Maria José Farré

ICRA Catalan Institute for Water Research | ICRA · Water Quality

Background Location-specific patterns of regulated and non-regulated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were detected in tap water samples of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. However, it remains unclear if the detected DBPs together with undetected DPBs and organic micropollutants can lead to mixture effects in drinking water. Objective To evaluate th...

We introduce OrbiFragsNets, a tool for automatic annotation of MS2 spectra generated by Orbitrap instruments, as well as the concepts of chemical consistency and fragments networks. OrbiFragsNets takes advantage of the specific confidence interval for each peak in every MS2 spectrum, which is an unclear idea across the high-resolution mass spectrom...

A wide range of chemicals was measured in different types of drinking water and urine samples through target and non-target screening (NTS) to estimate human exposure. Tap water samples collected from 42 locations in Barcelona (August–October/2020, May/2021), tap water filtered with domestic activated carbon filters (AC, N = 6) and reverse osmosis...

Although we have extensive datasets on the location and typology of industries, we do not know much on their generated and discharged wastewater. This lack of information compromises the achievement of the sustainable development goals focused on water (Sustainable Development Goal 6) in Europe and globally. Thus, our goal was to assess to which de...

N-nitrosamines (NAs), and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in particular, are hazardous disinfection byproducts (DBPs) relevant when wastewater impacts drinking water sources and, in water reuse practices. Our study investigates the concentrations of NDMA and five additional NAs and their precursors in industrial wastewater effluents. Aiming to identi...

In this study, it was hypothesised that UV-absorbing disinfection byproducts (DBPs) may include compounds, such as halofuranones, prioritized as candidates for explaining the increased risk of bladder cancer associated with...

Fe2O3/TiO2 nanocomposites were fabricated via a facile impregnation/calcination technique employing different amounts iron (III) nitrate onto commercial TiO2 (P25 Aeroxide). The as-prepared Fe2O3/TiO2 nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy (S...

The UV/chlorine system has become an attractive alternative Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) for the removal of recalcitrant pollutants in the last decade due to the simultaneous formation of chlorine and hydroxyl radicals. However, there is no consensus regarding the results and trends obtained in previous micropollutant removal studies by AOPs, h...

In this study, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) was explored as a novel advanced oxidation process (AOP) for water decontamination. Samples with high concentration aqueous solutions of Diclofenac sodium (DCF) and 4-Chlorobenzoic acid (pCBA) were treated by plasma systems. Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) with a 1 pin-electrode and multi-needle...

A wide range of chemicals were measured in drinking water and urine samples through targeted and non-target screening (NTS) methods to estimate human exposure. Tap water samples were collected from 42 locations in Barcelona (Spain) in August-October 2020 and 27 May 2021. Additionally, tap water samples filtered with domestic activated carbon filter...

Background Knowledge about human exposure and health effects associated with non-routinely monitored disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water is sparse. Objective To provide insights to estimate exposure to regulated and non-regulated DBPs in drinking water. Methods We collected tap water from homes (N = 42), bottled water (N = 10), filt...

The generation of disinfection by-products during water chlorination is a major concern in water treatment, given the potential health risks that these substances may pose. In particular, nitrogen-containing DBPs are believed to have greater toxicological significance than carbon-based DBPs. Hence, high performance liquid chromatography coupled to...

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) form after the reaction of natural and anthropogenic organic matter and other inorganic substances present in water with the disinfectants used to inactivate pathogens. This chapter provides insights into the most common DBP classes regarding their chemical properties, environmental occurrence, and the most suitable m...

Increasing hydraulic residence time (HRT) along a chain of interconnected reservoirs enhances the formation potential of carbonaceous disinfection by-products (DBPs) and reduces the formation potential of nitrogenous DBPs, particularly N -nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).

Although we have extensive datasets on the location and typology of industries, we do not know much on their generated and discharged wastewater. This lack of information compromises the achievement of the sustainable development goals focused on water (Sustainable Development Goal 6) in Europe and globally. Thus, our goal was to assess to which de...

