Abstract

Understanding the occurrence and sources of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in aquatic environments is essential for environmental risk assessment and adequate interventions to secure good status of aquatic environments. The occurrence and source apportionment of 77 OMPs in the River Fyris catchment (Uppsala, Sweden) were investigated by comparing hospital wastewater, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, and surface water. Hospital wastewater was identified as an important source for some classes of OMPs, e.g., antibiotics (number of OMPs (n) = 6) and antidepressants (n = 4), contributing 38% and 31%, respectively, of the mass loads in total WWTP influent. Painkillers (n = 5) and hormones (n = 3), originating mainly from urban Uppsala, contributed 94% and 95%, respectively. WWTP removal efficiency varied from 100% for acetaminophen to <0% for i.e. clindamycin, lamotrigine, bicalutamide, and sucralose. In the recipient River Fyris, the Sigma OMP concentration downstream of the WWTP (738 ng L-1) was more than double that upstream (338 ng demonstrating the high impact of the WWTP on recipient water quality. Surface water risk quotients (RQs) showed a moderate risk of adverse chronic effects (RQ>0.1) for trimethoprim, norsertraline, and metoprolol downstream of the WWTP, and for norsertraline in the recipient river upstream and Lake Ekoln downstream of the WWTP. Recipient metoprolol and trimethoprim, compounds poorly removed in the WWTP, mainly (>90%) originated from wastewater from urban Uppsala, whereas recipient norsertraline originated upstream of the city. No risk compound was apparently sourced from hospital wastewater. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Hospital wastewater risks organic; micropollutants

Published in

Chemosphere
2019, Volume: 234, pages: 931-941

SLU Authors

• Sörengård, Mattias

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• de Campos Pereria, Hugo

  • Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Ullberg, Malin

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lai, Foon Yin

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Golovko, Oksana

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Ahrens, Lutz

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages


UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences
Environmental Sciences


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.06.041

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/102234