, and nitrosamines, are not widely regulated. DBPs have been reported for the four major disinfectants: chlorine, chloramines, ozone, and chlorine dioxide (and their combinations), as well as for newer disinfectants, such as UV treatment with post-chlorination. Each disinfectant can produce its own suite of by-products. Several classes of emerging DBPs are increased in formation with the use of alternative disinfectants (e.g., chloramines), including nitrogen-containing DBPs (“N-DBPs”), which are generally more genotoxic and cytotoxic than those without nitrogen. Humans are exposed to DBPs not only through ingestion (the common route studied), but also through other routes, including bathing, showering, and swimming. Inhalation and dermal exposures are now being recognized as important contributors to the overall human health risk of DBPs. Analytical methods continue to be developed to measure known DBPs, and research continues to uncover new highly polar and high-molecular-weight DBPs that are part of the missing fraction of DBPs not yet accounted for. New studies are now combining toxicology and chemistry to better understand the health risks of DBPs and uncover which are responsible for the human health effects. KeywordsChloramination–Chlorination–Chlorine dioxide–DBPs–Disinfection by-products–Drinking water–Occurrence–Ozonation–Swimming pools–Toxicity
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Endocrine disrupters (EDs) continue to be the focus of extensive research. Their effects and mode... more Endocrine disrupters (EDs) continue to be the focus of extensive research. Their effects and mode of action as well as their occurrence and fate in the aquatic environment are still largely unknown and need investigation. Wastewater treatment plant effluents are for most of them the main source of contamination in water bodies. A large number of EDs are relatively polar
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The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2010
The study of illicit drugs and metabolites in the aquatic environment has a double objective: (1)... more The study of illicit drugs and metabolites in the aquatic environment has a double objective: (1) to investigate the environmental concentrations of this group of emerging contaminants in order to assess their potential ecotoxicological risk and (2) to estimate drug abuse by the population at the community level. The present work reports on the occurrence of illicit drugs and metabolites in waste and surface waters collected along the Ebro River basin (NE Spain) and evaluates the contribution of discharged treated wastewaters to the presence of these compounds in river waters. Concentrations of drug residues in influent wastewaters were used to back calculate illicit drug use in the areas served by the investigated wastewater treatment facilities. Cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ephedrine, and ecstasy were identified as the most ubiquitous and abundant compounds in the area of study. Heroin, 6-acetyl morphine, lysergic compounds, and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were the compounds less frequently identified in the investigated samples. Overall, removal of illicit drugs and metabolites in the investigated wastewater treatment plants was satisfactory. However, ecstasy, methamphetamine, nor-LSD, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC were occasionally found at higher concentrations in effluent than in influent waters. Dilution of discharged treated waters resulted in total levels of illicit drugs and metabolites in surface waters at the low ng/L range. Estimates of illicit drug use pointed out cocaine as the most consumed drug in the area of study, followed by cannabis, amphetamine, heroin, ecstasy, and methamphetamine.
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Groundwater constitutes the main source of public drinking water supply in many regions. Thus, th... more Groundwater constitutes the main source of public drinking water supply in many regions. Thus, the contamination of groundwater resources by organic chemicals is a matter of growing concern because of its potential effects on public health. The present manuscript compiles the most recent works related to the study of synthetic organic compounds (SOCs) in groundwater, with special focus on the occurrence of contaminants not or barely covered by previously published reviews, e.g., pesticide and pharmaceutical transformation products, lifestyle products, and industrial chemicals such as corrosion inhibitors, brominated and organophosphate flame retardants, plasticizers, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Moreover, the main challenges in managed aquifer recharge, i.e., reclaimed water injection and infiltration, and riverbank filtration, regarding natural attenuation of organic micropollutants are discussed, and insights into the future chemical quality of groundwater are provided.
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Environment International, 2011
Illicit drugs and metabolites have been recognized recently as a group of emerging contaminants o... more Illicit drugs and metabolites have been recognized recently as a group of emerging contaminants of concern, as a consequence of their high volumes of use and production. Drug residue levels in the aquatic environment have also been pointed out as good indicators of illicit drug abuse. The present work assesses for the first time drug abuse in a penal complex from the levels of different drug residues measured in the prison sewage waters and evaluates the suitability of this approach to track and control illicit drug usage in such facilities. The presence of various drugs of abuse and metabolites in sewage waters from a penal complex was determined by an analytical method based on on-line solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Levels of consumption indicators measured in this water were used to back-calculate drugs usage in the penal complex. Daily use was observed for methadone (average of 156 doses/day/1000 inh), alprazolam (129 doses/day/1000 inh), ephedrine (46 doses/day/1000 inh), cannabis (33 doses/day/1000 inh.) and cocaine (3 doses/day/1000 inh). Sporadic consumption was observed for heroin, amphetamine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy. In spite of the fact that this and other sewage epidemiological approaches described may suffer from bias that still need to be investigated and refined, it provides near "real-time" information on collective drug use in an anonymous way and constitutes a very useful, economic and fast tool to evaluate the efficiency of measures adopted to control and track drug abuse in this type of facilities (or any other provided that has a STP associated or an accessible collector system).
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Tecnologia Del Agua, 2008
Biblioteca de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Base de datos de artículos de revistas, ...
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The Earth’s atmosphere is affected by the presence of psychotropic chemicals, both licit and illi... more The Earth’s atmosphere is affected by the presence of psychotropic chemicals, both licit and illicit substances, not only in major city centres but also in suburban and rural regions. Dedicated analytical procedures, most of them based on gas or liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, have been optimised for the detection of these substances. Nicotine and caffeine (licit substances), are widespread in the world at concentrations sometimes reaching 100ng/m3. Conversely, drugs of abuse (namely cocaine, cannabinoids, heroin and amphetamines, which are in most countries illicit) rarely exceed 1ng/m3 each. However, their presence in airborne particles is virtually ubiquitous in agreement with what was observed in the past for surface and waste waters. The spatial and temporal variability of psychotropic substances in the atmosphere has been an object of study in different types of urban areas, whereas data are scarcer for rural areas. In the current ambient concentrations, pe...
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Science of The Total Environment, 2015
In recent years monitoring the presence of psychotropic compounds in wastewater has been proposed... more In recent years monitoring the presence of psychotropic compounds in wastewater has been proposed as a tool to estimate community drug use. Measurement of drugs of abuse (DAs) in airborne particulate is currently being explored as an additional tool to evaluate drug use patterns in time and space, and identify potential emission sources. In this study, we comprehensively monitor the occurrence of 22 licit and illicit DAs and transformation products, belonging to 6 different chemical groups, in airborne particulate matter (PM10) in the city of Barcelona. In order to study spatial and temporal variations, samples were collected from 12 different selected locations on one weekday (Wednesday) and one weekend day (Saturday), during five consecutive weeks. A previously developed analytical methodology, based on pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) determination, was adapted for analysis of the target compounds with satisfactory performance, ensuring reliability of results. Among the investigated compounds, cannabinol (CBN), cocaine (COC), and methamphetamine (MA) were found to be the most ubiquitous and abundant compounds in PM10 with concentrations ranging from 0.7pg/m(3) (MA) to 6020pg/m(3) (CBN). Significant differences in total DA concentrations in PM10 were observed across sampling days and locations. DA emissions were identified in highly densely populated areas, where popular commercial and nightlife zones are located. Psychoactive effects due to inhalation of measured concentrations are probably negligible; however, potential health effects due to chronic exposure have not been explored yet.
