The global emergency of ever-increasing demand for water and the scarcity of this resource bring attention back to the potential use of wastewater. Unfortunately, water reuse presents some risks for human and ecosystem health related to the presence of waterborne contaminants. In this study, preliminary data on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) dynamics of uptake, distribution and accumulation by olive trees (Olea europaea L.) within a plant-soil system were reported. The trial was conducted on olives grown in pots and irrigated with freshwater (control) and treated municipal wastewater. The treated municipal wastewater used for irrigation was spiked with four CECs (Carbamazepine, Fluconazole, Clarithromycin and Metoprolol) at a concentration of approximately 200 µg L-1 (1×). The fate of these CECs in this soil-plant system was then investigated. The irrigation volume applied per plant in one season was approximately 150 L, adding approximately 30 mg of each compound per plant. Translocation and accumulation of CECs in plants can be explained by their physico-chemical properties, mainly their hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, chemical structure and charge. QuEChERS method was used to extract CECs from soil and plants and samples were analysed using high resolution mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography (LC-HRMS/MS). The data obtained from the trial showed that two of the four CECs evaluated, Carbamazepine and Fluconazole accumulated in soil (approximately 80 and 86%) and plant (approximately 5 and 6%), respectively, with lower degradation rates (15 and 7%). The other two CECs (Metoprolol and Clarithromycin) accumulated only in soil and plant below ground parts, with degradation of the applied compound exceeding 90%. These preliminary results show different accumulation pathways for each compound. Further research is needed to better investigate the fate of CECs from wastewater used for irrigation in soil-plant ecosystems aiming to ensure food safety through the definition of appropriate irrigation strategies.
Fate of selected contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in an olive tree soil-plant system irrigated with treated municipal wastewater
Mininni A. N.
;Pietrafesa A.;Calabritto M.;B. Dichio
2024-01-01
Abstract
The global emergency of ever-increasing demand for water and the scarcity of this resource bring attention back to the potential use of wastewater. Unfortunately, water reuse presents some risks for human and ecosystem health related to the presence of waterborne contaminants. In this study, preliminary data on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) dynamics of uptake, distribution and accumulation by olive trees (Olea europaea L.) within a plant-soil system were reported. The trial was conducted on olives grown in pots and irrigated with freshwater (control) and treated municipal wastewater. The treated municipal wastewater used for irrigation was spiked with four CECs (Carbamazepine, Fluconazole, Clarithromycin and Metoprolol) at a concentration of approximately 200 µg L-1 (1×). The fate of these CECs in this soil-plant system was then investigated. The irrigation volume applied per plant in one season was approximately 150 L, adding approximately 30 mg of each compound per plant. Translocation and accumulation of CECs in plants can be explained by their physico-chemical properties, mainly their hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, chemical structure and charge. QuEChERS method was used to extract CECs from soil and plants and samples were analysed using high resolution mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography (LC-HRMS/MS). The data obtained from the trial showed that two of the four CECs evaluated, Carbamazepine and Fluconazole accumulated in soil (approximately 80 and 86%) and plant (approximately 5 and 6%), respectively, with lower degradation rates (15 and 7%). The other two CECs (Metoprolol and Clarithromycin) accumulated only in soil and plant below ground parts, with degradation of the applied compound exceeding 90%. These preliminary results show different accumulation pathways for each compound. Further research is needed to better investigate the fate of CECs from wastewater used for irrigation in soil-plant ecosystems aiming to ensure food safety through the definition of appropriate irrigation strategies.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
