Occurrence of acidic pharmaceuticals and personal care products in Turia River Basin: From waste to drinking water

The occurrence of 21 acidic pharmaceuticals, including illicit drugs, and personal care products (PPCPs) in waste, surface and drinking water and in sediments of the Turia River Basin (Valencia, Spain) was studied. A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of these PPCPs with electrospray (ESI) in negative ionization (NI) mode. Ammonium fluoride in the mobile phase improved ionization efficiency by an average increase in peak area of 5 compared to ammonium formate or formic acid. All studied compounds were detected and their concentration was waste water>surface water>drinking water. PPCPs were in waste water treatment plants (WWT…

An environmental forensic procedure to analyse anthropogenic pressures of urban origin on surface water of protected coastal agro-environmental wetlands (L'Albufera de Valencia Natural Park, Spain)

Detection and spatial distribution of 14 drugs of abuse and 17 pharmaceuticals in surface waters was investigated to determine transport hydrological connectivity between urban, agriculture and natural environments. Solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was applied to all samples. To determine spatial incidence of contaminants, analytical results of target compounds were georeferenced and integrated into a geographical information systems structure together with layers of municipal population, location of sewage water treatment plants and irrigation channels and sectors. The methodology was applied to L'Albufera Natural Park in Valencia (Spain). A total o…

The embodiment of wastewater data for the estimation of illicit drug consumption in Spain

Data obtained from wastewater analysis can provide rapid and complementary insights in illicit drug consumption at community level. Within Europe, Spain is an important country of transit of both cocaine and cannabis. The quantity of seized drugs and prevalence of their use rank Spain at the top of Europe. Hence, the implementation of a wastewater monitoring program at national level would help to get better understanding of spatial differences and trends in use of illicit drugs. In this study, a national wastewater campaign was performed for the first time to get more insight on the consumption of illicit drugs within Spain. The 13 Spanish cities monitored cover approximately 6 million inh…

Risk assessment on the presence of pharmaceuticals in sediments, soils and waters of the Pego-Oliva Marshlands (Valencia, eastern Spain).

9 páginas, 3 figuras, 2 tablas.

Analytical method for simultaneous determination of pesticide and veterinary drug residues in milk by CE-MS

10 páginas, 2 figuras, 4 tablas.

Pesticide occurrence in the waters of Júcar River, Spain from different farming landscapes.

A combined methodology to identify and quantify farming chemicals in the entire Júcar River basin has been developed. The procedure consisted of the application of environmental forensic criteria associating laboratory analytical samples, cartographic analysis using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and synthetic statistical analysis. Sampling involved the collection of 15 samples in surface waters distributed alongside the Júcar River and its two main tributaries (Cabriel and Magro Rivers). The analytical procedure involves generic sample extraction and selective determination of up to 50 target pesticides by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Geogra…

Dataset of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in a Mediterranean coastal wetland

The dataset provides information on Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) detected in the Albufera Natural Park (Valencia, Spain), a typical Mediterranean coastal wetland. These PPCPs constitute an important group of organic pollutants highly representative of the human impact. The concentrations values measured in soil, sediment and water and the statistical relationship of contaminants between them and with the environmental parameters could help to understand their fate in different compartments. The data also reported the occurrence and removal efficiency (%) for each contaminant in ten wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), located in the surrounding area. This dataset could …

Presence of illicit drugs in surface waters of protected natural wetlands connected to traditional irrigation systems and urban areas

Ponencia presentada en el I Simposio sobre Gestión del Agua en Espacios Protegidos celebrado en La Habana (Cuba) del 2 al 6 de noviembre de 2010

Quantitative determination of octylphenol, nonylphenol, alkylphenol ethoxylates and alcohol ethoxylates by pressurized liquid extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in soils treated with sewage sludges.

6 páginas, 1 figura, 2 tablas.

