Emerging pollutants-POSTER SESSION

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms are becoming more spatially persistent worldwide. The formation and release, through cell-death and/or excretion, of bioactive metabolites (cyanotoxins) is comprising a reoccurring concern to environmental protection agencies. Cyanotoxins can negatively impact mammalian health in various ways by causing cytotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. Besides conventional toxins some genera can produce an array of oligopeptides characterized as microginin, cyanopeptolins, and aeruginosins. In this work we studied the occurrence of both conventional cyanotoxins as well as oligopeptides in a eutrophic dam located in Cyprus (Polemidia Dam) in years 2014-2018. To identify those oligopeptides advanced analytical techniques have been employed; specifically, tandem mass spectrometry at different modes (for screening and for quantitative analysis). Our initial results indicate that the detection of conventional cyanotoxins was lower than the method detection limits and for their detection in the ng/L range the analysis was conducted in the MRM mode. An array of oligopeptides was detected such as microcin SF608 (m/z 609.34), anabaenopeptin F (m/z 851.49), and aeruginosin 602 (m/z 609.34). There were no seasonal variations for the years 2014 and 2015 sampling events, while some of the oligopeptides (m/z 726.6) detected have not been previously reported in the cited literature.

Friday
Poster presentation in Emerging pollutants-POSTER SESSION

In this study, antibiotics of multiple classes (sulfonamides, quinolones, penicillins, macrolides, tetracyclines, pyrimidines) were selected to be accurately detected with modern chromatographic systems based on hybrid mass analyzers. For that purpose 13 antibiotics of major use were separated and detected with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) high-resolution LTQ/Orbitrap mass spectrometry. The recent trend is focused toward the use of powerful high resolution MS detectors like Orbitrap which has become the technique of choice because of its high selectivity and sensitivity. Compounds were successfully identified in spiked samples from their accurate mass and LC retention times from the acquired full-scan chromatogram.

Friday
Poster presentation in Emerging pollutants-POSTER SESSION

Polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are used in the field of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, impregnating agents, etc. These are predominantly compounds that are difficult to degradate in the environment, and therefore are highly persistent. Many these compounds are known to have toxic effects and thus a negative effect on humans and the entire ecosystem. PFCs include, for example, flufenamic acid (antipyretic). The aim of the study is to verify the biological activity of flufenamic acid and derivatives prepared from this initial compound by organic synthesis. Flufenamic acid is a known substance, however the prepared derivatives are chemical compounds that have not been described and characterized in detail.
In the synthesis of prepared compounds, whose structure was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, antimicrobial potential was tested against a wide range of microorganisms by the disc diffusion method and microdilution method in microtiter plates. Some antimicrobial properties of some of the prepared derivatives have been found to be close to the antimicrobial effect of the previously described and known antibiotic agents. These are significant and extremely stable pollutants in the environment, which, however, may have interesting antimicrobial properties according to the obtained results.

Friday
Poster presentation in Emerging pollutants-POSTER SESSION

The aim of the study was to perform extended monitoring of emerging contaminants in the water samples from three reservoirs of drinking water of EYDAP, Evinos, Mornos and Marathonas. Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE) by mixed-mode sorbent was used during the sample preparation to ensure the extraction of compounds with a wide range of physicochemical properties and very low limits of detection. The extracts were analyzed by complimentary chromatographic techniques, including Reversed Phase (RP) and Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography (HILIC) coupled to Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (QToF-MS) due to its increased selectivity. Wide-scope target screening was performed by in-house databases consisting of 3,000 compounds, including several classes of emerging contaminants, naturally occurring compounds and endogenous metabolites. For the suspect screening, a database of approximately 40,000 compounds (REACH chemicals, industrial chemicals, biocides, PPCPs, surfactants and compounds from the NORMAN network monitoring programs) was used. Non-target screening was also performed for the identification of unknown unknowns in the analyzed samples.

Friday
Poster presentation in Emerging pollutants-POSTER SESSION

The contamination of the aquatic environment has raised concerns in the scientific community and regulatory authorities. Given the large number of xenobiotics, for most of them there is a striking deficit in the literature concerning their adverse effects on aquatic organisms. Citalopram (CTR) is a worldwide highly consumed antidepressant which has demonstrated incomplete removal by conventional wastewater treatment, hence resulting in the contamination of aquatic ecosystems. Consequently, it is urgent to evaluate its potentially toxic effects on aquatic organisms.

Friday
Poster presentation in Emerging pollutants-POSTER SESSION

UV-filters accumulate in tissues of aquatic organisms and induce negative effects on fertility and reproduction. Since they are “new emerging pollutants” general monitoring programs are rare and mainly conducted in touristic places, where high temperatures are recorded throughout the year (Spain, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean coast). This study is focused on benzophenones and derivatives of camphor. The concentration of UV-filters was monitored seasonally in core sediments collected in four Polish beaches (Ustka, Rowy, Darłowo, Czołpino) characterized by various level of touristic pressure along a transect perpendicular to the shoreline over a period of 1 year. Analysis of target compounds in sand cores was performed by means of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method followed by high performance liquid chromatography equipped with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). In samples collected in the most touristic attractive location the presence of benzophenones was confirmed.

Friday
Poster presentation in Emerging pollutants-POSTER SESSION

The purpose of this study was to estimate the environmental risk associated with the existence of triclosan (TCS) released from municipal wastewater in the European rivers. A literature review was held to record the concentration levels of TCS in effluents of European Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), while toxicity data was collected for aquatic organisms (algae, Daphnia magna and fish). Risk assessment was based on both Risk Quotient (RQ) methodology and Monte Carlo simulation. According to the results, TCS monitoring data was available for 349 STPs located in 15 out of the 50 European countries. Its mean concentrations ranged between 2.2 ng L-1 and 47,800 ng L-1. The 95th percentile of RQ was higher than 1 (in algae) for rivers with dilution factors (DFs) equal to or lower than 100, when maximum concentration was used, whereas the 95th percentile of RQ exceeded 1 for rivers with DFs up to 10, in cases where the calculations were based on mean concentration values.

Friday
Poster presentation in Emerging pollutants-POSTER SESSION