Uptake of pharmaceuticals by lettuce (Lactuca sativa) grown under hydroponic conditions and in a terrestrial environment and earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in the soil environment

presentation, poster

English

The widespread use of pharmaceuticals (including antibiotics) plays a key role in the management of diseases in humans, livestock and aquacultures. Nowadays the consumption of pharmaceuticals (PhACs) is still growing. Nevertheless, depending on pharmacokinetics, specific transformation processes, route of administration and the pharmaceutical class, between 30 % to 90 % of the drug dosage can be excreted nonmetabolized or as metabolites in form of faeces or urine. Consequently, these drugs (including their metabolites) can enter water or also the terrestrial environment through several different routes. Unfortunately, some pharmaceutical residues are not completely removed by conventional methods used in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and may therefore be present in the WWTP effluent but also in their sewage sludge. These residues may subsequently enter the soil, e.g. through irrigation with wastewater (wastewater recycling), application of animal waste (manure, slurry, poultry litter, etc.) or application of treated sewage sludge to agricultural land. These recycling practices are widely promoted by the European Union within the circular economy. However, this circular economy may indirectly contribute to the spread of drug residues into the environment. Subsequently, even these low antimicrobial concentrations pose an environment for an uprise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The presence of antimicrobials in the soil environment doesn’t only spread AMR but also affects the metabolism of soil microbial communities, and unfortunately, any change in the microbial communities may influence the regular functioning of the soil ecosystem. Through the statistical analysis, it is estimated that around 1.2 million deaths worldwide and another 2.6 to 4.8 million are associated with AMR; by 2050 it will be up to 10 million deaths per year. Furthermore, several studies have shown that crops grown in contaminated soil after application of manure, wastewater or sewage sludge (or crops grown hydroponically in a contaminated water environment) may contain trace amounts of drug residues, raising concerns about the potential human health risks associated with long-term dietary intake of these substances or even the subsequent effect of these PhACs on human microflora and the development of AMR. Some scientific studies have also suggested that uptake and bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals by terrestrial organisms may occur, especially e.g. invertebrates (earthworms), which are very important for maintaining a fertile soil environment and are also the basis of many food chains (e.g. food of predators, which are at risk of secondary poisoning). Therefore an understanding of the uptake and accumulation of PhACs in vegetables and invertebrates is essential to risk assessment of crop irrigation with recycled wastewater or of soil amendment with animal manure or biosolids. Identification of key factors affecting uptake will help to develop approaches to model uptake and in the future will help in the decision to irrigate soils with wastewater, amend them with biosolids, or fertilize them with manure.

environmental contamination, drug residues, QuEChERS, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry

FUČÍK, J.; AMRICHOVÁ, A.; HAMPLOVÁ, M.; NAVRKALOVÁ, J.; SEDLÁŘ, M.; ZLÁMALOVÁ GARGOŠOVÁ, H.; MRAVCOVÁ, L.

22. 6. 2023

German Chemical Society

Dusseldorf, Germany

104

104

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