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Although a myriad of organic microcontaminants may occur in irrigation waters, little attention has been paid to their incorporation in crops. In this work, a systematic approach to assess the final fate of both ionizable and neutral organic contaminants taken up by plants is described. In vitro uptake of triclosan (TCS), hydrocinnamic acid (HCA), tonalide (TON), ibuprofen (IBF), naproxen (NPX), and clofibric acid (CFA) were studied in lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L) and spath ( Spathiphyllum spp.) as model plants. After 30 days incubation, analyte depletion from the culture medium was 85-99% (lettuce) and 51-81% (spath). HCA, NPX, and CFA exhibited the highest depletion rate in both plant species. Lettuce plant tissue analysis revealed an accumulation of all compounds except for HCA. These compounds reached a peak in tissue concentration followed by a sudden drop, probably due to the plant detoxification system and analyte depletion from the culture medium. Kinetic characterization of the uptake and detoxification processes was fitted to a pseudo-first-order rate. Compounds with a carboxylic group in their structure exhibited higher uptake rates, possibly due to the contribution of an ion trap effect. Molecular weight and log K(ow) played a direct role in uptake in lettuce, as proven by the significant correlation of both properties to depletion and by the correlation of molecular weight to kinetic uptake rates.

The use of reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation has emerged as a new strategy for coping with water scarcity in semiarid countries. However, the incorporation of the organic microcontaminants in such water into the diet through crop uptake poses a potential risk to human health. This paper aims to assess the presence of organic microcontaminants in different crops irrigated with groundwater and reclaimed water (secondary or tertiary effluents) in a greenhouse experiment. The determination of microcontaminants in water and vegetation samples was performed by solid-phase extraction and matrix solid-phase dispersion procedure with GC-MS/MS, respectively. The presence of nitrates in the groundwater used for irrigation increased biomass production by a higher proportion than the harvest index. The concentration of microcontaminants in lettuce, carrots, and green beans ranged from less than the limit of quantitation to 571 ng g(-1) (fresh weight). Tributyl phosphate and butylated hydroxyanisole exhibited the highest concentration levels in crops. The concentration and frequency of detection of microcontaminants were lower in green bean pods than in green bean roots and leaves. Although the concentrations were generally low, the simultaneous presence of a variety of microcontaminants should be taken into consideration when assessing the risk to human health.