“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
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
0 20 40 60 80
Con
cent
rati
on
[µ
M]
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