The occurrence of veterinary antibiotics and hydro-chemical parameters in eleven natural springs in a livestock production area is evaluated, jointly with the characterization of their DOM fingerprint by Orbitrap HRMS. Tetracycline and sulfonamide antibiotics were ubiquitous in all sites, and they were detected at low ng L⁻¹ concentrations, except...

Among the chemical aspects of water quality in potable reuse, disinfection byproducts (DBPs) likely pose the greatest risks for consumers of recycled water. The specific properties of secondary effluents with potentially high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, ammonia, bromide and iodide can lead to the formatio...

N -Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a nitrogenous disinfection by-product (DBP) that has been included in drinking water regulations worldwide because of its carcinogenicity and hazardousness. Anticipating the NDMA formation potential (FP) of...

High resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) was used to investigate the dissolved organic matter (DOM) profile of a reclamation water trial performed in the Llobregat River (Spain) during summer 2019. 23 water samples (including tertiary effluents, surface river and drinking water), taken during five sampling campaigns, were analysed and their van Kre...

In summer 2019, a full-scale trial was carried out to investigate the effects in drinking water quality when tertiary treated wastewater was discharged into the Llobregat River upstream of the intake of one of the major drinking water treatment plants of Barcelona and its metropolitan area. Two scenarios were investigated, i.e. discharging the recl...

Guest editors Tom Bond, Wenhai Chu, Urs von Gunten and Maria José Farré introduce the Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology themed issue on drinking water oxidation and disinfection processes.

Antibiotic transformation products (TPs) generated during water treatment can be considered of environmental concern, since they can retain part of the bioactivity of the parent compound. Effect-directed analysis (EDA) was applied for the identification of bioactive intermediates of azithromycin (AZI) and ciprofloxacin (CFC) after water chlorinatio...

This study investigates the potential of fluorescence excitation/emission matrices (EEM) measurement as a tool to predict N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation in water reuse applications. In particular, samples from a pilot-scale membrane biological reactor (MBR) followed by nanofiltration (NF) advanced water treatment plant, are used for the st...

In order to understand and minimize the formation of halogenated disinfection by-products (DBPs), it is important to investigate how dissolved organic matter (DOM) contributes to their generation. In the present study, we analysed the DOM profile of water samples from the Barcelona catchment area by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and we s...

N-nitrosamines are carcinogenic compounds that can be formed during disinfection processes as byproducts in drinking and recycled water systems. Among them, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is of particular interest, especially in systems employing chloramines, because its presence is regulated in various countries. Although there is lot of emphasis o...

Water treatments that provide efficient removal of organic and inorganic disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors across variable natural organic matter (NOM) sources are desirable. Treatments that effectively remove inorganic DBP precursors such as bromide, which significantly shift the speciation of DBP formation towards more toxic DBPs, are of p...

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a disinfection byproduct that has been classified as probable human carcinogen by the US Environmental Protection Agency. According to the published literature, natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) can be a source of NDMA precursors in drinking water. New advances in chemical characterization of DOM with high reso...

This study investigates the photodegradation kinetics of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) by the UV/S2O82⁻ process initiated by a medium pressure mercury lamp (MP-UV) in a collimated beam set-up. Experiments were carried out to characterize the kinetics in the absence and presence of bicarbonate, chloride and sulfate. The kinetic behavior adjusted wel...

Antidepressant drugs such as Venlafaxine (VFX) and O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODMVFX) are emerging contaminants that are commonly detected in aquatic environments, since conventional wastewater treatment plants are unable to completely remove them. They can be precursors of hazardous by-products, such as the carcinogenic N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA),...

Alternative disinfection technologies may overcome some of the limitations of conventional treatment applied in swimming pools: chlorine-resistant pathogens (e.g. Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts) and the formation of chlorinated disinfection byproducts. In this paper, results of full scale validation of an alternative disinfection technol...

Parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis of fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) was used to investigate the organic matter and DBP formation characteristics of untreated, primary treated (enhanced coagulation; EC) and secondary treated synthetic waters prepared using a Suwannee River natural organic matter (SR-NOM) isolate. The organic matte...