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Environmental Science & Technology, 2015
The introduction of drinking water disinfection greatly reduced waterborne diseases. However, the... more The introduction of drinking water disinfection greatly reduced waterborne diseases. However, the reaction between disinfectants and natural organic matter in the source water leads to an unintended consequence, the formation of drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs). The haloacetaldehydes (HALs) are the third largest group by weight of identified DBPs in drinking water. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the occurrence and comparative toxicity of the emerging HAL DBPs. A new HAL DBP, iodoacetaldehyde (IAL) was identified. This study provided the first systematic, quantitative comparison of HAL toxicity in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The rank order of HAL cytotoxicity is tribromoacetaldehyde (TBAL) ≈ chloroacetaldehyde (CAL) > dibromoacetaldehyde (DBAL) ≈ bromochloroacetaldehyde (BCAL) ≈ dibromochloroacetaldehyde (DBCAL) > IAL > bromoacetaldehyde (BAL) ≈ bromodichloroacetaldehyde (BDCAL) > dichloroacetaldehyde (DCAL) > trichloroacetaldehyde (TCAL). The HALs were highly cytotoxic compared to other DBP chemical classes. The rank order of HAL genotoxicity is DBAL > CAL ≈ DBCAL > TBAL ≈ BAL > BDCAL > BCAL ≈ DCAL > IAL. TCAL was not genotoxic. Because of their toxicity and abundance, further research is needed to investigate their mode of action to protect the public health and the environment.
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The Llobregat River, which is characterized by important fluctuations of the flow rates, receives... more The Llobregat River, which is characterized by important fluctuations of the flow rates, receives treated waters from WWTPs. During the years 2007 and 2008, the Llobregat River basin suffered from a severe drought which affected the supply of drinking water facilities (DWF) that rely on the exploitation of the river water. The Catalan Water Agency implemented a water reuse experiment with the objective of maintaining the river flow rate at sufficiently high level so as to ensure the supply of raw water to Barcelona's major DWF. A total of 103 emerging contaminants belonging to the groups of pharmaceuticals (74), illicit drugs (17) and oestrogens (12) were determined using LC-MS/MS methods in river water samples during the water reuse campaign. The effect of the reclaimed water discharge on the river water quality, in terms of contamination loads and environmental risk (based on the concentration addition mode), is discussed. Fifty-eight pharmaceuticals out of 74 monitored were detected at least in one sample. In river water upstream (site R0) majority of compounds were detected at low nanograms per litre levels, while downstream of discharge of tertiary effluent only few compounds were detected at levels higher than 100 ng L(-1) (i.e. acetaminophen, diclofenac, erythromycin, sulfamethazine), but never exceeding 500 ng L(-1). The total concentration of illicit drugs was found to be very low at both sampling sites (<50 ng L(-1)). No relevant ecotoxicity risks were identified, except for pharmaceuticals vs. algae. In general, the discharge of reclaimed water in the river influenced perceptibly in terms of concentrations, mass loads and environmental risk, especially for pharmaceuticals and in less extent for illicit drugs. Nevertheless, it was not very significant in any case.
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Chemosphere, 2011
Estrogens constitute a recognized group of environmental emerging contaminants which have been pr... more Estrogens constitute a recognized group of environmental emerging contaminants which have been proven to induce estrogenic effects in aquatic organisms exposed to them. Low removal efficiency in wastewater treatment plants results in the presence of this type of contaminants in surface waters and also even in finished drinking water. This manuscript reviews the environmental occurrence of natural (estrone, estradiol and estriol) and synthetic (ethynyl estradiol) estrogens in different water matrices (waste, surface, ground and drinking water), and their removal mainly via chemical oxidative processes. Oxidative treatments have been observed to be very efficient in eliminating estrogens present in water; however, disinfection by-products (DBPs) are generated during the process. Characterization of these DBPs is essential to assess the risk that drinking water may potentially pose to human health since these DBPs may also have endocrine disrupting properties. This manuscript reviews t...
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Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2012
ABSTRACT Recently, the study of illicit drugs and metabolites in the aquatic environment has beco... more ABSTRACT Recently, the study of illicit drugs and metabolites in the aquatic environment has become a matter of scientific interest. An increasing number of studies have been carried out worldwide in this area of research in the last years. The Llobregat River basin has been one of the investigated areas in Spain. Its water quality has been shown to be affected by the presence of this type of emerging contaminants, often to a larger extent than other rivers, due to its marked Mediterranean character and urban and industrial pressures. This chapter reviews the occurrence of illicit drugs and their metabolites in both wastewaters and surface waters along the Llobregat River basin, and the analytical methodologies developed for their determination. Measured levels of these substances in the Llobregat River basin are compared with the levels found in other Spanish and European areas. Since treated wastewaters constitute the main source of illicit drugs and metabolites to the natural receiving waters, and surface waters are used for water supply purposes, the reported removal of these substances in wastewater treatment plants and drinking water treatment plants along the basin is also reviewed. Finally, the use of influent wastewater levels to estimate illicit drug use in riverine populations is also discussed.
