Pestizide in Oberflächenwässern — Befunde in Talsperren und in Uferfiltraten Pesticides in Surface Water — Analytical Results for Drinking Water Reservoirs and Bank Filtrate Waters

The results of a series of investigations are presented, performed by the governmental chemical laboratory Karlsruhe (CLUA) in order to determine pesticides in drinking water for purposes of food monitoring. 231 samples of 8 municipal water supplies (groundwater wells/no bank filtrate) and 34 private water supplies close to the bank of the river Rhine (groundwater wells/partly bank filtrate) were analysed. The sampling sites were located between Mannheim and Greffern, Germany. In 1986 high amounts of atrazine and simazine were determined in the drinking water wells of several private water supplies, especially at the sampling sites in the south. The likewise high chloride content of the samples was taken as a proof of bank filtrate contributing to the water. The decrease of atrazine load in the river water of the Rhine since 1987 has its parallel in the analytical results for the concerned drinking water wells. Obviously the pesticide contamination of water from bank filtrate pumping wells is mainly depending on the pesticide load of the river water. The application of fertilizers and pesticides in the fields seems not to be a significant source of the pesticide contamination of dringing waters derived from bank filtrate water. For reasons of public health a monitoring of pesticide content in bank filtrate pumping wells of private water supplies is recommended.     

Environmental Copper and Manganese in the Pathophysiology of Neurologic Diseases (Alzheimer's Disease and Manganism)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. Populations migrating from developing to industrialized countries seem to elicit a higher incidence and prevalence rate of AD, suggesting lifestyle and environmental factors to have a role in the pathophysiology of AD. One of its major neuropathological hallmarks is the deposition of Aβ peptides as amyloid plaques in the brain of AD patients. Aβ is proteolytically cleaved out of the larger amyloid precursor protein (APP). Cu and Mn are often found in drinking water and may have a neurotoxic potential. APP is involved in Cu homeostasis in mouse and man. In vitro observations and in vivo data obtained from APP mouse models provide strong evidence that APP overexpression enables intracellular Cu to be transported out of the cell. Disturbed metal‐ion homeostasis with elevated serum Cu levels occurs in Alzheimer and Down's patients and lowered levels in post‐mortem AD brain. We observed that bioavailable Cu has specific beneficial effects in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. This should be regarded as a proof‐of‐concept for a prophylactic approach to overcome the observed CNS Cu deficiency in the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients. Manganism is a disorder with symptoms similar to that of Parkinson's disease. The precise mechanism how manganese can damage the nervous system is unknown. There is some evidence that iron and manganese may utilize similar transport systems. Epidemi ologic data strongly suggests that manganese enters the body primarily via inhalation and through the ingestion of manganese in drinking water.     

Biodegradation of NOM in Rapid Sand Filters for Removing Iron and Manganese

In order to examine the Corg flow in rapid sand filter columns for the elimination of iron and manganese, reduced groundwater was treated in a pilot plant consisting of a trickling filter column (TF I) followed by a wet type filter column (WF II) and a separate wet type filter column (WF sep). Additionally the effect of filtration on BOM was studied by measuring AOC and BDOC. The biological processes in TF I and WF sep led to an elimination of iron, ammonia, and manganese. Moreover, the filtration decreased the NOM content. 21% and 23% of the TOC were eliminated in TF I and in WF sep, respectively. WF II caused no significant Corg reduction. The calculation of the Corg flow in the filter columns showed that bacteria took part in the TOC elimination. From the TOC removed, about 24% was eliminated by metabolic activities of the bacterial population whereas 86% was adsorbed onto iron sludge. Similar results were obtained for the TF I column and for the WF sep column as well. The calculated Corg flow was confirmed by the BDOC measurements. The filtration process led to a BDOC decrease. TF I and WF sep reduced appoximately 35% of the biodegradable organic carbon. In contrast there was no significant elimination by WF II. The AOC results suggest that an AOC production and an AOC elimination process exist in rapid sand filters for groundwater treatment. In the trickling filter column significant AOC production was found, whereas in the wet type filter columns AOC elimination was predominating.     

Vorkommen natürlicher und synthetischer östrogener Steroide in Wässern des süd‐ und mitteldeutschen Raumes

Distribution of Natural and Synthetic Estrogenic Steroid Hormones in Water Samples from Southern and Middle Germany Natural and synthetic hormones can reach surface waters via domestic sewage effluents. For drinking water production, bank filtration of river waters is a common procedure and hormone contaminations can potentially reach groundwater levels and drinking water sources. In order to analyse steroid hormones in the different aquatic compartments (raw sewage and effluent, surface water, groundwater, raw and drinking water) of South and Middle Germany, a sensitive analytical method was developed and employed to detect the natural steroid hormones estradiol (E2) and estrone and the synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol (EE2). Samples which were taken in two subsequent series were subjected to clean‐up and enrichment procedure and subsequently analysed by HPLC‐MS. The limit of quantitation for the method was determined to be 0.05 to 0.5 ng/L, depending on the matrix. By treating the samples with glucuronidases/arylsulfatases, conjugates were amenable to analysis and the sum of conjugates and unconjugated steroids was calculated. In raw sewage, the median of the concentrations of the unconjugated steroids was 7 ng/L for EE2, 1.5 ng/L for E2, and 5.5 ng/L for estrone. After cleavage of conjugates, the medians of total steroids were 9.5 ng/L (EE2), 3 ng/L (E2), and 13 ng/l (estrone). Conjugates therefore contributed up to 50 % of the total steroid concentration in raw sewage. In treated effluents, the concentrations of steroids were much lower than in the raw sewage. The medians of free steroids were determined to be 0.3 ng/L for EE2, 0.2 ng/L for E2, and 2.5 ng/L for estrone. Overall the medians in the effluent were thus less than 10% of those in the influent. Conjugates still contributed significantly (40% and more) to the steroid concentrations (medians: EE2: 0.5 ng/L, E2: 0.8 ng/L, and estrone: 8 ng/L).     

Über das Vorkommen von Pestiziden im Trinkwasser und in der Nahrung Pesticides in Drinking Water and Food

Amounts of pesticide residues determined in drinking water and in food during the last decade are compared. Whereas in drinking water pesticides were determined in concentrations of about 0.1 μg/L, the pesticide contents of fruits and vegetables were higher by a factor of 100 to 10000. Even in the grease fraction of mother's milk pesticides were found in the mg/kg range. These results may help to do the classification of drinking water as a possible health hazard concerning pesticides.