CENAKVA - Research Program 2

Importance of the Topic

Freshwater ecosystems face increasing pressure from a wide array of emerging chemical contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, biocides and other micropollutants. Understanding their distribution, fate and biological effects is critical for protecting water quality, aquatic biodiversity and human health. This research program integrates environmental chemistry, ecotoxicology and advanced analytics to address these challenges at both basic and applied levels.

Objectives and Study Overview

The program “New pollutants in the environment and their effect on freshwater ecosystems” advances knowledge on sources, transformations and impacts of complex pollutant mixtures. Key aims include:

• Evaluating exposure and toxic effects of pollutant mixtures under realistic environmental conditions.
• Characterizing bioaccumulation dynamics in aquatic invertebrates and fish.
• Assessing removal efficiencies in drinking water and wastewater treatment processes.
• Modeling pollutant fate in soil-plant systems and microbial communities.
• Translating findings into optimized treatment technologies and risk-management strategies.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The program employs a multi-tiered analytical and experimental approach:

• Non-targeted screening using high-resolution LC-HRMS to identify unknown micropollutants.
• Passive sampling devices and hydrogel-based samplers for long-term monitoring of polar organics.
• Bioanalytical tools, including in vitro receptor assays and zebrafish models, to assess endocrine and neurotoxic effects.
• Ecotoxicological tests on invertebrates (Daphnia, mussels) and fish sperm function assays.
• Biophysical and computational models to simulate pollutant transport in soil and plant compartments.
• Collaboration with drinking water and wastewater treatment operators to pilot advanced granular activated carbon filters and pond treatment systems.

Key Findings and Discussion

The program demonstrates that:

• Complex chemical mixtures in rivers can activate human and zebrafish nuclear receptors, indicating potential endocrine disruption.
• Psychoactive drugs affect fish sperm quality and behavior at environmental concentrations.
• Advanced passive samplers provide reliable long-term baselines for micropollutant loads in major watercourses.
• Supercritical CO₂ decellularization and lamellar sedimentation filtration show promise for bioactive scaffold production and water treatment.
• Soil properties and microbial communities strongly influence the dissipation and mobility of ionizable organic pollutants in agricultural soils.

Benefits and Practical Applications

This integrated research supports:

• Improved drinking water safety through non-targeted contaminant evaluation and optimized GAC filter performance.
• Enhanced wastewater treatment protocols that reduce pharmaceutical residues and antibiotic-resistance drivers.
• Data-driven risk assessment frameworks for regulatory agencies.
• New remediation technologies and bioactive scaffolds applicable in environmental and biomedical fields.

Future Trends and Opportunities

Ongoing developments will focus on:

• High-throughput omics and AI-driven analytics for rapid pollutant identification and effect prediction.
• Integration of bioanalytical screening with chemical monitoring in real-time sensor networks.
• Advanced multiscale modeling linking molecular fate to ecosystem responses.
• Development of sustainable, circular-economy solutions for remediating water-soil-plant systems.

Conclusion

The program delivers a comprehensive framework combining cutting-edge analytical chemistry, ecotoxicology and engineering to tackle emerging contaminants. Its interdisciplinary approach yields actionable insights for water managers, industry partners and policymakers aiming to safeguard freshwater environments.

References

1. Nováková P., Švecová H., Bořík A., Grabic R. 2023. Novel nontarget LC-HRMS-based approaches for evaluation of drinking water treatment. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 195, 739.
2. Grabic R., Ivanová L., Kodešová R., Grabicová K. et al. 2022. Desorption of pharmaceuticals from stabilized sludge across pH. Water Research 220, 118651.
3. Fedorova G., Grabic R., Grabicová K., Turek J. et al. 2022. Water reuse for aquaculture: efficacy reduction of pharmaceuticals by pond treatment. Journal of Hazardous Materials 421, 126712.
4. Fialová P., Grabic R., Grabicová K., Nováková P. et al. 2023. Evaluation of a diffusive hydrogel-based passive sampler for polar organics. Science of the Total Environment 864, 161071.
5. Šauer P., Vrana B., Escher B.I., Grabic R. et al. 2023. Chemical and bioanalytical characterization of micropollutant mixtures in Danube Survey 4. Environment International 178, 107957.
6. Kocour Kroupová H., Grimaldi M., Šauer P., Bořík A. et al. 2023. Environmental water extracts activate zebrafish and human progesterone receptors. Science of The Total Environment 859, 160232.
7. Sancho Santos M.E., Horký P., Grabicová K., Steinbach C. et al. 2023. Multilevel effects of methamphetamine on fish behavior and metabolism. Science of the Total Environment 878, 163167.
8. Tresnakova N., Famulari S., Zicarelli G., Impellitteri F. et al. 2023. Toxicity of chiral fungicide tebuconazole to Mytilus galloprovincialis. Science of The Total Environment 862, 160874.
9. Brunetti G., Kodešová R., Švecová H., Fér M. et al. 2022. Biophysical model for ionizable compound fate in soil-plant continuum. Journal of Hazardous Materials 423, 127008.
10. Menacherry S.P.M., Kodešová R., Fedorova G., Sadchenko A. et al. 2023. Dissipation of micropollutants in different soils: microbial effects. Journal of Hazardous Materials 459, 132143.
11. Kodešová R., Fedorova G., Kodeš V., Kočárek M. et al. 2023. Mobility assessment of selected micropollutants in Czech agricultural soils. Science of the Total Environment 865, 161174.