Widespread detection of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide in U.S. Streams: Comparison with concentrations of pesticides, personal care products, and other organic wastewater compounds

Abstract

One of the most frequently detected organic chemicals in a nationwide study concerning the effects of wastewater on stream water quality conducted in the year 2000 was the widely used insect repellant N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET). It was detected at levels of 0.02 microg/L or greater in 73% of the stream sites sampled, with the selection of sampling sites being biased toward streams thought to be subject to wastewater contamination (i.e., downstream from intense urbanization and livestock production). Although DEET frequently was detected at all sites, the median concentration was low (0.05 microg/L). The highest concentrations of DEET were found in streams from the urban areas (maximum concentration, 1.1 microg/L). The results of the present study suggest that the movement of DEET to streams through wastewater-treatment systems is an important mechanism that might lead to the exposure of aquatic organisms to this chemical.

Environmental release, environmental concentrations, and ecological risk of N,N‐Diethyl‐m‐toluamide (DEET)

“…Although DEET is considered to be neither persistent, bioaccumulative, nor toxic (PB&T) according to European Union (EU) regulatory PBT criteria (KemI 2010; Weeks et al 2012), it is commonly found in the aquatic environment. Recent studies have reported the frequent presence of DEET in surface waters (Kolpin et al 2002; Sandstrom et al 2005), believed to be due to discharge of effluent from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The current evidence indicates that DEET is found in municipal wastewater mainly from its use as a topical insect repellent.…”

A high-precision sampling scheme to assess persistence and transport characteristics of micropollutants in rivers

“…A novel threat to aquatic ecosystems is posed by the increasing number and amount of xenobiotics released into the environment (Banjac et al, 2015;Jekel et al, 2015;Ternes, 2007). These 'emerging pollutants', emitted by all of us in everyday life, comprise -among others -pharmaceuticals and personal care products (Carmona et al, 2014;KasprzykHordern et al, 2009;Ternes et al, 2004), pesticides (Köck-Schulmeyer et al, 2013;Sandstrom et al, 2005), and flame retardants (Meyer and Bester, 2004;Pang et al, 2013). Although mostly emitted via household wastewater and collected by sewer systems, the persistence of many of these compounds in standard waste water treatment processes leads to considerable pollutant loads which are emitted to the receiving waters (Loos et al, 2013;Reemtsma et al, 2006).…”

N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide transformation in river water

“…Even if DEET can be efficiently abated through advanced oxidation processes (AOPS) methods such as Fenton (Zhang et al, 2006;Zhang et al, 2007) and ozone treatment (Snyder et al, 2006), it was found at trace level in surface waters, groundwater and waters for human consumption (Sandstrom et al, 2005;Kolpin et al, 2004;Langford et al, 2008;Costanzo et al, 2007). DEET presence was detected in USA rivers, at an average concentration of 0.05 μg/L (Sandstrom et al, 2005); into 97% of surface waters in Australian Eastern coast at an average concentration of 0.093μg/L (Costanzo et al, 2007); in Europe, across river Rhine at concentration ranging from 15 to 30 ng/L (Schwarzbauer et al, 2005 Quednow and Püttmann, 2009), across Norway coast at concentrations 0.4-13 ng/L (Langford et al, 2008;Weigel et al, 2004), and in the North Sea, where it is considered as a ubiquitous pollutant with an average concentration of 1.1 ng/L in summertime (Weigel et al 2002).…”