Assessing alcohol consumption through wastewater-based epidemiology: Spain as a case study

Background In this study, an alternative and complementary method to those approaches currently used to estimate alcohol consumption by the population is described. This method, known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), allows back-calculating the alcohol consumption rate in a given population from the concentrations of a selected biomarker measured in wastewater. Methods Composite (24-h) wastewater samples were collected at the inlet of 17 wastewater treatment plants located in 13 Spanish cities for seven consecutive days in 2018. The sampled area covered 12.8% of the Spanish population. Wastewater samples were analyzed to determine the concentration of ethyl sulfate, the biomarker use…

Assessing drugs of abuse distribution in Turia River based on geographic information system and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry

Drugs of abuse are continuously discharged into wastewaters as part of their elimination process. Pollution at very low concentrations appears to be broad in environmental compartments near populated areas. A total of 42 drugs of abuse and metabolites were analysed in surface water samples collected in 2012 and 2013 by solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Analytical results of target compounds were georeferenced and integrated into a geographical information systems (GIS). Ecotoxicological risk of drugs of abuse detected in the Turia River was evaluated in this study by calculating risk quotient (RQ). In 2012, 6 compounds were detected in a total of…

Presence of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals in the waters of a Mediterranean coastal wetland: Potential interactions and the influence of the environment

The occurrence of 17 relevant pharmaceuticals and 7 heavy metals in the waters of the Pego-Oliva Marsh Natural Park (Valencia Community, Spain) were monitored. Thirty four zones (including the lagoon and the most important irrigation channels), covering the main land uses and water sources, were selected for sampling. Thirty three of them were contaminated with at least one pharmaceutical. Ibuprofen and codeine were the pharmaceuticals more frequently detected, in concentrations between 4.8 and 1.2 ng/L and a maximum of 59 ng/L and 63 ng/L, respectively.Regarding metals, Zn showed values under the detection limit in all the samples, while Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni and Pb were detected at concentra…

Assessing population exposure to phthalate plasticizers in thirteen Spanish cities through the analysis of wastewater

Phthalates are widely used plasticizers that produce endocrine-disrupting disorders. Quantifying exposure is crucial to perform risk assessments and to develop proper health measures. Herein, a wastewater-based epidemiology approach has been applied to estimate human exposure to six of the mostly used phthalates within the Spanish population. Wastewater samples were collected over four weekdays from seventeen wastewater treatment plants serving thirteen cities and ca. 6 million people (12.8 % of the Spanish population). Phthalate metabolite loads in wastewater were transformed into metabolite concentrations in urine and into daily exposure levels to the parent phthalates. Considering all th…

Determination of pesticides and their degradation products in soil: critical review and comparison of methods

18 páginas, 5 figuras, 5 tablas.

Spatial variability of the relationships of runoff and sediment yield with weather types throughout the Mediterranean basin

Este artículo contiene 16 páginas, 6 figuras, 2 tablas.

Nanosensors and other techniques for detecting nanoparticles in the environment

Abstract: Detecting nanomaterials in the environment is a demanding task, not only because of the extremely small size of the particles and their potential sequestration and agglomeration, but also because of their unique physical and chemical characteristics. The aim of this review is to recommend a way forward on tackling the challenge of engineered nanomaterial detection in the environment. An overview will be presented of the available analytical techniques used for the detection and characterization of nanoparticles in environmental matrices including particle-size analysis, particle-fraction concentration counts, surface-area analysis, morphology, and particle chemical composition ana…

Current anthropogenic pressures on agro-ecological protected coastal wetlands

Coastal wetlands are areas that suffer from great pressure. Much of it is due to the rapid development of the surrounding artificial landscapes, where socio-economic factors lead to alterations in the nearby environment, affecting the quality of natural and agricultural systems. This work analyses interconnections among landscapes under the hypothesis that urban-artificial impacts could be detected on soils and waters of an agro-ecological protected area, L'Albufera de Valencia Natural Park, located in the vicinity of the City of Valencia, Spain. The methodological framework developed addresses two types of anthropogenic pressure: (1) direct, due to artificialisation of soil covers that cau…

Cementing agents involved in the macro- and microaggregation of a Mediterranean shrubland soil under laboratory heating

