“Anaerobic Biodegradability of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Raritan River Sediments”

Aamani Rupakula, Prof. Max M. Häggblom Lab, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology,

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ;

Azithromycin

Caffeine

Salicylic Acid

Diclofenac

Valsartan

Ibuprofen

Acetaminophen

Problem

• This work will lay the foundation for determining how the redox

environment impacts biodegradability of PPCPs along the Raritan

River Watershed.

• Determines the Suite and Quantities of PPCPs being released and

found in the Raritan River.

• Identification of the microorganisms mediating anaerobic degradation

of different PPCP compounds will provide new bioindicators that

allow for monitoring of important microbial processes for use in

combination with chemical monitoring.

Importance of Work

Aamani Rupakula, Rutgers University

Objective 1. Where the pipe endsAnalysis of PPCPs, focusing on waste water treatment plant influent & effluent

Objective 2. Bugs on drugsEvaluate the potential for microbial degradation and transformation of select PPCPs

Collect samples from Lower Hudson

River Estuary, Hackensack River, and Passaic River

Sample influent and effluent from WWTPs that

discharge into these rivers

Concentrate and purify PPCPs from

water by solid phase extraction (SPE)

Identify and quantify PPCPs by

LC-MS/MS

Analyze the fate and distribution of PPCPs

in watersheds

Experimental Approach

Establish aerobic and anaerobic (multiple redox conditions)

microcosms using 10% solids slurry

Spike microcosms with PPCPs of interest and

collect samples periodically

Monitor degradation and transformation by HPLC and GC-MS and identify metabolites

Characterize microbial community members

active in degradation and transformation

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[µ

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Time (Days)

Aspirin

SulfidogenicMethanogenicDenitrifying

Collect samples from various

locations in Raritan River, Hudson River.

To determine how the “redox

environment” impacts the

Biodegradability of a Suite of

PPCP compounds in the Raritan

River comparing and contrasting,

freshwater sites with estuarine

sites (i.e. less and more impacted

sites) at the mouth of the river.

Experimental Approach

Objective 1:

Assess Potential for microbial

degradation and biotransformation of

select PCPPs by establishing Sediment

Microcosms from Raritan River

locations representing a range of PCPP

exposures (low to high) from rural to the

urbanized areas, and freshwater to

estuarine habitats.

To mimic different conditions in WWTP sludge, river and estuarine environments ->

microcosms were established under various redox conditions, specifically sulfidogenic,

methanogenic, and denitrifying conditions.

Objective 2:

Aamani Rupakula, Rutgers University

River water and influent/effluent samples

from WWTPs are collected across various

seasons. Specifically, we target sites

upstream/downstream from WWTP

discharge, as well as sampling the WWTP

influent and effluents to identify the

contribution of raw or treated sewage input.

Results/Outcome

Acknowledgements

This study is supported in part by Hudson River Foundation, Rutgers Raritan River Consortium, and New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.

Aamani Rupakula1, Michelle Zeliph1, Samuel Wieczerzak1, Alex Mossavir1, Bing

Hong2, Shen Yu2, Donna E. Fennell2, Lori A. White1, Keith R. Cooper1, Max M.

Häggblom1

1Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of

New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ; 2Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, China.

Characterization of PPCP-

degrading Microbes in

River Sediments

Poster by: Samuel Wieczerzak

Aamani Rupakula, Rutgers University

LC-MS analysis of Influent and Effluent of WWTPs flowing into the Raritan River

Where The Pipe Ends: The Fate of

PPCPs in the Raritan River Watershed

Poster by: Alex Mossavir

• (PVSC): Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission WWTP in Newark, NJ • (RTMUA): Raritan Township Municipal Utilities Authority WWTP in Flemington, NJ

Pharmaceuticals Name Abbr.1/15/16 PVSC %

Reduction

2/22/16 PVSC %

Reduction

2/25/16 PVSC %

Reduction

3/1/17 RTMUA % Reduction

Range of Concentrations in

Influent (ng/L)

