Combining environmental isotopes with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) to characterise wastewater derived impacts on groundwater quality

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dc.contributor.authorMcCance, WGen_AU
dc.contributor.authorJones, OAHen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCendón, DIen_AU
dc.contributor.authorEdwards, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorSurapaneni, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChadalavada, Sen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWang, Sen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCurrell, MJen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2020-09-11T04:54:35Zen_AU
dc.date.available2020-09-11T04:54:35Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2020-09-01en_AU
dc.date.statistics2020-09-11en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe potential for Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) to cause adverse impacts to groundwater quality is a major global environmental challenge. Robust and sensitive techniques are required to characterise these impacts, particularly in settings with multiple potential contaminant sources (e.g. agricultural vs. site-derived). Stable (δ2HH2O, δ18OH2O, δ15NNO3, δ18ONO3 and δ13CDIC) and radioactive (3H and 14C) isotopes were used in conjunction with three Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) - carbamazepine, simazine and sulfamethoxazole - to discriminate between multiple potential contamination sources at an Australian WWTP. The radioactive isotope tritium provided a sensitive indicator of recent (post-1990s) leakage, with groundwater activities between 0.68 and 1.83 TU, suggesting WWTP infrastructure (activities between 1.65 and 2.41) acted as a recharge ‘window’, inputting treated or partially treated effluent to the underlying groundwater system. This was corroborated by water stable isotopes, which showed clear demarcation between δ18OH2O and δ2HH2O in background groundwater (δ18OH2O and δ2HH2O values of approximately −5 and −28‰, respectively) and those associated with on-site wastewater (median δ18OH2O and δ2HH2O values of −1.2 and −7.6‰, respectively), with groundwater down-gradient of the plant plotting on a mixing line between these values. The CECs, particularly the carbamazepine:simazine ratio, provided a means to further distinguish wastewater impacts from other sources, with groundwater down-gradient of the plant reporting elevated ratios (median of 0.98) compared to those up-gradient (median of 0.11). Distinctive CEC ratios in impacted groundwater close to the WWTP (∼3.0) and further down-gradient (2.7–9.3) are interpreted to represent a change in composition over time (i.e., recent vs. legacy contamination), consistent with the site development timeline and possible changes in effluent composition resulting from infrastructure upgrades over time. The data indicate a complex set of co-mingled plumes, reflecting different inputs (in terms of both quantity and concentration) over time. Our approach provides a means to better characterise the nature and timing of wastewater derived impacts on groundwater systems, with significant global implications for site management, potentially allowing more targeted monitoring, management and remedial actions to be undertaken. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.en_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumber116036en_AU
dc.identifier.citationMcCance, W., Jones, O. A. H., Cendón, D. I., Edwards, M., Surapaneni, A., Chadalavada, S.,Wang, S., & Currell, M. (2020). Combining environmental isotopes with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) to characterise wastewater derived impacts on groundwater quality. Water Research, 182, 116036. doi:10/1016/j.watres.2020.116036en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0043-1354en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleWater Researchen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020.116036en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/9775en_AU
dc.identifier.volume182en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevier B.V.en_AU
dc.subjectTracer techniquesen_AU
dc.subjectWaste wateren_AU
dc.subjectWater treatment plantsen_AU
dc.subjectGround wateren_AU
dc.subjectContaminationen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_AU
dc.subjectWater pollutionen_AU
dc.titleCombining environmental isotopes with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) to characterise wastewater derived impacts on groundwater qualityen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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