Entry of biocides and their transformation products into groundwater via urban stormwater infiltration systems

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

Biocides are, inter alia, applied as preservatives on facades to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Their incomplete mineralization results in new compounds, so-called transformation products (TPs). Rain causes that both applied biocides and their TPs leach from facades with stormwater into the urban aquatic environment. This study is the first to investigate the introduction of the biocides Diuron, Terbutryn, and Octylisothiazolinone (OIT) and their TPs into the groundwater via urban stormwater infiltration systems. In this study, the TPs of these biocides were created by laboratory photolysis and elucidated using LC-HRMS. The results were then used to analyze TPs by LC-MS/MS in stormwater and groundwater samples, which were taken from an urban swale-trench system and from groundwater wells upgradient and downgradient of the infiltration system. A sprinkling experiment was conducted to evaluate facades as a contamination source. Biodegradation tests were conducted to determine bio-persistence of biocides and their TPs. Fourteen TPs were identified under laboratory photolysis. TP-186, TP-210, and TP-256 of Terbutryn were hitherto unknown. Nine TPs were qualitatively detected in environmental water samples. Parent compounds, TP-219 of Diuron and TP-212, TP-214, and TP-226 of Terbutryn were detected at a maximum concentration of 140 ng L−1 during stormwater events. Concentrations in groundwater were considerably below German drinking water limits, but were higher in groundwater samples downgradient from the investigated swale-trench system than in those collected upgradient. Neither the biocides nor most of their TPs were readily biodegradable under simulated surface water conditions. The results show that entry of biocides and their TPs into groundwater is caused by infiltration of urban stormwater.

Original languageEnglish
JournalWater Research
Volume144
Pages (from-to)413-423
Number of pages11
ISSN0043-1354
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.11.2018

Bibliographical note

The authors thank Jens Robertson and Philipp Knobloch for their extensive support in the laboratory analysis. This research was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) ( 02WRM1366A ) support measure “Regional water resource management (ReWaM)” in the project MUTReWa (Measures for a sustainable approach to pesticides and their transformation products in the regional water management). Appendix A

    Research areas

  • Facade coatings, Groundwater contamination, Leaching, Qualitative TP-screening, Stormwater events
  • Chemistry

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Aufbruch?!
  2. Cultivating dispersed collectivity
  3. Sustainable Reporting?
  4. Diversity-enhanced canopy space occupation and leaf functional diversity jointly promote overyielding in tropical tree communities
  5. Navigating cognition biases in the search of sustainability
  6. Unequal paths to clienthood
  7. Feasibility and efficacy of a digital resilience training
  8. Predictive power of oil prices on CDS spread dynamics of oil-producing countries
  9. Priority effects transcend scales and disciplines in biology
  10. Kooperation und Diversität von Netzwerken
  11. A Daily Breathing Practice Bolsters Girls’ Prosocial Behavior and Third and Fourth Graders’ Supportive Peer Relationships
  12. Genetic Implications of Chemical and Textural Properties of Some Fra Mauro Breccias (Apollo 14)
  13. Australia’s Stock Route Network
  14. Was fehlt in der EVS?
  15. Der Hunger nach Liebe
  16. Transforming knowledge systems for life on Earth
  17. A three-armed randomised controlled trial investigating the comparative impact of guidance on the efficacy of a web-based stress management intervention and health impairing and promoting mechanisms of prevention
  18. Students’ Beliefs About Trigger Warnings
  19. The global distribution of authorship in economics journals
  20. Crowdsourcing Hypothesis Tests
  21. Entrepreneurship in conventions, place-making, and spaces of creativity
  22. Testing of a Multiple Criteria Assessment Tool for Healthcare Facilities Quality and Sustainability
  23. Spatial characterization of coastal marine social-ecological systems
  24. Values-based barriers and good practices in sustainability-oriented innovation management
  25. Szenarien in der Unternehmensstrategie
  26. Termination of life support measures in case of persons in permanent vegetative state.