This study examined the applicability of fluorescence excitation/emission matrices (EEM) as online monitoring tool of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors throughout a pilot-scale advanced wastewater treatment train, which included a membrane biological reactor (MBR) followed by nanofiltration (NF). The data were generated using samples of the...

Ozonation is known to generate biodegradable organic matter, which is typically reduced by biological filtration to avoid bacterial regrowth in distribution systems. Post-chlorination generates halogenated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) but little is known about the biodegradability of their precursors. This study determined the effect of ozonation...

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is an emerging concern in oxidative water treatment because it exerts oxidant demand and may form nitrogenous oxidation/disinfection by-products. In this study, we investigated the reactions of ozone with DON with a special emphasis on the formation of nitrate (NO3⁻) and ammonium (NH4⁺). In batch ozonation experimen...

A new methodology based on on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) ultra-high-performance-liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC–MS–MS) for the determination of 15 individual anthropogenic N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors was developed. On-line SPE was performed by passing 2 mL of the water sample through...

The removal of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation potential through a membrane bioreactor (MBR) coupled to a nanofiltration (NF) pilot plant that treats urban wastewater is investigated. The results are compared to the fate of the individual NDMA precursors detected: azithromycin, citalopram, erythromycin, clarithromycin, ranitidine, venlafaxi...

Enrichment methods used in sample preparation for the bioanalytical assessment of disinfected drinking water result in the loss of volatile and hydrophilic disinfection by-products (DBPs) and hence likely tend to underestimate biological effects. We developed and evaluated methods that are compatible with bioassays, for extracting non-volatile and...

During disinfection, bromide, iodide and natural organic matter (NOM) in source waters can lead to the formation of brominated and/or iodinated disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are often more toxic than their chlorinated analogues. The objective of this study was to compare the efficiency of a silver-impregnated activated carbon (SIAC) with t...

Adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) were measured at the outlet (AOXo) and after 24 h contact time with residual disinfectant (AOX24 h) for 10 samples obtained from 7 drinking water treatment plants (WTPs) that employ chlorine-based disinfectants. AOXo ranged from 0.75 to 7.60 μM (26.2-266.0 μg Cl/L) and increased by up to 170% after 24 h contact tim...

Covering the latest developments in themes related to water disinfection by-products, this book brings the reader right up to date. Stemming from an international conference, contributions are from decision-makers, regulators and the relevant scientific community. Coverage includes emerging disinfection by-products, water treatment, water recycling...

Covering the latest developments in themes related to water disinfection by-products, this book brings the reader right up to date. Stemming from an international conference, contributions are from decision-makers, regulators and the relevant scientific community. Coverage includes emerging disinfection by-products, water treatment, water recycling...

When ozonation is employed in advanced water treatment plants to produce drinking water, dissolved organic matter reacts with ozone (O3) and/or hydroxyl radicals (OH) affecting disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation with subsequently used chlorine-based disinfectants. This study presents the effects of varying exposures of O3 and OH on DBP concentr...

To date, limited exposure data have been published on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) occurrence in Australian drinking water. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of data from the largest survey of NDMA in Australian drinking water, with a total of 211 samples, from 38 drinking water treatment plants across five states and one territory. Sample...

The removal of both organic and inorganic disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors prior to disinfection is important in mitigating DBP formation, with halide removal being particularly important in salinity-impacted water sources. A matrix of waters of variable alkalinity, halide concentration and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration were...

This study examines a matrix of synthetic water samples designed to include conditions that favour brominated disinfection by-product (Br-DBP) formation, in order to provide predictive models suitable for high Br-DBP forming waters such as salinity-impacted waters. Br-DBPs are known to be more toxic than their chlorinated analogues, in general, and...

Pool water disinfection is vital to prevent microbial pathogens. However, potentially hazardous disinfection by-products (DBP) are formed from the reaction between disinfectants and organic/inorganic precursors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of DBPs in various swimming pool types in Brisbane, Australia, including outdoor, indoo...

