title: Evaluation of aquatic plants for removing polar microcontaminants: a microcosm experiment.
abstract: Microcosm wetland systems (5 L containers) planted with Salvinia molesta, Lemna minor, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Elodea canadensis were investigated for the removal of diclofenac, triclosan, naproxen, ibuprofen, caffeine, clofibric acid and MCPA. After 38 days of incubation, 40-99% of triclosan, diclofenac, and naproxen were removed from the planted and unplanted reactors. In covered control reactors no removal was observed. Caffeine and ibuprofen were removed from 40% to 80% in planted reactors whereas removals in control reactors were much lower (2-30%). Removal of clofibric acid and MCPA were negligible in both planted and unplanted reactors. The findings suggested that triclosan, diclofenac, and naproxen were removed predominantly by photodegradation, whereas caffeine and naproxen were removed by biodegradation and/or plant uptake. Pseudo-first-order removal rate constants estimated from nonlinear regressions of time series concentration data were used to describe the contaminant removals. Removal rate constants ranged from 0.003 to 0.299 d(-1), with half-lives from 2 to 248 days. The formation of two major degradation products from ibuprofen, carboxy-ibuprofen and hydroxy-ibuprofen, and a photodegradation product from diclofenac, 1-(8-Chlorocarbazolyl)acetic acid, were followed as a function of time. This study emphasizes that plants contribute to the elimination capacity of microcontaminants in wetlands systems through biodegradation and uptake processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, E-17071 Girona, Spain. victor.matamoros@udg.edu
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matamoros
authors.forename: Loc Xuan
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.forename: Victòria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salvadó
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brix
mesh_terms: D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D007700:Kinetics; D055668:Photochemical Processes; D057948:Viridiplantae / Q000378:metabolism*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water