Due to increasing anthropogenic activities, a large number of xenobiotics are being released into the environment causing emerging concerns due to their potential adverse effects to aquatic environments and the public health. Generally, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, as well as industrial chemicals are considered as organic contaminants of emerging concerns. Those of particular interest include antibiotics, hormones, endocrine disruptors, and the recently emerged per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Research questions regarding those emerging organic contaminants lie in several aspects: i) their occurrence in natural and engineered environments, ii) their physical, chemical and biological fate in the receiving environment, iii) their impacts/toxicities to the organisms residing in the receiving environment, thus potentially the public health, and iv) appropriate treatment strategies to alleviate their negative influence to the receiving environment and to ensure safety for water reuse purposes. Our research has been focusing on the interactions between the organic pollutants and the microorganisms being exposed to them, i.e., the capabilities of environmental microorganisms to degrade the emerging organic contaminants and the effects of exposure to those pollutants on the “health” of microorganisms, in particular the development and transmission of antimicrobial resistance. We investigated the environmental occurrence of emerging organic contaminants and the general biotransformation capabilities of nitrifiers in wastewater treatment plants, one major sink of the emerging contaminants. We also specifically looked at the biotransformation of the notorious PFASs contaminants in groundwater and sediments by anaerobic microbial communities. On the other hand, we explored potential influence on microorganisms being exposed to mixtures of organic contaminants at low levels for a long term in the respective of antimicrobial resistance development and transmission. The results provide i) valuable information for a better understanding of the fate and transport of the emerging organic contaminants, ii) implications on risk assessment, and iii) important guidance on potential biological treatment strategies.

Organic contaminants of emerging concerns: Environmental fate and impacts

2019 Fall National Meeting

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