Abstract
Anthropogenic gadolinium (Gdanth) is a frequent contaminant in surface water that receives wastewater treatment (WWT) effluents due to the high stability of Gd-based contrast agents (Gd-CAs) used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams and excreted by patients. This study describes the presence of Gdanth in surface water of a small drainage area (circa 4 km2), which does not receive WWT effluents. The unexpected Gdanth anomalies were attributed to raw sewage leaking from underground effluent removal pipes. The study area is within a university campus with a hospital that regularly runs MRI exams employing Gd-CAs. Besides Gd, the whole lanthanide (Ln) series was measured and except for Gd, all remaining Ln data were correlated, implicating that besides the natural Gd, a distinct Gd species contributes up to 95% to its whole content in the water samples. Besides surface water, samples of the local sewage and pluvial water networks were collected and analyzed. The ratio between measured and expected Gd values (Gd/Gd*) in surface water samples ranged between 1 and 46, the first corresponding to pristine locations and absence of Gd anomaly and the second nearby the sewage and pluvial water networks. The Gdanth anomalies presented transient values, probably associated with the application of the Gd-CAs to patients and their permanence in the hospital. Other proxies commonly associated to sewage discharge also presented transient values, not necessarily correlated Gdanth, because of the input of distinct anthropogenic sources in the study area.
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TPM acknowledges a scholarship from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel—Brazil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001. JE acknowledges the support from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Grant number 312507/2013-5) and The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP, Grant number 2012/05024-2). TPM acknowledges Francisco Ferreira de Campos for clarifying discussions along this research. The kind support of DSIS (Department of Systems) and CEMA (Center of Animal Monitoring) staff of University of Campinas was essential to obtain information about the campus infrastructure and to access restrict sampling locations.
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De Paula Marteleto, T., Enzweiler, J. Anthropogenic gadolinium as a tracer of raw sewage in surface water. Environ Earth Sci 80, 607 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09903-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09903-0