Multi-Level Approach for the Integrated Assessment of Polar Organic Micropollutants in an International Lake Catchment: The Example of Lake Constance

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 47; no. 13; pp. 7028 - 7036
• Main Authors: Moschet, Christoph, Götz, Christian, Longrée, Philipp, Hollender, Juliane, Singer, Heinz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 02-07-2013
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Aquatic ecosystems; Austria; Carbamazepine - analysis; Continental surface waters; Diclofenac - analysis; Drinking water; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Germany; Lakes - analysis; Mass spectrometry; Models, Theoretical; Natural water pollution; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; Organic Chemicals - analysis; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Public health; Rivers - chemistry; Sucrose - analogs & derivatives; Sucrose - analysis; Sulfamethoxazole - analysis; Switzerland; Thiazines - analysis; Triazoles - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Supply - analysis; Water treatment and pollution; Water treatment plants; Central Europe; Lake Constance; Europe; Europe, Constance L; Emerging contaminant; Environmental policy; Pollution control; Polar compound; Forecast model; Sewage treatment plant; Selfpurification; Depth profile; Watershed; Surface water; Lakes; Micropollutant; Stream; Water pollution; Pollution abatement; Waste water discharge; Material balance; Organic compounds; Concentration distribution
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es304484w

Polar organic micropollutants (MPs) can have ecotoxicological effects on aquatic ecosystems and their occurrence in drinking water is a threat to public health. An extensive exposure assessment of MPs in large river and lake catchments is a necessary but challenging proposition for researchers and regulators. To get a complete picture of MP exposure in a large catchment, we employed a novel integrated strategy including MP measurement in the international catchment of Lake Constance and mass-flux modeling. A comprehensive screening of 252 MPs in the lake water by high-resolution mass spectrometry was used to identify the most commonly present MPs for the study site. It was found that the wastewater borne MPs diclofenac, carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, acesulfame, sucralose, benzotriazole, and methylbenzotriazole accounted for the most frequent and prominent findings. The concentration pattern of these compounds in the catchment was calculated based on regionalized inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and substance specific elimination rates. In 52, 8, and 3 of the 112 investigated river locations the concentration exceeded the predicted no-effect levels for diclofenac, sulfamethoxazole and carbamazepine, respectively. By coupling the catchment and lake model the effect of future trends in usage as well as possible mitigation options were evaluated for the tributaries and the lake. The upgrade of the major WWTPs in the catchment with a postozonation step would lead to a load reduction between 32% and 52% for all substances except for sucralose (10%).