Determination of microorganisms and pathways are associated with pharmaceuticals and personal care products biodegradation. Soil Samples

It is now widely recognized that pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) are not fully eliminated in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This is a cause for concern because of the use of wastewater effluents for irrigation and the application of biosolids as nutrient amendments to agricultural soils. PPCP persistence in soils poses a risk for water contamination or uptake into crops and eventual unintended human consumption. PPCP biodegradation by soil microorganisms is a potential removal mechanism; however, the bacteria and pathways involved are generally unknown. Such information is critical to protect natural systems from long-term PPCPs contamination.This research focuses on PPCP biodegradation in agricultural soils. The targeted PPCP are commonly found in WWTP effluents and biosolids and include diclofenac (DFC) (2-(2,6-dichloranilino) phenylacetic acid, DCF), carbamazepine (CBZ) (5H-dibenzo [b,f]azepine-5-carboxamide, CBZ), triclocarban (TCC) (3-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea. The objectives were to determine which microorganisms and pathways are associated with PPCP biodegradation in a number of agricultural soils. The study involved four soils collected from an agricultural site close to MSU.