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

Activities

  1. Die politische Repräsentation zukünftiger Generationen in der heutigen Demokratie - Ausgewählte Herausforderungen
  2. Ph.D. Workshop of the Research Committee Environmental and Resource Economists of the Verein für Socialpolitik 2008
  3. Prinzipien zur digitalen Unterstützung des Schreibens im Deutschunterricht mit sprachlich heterogenen Lerngruppen
  4. Zum Zusammenhang zwischen skalierter Anstrengung und Herzrate als Indikatoren der Beanspruchung im Arbeitsversuch
  5. On the validity of a mathematics test for the selection of university applicants for a teacher training programme
  6. Pitfalls and potential of institutional change: Rain-index insurance and the sustainability of rangeland management
  7. The Diffusion of Sustainable Cotton: Sustainable Entrepreneurship, Industry Transformation and the Role of Standards
  8. 5th Children's Identity & Citizenship in Europe Annual Research Student Conference Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
  9. Navigating in the Digital Jungle: Articulating Combinatory Affordances of Digital Infrastructures for Collaboration
  10. Research Presentation from PhD Project "Materiality in Art Practices from Postwar Guatemala: Bodies, Soil, Meat, Cosmos"
  11. Weder Werden noch Normtransfer. Für eine kindheitssoziologische Theorie von Sozialisation und sozialer Reproduktion
  12. „Theorie und Praxis: Globales Lernen und Bildung für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung – Positionen, Potentiale, Perspektiven“
  13. Understanding Learning Processes For Developing Key Competencies In Sustainability Implication For Higher Education
  14. ¿Educación para la Conservación de la Biodiversidad? Contribuciones de la Educación Superior al Desarrollo Sostenible

Publications

  1. A hybrid actuator modelling and hysteresis effect identification in camless internal combustion engines control
  2. Knowledge production and distribution of higher education institutions in the sway of global development trends
  3. PragmatiKK: Target Group-specific Approach in a web-based Stress Prevention Platform for Micro and Small Companies
  4. Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition alters growth responses of European beech (Fagus sylvativa L.) to climate change
  5. Maximum strength and power as determinants of on-ice sprint performance in elite U16 to adult ice hockey players
  6. Plant neighbors differentially alter a focal species' biotic interactions through changes to resource allocation
  7. Leaf trait variation within individuals mediates the relationship between tree species richness and productivity
  8. Towards greener and sustainable ionic liquids using naturally occurring and nature-inspired pyridinium structures
  9. Model and Validation of the Electromagnetic Interference Produced by Power Transmission Lines in Robotic Systems
  10. Gesetz über Musterverfahren in kapitalmarktrechtlichen Streitigkeiten (Kapitalanleger-Musterverfahrensgesetz-KapMuG)
  11. Pollination mitigates cucumber yield gaps more than pesticide and fertilizer use in tropical smallholder gardens
  12. Cascaded Kalman Filters for a Sliding Mode Control in a Peltier Structure for an Innovative Manufacturing System
  13. Four Methods to Distinguish between Fractal Dimensions in Time Series through Recurrence Quantification Analysis
  14. Accuracy Improvement of Vision System for Mobile Robot Navigation by Finding the Energetic Center of Laser Signal
  15. Entwicklung eines Fehlerpräventionstrainings für gefahrenintensive Industrien zur Erhöhung der Arbeitssicherheit