Over the past several decades, much research has been carried out to understand and control the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) of potential human health concern in drinking water. The majority of these studies have taken place in continental climates of North America and Europe, with less work investigating waters in tropical and subtr...

Engineering statistics has been historically a challenge to teach due to a focus in engineering on uncertainty observation and process optimisation rather than population analysis and active experimentation. This is particularly the case in chemical engineering statistics, with a strong process focus, continuous rather than discrete data sets, and...

During the production of high quality recycled water by reverse osmosis membrane filtration secondary effluent must be disinfected to limit biofouling on the membrane surface. Advanced Water Treatment Plants in South East Queensland, Australia use disinfectant contact times ranging from 30 min up to 24 h. Disinfectants such as chlorine and chlorami...

Disinfection by-products (DBP) formed from natural organic matter and disinfectants like chlorine and chloramine may cause adverse health effects. Here, we evaluate how the quantity and quality of natural organic matter and other precursors influence the formation of DBPs during chlorination and chloramination using a comprehensive approach includi...

This study investigated the correlation between dissolved organic matter fluorescence and the formation of regulated and emerging disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Fulvic acid-like fluorescence in raw and coagulated samples from 8 drinking water treatment plants was strongly correlated with the formation of trihalomethanes, haloacetonitriles, haloket...

UV-C radiation is the US EPA recommended technology to remove N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) during drinking and recycled water production. Frequently, H2O2 is added to the treatment to remove other recalcitrant compounds and to prevent NDMA reformation. However, the transformation of NDMA precursors during the UV and UV/H2O2 process and the consequ...

Disinfection of drinking water is the most successful measure to reduce water-borne diseases and protect health. However, disinfection byproducts (DBPs) formed from the reaction of disinfectants such as chlorine and monochloramine with organic matter may cause bladder cancer and other adverse health effects. In this study the formation of DBPs thro...

During the production of high quality recycled water (HQRW) by means of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filtration, chloramines (used to avoid biofouling) can generate disinfection by-products (DBPs) which could ultimately end up in the product water. This paper compares the fate of DBPs and organic halogen content generated during the production of...

The presence of bromide (Br(-)) and iodide (I(-)) in source waters leads to the formation of brominated and iodinated disinfection by-products (DBPs), which are often more toxic than their chlorinated analogues. The increasing scarcity of water resources in Australia is leading to use of impaired and alternative water supplies with high bromide and...

This study evaluates the effect of UV-C and UV-C/H(2)O(2) in the presence of chloramines on the N-nitrosodimethylamine formation potential (NDMA FP) of tramadol as a model precursor. The experiments were performed at high initial concentrations of TMDL (i.e., 20 mg/L) in order to elucidate the structures of TMDL byproducts. Twenty-four byproducts w...

A matrix of 18 synthetic waters with variable water quality parameters (alkalinity, natural organic matter (NOM), and halide concentration) was prepared. The DBP formation potential of these 18 samples was examined both before treatment, after enhanced coagulation (EC) and after a sequential treatment using EC followed by either powdered activated...

Long-term exposure to low concentrations of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water has been associated with increased human-health risks of bladder cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes. In this study, we investigated electrochemical reduction utilizing a resin-impregnated graphite cathode for the degradation of 17 DBPs (i.e. halometha...

Natural organic matter (NOM) and halides (Br- and I-) present in source waters react with disinfectants to formdisinfection by-products (DBPs). Current coagulation and adsorption techniques used in drinking water treatmenthave good NOM removal capacity, but have low halide removal capacity. This is due primarily to the presence ofcompeting anions i...

The formation potential of disinfection by-products (DBPs) from chlorination and monochloramination of sourcewater for South East Queensland (SEQ) drinking water was determined. Moreover, the effect on DBP formation oftransforming disinfectants in the SEQ Water Grid was simulated at the bench scale. Samples were collected aftercoagulation and befor...

The presence of disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs) and N-nitrosamines in water is of great concern due to their adverse effects on human health. In this work, the removal of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), total THM and five HAA precursors from secondary effluent by biological activated carbon (BA...