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Page 1. SECTION IVA MASS SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN THE ENVIRONMENT Occurrence an... more Page 1. SECTION IVA MASS SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN THE ENVIRONMENT Occurrence and Fate in Wastewater and Surface Water Page 2. CHAPTER 6 OCCURRENCE OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN WASTEWATER IN SPAIN ...
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Pharmaceuticals are emerging contaminants of concern and are widespread in the environment. While... more Pharmaceuticals are emerging contaminants of concern and are widespread in the environment. While the levels of these substances in finished drinking waters are generally considered too low for human health concern, there are now concerns about their disinfection by-products (DBPs) that can form during drinking water treatment, which in some cases have been proven to be more toxic than the parent compounds. The present manuscript reviews the transformation products of pharmaceuticals generated in water during different disinfection processes, i.e. chlorination, ozonation, chloramination, chlorine dioxide, UV, and UV/hydrogen peroxide, and the main reaction pathways taking place. Most of the findings considered for this review come from controlled laboratory studies involving reactions of pharmaceuticals with these oxidants used in drinking water treatment.
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Hydrology and …, 2008
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Special Publications, 2000
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
ACS Symposium Series, 2015
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The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2015
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The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2011
ABSTRACT Drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs) are an unintended consequence of using ch... more ABSTRACT Drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs) are an unintended consequence of using chemical disinfectants to kill harmful pathogens in water. DBPs are formed by the reaction of disinfectants with naturally occurring organic matter, bromide, and iodide, as well as from anthropogenic pollutants. Potential health risks of DBPs from drinking water include bladder cancer, early-term miscarriage, and birth defects. Risks from swimming pool DBP exposures include asthma and other respiratory effects. Several DBPs, such as trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), bromide, and chlorite, are regulated in the U.S. and in other countries, but other “emerging” DBPs, such as iodo-acids, halonitromethanes, haloamides, halofuranones, and nitrosamines, are not widely regulated. DBPs have been reported for the four major disinfectants: chlorine, chloramines, ozone, and chlorine dioxide (and their combinations), as well as for newer disinfectants, such as UV treatment with post-chlorination. Each disinfectant can produce its own suite of by-products. Several classes of emerging DBPs are increased in formation with the use of alternative disinfectants (e.g., chloramines), including nitrogen-containing DBPs (“N-DBPs”), which are generally more genotoxic and cytotoxic than those without nitrogen. Humans are exposed to DBPs not only through ingestion (the common route studied), but also through other routes, including bathing, showering, and swimming. Inhalation and dermal exposures are now being recognized as important contributors to the overall human health risk of DBPs. Analytical methods continue to be developed to measure known DBPs, and research continues to uncover new highly polar and high-molecular-weight DBPs that are part of the missing fraction of DBPs not yet accounted for. New studies are now combining toxicology and chemistry to better understand the health risks of DBPs and uncover which are responsible for the human health effects. KeywordsChloramination–Chlorination–Chlorine dioxide–DBPs–Disinfection by-products–Drinking water–Occurrence–Ozonation–Swimming pools–Toxicity
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Endocrine disrupters (EDs) continue to be the focus of extensive research. Their effects and mode... more Endocrine disrupters (EDs) continue to be the focus of extensive research. Their effects and mode of action as well as their occurrence and fate in the aquatic environment are still largely unknown and need investigation. Wastewater treatment plant effluents are for most of them the main source of contamination in water bodies. A large number of EDs are relatively polar
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The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2010
