Presence and biological effects of emerging contaminants in Llobregat River basin: A review

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2012-02, Vol.161, p.83-92
• Main Authors: González, Susana, López-Roldán, Ramón, Cortina, Jose-Luis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alterations; Applied sciences; Biological effects; Biomass; Contaminants; Continental surface waters; Drinking water; drugs; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; ecosystems; effluents; Emerging contaminants; Endocrine disruption; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring; enzyme activity; estrogens; Estrogens - analysis; Exact sciences and technology; Household Products - analysis; industry; Industry - statistics & numerical data; Llobregat River; Natural water pollution; personal care products; pesticides; Pesticides - analysis; Pharmaceutical Preparations - analysis; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Reporting; River basins; river water; Rivers; Rivers - chemistry; Spain; species diversity; Surface-Active Agents - analysis; surfactants; Waste Disposal, Fluid - statistics & numerical data; wastewater treatment; Water framework directive; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water pollution; Water Pollution, Chemical - statistics & numerical data; Water Supply - statistics & numerical data; Water treatment and pollution; watersheds
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2011.10.002

Llobregat River (North-East Spain) is the most important drinking water source for Barcelona and its surrounding area. As one of the only water sources in the area the river water have been overexploited and effluents from more than 30 urban wastewater treatment plants, industries and agriculture runoffs have been discharged into the river. This article reviews the presence of emerging contaminants published during the last decades, emphasizing on the observed effects on ecosystems caused by the contamination. Pesticides, surfactants, estrogens, pharmaceuticals and personal care products and even abuse drugs are the main groups detected in different studies, reporting alterations in species composition, abundance or biomass and endocrine disruption measured by alterations in enzymatic activity or specific protein production. The information available provides an overview of the river status according to the Water Framework Directive. The presence of different pollutants (mainly pesticides, pharmaceuticals, surfactants and estrogens) and their biological effects in the Llobregat River are reviewed.