Evaluation of passive biochar samplers for monitoring antineoplastics in wastewater

• Grant number: 24/00991-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: August 04, 2024
• End date: August 03, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Geórgia Christina Labuto Araújo
• Grantee: Taciana Guarnieri Soares Guimarães
• Supervisor: Vanessa Ranhada Pinto Jorge Pereira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Instituto De Biologia Experimental E Tecnológica, Portugal
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/06471-1 - Development of activated carbon and nanofunctionalized composites for the removal and passive monitoring of antineoplastic compounds in the aquatic environment, BP.DR

Abstract

The quality of water is a global concern, with the rupture of planetary resilience to chemical pollution being identified in 2023. Among the most concerning pollutants, pharmaceuticals pose risks to both biota and humans, such as carcinogenic and mutagenic effects, acting as endocrine disruptors, being bioaccumulative, promoting antimicrobial resistance, among others. Substances that act as antineoplastics have already been detected in hospital effluents and wastewater at concentrations ranging from ng/L to µg/L, and there are projections of a drastic increase in the use of this type of medication in the coming years. Even in low concentrations, such substances can have effects on living organisms, given their narrow therapeutic index, compromising water safety. These facts highlight the need for the development of efficient and low-cost alternatives that contribute to monitoring antineoplastics in aqueous environments, such as devices for passive sampling in effluents and water bodies that allow for the pre-concentration of substances to extend the limits of quantification of analytical methods. This project proposes the development of passive samplers based on adsorption processes, using activated biochars prepared from agro-industrial biomass residues that have already been synthesized, characterized, and applied for drug adsorption. These will be employed to monitor antineoplastics in wastewater effluents and compared to commercial passive samplers. The selection of antineoplastics to be monitored was based on a set of molecules prioritized in the prediction and prioritization stage of drugs carried out in the proponent's doctoral project, which identified 15 antineoplastics as target molecules: capecitabine, carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, doxorubicin, etoposide, fluorouracil, gemcitabine, imatinib, irinotecan, mercaptopurine, methotrexate, mitotane, paclitaxel, and pemetrexed. The passive sampling devices will be developed based on the evaluation of permeable, resistant, and low-cost adsorbent containers, which will be calibrated considering environmental conditions such as pH, organic matter load, water flow, temperature, and inhibition of biofilm formation using adsorbents functionalized with copper nanoparticles. The project will be conducted at the Institute of Experimental and Technological Biology (iBET) of Nova University Lisbon, under the supervision of Dr. Vanessa Pereira, co-supervisor of the ongoing doctoral program, who has experience with filtering membranes, monitoring antineoplastics in wastewater effluents, and using passive samplers for environmental monitoring.