The study of illicit drugs and metabolites in the aquatic environment has a double objective: (1)... more The study of illicit drugs and metabolites in the aquatic environment has a double objective: (1) to investigate the environmental concentrations of this group of emerging contaminants in order to assess their potential ecotoxicological risk and (2) to estimate drug abuse by the population at the community level. The present work reports on the occurrence of illicit drugs and metabolites in waste and surface waters collected along the Ebro River basin (NE Spain) and evaluates the contribution of discharged treated wastewaters to the presence of these compounds in river waters. Concentrations of drug residues in influent wastewaters were used to back calculate illicit drug use in the areas served by the investigated wastewater treatment facilities. Cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ephedrine, and ecstasy were identified as the most ubiquitous and abundant compounds in the area of study. Heroin, 6-acetyl morphine, lysergic compounds, and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were the compounds less frequently identified in the investigated samples. Overall, removal of illicit drugs and metabolites in the investigated wastewater treatment plants was satisfactory. However, ecstasy, methamphetamine, nor-LSD, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC were occasionally found at higher concentrations in effluent than in influent waters. Dilution of discharged treated waters resulted in total levels of illicit drugs and metabolites in surface waters at the low ng/L range. Estimates of illicit drug use pointed out cocaine as the most consumed drug in the area of study, followed by cannabis, amphetamine, heroin, ecstasy, and methamphetamine.
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Groundwater constitutes the main source of public drinking water supply in many regions. Thus, th... more Groundwater constitutes the main source of public drinking water supply in many regions. Thus, the contamination of groundwater resources by organic chemicals is a matter of growing concern because of its potential effects on public health. The present manuscript compiles the most recent works related to the study of synthetic organic compounds (SOCs) in groundwater, with special focus on the occurrence of contaminants not or barely covered by previously published reviews, e.g., pesticide and pharmaceutical transformation products, lifestyle products, and industrial chemicals such as corrosion inhibitors, brominated and organophosphate flame retardants, plasticizers, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Moreover, the main challenges in managed aquifer recharge, i.e., reclaimed water injection and infiltration, and riverbank filtration, regarding natural attenuation of organic micropollutants are discussed, and insights into the future chemical quality of groundwater are provided.
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Environment International, 2011
Illicit drugs and metabolites have been recognized recently as a group of emerging contaminants o... more Illicit drugs and metabolites have been recognized recently as a group of emerging contaminants of concern, as a consequence of their high volumes of use and production. Drug residue levels in the aquatic environment have also been pointed out as good indicators of illicit drug abuse. The present work assesses for the first time drug abuse in a penal complex from the levels of different drug residues measured in the prison sewage waters and evaluates the suitability of this approach to track and control illicit drug usage in such facilities. The presence of various drugs of abuse and metabolites in sewage waters from a penal complex was determined by an analytical method based on on-line solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Levels of consumption indicators measured in this water were used to back-calculate drugs usage in the penal complex. Daily use was observed for methadone (average of 156 doses/day/1000 inh), alprazolam (129 doses/day/1000 inh), ephedrine (46 doses/day/1000 inh), cannabis (33 doses/day/1000 inh.) and cocaine (3 doses/day/1000 inh). Sporadic consumption was observed for heroin, amphetamine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy. In spite of the fact that this and other sewage epidemiological approaches described may suffer from bias that still need to be investigated and refined, it provides near "real-time" information on collective drug use in an anonymous way and constitutes a very useful, economic and fast tool to evaluate the efficiency of measures adopted to control and track drug abuse in this type of facilities (or any other provided that has a STP associated or an accessible collector system).
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Tecnologia Del Agua, 2008
Biblioteca de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Base de datos de artículos de revistas, ...
