No abstract

We tested the effect of nutrient inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) on stream nutrient retention efficiency by examining the longitudinal patterns of ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations downstream of WWTP effluents in 15 streams throughout Catalonia (Spain). We hypothesized that large nutrient loadings would saturate stream communities, lowering nutrient retention efficiency (i.e., nutrient retention relative to nutrient flux) relative to less polluted streams. Longitudinal variation in ambient nutrient concentration reflected the net result of physical, chemical, or biological uptake and release processes. Therefore, gradual increases in nutrient concentration indicate that the stream acts as a net source of nutrients to downstream environments, whereas gradual declines indicate that the stream acts as a net sink. In those streams where gradual declines in nutrient concentration were observed, we calculated the nutrient uptake length as an indicator of the stream nutrient retention efficiency. No significant decline was found in dilution-corrected concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphate in 40 and 45% of streams, respectively. In the remaining streams, uptake length (estimated based on the decline of nutrient concentrations at ambient levels) ranged from 0.14 to 29 km (DIN), and from 0.14 to 14 km (phosphate). Overall, these values are longer (lower retention efficiency) than those from nonpolluted streams of similar size, supporting our hypothesis, and suggest that high nutrient loads affect fluvial ecosystem function. This study demonstrates that the efficiency of stream ecosystems to remove nutrients has limitations because it can be significantly altered by the quantity and quality of the receiving water.

A study of organic compounds imparting odor problems in river waters and groundwaters has been conducted. The Tordera aquifer located in Barcelona and Girona (NE Spain) is the water supply reserve for many seasonally crowded villages on the coast. Closed loop stripping analysis (CLSA) and flavor profile analysis (FPA) have been employed as analytical tools to identify the compounds responsible for the odor complaints. The feasibility of purge-and-trap (P&T) has also been evaluated. The 2-alkyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxanes and 2-alkyl-4-methyl-1,3-dioxolanes were the most significant compounds identified in river water and groundwater with a threshold odor of 10 ng/L for 2-ethyl-5,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane (2EDD), the most malodorous compound. The analyses were carried out by HRGC/MS, and the synthesized 1,3-dioxanes and dioxolanes were characterized by CI-MS and EI-MS/MS techniques. A company, currently manufacturing saturated and unsaturated polyester resins, located in the upper course of the river, produced these compounds as byproducts during the synthesis of resins. The pollution by dioxanes and dioxolanes affected all the aquifer and slowly diminished to the ppt levels when the company was forced to correctly treat their wastewaters. Additional examples of the pres ence of dioxanes and dioxolanes in wastewaters of other resin plants and also tap water of Barcelona are shown.