This study assesses the prevalence of disinfection by-product (DBP) precursors in some Southeast Queensland drinking water sources by conducting formation potential experiments for the four regulated trihalomethanes (THMs), and the potent carcinogen, N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). NDMA formation potentials were consistently low (<5-21 ng/L), and to...

The formation of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is of major concern among wastewater recycling utilities practicing disinfection with chloramines. The NDMA formation potential (FP) test is a simple and straightforward method to evaluate NDMA precursor concentrations in waters. In this paper we show the NDMA FP results of a range of tertiary wastewat...

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) can be formed when secondary effluents are disinfected by chloramines. By means of bench scale experiments this paper investigates operational parameters than can help Advanced Water Treatment Plants (AWTPs) to reduce the formation of NDMA during the production of high quality recycled water. The formation of NDMA was...

Advanced Water Treatment Plants (AWTPs) produce high quality recycled water (HQRW) treating secondary treated wastewater by means of coagulation, microfiltration, reverse osmosis filtration, advanced oxidation and final disinfection with chlorine. Chloramines are used prior to the membrane filtration to keep biofouling on the surface of the reverse...

This paper investigates the fate of some regulated and emerging disinfection byproducts (DBPs) and their precursors across reverse osmosis (RO) membranes during the production of high quality recycled water (HQRW). Total organic halogen (TOX) and its speciation has been used as a holistic tool to measure the total concentration of halogenated organ...

A coupled solar photo-Fenton (chemical) and biological treatment has been used to remove biorecalcitrant diuron (42 mg l(-1)) and linuron (75 mg l(-1)) herbicides from water at pilot plant scale. The chemical process has been carried out in a 82 l solar pilot plant made up by four compound parabolic collector units, and it was followed by a biologi...

A combined chemical (photo-Fenton) and biological treatment has been proposed for Diuron and Linuron degradation in water containing natural dissolved organic matter (DOM). Humic acid (HA) was used to simulate the DOM. During the photo-Fenton process ([Fe(II)]=15.9 mg L(-1), [H2O2]=202 mg L(-1), 60 min of UVA irradiation time), the chemical oxygen...

Freshwater polluted with herbicides is a problem of general concern since these compounds are commonly toxic and non-biodegradable. An innovative technology for the elimination of such compounds is the coupling between an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) and a biological treatment. The success of this coupled methodology depends on the biodegradabl...

A preliminary chemical treatment of pentachlorophenol, isoproturon, diuron, alachlor and atrazine pesticide aqueous solutions (all them belonging to the list of priority pollutants of the European Union) based on a combination of ozone and photo-Fenton reagents has been used to generate intermediates of partial degradation that could be more conven...

The coupling of photo-Fenton (chemical) and biological treatments has been used for the removal of Diuron and Linuron herbicides from water. The chemical reaction was employed as a pre-treatment step for the conversion of the toxic and non-biodegradable herbicides into biodegradable intermediates that were subsequently removed by means of a biologi...

Photo-Fenton/ozone (PhFO) and TiO2-photocatalysis/ozone (PhCO) coupled systems are used as advanced oxidation processes for the degradation of the following biorecalcitrant pesticides: alachlor, atrazine, chlorfenvinfos, diuron, isoproturon and pentachlorophenol. These organic compounds are considered Priority Hazardous Substances by the Water Fram...

Two different toxicity tests, an electrochemical biosensor Cellsense and a bioluminescence inhibition assay ToxAlert were performed in order to establish and compare the acute toxicity responses of different types of raw and spiked water for a selected group of pesticides. The selected compounds were endosulfan, chlorfenvinphos, dimethoate, fenamip...

This report has been produced by the Urban Water Security Research Alliance (UWSRA) in collaboration with The University of Queensland, Veolia Water Australia and WaterSecure. The UWSRA is a $50 million partnership over five years between the Queensland Government, CSIRO's Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, Griffith University and The University...

University of Queensland. The Alliance has been formed to address South-East Queensland's emerging urban water issues with a focus on water security and recycling. The program will bring new research capacity to South-East Queensland tailored to tackling existing and anticipated future issues to inform the implementation of the Water Strategy.

No Yes