Uptake of Pharmaceuticals, hormones and parabens into vegetables grown in soil fertilized with municipal biosolids

摘要

Several recent greenhouse studies have established the potential for uptake of human Pharmaceuticals from soil fertilized with municipal biosolids into a variety of crops. In the present study, a field experiment was undertaken to evaluate the uptake of organic micropollutants from soil fertilized with municipal biosolids at a regulated application rate into tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and sweet corn produced under normal farming conditions. The vegetables were grown according to farming practices mandated by the province of Ontario Canada, the key feature being a one-year offset between biosolid application and the harvest of crops for human consumption. Biosolids at application, and crop samples following harvest were analyzed for 118 Pharmaceuticals and transformation products, 17 hormones or hormone transformation products, and 6 parabens. Analyte concentrations in the biosolids were consistent with those detected in other surveys. Eight of the 141 analytes were detected in one or two crop replicates at concentrations ranging from 0.33 to 6.25 ng/g dry weight, but no analytes were consistently detected above the detection limit in all triplicate treated plots. Overall, this study suggests that the potential for micropollutant uptake into crops under normal farming conditions is low.%Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London, Ontario, Canada N5V 4T3;Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7;Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V1M2;Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Stratford, Ontario, Canada N5A 5T8;Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0C6;Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, London, Ontario, Canada N5V 4T3;