Table 2
Pharmaceutical compounds detected in edible plant tissues following application of biosolids
Location
Experiment
type
Compound
Concentration
(ng/g)
a
Plant
species
Biosolids
application
rate
Findings
Reference
Canada
Field
44 pharmaceuticals
0.8–5,870
Sweet
corn
Carrot
Tomato
Potato
8 t/ha (nine
WWTPs)
Uptake of atenolol, ciprofloxacin,
4, epianhydrotetracycline,
glyburide, naproxen, triamterene
(all
<6 ng/g) relative to control
[25]
Chile
Greenhouse 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2)
500 (10,000
a
) Wheat
90 t/ha (one
WWTP)
BCF greater in unspiked biosolid;
biosolids increased sorption and
decreased desorption of EE2
[26]
China
Field
Climbazole Clotrimazole
Miconazole
165–492
Wheat
Corn
5–40 t/ha
(one
WWTP)
No plant uptake occurred
[27]
Greenhouse Carbamazepine
7,600
a
Celery
Carrot
Pak choi
5 and 10%
w/w (one
WWTP)
Biosolids significantly reduced
uptake for all plant species over 60d
growth compared with no biosolid;
biosolid rate had smaller effect
[28]
Czech
Republic
Greenhouse 45 pharmaceuticals
Up to 920
Spinach 3–4% w/w
(two
WWTPs)
13 pharmaceuticals accumulated in
leaves and roots; large
bioaccumulation for sertraline,
tramadol and carbamazepine
[29]
Israel
Lysimeter
Carbamazepine (and metabolites)
29
Æ 2
Tomato
Wheat
Lettuce
60 m
3
/ha
(one
WWTP)
Biosolids significantly reduced
BCF for tomato, lettuce and wheat
ears
[30]
Sweden
Greenhouse Ketoprofen (KET)
Naproxen (NAP)
Diclofenac (DCF)
Ibuprofen (IBU)
22 (DCF),
217 (IBU)
Soybean
Wheat
1.5% w/w
(one
WWTP)
No plant uptake occurred
[31]
(continued)
Uptake and Effects of Pharmaceuticals in the Soil-Plant-Earthworm System
183