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Detoxification of wastewater treatment plant effluents by enhanced soil aquifer treatment

ABSTRACT: Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) is recognized as a cost-effective approach to reduce contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) effluents. However, its efficiency in removing the associated biological effects is still poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the efficiency of three pilot SAT systems, two of them enhanced with reactive barriers containing different proportions of sand and organic materials, in removing toxicity associated to CECs. SATs were fed with secondary effluents from the Palamós WWTP (N.E. Spain) during two consecutive campaigns scheduled before and after the summer of 2020. Fifteen water samples were collected from the WWTP effluent, below the barriers and 15 m into the aquifer. Transcriptomic analyses of zebrafish embryos exposed to the corresponding water extracts revealed a wide range of toxic activities in the WWTP effluents. Results demonstrated that the associated responses were reduced by more than 70% by SAT, achieving control levels in some cases. Similar results were obtained when human HepG2 hepatic cells were tested for cytotoxic and dioxin-like responses. Toxicity reduction appeared to be partially determined by the reactive barrier composition and/or SAT managing and was correlated with the removal of CECs by SAT. In conclusion, SAT appears to be a very promising approach for efficiently reducing the effects of recalcitrant pollutants from WWTP secondary effluents on the environment and human health.

ORGANISM(S): Danio rerio

PROVIDER: GSE240250 | GEO | 2024/11/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in treated municipal effluents have the potential to adversely impact exposed organisms prompting elevated public concern. Using transcriptomic tools, we investigated changes in gene expression and cellular pathways in the liver of male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to 5% concentrations of full secondary-treated (HTP) or advanced primary-treated (PL) municipal wastewater effluents containing CECs. Gene expression changes were associated with apical endpoints (plasma vitellogenin and changes in secondary sexual characteristics). Of 32 effluent CECs analyzed, 28 were detected including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, hormones, and industrial compounds. Transcript patterns differed between effluents, however < 10% of these had agreement in the detected response (e.g. transcrips involved in xenobiotic detoxification, oxidative stress and apoptosis) in both effluents. Exposure to PL effluent caused changes in transcript levels of genes involved in metabolic pathways (e.g., lipid transport and steroid metabolism). Exposure to HTP effluent affected transcripts involved in signaling pathways (e.g., focal adhesion assembly and extracellular matrix). Exposure to both effluents produced significantly higher levels of plasma VTG and changes in secondary sexual characteristics (e.g., ovipositor development). Taken together the results suggest, a potential association between some transcriptomic changes and higher biological responses following effluent exposure; and a potential adverse outcome pathway following exposure to complex chemical mixtures containing CECs -. Furthermore, this study identified responses in key genes and pathways not previously implicated in exposure to CECS, , which could be consistent with effluent exposure (e.g., oxidative stress) in addition to other pathway responses specific to the effluent type. This may be useful for assessing the adverse health effects of fish by effluents exposure to CECs.

Project description:Despite recent knowledge of the potential environmental impact that compounds present in municipal wastewater effluents, including contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), may have, the implications of fish exposure to this contaminant mixtures are not completely understood. The effects caused by effluent CECs may be subtle and diverse, thus the need for sensitive and comprehensive tools such as gene expression to detect such responses. In this study, we conducted laboratory exposures that examined plasma concentrations of vitellogenin (VTG), changes in secondary sexual characteristics and gene expression in sexually mature male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to environmentally realistic (0.5%) and higher (5%) concentrations of municipal wastewater effluents. Secondary and primary treated effluents were used. Several of the 32 CECs investigated were detected, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, hormones, current use pesticides and industrial compounds. The percent of males with detectable levels of VTG was higher in fish exposed to effluent treatments. An increased number of males with changes in secondary sexual characteristics (e.g. development of ovipositors), was observed in fish exposed to 5% effluent treatments. Gene expression data indicated that overall expression patterns were characteristic to each effluent. Higher numbers of differentially expressed genes were observed in fish exposed to primary treated effluent when compared to controls. Differentially expressed genes belonged to several functional categories, including xenobiotic metabolism, estogenicity and energy/metabolism processes. Gene expression data provided information to understand some of the mechanisms behind the effects observed at higher biological levels. To investigate gene expression responses resulting from exposure to POTW effluents, two laboratory experiments were conducted using effluent from San Diego (Point Loma; SD) and Los Angeles (Hyperion; LA). The LA effluent received secondary treatment and the SD effluent received advanced primary treatment. Treatments used during exposures consisted of negative controls (moderately hard water), positive controls (E2), and 0.5% and 5% effluent concentrations. The 0.5% concentration of effluent represented an environmentally realistic exposure level. The 5% effluent concentration represented a higher level at which we expected biological responses. The exposures lasted 14 days. Treatments: EFFHa = 5% primary treated effluent EFFHb = 5% secondary treated effluent EFFLa = 0.5% primary treated effluent E2a = Estradiol, positive control for primary effluent E2b = Estradiol, positive control for secondary effluent CTRLa = Moderately hard water, negative control for primary effluent CTRLb = Moderately hard water, negative control for secondary effluent

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Detoxification of wastewater treatment plant effluents by enhanced soil aquifer treatment

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