Journal article
Enhancing the Detectable Chemical Space in an Effluent-Dominated Stream: Non-Target Analysis Reveals Potential Rapid In Situ Product Formation
Environmental science & technology letters, Vol.12(8), pp.1038-1045
07/17/2025
DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00509
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Effluent-dominated streams are increasingly common in temperate regions and have potential for adverse ecological and human health effects. Nontarget analysis (NTA) using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is an emerging approach to examine complex chemical mixtures in the environment. Here, we leveraged archived samples previously analyzed for 154 target contaminants in a well-studied temperate region effluent-dominated stream and compared target results with suspected compounds from NTA. NTA enhanced the detectable chemical space by 20 times compared to target analysis alone. Target analysis was biased toward larger mass contaminants compared to the compounds detected with NTA, indicating that target analysis was not fully representative of the compound distribution for the effluent-impacted waters. Hierarchical cluster analysis exposed clusters of compounds significantly upregulated at the effluent/stream mixing zone, revealing evidence of a novel phenomenon wherein transformation product and/or metabolite formation appears to occur rapidly in situ. Additionally, an exposure-driven NTA retrospective analysis uncovered upregulation of 7endocrine-disrupting compounds that may explain prior bioassay results. These findings have urgent implications for ecosystems and downstream communities experiencing de facto wastewater reuse conditions. NTA offers enhanced characterization of complex mixtures in effluent-dominated streams and can reveal novel mixture dynamics otherwise masked when employing target analysis alone.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Enhancing the Detectable Chemical Space in an Effluent-Dominated Stream: Non-Target Analysis Reveals Potential Rapid In Situ Product Formation
- Creators
- Alyssa L. Mianecki - University of IowaGregory H. LeFevre - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Environmental science & technology letters, Vol.12(8), pp.1038-1045
- DOI
- 10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00509
- ISSN
- 2328-8930
- eISSN
- 2328-8930
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society; WASHINGTON
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2025 The Authors
- Grant note
- Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems: 1844720 National Science FoundationUniversity of Iowa Graduate School FellowshipsDr. Arthur R. Giaquinta Memorial Scholarship: P30 ES005605 Environmental Health Sciences Research CenterUniversity of Iowa High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Facility
This work was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation #1844720. A.L.M. was supported by University of Iowa Graduate School Fellowships and the Dr. Arthur R. Giaquinta Memorial Scholarship. G.H.L. acknowledges support of the Environmental Health Sciences Research Center (P30 ES005605) for providing a collaborative research environment. We thank Lynn Teesch and Vic Parcell from the University of Iowa High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Facility. The NTA Study Reporting Tool (SRT) was used in the preparation of this manuscript (doi: 10.6084/m9.figshare.19763503).
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/17/2025
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984865313102771
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