Occurrence of selected PPCPs and sulfonamide resistance genes associated with heavy metals pollution in surface sediments from Chao Lake, China

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences 2016, Vol.75 (1), p.1, Article 43
• Main Authors: Wu, Yang, Yu, Chang-ping, Yue, Mei, Liu, Sheng-ping, Yang, Xiao-yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibiotic resistance; Antibiotics; Aquatic ecosystems; Biogeosciences; Bisphenol A; Cadmium; Consumer products; Contaminants; Contaminated sediments; Drug resistance; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Environmental Science and Engineering; Gene expression; Geochemistry; Geology; Heavy metals; Hydrology/Water Resources; Lakes; Original Article; Risk assessment; Sediment samplers; Terrestrial Pollution
• ISSN: 1866-6280; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s12665-015-4838-0

Eight pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), two sulfonamide resistance genes, and nine heavy metals were quantified in surface sediments collected from Chao Lake, China. The results showed that methylparaben and bisphenol A were predominant among the selected PPCPs, being found in concentrations of (1.35 ± 0.31)–(5.20 ± 0.79) and (0.68 ± 0.19)–(4.82 ± 1.21) ng g −1 , respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the sulfonamide resistance genes sul1 and sul2 were present in all sediment samples, with the absolute abundance ranging from (1.18 ± 0.03) × 10 6 to (6.90 ± 0.12) 10 8 copies g −1 . Modified potential risk assessment methodology analysis of available test data demonstrated that Chao Lake is exposed to moderate, considerable, or very high ecological risk and that Cd and Hg were the priority pollutants of greatest concern. Positive correlation ( p