CENAKVA - Research Program 2

Význam tématu

Emerging pollutants including pharmaceuticals, biocides and personal care products pose a significant threat to freshwater quality and ecosystem health. Their persistence and bioactivity require advanced analytical and ecotoxicological methods to assess distribution, effects and remediation strategies.

Cíle a přehled studie / článku

Research Program 2 – New pollutants in the environment and their effect on freshwater ecosystems at the Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters focuses on:

• Characterizing exposure and effects of complex chemical mixtures.
• Investigating bioaccumulation and toxicological impacts across trophic levels.
• Developing and optimizing treatment technologies in collaboration with water utilities and technology firms.

Použitá metodika a instrumentace

The program integrates multidisciplinary approaches:

• Analytical chemistry: non-target LC-HRMS, diffusive passive samplers, hydrogel-based samplers.
• Ecotoxicology: in vitro bioassays, fish sperm function tests, mussel biotests.
• Modeling: biophysical soil-plant continuum models.
• Treatment technology evaluation: granular activated carbon filters, pond systems, supercritical CO2 decellularization, lamellar sedimentation filtration.

Hlavní výsledky a diskuse

Key findings include:

• Improved identification of unknown contaminants in drinking water and assessment of GAC filter performance over time.
• Quantification of pharmaceutical desorption dynamics from sewage sludge and efficacy of aquaculture pond treatments in reducing aquatic hazards.
• Validation of passive sampling techniques for polar organic compounds in wastewater.
• Baseline chemical and bioanalytical characterization of micropollutant mixtures in the Danube River and demonstration of endocrine activity in environmental extracts.
• Elucidation of behavioral and physiological effects of methamphetamine at environmental concentrations on fish.
• Development of predictive models for ionizable compounds fate in soil and dissipation kinetics in agricultural soils.

Přínosy a praktické využití metody

Outcomes support:

• Enhanced monitoring frameworks for water utilities to track emerging contaminants.
• Optimization of treatment processes to improve removal of micropollutants.
• Risk assessment tools informing regulatory decisions and pollution mitigation strategies.

Budoucí trendy a možnosti využití

Future directions include:

• Integration of high-resolution non-target screening with machine learning for source apportionment.
• Advancement of supercritical CO2-based decellularization for bioactive scaffolds in environmental and biomedical applications.
• Expanded use of mesocosm studies to link molecular effects with ecosystem outcomes.
• Development of digital twins for treatment plant optimization and contaminant fate prediction.

Závěr

Research Program 2 delivers comprehensive analytical, toxicological and technological advances to address emerging pollutants in freshwater ecosystems. Collaborative efforts with industry and international consortia strengthen the translation of scientific insights into practical solutions for water quality management.

Reference

• Nováková P., Švecová H., Bořík A., Grabic R. Novel non-target LC-HRMS-based approaches for evaluation of drinking water treatment. Environ Monit Assess (2023).
• Grabic R. et al. Desorption of pharmaceuticals from stabilized sludge across pH. Water Res (2022).
• Šauer P. et al. Bioanalytical and chemical characterization of micropollutant mixtures in Joint Danube Survey 4. Environ Int (2023).
• Brunetti G. et al. Multiscale biophysical model to predict fate of ionizable compounds in soil-plant continuum. J Hazard Mater (2022).