The heating effect on aggregation and cementing agents of a Mediterranean soil was studied in two fractions (macro- and microaggregates) in different environments: under Quercus coccifera soil (UQ), under Rosmarinus officinalis soil (UR) and between plants or bare soil (BS). Samples were heated under laboratory conditions at different temperatures (220, 380, 500, 750 and 1000. °C) to establish their effects on the studied soil properties by comparison with unheated control samples (25. °C). Increasing temperature treatments caused significant changes in most soil variables. In both soil fractions, the presence of vegetation contributed to increase of the soil organic matter (SOM) content, w…

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in a Mediterranean coastal wetland: Impact of anthropogenic and spatial factors and environmental risk assessment

The present study focused on the occurrence, distribution and risk assessment of 32 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in water and sediment, as well as the surrounding soil of the irrigation channels and lake of a Mediterranean coastal wetland, the Albufera Natural Park (Valencia, Spain). Moreover, the influent and effluent of ten wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) that treat wastewater from Valencia and the surrounding areas were also studied. BPA, caffeine, diclofenac, ethyl paraben, methyl paraben, metformin, tramadol and salicylic acid were the predominant PPCPs detected in the channels and the lake, and are in good agreement with those detected in the effluent. Furthe…

Analysis of psychoactive substances in water by information dependent acquisition on a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

Emerging drugs of abuse, belonging to many different chemical classes, are attracting users with promises of “legal” highs and easy access via internet. Prevalence of their consumption and abuse through wastewater-based epidemiology can only be realized if a suitable analytical screening procedure exists to detect and quantify them in water. Solid-phase extraction and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC–QqTOF–MS/MS) was applied for rapid suspect screening as well as for the quantitative determination of 42 illicit drugs and metabolites in water. Using this platform, we were able to identify amphetamines, tryptamines, piperazines, p…

Water-saving techniques for restoring desertified lands: some lessons from the field

Nature-based solutions can significantly contribute to restoration projects in areas affected by desertification processes, where they are necessary for reversing land degradation. Currently, one innovative solution is The Cocoon™, which has been designed as a new ecotechnology for improving seedling establishment. The Cocoon consists of a doughnut-shaped container made of recycled cardboard that provides water and shelter at least during the first year of a seedling, which is the most critical for plant establishment. To determine the effectiveness of this ecotechnology under different conditions, the Cocoon was tested on a variety of soils, climates, vegetation, and land uses. Six plantin…

Relationship of Weather Types on the Seasonal and Spatial Variability of Rainfall, Runoff, and Sediment Yield in the Western Mediterranean Basin

Producción Científica

Corrigendum to "Analysis of cannabinoids by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in milk, liver and hemp seed to ensure food safety" [Food Chem. 228 (2017) 177-185].

First nation-wide estimation of tobacco consumption in Spain using wastewater-based epidemiology

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has become a very useful tool to monitor a population's drug consumption or exposure to environmental and food contaminants. In this work, WBE has been applied to estimate tobacco consumption in seven Spanish regions. To this end, 24 h composite wastewater samples were taken daily for one week in 17 wastewater treatment plants, covering altogether a population of ca. 6 million inhabitants. The samples were treated by enzymatic deconjugation and the wastewater content of two human-specific nicotine metabolites (namely, cotinine and trans-3′-hydroxycotinine) was measured to estimate the daily consumption of nicotine. The population-weighted average nicotine…

Multi-residue determination of 47 organic compounds in water, soil, sediment and fish—Turia River as case study

A sensitive and reliable method based on solid-liquid extraction (SLE) using McIlvaine-Na2EDTA buffer (pH = 4.5)-methanol and solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean up prior to ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) was applied to determine 47 organic contaminants in fish, soil and sediments. The SPE procedure to clean-up the extracts was also used as extraction method to determine these compounds in water. Recoveries ranged from 38 to 104% for all matrices with RSDs 50% for 36 compounds in front of 9, matrix effect < 20% for 31 compounds against 21, and LOQs <25 ng g−1 for 38 compounds against 22) indicates that the proposed method is mor…

Soil and organic carbon redistribution in a recently burned Mediterranean hillslope affected by water erosion processes

Forest fires cause many changes in the physical, chemical and biological soil properties such as aggregation and soil organic carbon contents (SOC) as well as on soil hydrology and erosion processes. Most studies on post-fire soil erosion in Mediterranean environments have been plot-based and research at hillslope or broader scale is scarce. Understanding SOC nature, distribution and modifications, as produced by forest fires and erosion, has become crucial to model and define the role of soil erosion as source or sink of C, and to sustainably manage ecosystem services related to the soil resource. This research provides data about the loss and redistribution of soil and SOC in a Mediterran…

Emerging contaminants related to the occurrence of forest fires in the Spanish Mediterranean

Forest fires can be a source of contamination because, among others, of the use of chemicals to their extinction (flame retardants, FRs), or by the production of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) derived from high temperature alteration of organic matter. Up to our knowledge, this study is the first to assess the direct (PAHs 16 on the USA EPA's priority list), and indirect [tri- to hepta- brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)] contamination related to forest fires. The abundance and distribution of these contaminants were monitored on two Mediterranean hillslopes, one burned and one unburned, near Azuébar (S…

Determination of pharmaceuticals in soils and sediments by pressurized liquid extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

13 páginas, 4 figuras, 6 tablas.

Analytical strategies to determine quinolone residues in food and the environment

23 páginas, 5 figuras, 5 tablas.

Estimation of alcohol consumption during >Fallas> festivity in the wastewater of Valencia city (Spain) using ethyl sulfate as a biomarker

Alcohol consumption has been increasing in the last years and it has become a sociological problem due its derived health and safety problems. Ethyl sulfate is a secondary metabolite of the alcohol degradation that is excreted through the urine (0.010-0.016%) after alcohol ingestion and it is quite stable in water. In this study, a new methodology to determine ethyl sulfate by ion-pair liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed. Different ion-pairs and additives were tested directly in the sample extracts or in the mobile phase. The best ion-pair was set up adding 0.5M of tributylamine and 0.1% of formic acid to the sample. The limit of quantification was 0.3μgL…

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry as a tool for wastewater-based epidemiology: Assessing new psychoactive substances and other human biomarkers

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) started to develop significantly in the last 8 years due, in part, to the advance of liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Its initial objective ― to estimate the consumption of illicit drugs ― has been expanded to new psychoactive substances (NPS) and other human biomarkers of health, lifestyle and disease. The purpose of this review is to introduce recent methods and outstanding challenges in the application of LC–MS to these new targets, including target, suspect and non-target screening and, outline the workflows developed for discovering metabolites of NPS and biomarkers. Further, we discuss a number of specific methodological challenges t…

Simultaneous determination of traditional and emerging illicit drugs in sediments, sludges and particulate matter

An analytical method for determining traditional and emerging drugs of abuse in particulate matter, sewage sludge and sediment has been developed and validated. A total of 41 drugs of abuse and metabolites including cocainics, tryptamines, amphetamines, arylcyclohexylamines, cathinones, morphine derivatives, pyrrolidifenones derivatives, entactogens, piperazines and other psychostimulants were selected. Samples were ultrasound extracted with McIlvaine buffer and methanol, and the extracts were cleaned up by solid phase extraction (SPE) using Strata-X cartridges. Drugs were eluted using methanol and methanol-dichloromethane and determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Th…

Analysis of cannabinoids by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry in milk, liver and hemp seed to ensure food safety

A method for determining cannabinoids, Δ9-tetrahidrocannabinol (THC), 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-THC (THC-COOH) and 11-hidroxy-Δ9-THC (THC-OH) in milk, liver and hemp seeds based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has been optimized and validated. Analytes were extracted with methanol and the extracts cleaned-up by solid-phase extraction using Oasis HLB (60 mg). The developed method was validated according to the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. The decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) ranged from 3.10–10.5 ng g−1 and 3.52–11.5 ng g−1, the recoveries were 76–118% and matrix effect ranged from −17.8% to 19.9% in the three matrices studied. The method was applied to foo…