Growth inhibition of freshwater microalga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata caused by a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluent extract was investigated using an effect directed analysis (EDA) approach. The objective was to identify compounds responsible for the toxicity by combining state-of-the-art sampling, bioanalytical, fractionation and non-target screening techniques. Three fractionation steps of the whole extract were performed and bioactive fractions were analysed with GC (xGC)-MS and LC-HRMS. In total, 383 compounds were tentatively identified, and their toxicity was characterized using US EPA Ecotox database, open scientific literature or modelled by ECOSAR. Among the top-ranking drivers of toxicity were pesticides and their transformation products, pharmaceuticals (barbiturate derivatives and macrolide antibiotics e.g. azithromycin), industrial compounds or caffeine and its metabolites. Several of the top-ranking pesticides are no longer registered for use in plant protection products or biocides in the Czech Republic (e.g. prometryn, atrazine, acetochlor, resmethrin) and some are approved only for use in biocides (e.g. terbutryn, carbendazim, phenothrin), which indicates that their non-agricultural input into aquatic environment via WWT'Ps should be carefully considered. The study demonstrated a functional strategy of combining biotesting, fractionation and non-target screening techniques in the EDA study focused on the identification of algal growth inhibitors in WWTP effluent.
Scientific paper
Synthesis and characterisation of peroxypinic acids as proxies for highly oxygenated molecules (HOMs) in secondary organic aerosol
Steimer, SS; Delvaux, A; Campbell, SJ; Gallimore, PJ; Grice, P; Howe, DJ; Pitton, D; Claeys, M; Hoffmann, T; Kalberer, M
Peroxy acids were recently found to be involved in new particle formation in the atmosphere and could also substantially contribute towards particle toxicity. However, a lack of suitable analytical methods for the detection and characterisation of peroxy acids in the particle phase is currently hindering the quantitative investigation of their contribution to these important atmospheric processes. Further development of appropriate techniques and relevant standards is therefore urgently needed. In this study, we synthesised three peroxypinic acids, developed a liquid chromatography separation method and characterised them with tandem mass spectrometry. The observed fragmentation patterns clearly distinguish the different peroxypinic acids from both the acid and each other, showing several neutral losses previously already observed for other peroxy acids. Both monoperoxypinic acids were found to be present in secondary organic aerosol generated from ozonolysis of alpha-pinene in laboratory experiments. The yield of monoperoxypinic acid formation was not influenced by humidity. Monoperoxypinic acid quickly degrades on the filter, with about 60% lost within the first 5 h. This fast degradation shows that time delays in traditional off-line analysis will likely lead to severe underestimates of peroxy compound concentrations in ambient particles.
Scientific paper
Formation of atmospheric molecular clusters consisting of sulfuric acid and C8H12O6 tricarboxylic acid
Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry for screening of organohalogenated compounds in cat hair
Brits M; Gorst-Allman P; Rohwer E.R; De Vos J; de Boer J; Weiss JM
2017
| J. Chromatogr. A
| pii: S0021-9673(17)31236-0
Scientific paper
Source characterisation and distribution of selected PCBs, PAHs and alkyl PAHs in sediments from the Klip and Jukskei Rivers, South Africa
Rimayi C; Chimuka L; Odusanya D; de Boer J; Weiss JM
2017
| Environ Monit Assess
| 189
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Scientific paper
Cats’ Internal Exposure to Selected BFRs and Organochlorines Correlated to House Dust and Cat Food.
