Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
This study aimed to evaluate the potential
of a salt marsh plant and its rhizosphere microorganisms
for the removal of two pharmaceutical compounds,
bezafibrate and paroxetine, from estuarine
environment. Plants were exposed for 7 days to a
simplified estuarine medium, elutriate solution with or
without sediment, doped with bezafibrate or paroxetine.
Tests were done in absence and presence of
nutrients or copper. Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin.
Ex Steud, alone or with the sediment microbial
communities, contributed for pharmaceuticals
removal. In the presence of P. australis, for paroxetine
a 65% removal was observed. Removal increased up
to 90% when sediment was present. For bezafibrate,
removals reached ca. 47% in P. australis presence,
increasing to ca. 70% when nutrients were added to the
medium, indicating a good nutritional state can
contribute for a higher compound removal. When Cu
was added, 75% removal for bezafibrate and 95%
removal for paroxetine were observed indicating the
metal might influence the removal of the pharmaceuticals.
Overall, the plant and its rhizosediments and
associated microorganisms showed potential for pharmaceuticals
removal from estuaries, eventually
degrading the selected compounds, a feature requiring
more research. Results indicate that phytoremediation
could be a viable option for eliminating/diminishing
Description
Keywords
Contaminants of emergent concern Estuaries Pharmaceuticals Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steud Rhizoremediation
Citation
Dias, Sofia; Correia, Bárbara; Fraga-Santiago, Pedro; Silva, Cristiana; Baptista, Paula C.; Gomes, Carlos R.; Almeida, C. Marisa R. (2020). Potential of an estuarine salt marsh plant (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steud10751) for phytoremediation of bezafibrate and paroxetine. Hydrobiologia. ISSN 0018-8158. p. 1-14