RT Journal Article
T1 A combined chemical and ecotoxicological approach to assess nature-based solutions efficiency in removing pharmaceuticals using microcosms
A1 Rodríguez Santamarina, María
A1 Gilbert López, Bienvenida
A1 Martínez Piernas, Ana Belén
A1 Muñoz Cobo, Antonio Jesús
A1 López Valcárcel, María Eugenia
A1 Jiménez Melero, Raquel
A1 Parra, Gema
K1 Carbón vegetal
K1 Productos químicos de la biomasa
K1 Toxicología acuática
K1 Contaminantes
AB Pharmaceutical products (PP) are considered contaminants of emerging concern, and their discharge into the environment has increased due to both, human and veterinary use. These drugs entered freshwater ecosystems and remain physiologically active, posing potential negative effects on aquatic ecosystems. As conventional plants for wastewater treatment are not designed to remove most of these micropollutants, the development of strategies for sustainable management is essential and nature-based solutions (NBS) will be useful in removing pollution, simultaneously benefiting people and nature. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of PP removal of different NBSs implemented at a microcosm scale from chemical and ecotoxicological points of view. Proposed NBSs were based on floating wetlands with improvements based on the use of biochar and bioaugmentation (biofilm coating). The proposed NBSs were able to reduce up to 90 % of the total PP concentration after the whole experimental period (42 days). However, considering a regular hydraulic retention time (7 days), the higher PP removal rate (55 %), took place in the microcosms with floating wetlands enhanced with biochar (FWB), followed by the floating wetlands enhanced with biofilm-coated biochar (FWBB) (51 %) and the floating wetland (FW) (42 %). The selected NBS (FWB) has also been assessed through the toxicological approach, and the acute and behavioural effects of the wastewater were also reduced after 7 days. The proposed solution will benefit both nature and society, reducing PP pollution and enhancing water resource quality. The results obtained with the ecotoxicological approach highlight the relevance of considering the toxic cocktail, as a whole, in environmental risk assessment and the use of behavioural biomarkers for spotlighting its ecological consequences.
PB CellPress
YR 2025
FD 2025-09
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/41256
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/41256
LA eng
NO Heliyon Volume 11, Issue 14, September 2025, e43899
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 4 mar 2026