Anti-inflammatory drugs

Paracetamol crs PCM 100 100 100 99.7 5800 - 22000

Mefenamic acid MFA 100 BDL 100 BDL BDL – 11

Salicylic acid (Aspirin) SCA 99.1 98.7 94.2 86.3 706 - 10000

Naproxen NPX 98.5 73.9 44.5 BDL BDL - 39000

Ibuprofen IPF 92.8 82.2 61.7 BDL BDL - 13000

Indomethacin IDM 11.9 27.5 BDL BDL BDL – 23

Diclofenac sodium salt DCF 6.5 52.4 27.3 BDL BDL – 515

Antibiotics

Lincomycin hydrochloride LIM 100 BDL BDL 100 BDL – 7

Sulfamethoxazole SMX 89.3 93.2 81.2 99.5 21 - 1100

Ofloxacin OFC 75.2 64.9 18.2 96.7 68 – 352

Ciprofloxacin crs CFC 75.0 67.1 58 99 – 233

Azithromycin crs ATM 20.0 40.6 94.2 50 – 223

Chloramphenicol CPC 10.7 50.3 BDL BDL BDL – 35

Clarithromycin CTM 6.1 25.0 6.3 95.2 57 – 271

Trimethoprim TMP 0.2 68.3 47.6 99.6 – 435

Sulfadiazine SDZ 35.7 17.3 100 – 54

Vancomycin hydrochloride VCM BDL 88.1 BDL BDL BDL – 634

Antiparasitic drugs

Albendazole ABZ 100 100 BDL 100 BDL - 16

Fenbendazole FBD 99.1 83.6 37.3 BDL BDL – 339

Mebendazole MBZ 76.4 BDL BDL BDL – 21

Oxfendazole OFZ 57.6 37.4 4.2 BDL BDL – 20

Levamisole hydrochloride LMS 15.3 14 (27.4) 100 4 – 113

Metronidazole MNZ 74 (42.9) 82.4 33 – 220

Artemisinin AMS BDL 100 100 BDL BDL – 654

Cardiovascular drugs

Gemfibrozil GFZ 70.1 75.4 52.9 BDL BDL – 1650

Valsartan crs VST 66.1 44.3 34.4 96.9 40 – 5580

Amlodipine ALP 63 BDL BDL BDL – 16

Nifedipine crs NFP 46 25.7 (18.6) BDL BDL – 45

Atorvastatin calcium AVT 35.8 16.9 22.6 98.2 138 – 279

Atenolol ATL 31.1 50.2 48.9 83.2 4 – 402

( )-Metoprolol ( )-tartrate salt MPL 22.9 16.9 14.8 57.4 144 – 783

Diltiazem hydrochloride DTZ 10.7 98.9 20 – 237

( )-Propranolol hydrochloride PPL 10 (243.3) 96 5 – 62

Clofibric acid CFA 9.7 75.7 (106.2) BDL BDL - 29

Central nervous system drugs

Caffeine CAF 85.1 51.8 30.2 99.6 70 000

Oxazepam OZP 65.7 BDL BDL BDL BDL – 169

Gabapentin GPT 52.6 63.6 61.6 BDL BDL – 545

Diazepam DZP 47.6 BDL BDL BDL – 87

Carbamazepine CBZ 34.5 3.09 1.93 – 310

Sertraline hydrochloride STL 24.7 (186.8) BDL BDL – 32

Venlafaxine hydrochloride VFX 15.1 31 97.6 3 – 158

Temazepam TZP 54.8 51.8 7 – 457

Clozapine crs CZP 3.2 BDL BDL – 6

Citalopram hydrobromide CLP (160.5) (39.2) 96.3 – 98

Alprazolam AZL BDL BDL BDL BDL – 4

Flunitrazepam FZP BDL BDL BDL 100.00 BDL – 5

Endocrine and family planning

drugs

Mifepristone MFT 100 100 BDL BDL BDL - 100

Estrone crs E1 100 BDL BDL BDL – 30

Medroxyprogesterone MPT 72.6 (127.3) (19.4) BDL BDL – 112