Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs), and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (EDCs) in Runoff from a Potato Field Irrigated with Treated Wastewater in Southern California

Irrigation of crops with treated wastewater has been employed in many regions of the world. It mitigates the pressure of water demand, however, it also introduces effluent-derived organic contaminants into surface waters via agricultural runoff. In this study, a potato field located in southern California was selected as the research site. Runoff samples were collected during irrigation events, and a variety of compounds were identified both in irrigation water and runoff samples. Treatments on the field included polyacrylamide (PAM) application, deep plow, previous-grown Sudan grass, and control (without above treatments). The compounds included pharmaceuticals (e.g., clofibric acid, ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, diclofenac), personal care product (e.g., triclosan), endocrine disrupting compounds (e.g., bisphenol A, 4-n-nonylphenol, 4-t-octylphenol), and estrogenic compounds (e.g., estrone, 17 beta-estradiol, 17 alpha-ethynylestradiol). The monitoring results showed the presence of these compounds in runoff samples. They were at concentrations from below limits of quantification (LOQ) to sub mu g/l levels. Although their levels were low, their potential to elicit adverse effects in aquatic organisms cannot be overlooked.