If we throw something into a river, how long will it take to reach a certain location downstream? We talk to Prof. Ian Guymer from the University of Sheffield about our increasingly complex models of this deceptively simple problem.

Cytostatic drugs have become one of the greatest environmental hazards. They exhibit toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects on flora and fauna, including people. They are poorly eliminated in conventional wastewater treatment plants and their mixtures could possess higher ecotoxicity than individual drugs. Fungi are organisms with enormous potential for biodegradation of a variety of toxic chemical pollutants. The aim of this work was to estimate tolerance of five fungal strains to selected anticancer drugs, which will be useful to determine the potential for their possible use in cytostatics removal and may be significant in the context of wastewater treatment application. Test was conducted on Fomes fomentarius (CB13), Hypholoma fasciculare (CB15), Phyllotopsis nidulans (CB14), Pleurotus ostreatus (BWPH) and Trametes versicolor (CB8) and the chosen drugs were bleomycin and vincristine. Their ability to grow in the presence of selected cytostatics was evaluated in cultures conducted on two solid media which differed in the richness of nutrient compounds. Fungal strains tolerance was expressed as a half maximal effective concentration. Results showed that fungi display better tolerance to high cytostatics’ concentrations in the medium rich in carbon source. Regardless of the medium used, the differences in growth ability were lower for bleomycin (the tolerance was higher). The greatest tolerance for bleomycin was shown by Pleurotus ostreatus. Results suggest that more efficient elimination of bleomycin would be possible to obtain, strain BWPH seems to be the best fungal candidate for this drug degradation assay and, probably, in wastewater treatment application tests in a longer perspective.

Atrazine (ATR) is a widely used chlorinated herbicide from the s-triazine group. Due to the widespread use of ATR, it leaks into the environment and is detected in drinking water, exceeding the WHO-acceptable concentration of atrazine in drinking water, which is 2 μg/L. The aim of our study was to determine toxicity, protein degradation and genotoxicity of ATR at concentrations of 10; 1; 0.1; 0.01 mg/L on Chlorella vulgaris and with the application of E. coli bioluminescent biosensor strains. We measured the content of chlorophyll a, b, carotenoids in Chlorella vulgaris and the inhibition of this algae culture growth. E. coli RFM443 strains with gene constructs grpE:luxCDABE, lac:luxCDABE, recA:luxCDABE and E. coli strain MM294 trc:luxCDABE were used to determine toxicity, degradation of cellular proteins and genotoxicity. On the base of the obtained results, we concluded that ATR in the tested concentrations shows a toxic effect in relation to Chlorella vulgaris. ATR is toxic and genotoxic in E. coli RFM443 strains with grpE, lac, recA promoters and causes degradation of cellular proteins. Moreover, we have detected ATR toxicity toward the GFP protein in E. coli strain MM294-GFP. Taking into account the toxicity and genotoxicity of ATR documented in our research and in the experiments of other authors, we conclude that the presence of this herbicide in surface waters and drinking water is a serious threat to living organisms.

jakość wód podziemnych. W badaniach zastosowano trzy gatunki roślin, jako możliwe kierunki stosowania osadów ściekowych: trawa - rekultywacja gleb zdegradowanych, kukurydza - produkcja pasz, wierzba- wykorzystanie energetyczne biomasy. Jako kontrolę zastosowano lizymetry pozbawione roślinności. Przyjęto nastepujące dawki osadów ściekowych: O. IO, 50. 110,225 i 450 Mg s.m./ha. Statystycznie istotna. liniowa zależność pomiędzy dawką osadów a wielkością przewodności elektrolitycznej właściwej (EC), ChZT oraz azotanów wskazuje na potencjalne zagrożenie zanieczyszczenia wód podziemnych przy przyrodniczym wykorzystaniu osadów ściekowych, szczególnie w przypadku wysokich dawek osadów przekraczających 50 Mg s.m./ha. Zależności te oraz ryzyko zanieczyszczenia wód podziemnych obserwowano przez trzy lata doświadczenia dla wskaźników zanieczyszczenia EC i ChZT. W przypadku azotanów, zagrożenie ich migracji stwierdzono jedynie w pierwszym roku badań. Dodatkowo stężenia metali ciężkich oraz obecność patogenów w wodach gruntowych była na niskim poziomic. Stwierdzono, że zastosowane rośliny nie zmniejszyły negatywnego wpływu osadów ściekowych na jakość wód podziemnych.

Some active ingredient of herbicides, after application, can create a risk for ground and surface water. The aim of investigations was monitoring of herbicidal pollution in ground and surface water on arable areas. The investigations were conducted in the years 2000-2002. The samples were collected (from stationary points located in the south-west Poland) twice a year (in spring and autumn about 3-6 weeks after nominal term of herbicide application). Surface water was sampled in 27 points and ground water in 18 wells. The residues of herbicide active ingredients (triazine and phenoxy acids) were determined using HPLC methods with UV detection and GLC method with ECD detection. The residues of active compounds in surface water (in spring and autumn) were detected. Residues at concentrations exceeding the EU safety standards were detected most frequently in springtime. The contamination levels in excess admissible limits were found in ca. 15% of surface water samples. In ground water (from wells) residues were detected sporadically and its level was very low (ca. 0.01- 0.1 mg=dm").