Behaviour and Fluxes of Dissolved Antibiotics, Analgesics and Hormones During Flood Events in a Small Heterogeneous Catchment in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

Abstract

The objective of this investigation is to analyse the variations of xenobiotic concentrations and the fluxes of dissolved xenobiotics during runoff events in the small rural Mess catchment (35 km 2 ) in the Southwestern part of Luxembourg. Sulfonamides, tetracyclines, analgesics and hormones, dissolved nutrients, sulphate and chloride were measured to gather information about runoff generation. Typically, the highest values can be found during the first flush mainly in the rising limb of the flood hydrographs. The highest concentrations in eleven flood events are measured for ibuprofen (2,383 ng l -1 ), estrone (27 ng l -1 ) and diclofenac (20 ng l -1 ). From the tetracycline group tetracycline (9 ng l -1 ) itself is of relevance, while the sulfonamides are mainly represented by sulfamethoxazole (5 ng l -1 ). The variable patterns of chemographs are attributed to the heterogeneous runoff generation characterised by different reactions of storm overflows from the combined sewer systems. During single flood events, the fluxes of ibuprofen (maximum 24,000 mg), 17α-ethinylestradiol (122 mg), 17β-estradiol (32 mg) or estrone (274 mg) are rather low.

Concentrations of dissolved herbicides and pharmaceuticals in a small river in Luxembourg

“…The results show that comparable to other studies (Wittmer et al 2010;Pailler et al 2009a), a distinct relationship between discharge and pollutant concentrations does not exist for pharmaceuticals or for pesticides. The variable dependence of xenobiotic concentrations to event specific conditions and processes is discussed in the following sections.…”

“…The leaching is a possible pathway under dry weather conditions, whereas wash-off and erosion effects occur only under wet weather conditions. The increase of subsurface flow and the occurrence of surface runoff within storm events could lead to a relevant concentration increase of pesticides, nutrients and pharmaceuticals in the receiving water body (Freitas et al 2008;Heberer 2002;Kay et al 2004;Li et al 2008;Ng et al 1995;Pailler et al 2009a, b;Poor and McDonnell 2007).…”

“…This aims to classify the chemographs and hydrographs based on their structure. Krein and Symader (2000) as well as Kurtenbach and Krein (2007) or Pailler et al (2009a, b) illustrate different examples of this technique. Figure 2 shows the hydrograph and chemographs of selected dissolved pharmaceuticals during the flood event on August 25th 2009 in the Mess River basin.…”

“…2. In the falling limb at 6 p.m., stream water is primarily composed of laterally inflowing soil water with higher NO 3 -N content (5 mg l −1 ) (Elrashidi et al 2005;Poor and McDonnell 2007) and higher concentrations of dissolved sulfamethoxazole and oxytetracycline (Pailler et al 2009a). The environment may be exposed to veterinary medicines administered to livestock through the application of organic fertilisers, especially by slurry that is applied to the arable land.…”

“…The environment may be exposed to veterinary medicines administered to livestock through the application of organic fertilisers, especially by slurry that is applied to the arable land. In this context, the drainage of clay soils-also characteristic for the Mess basin-has been identified as an important mechanism by which pollution of surface waters with oxytetracycline can occur (Kay et al 2004;Li et al 2008;Pailler et al 2009a). The 1.5-h time lag between discharge maximum from the area of Reckange and its corresponding ibuprofen peak or the associated decline of NO 3 -N illustrate a distinct kinematic wave effect.…”