P.J. Harvey

Widespread copper and lead contamination of household drinking water, New South Wales, Australia

This study examines arsenic, copper, lead and manganese drinking water contamination at the domestic consumers kitchen tap in homes of New South Wales, Australia. Analysis of 212 first draw drinking water samples shows that almost 100% and 56% of samples contain detectable concentrations of copper and lead, respectively. Of these detectable concentrations, copper exceeds Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) in 5% of samples and lead in 8%. By contrast, no samples contained arsenic and manganese water concentrations in excess of the ADWG. Analysis of household plumbing fittings (taps and connecting pipework) show that these are a significant source of drinking water lead contamination. Water lead concentrations derived for plumbing components range from 108µg/L to 1440µg/L (n=28, mean - 328µg/L, median - 225µg/L). Analysis of kitchen tap fittings demonstrates these are a primary source of drinking water lead contamination (n=9, mean - 63.4µg/L, median - 59.0µg/L). The results of this study demonstrate that along with other potential sources of contamination in households, plumbing products that contain detectable lead up to 2.84% are contributing to contamination of household drinking water. Given that both copper and lead are known to cause significant health detriments, products for use in contact with drinking water should be manufactured free from copper and lead.

Geochemical sources, forms and phases of soil contamination in an industrial city

This study examines current soil contamination in an Australian industrial city, Newcastle. Public (roadside verges and parks) and private (homes) surface soils (n=170) contained metal(loid)s elevated above their respective Australian Health Investigation Levels (HIL). Lead (Pb), the most common contaminant in the city, exceeds the HIL for residential soils (HIL-A, 300mg/kg) in 88% of private soils (median: 1140mg/kg). In-vitro Pb bio-accessibility analysis of selected soils (n=11) using simulated gastric fluid showed a high affinity for Pb solubilisation (maximum Pb concentration: 5190mg/kg, equating to 45% Pb bio-accessibility). Highly soluble Pb-laden Fe- and Mn-oxides likely contribute to the bio-accessibility of the Pb. Public and private space surface soils contain substantially less radiogenic Pb (range: 208Pb/207Pb: 2.345-2.411, 206Pb/207Pb: 1.068-1.312) than local background soil (208Pb/207Pb: 2.489, 206Pb/207Pb: 1.198), indicating anthropogenic contamination from the less radiogenic Broken Hill type Pb ores (208Pb/207Pb: 2.319, 206Pb/207Pb: 1.044). Source apportionment using Pb isotopic ratio quantification and soil mineralogy indicate the citys historic copper and steel industries contributed the majority of the soil contaminants through atmospheric deposition and use of slag waste as fill material. High-temperature silicates and oxides combined with rounded particles in the soil are characteristic of smelter dust emissions. Additionally, a preliminary investigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils, sometimes associated with ferrous metal smelting, coal processing or burning of fossil fuels, shows that these too pose a health exposure risk (calculated in comparison to benzo(a)pyrene: n=12, max: 13.5mg/kg, HIL: 3mg/kg).

Chemical, biological, and DNA markers for tracing slaughterhouse effluent

ABSTRACT Agricultural practices, if not managed correctly, can have a negative impact on receiving environments via waste disposal and discharge. In this study, a chicken slaughter facility on the rural outskirts of Sydney, Australia, has been identified as a possible source of persistent effluent discharge into a peri‐urban catchment. Questions surrounding the facilitys environmental management practices go back more than four decades. Despite there having never been a definitive determination of the facilitys impact on local stream water quality, the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) has implemented numerous pollution reduction requirements to manage noise and water pollution at the slaughter facility. However, assessment of compliance remains complicated by potential additional sources of pollution in the catchment. To unravel this long‐standing conundrum related to water pollution we apply a forensic, multiple lines of evidence approach to delineate the origin of the likely pollution source(s). Water samples collected between 2014 and 2016 from irrigation pipes and a watercourse exiting the slaughter facility had elevated concentrations of ammonia (max: 63,000 &mgr;g/L), nitrogen (max: 67,000 &mgr;g/L) and phosphorus (max: 39,000 &mgr;g/L), which were significantly higher than samples from adjacent streams that did not receive direct runoff from the facility. Arsenic, sometimes utilised in growth promoting compounds, was detected in water discharging from the facility up to ˜4 times (max 3.84 &mgr;g/L) local background values (<0.5 &mgr;g/L), with inorganic As(∑V+III) being the dominant species. The spatial association of elevated water pollution to the facility could not unequivocally distinguish a source and consequently DNA analysis of a suspected pollution discharge event was undertaken. Analysis of catchment runoff from several local streams showed that only water sampled at the downstream boundary of the facility tested positive for chicken DNA, with traces of duck DNA being absent, which was a potential confounder given that wild ducks are present in the area. Further, PCR analysis showed that only the discharge water emanating from the slaughter facility tested positive for a generalized marker of anthropogenic pollution, the clinical class 1 integron‐integrase gene. The environmental data collected over a three‐year period demonstrates that the slaughter facility is indisputably the primary source of water‐borne pollution in the catchment. Moreover, application of DNA and PCR for confirming pollution sources demonstrates its potential for application by regulators in fingerprinting pollution sources. HighlightsMultiple lines of evidence approach to delineate the origin of water pollution.Arsenic speciation and clinical class 1 integron‐integrase gene used as indicators.Multidisciplinary approach for addressing global concerns about agricultural waste.

Corrigendum to “Chemical, biological, and DNA markers for tracing slaughterhouse effluent” [Environ. Res. 156 (2017) 534–541]

a Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia b Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia c Ecochemistry Laboratory, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2601, Australia d Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia