Presence and biological effects of emerging contaminants in Llobregat River basin: a review.
Llobregat River (North-East Spain) is the most important drinking water source for Barcelona and its surrounding area. As one of the only water sources in the area the river water have been overexploited and effluents from more than 30 urban wastewater treatment plants, industries and agriculture runoffs have been discharged into the river. This article reviews the presence of emerging contaminants published during the last decades, emphasizing on the observed effects on ecosystems caused by the contamination. Pesticides, surfactants, estrogens, pharmaceuticals and personal care products and even abuse drugs are the main groups detected in different studies, reporting alterations in species composition, abundance or biomass and endocrine disruption measured by alterations in enzymatic activity or specific protein production. The information available provides an overview of the river status according to the Water Framework Directive.
CETaqua, Water Technology Center, Carretera d'Esplugues, 75, 08940 Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. sgonzalez@cetaqua.com
Susana
S
González
Ramón
R
López-Roldán
Jose-Luis
JL
Cortina
D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis; D006795:Household Products / Q000032:analysis; D007221:Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000032:analysis; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013030:Spain; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000032:analysis; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D004967:Estrogens; D010575:Pesticides; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical