Linking agro-ecosystem impacts to emerging contaminants from land applied municipal biosolids

标题：将农业生态系统影响与土地施用城市生物固体产生的新污染物联系起来 在农业用地上施用城市污水生物固体在北美是一种普遍的做法。在大多数司法管辖区，污水生物固体必须符合重金属浓度和病原体的特定质量准则，才能获得农业使用认证。最近，在处理过的废水和土壤中发现了源自药品和个人护理产品的化学品组，称为新兴污染物（EC）。美国环境保护署（USEPA）和加拿大环境部长理事会（CCME）已将这些EC确定为可能引起关注的化学品。越来越多的科学证据表明，包括阻燃剂、抗生素和内分泌干扰物质在内的EC可能会在环境中持续存在，并对无脊椎生物造成伤害。 其中一些化合物可能通过在其生境中的长期接触而被不同的生物体生物利用。关于农业活动对土壤中EC的归宿、持久性和生态毒理学影响的影响，信息有限。 普赖斯博士的研究项目的重点是评估某些EC对特定陆地生物的影响，这些生物作为生态系统生物指标。 这项研究将提高我们对这些化学品在农业土壤中的潜在后果的理解，并为城市生物固体的安全使用提供管理建议。

Title: Linking agro-ecosystem impacts to emerging contaminants from land applied municipal biosolids Land applying municipal sewage biosolids on agricultural land is a widespread practice in North America. Across most jurisdictions, sewage biosolids must meet specific quality guidelines for heavy metal concentrations and pathogens in order to be certified for use in agriculture. Recently, groups of chemicals originating from pharmaceutical and personal care products, called Emerging Contaminants (ECs), have been found in treated wastewaters and in soils. These ECs have been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) as chemicals which may be of concern. Mounting scientific evidence suggests ECs, which include flame retardants, antibiotics, and endocrine disrupting substances, may persist in the environment and cause harm to invertebrate organisms. Some of these compounds may become bio-available to different organisms through chronic exposure in their habitat. Limited information exists on the contribution of agricultural activities to the fate, persistence, and ecotoxicological impact of ECs in soils. The focus of Dr. Price's research program is to evaluate the impact of certain ECs on specific terrestrial organisms which serve as ecosystem bio-indicators. This research will improve our understanding of the potential consequences of these chemicals in our agricultural soils and provide management recommendations for the safe use of municipal biosolids.