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The Earth’s atmosphere is affected by the presence of psychotropic chemicals, both licit and illi... more The Earth’s atmosphere is affected by the presence of psychotropic chemicals, both licit and illicit substances, not only in major city centres but also in suburban and rural regions. Dedicated analytical procedures, most of them based on gas or liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, have been optimised for the detection of these substances. Nicotine and caffeine (licit substances), are widespread in the world at concentrations sometimes reaching 100ng/m3. Conversely, drugs of abuse (namely cocaine, cannabinoids, heroin and amphetamines, which are in most countries illicit) rarely exceed 1ng/m3 each. However, their presence in airborne particles is virtually ubiquitous in agreement with what was observed in the past for surface and waste waters. The spatial and temporal variability of psychotropic substances in the atmosphere has been an object of study in different types of urban areas, whereas data are scarcer for rural areas. In the current ambient concentrations, pe...
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Science of The Total Environment, 2015
In recent years monitoring the presence of psychotropic compounds in wastewater has been proposed... more In recent years monitoring the presence of psychotropic compounds in wastewater has been proposed as a tool to estimate community drug use. Measurement of drugs of abuse (DAs) in airborne particulate is currently being explored as an additional tool to evaluate drug use patterns in time and space, and identify potential emission sources. In this study, we comprehensively monitor the occurrence of 22 licit and illicit DAs and transformation products, belonging to 6 different chemical groups, in airborne particulate matter (PM10) in the city of Barcelona. In order to study spatial and temporal variations, samples were collected from 12 different selected locations on one weekday (Wednesday) and one weekend day (Saturday), during five consecutive weeks. A previously developed analytical methodology, based on pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) determination, was adapted for analysis of the target compounds with satisfactory performance, ensuring reliability of results. Among the investigated compounds, cannabinol (CBN), cocaine (COC), and methamphetamine (MA) were found to be the most ubiquitous and abundant compounds in PM10 with concentrations ranging from 0.7pg/m(3) (MA) to 6020pg/m(3) (CBN). Significant differences in total DA concentrations in PM10 were observed across sampling days and locations. DA emissions were identified in highly densely populated areas, where popular commercial and nightlife zones are located. Psychoactive effects due to inhalation of measured concentrations are probably negligible; however, potential health effects due to chronic exposure have not been explored yet.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Environmental Science & Technology, 2015
The introduction of drinking water disinfection greatly reduced waterborne diseases. However, the... more The introduction of drinking water disinfection greatly reduced waterborne diseases. However, the reaction between disinfectants and natural organic matter in the source water leads to an unintended consequence, the formation of drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs). The haloacetaldehydes (HALs) are the third largest group by weight of identified DBPs in drinking water. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the occurrence and comparative toxicity of the emerging HAL DBPs. A new HAL DBP, iodoacetaldehyde (IAL) was identified. This study provided the first systematic, quantitative comparison of HAL toxicity in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The rank order of HAL cytotoxicity is tribromoacetaldehyde (TBAL) ≈ chloroacetaldehyde (CAL) > dibromoacetaldehyde (DBAL) ≈ bromochloroacetaldehyde (BCAL) ≈ dibromochloroacetaldehyde (DBCAL) > IAL > bromoacetaldehyde (BAL) ≈ bromodichloroacetaldehyde (BDCAL) > dichloroacetaldehyde (DCAL) > trichloroacetaldehyde (TCAL). The HALs were highly cytotoxic compared to other DBP chemical classes. The rank order of HAL genotoxicity is DBAL > CAL ≈ DBCAL > TBAL ≈ BAL > BDCAL > BCAL ≈ DCAL > IAL. TCAL was not genotoxic. Because of their toxicity and abundance, further research is needed to investigate their mode of action to protect the public health and the environment.