Ecotoxicity assessment of organic micropollutants in aqueous mixtures and sanitary sewage matrices using aquatic invertebrates as bioindicators

• Grant number: 22/16854-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2023
• End date: September 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Environmental Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Juliano José Corbi
• Grantee: Tallyson Tavares Cunha de Souza
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The present research project aims to contribute to the SABESP-FAPESP Project (2020/09912-6) entitled "ATIVA-ETE: Evaluation of innovative technologies aimed at nitrogen and micropollutant removal in WWTPs", with the general objective of investigating the toxic effects (acute and chronic) of the mixture of 6 emerging organic micropollutants (triclosan, ibuprofen, diclofenac, atenolol, propranolol, and carbamazepine) in aqueous matrices and synthetic sewage samples (obtained through a partnership with researchers from the Laboratory of Biological Processes - LPB/USP) on the aquatic invertebrates Pristina longiseta, Allonais inaequalis and Chironomus sancticaroli. In step 1, the toxicity of the binary mixture of MPOs will be evaluated in aqueous samples with concentrations starting at: 100 mg/L; 50 mg/L; 25 mg/L; 12.5 mg/L; 6.0 mg/L and 3.0 mg/L. In Stage 2, the efficiency of two anaerobic reactors in the methanogenic phase (UASB and AnSTBRm) will be evaluated to reduce the toxicity of samples containing the MPOs, from the dilutions: 100%; 50%; 25%; 12.5%; 6%, and 3.0%. In step 3, the impacts of the nitrogen fraction in the sewage (containing MPOs) on the toxicity of the samples will be evaluated, in the same dilutions as in step 2, from the coupling of an aerobic fixed-bed structured nitrification reactor. Thus, based on the results obtained in the acute (mortality) and chronic (survival, reproduction, morphological changes, and emergence of adults) toxicity tests, this project aims to contribute to the understanding of the impacts of the mixture of different MPOs on native aquatic invertebrates, in addition to collaboration in the perception of the safe release of effluents containing MPOs treated by anaerobic reactors for biota.