Impact of microfiber pollution on aquatic biota: A critical analysis of effects and preventive measures.

The widespread use of Personal protective equipments (PPEs) by the healthcare professionals and public due to Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has become a new source for MFs pollution. Mismanaged plastic wastes and random dispose of used surgical face mask end up in large aquatic bodies via small waterways and waste water treatment plants (WWTPs). Microplastics/Microfibres (MPs/MFs) have recently been reported in a variety of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including water, deep sea sediments, air and soil. Natural components like UV radiation and temperature play a major role in weathering of surgical masks. High loads of MPs/MFs emitted into the aquatic environment are easily consumed by organism's habitat in such ecosystem by disrupting the food chain and causing chronic health problems in the organisms including humans. The aim of this review article is to shed light on these issues and compile the most recent information available regarding the deterioration of surgical face masks in the environment as well as other contaminants and their presence in various environments, particularly with regard to methods that make use of exposure models, biomarkers of exposure, and their limitations. Along with this, the study focuses on identifying gaps in current understanding and highlighting prospective research directions. The literature on surgical face mask pollution and its effects on the biological and physiological systems of various organisms and ecosystems is critically analysed in this review. It also raises awareness of how to properly dispose of used surgical face masks and other PPEs.

Impact of COVID-19 and viruses on UV disinfection design dose

While virus effluent limits are yet to be promulgated through wastewater discharge permits, consideration for regulations and their resulting impact on current and future wastewater disinfection systems have long preceded the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Further, the pandemic has prompted significant pubic interested in the presence and threat of pathogens in waterways. The wastewater industry has proven its adaptability through the implementation of influent monitoring to predict coronavirus outbreaks and the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has ushered in a new perspective on both virus monitoring and potential regulation. As a result, disinfection projects occurring during the pandemic have been privy to the influence of virus-based control considerations, irrespective of official discharge regulations impacting the UV design dose for secondary effluent applications. Copyright © 2022 Water Environment Federation.

European fluxes of medical gadolinium to the ocean: A model based on healthcare databases.

Marine ecosystems are exposed to a multitude of stresses, including emerging metals as Rare Earth Elements. The management of these emerging contaminants represents a significant environmental issue. For the past three decades, the increasing medical use of gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) has contributed to their widespread dispersion in hydrosystems, raising concerns for ocean conservation. In order to control GBCA contamination pathways, a better understanding of the cycle of these elements is needed, based on the reliable characterization of fluxes from watersheds. Our study proposes an unprecedented annual flux model for anthropogenic gadolinium (Gdanth) based on GBCA consumption, demographics and medical uses. This model enabled the mapping of Gdanth fluxes for 48 European countries. The results show that 43 % of Gdanth is exported to the Atlantic Ocean, 24 % to the Black Sea, 23 % to the Mediterranean Sea and 9 % to the Baltic Sea. Together, Germany, France and Italy contribute 40 % of Europe's annual flux. Our study was therefore able to identify the current and future major contributors to Gdanth flux in Europe and identify abrupt changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Occurrence of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds and Potential Ecological Risks in Wastewater from Hospitals and Receiving Waters in Sri Lanka.

The presence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PACs) in the environment and their associated hazards is a major global health concern; however, data on these compounds are scarce in developing nations. In the present study, the existence of 39 non-antimicrobial PACs and six of their metabolites in wastewater from hospitals and adjacent surface waters in Sri Lanka was investigated from 2016 to 2018. The highest amounts of the measured chemicals, including the highest concentrations of atorvastatin (14,620 ng/L) and two metabolites, mefenamic acid (12,120 ng/L) and o-desmethyl tramadol (8700 ng/L), were detected in wastewater from the largest facility. Mefenamic acid, gemfibrozil, losartan, cetirizine, carbamazepine, and phenytoin were detected in all the samples. The removal rates in wastewater treatment were 100% for zolpidem, norsertaline, quetiapine, chlorpromazine, and alprazolam. There was substantial variation in removal rates of PACs among facilities, and the overall data suggest that treatment processes in facilities were ineffective and that some PAC concentrations in the effluents were increased. The estimated risk quotients revealed that 14 PACs detected in water samples could pose low to high ecological risk to various aquatic organisms. Compounds such as ibuprofen, tramadol, and chlorpromazine detected in untreated and treated wastewater at these facilities pose a high risk to several aquatic organisms. Our study provides novel monitoring data for non-antimicrobial PAC abundance and the associated potential ecological risk related to hospitals and urban surface waters in Sri Lanka and further offers valuable information on pre-COVID-19 era PAC distribution in the country. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:298-311. © 2021 SETAC.