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The Llobregat River, which is characterized by important fluctuations of the flow rates, receives... more The Llobregat River, which is characterized by important fluctuations of the flow rates, receives treated waters from WWTPs. During the years 2007 and 2008, the Llobregat River basin suffered from a severe drought which affected the supply of drinking water facilities (DWF) that rely on the exploitation of the river water. The Catalan Water Agency implemented a water reuse experiment with the objective of maintaining the river flow rate at sufficiently high level so as to ensure the supply of raw water to Barcelona's major DWF. A total of 103 emerging contaminants belonging to the groups of pharmaceuticals (74), illicit drugs (17) and oestrogens (12) were determined using LC-MS/MS methods in river water samples during the water reuse campaign. The effect of the reclaimed water discharge on the river water quality, in terms of contamination loads and environmental risk (based on the concentration addition mode), is discussed. Fifty-eight pharmaceuticals out of 74 monitored were detected at least in one sample. In river water upstream (site R0) majority of compounds were detected at low nanograms per litre levels, while downstream of discharge of tertiary effluent only few compounds were detected at levels higher than 100 ng L(-1) (i.e. acetaminophen, diclofenac, erythromycin, sulfamethazine), but never exceeding 500 ng L(-1). The total concentration of illicit drugs was found to be very low at both sampling sites (<50 ng L(-1)). No relevant ecotoxicity risks were identified, except for pharmaceuticals vs. algae. In general, the discharge of reclaimed water in the river influenced perceptibly in terms of concentrations, mass loads and environmental risk, especially for pharmaceuticals and in less extent for illicit drugs. Nevertheless, it was not very significant in any case.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Chemosphere, 2011
Estrogens constitute a recognized group of environmental emerging contaminants which have been pr... more Estrogens constitute a recognized group of environmental emerging contaminants which have been proven to induce estrogenic effects in aquatic organisms exposed to them. Low removal efficiency in wastewater treatment plants results in the presence of this type of contaminants in surface waters and also even in finished drinking water. This manuscript reviews the environmental occurrence of natural (estrone, estradiol and estriol) and synthetic (ethynyl estradiol) estrogens in different water matrices (waste, surface, ground and drinking water), and their removal mainly via chemical oxidative processes. Oxidative treatments have been observed to be very efficient in eliminating estrogens present in water; however, disinfection by-products (DBPs) are generated during the process. Characterization of these DBPs is essential to assess the risk that drinking water may potentially pose to human health since these DBPs may also have endocrine disrupting properties. This manuscript reviews t...
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2012
ABSTRACT Recently, the study of illicit drugs and metabolites in the aquatic environment has beco... more ABSTRACT Recently, the study of illicit drugs and metabolites in the aquatic environment has become a matter of scientific interest. An increasing number of studies have been carried out worldwide in this area of research in the last years. The Llobregat River basin has been one of the investigated areas in Spain. Its water quality has been shown to be affected by the presence of this type of emerging contaminants, often to a larger extent than other rivers, due to its marked Mediterranean character and urban and industrial pressures. This chapter reviews the occurrence of illicit drugs and their metabolites in both wastewaters and surface waters along the Llobregat River basin, and the analytical methodologies developed for their determination. Measured levels of these substances in the Llobregat River basin are compared with the levels found in other Spanish and European areas. Since treated wastewaters constitute the main source of illicit drugs and metabolites to the natural receiving waters, and surface waters are used for water supply purposes, the reported removal of these substances in wastewater treatment plants and drinking water treatment plants along the basin is also reviewed. Finally, the use of influent wastewater levels to estimate illicit drug use in riverine populations is also discussed.
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Page 1. SECTION IVA MASS SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN THE ENVIRONMENT Occurrence an... more Page 1. SECTION IVA MASS SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN THE ENVIRONMENT Occurrence and Fate in Wastewater and Surface Water Page 2. CHAPTER 6 OCCURRENCE OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN WASTEWATER IN SPAIN ...
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Pharmaceuticals are emerging contaminants of concern and are widespread in the environment. While... more Pharmaceuticals are emerging contaminants of concern and are widespread in the environment. While the levels of these substances in finished drinking waters are generally considered too low for human health concern, there are now concerns about their disinfection by-products (DBPs) that can form during drinking water treatment, which in some cases have been proven to be more toxic than the parent compounds. The present manuscript reviews the transformation products of pharmaceuticals generated in water during different disinfection processes, i.e. chlorination, ozonation, chloramination, chlorine dioxide, UV, and UV/hydrogen peroxide, and the main reaction pathways taking place. Most of the findings considered for this review come from controlled laboratory studies involving reactions of pharmaceuticals with these oxidants used in drinking water treatment.
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