Ramutshatsha-Makhwedzha Denga, Munonde Tshimangadzo S
Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability, College of Science, Engineering, and Technology, University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Roodepoort 1710, South Africa.
Molecules. 2024 Nov 22;29(23):5533. doi: 10.3390/molecules29235533.
Due to their antibacterial and antifungal properties, parabens are commonly used as biocides and preservatives in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Parabens have been reported to exist in various water matrices at low concentrations, which renders the need for sample preparation before their quantification using analytical techniques. Thus, sample preparation methods such as solid-phase extraction (SPE), rotating-disk sorptive extraction (RDSE), and vortex-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid extraction (VA-DLLE) that are commonly used for parabens extraction and preconcentration have been discussed. As a result of sample preparation methods, analytical techniques now detect parabens at trace levels ranging from µg/L to ng/L. These compounds have been detected in water, air, soil, and human tissues. While the full impact of parabens on human health and ecosystems is still being debated in the scientific community, it is widely recognized that parabens can act as endocrine disruptors. Furthermore, some studies have suggested that parabens may have carcinogenic effects. The presence of parabens in the environment is primarily due to wastewater discharges, which result in widespread contamination and their concentrations increased during the COVID-19 pandemic waves. Neglecting the presence of parabens in water exposes humans to these compounds through contaminated food and drinking water. Although there are reviews that focus on the occurrence, fate, and behavior of parabens in the environment, they frequently overlook critical aspects such as removal methods, policy development, and regulatory frameworks. Addressing this gap, the effective treatment of parabens in water relies on combined approaches that address both cost and operational challenges. Membrane filtration methods, such as nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO), demonstrate high efficacy but are hindered by maintenance and energy costs due to extensive fouling. Innovations in anti-fouling and energy efficiency, coupled with pre-treatment methods like adsorption, help mitigate these costs and enhance scalability. Furthermore, combining adsorption with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) or biological treatments significantly improves economic and energy efficiency. Integrating systems like O₃/UV with activated carbon, along with byproduct recovery strategies, further advances circular economy goals by minimizing waste and resource use. This review provides a thorough overview of paraben monitoring in wastewater, current treatment techniques, and the regulatory policies that govern their presence. Furthermore, it provides perspectives that are critical for future scientific investigations and shaping policies aimed at mitigating the risks of parabens in drinking water.
由于其抗菌和抗真菌特性，对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物常用于食品、化妆品和药品中作为杀生剂和防腐剂。据报道，对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物以低浓度存在于各种水体基质中，这使得在使用分析技术对其进行定量之前需要进行样品制备。因此，人们讨论了常用于对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物提取和预浓缩的样品制备方法，如固相萃取（SPE）、旋转盘吸附萃取（RDSE）和涡旋辅助分散液液萃取（VA-DLLE）。由于采用了样品制备方法，分析技术现在能够检测到浓度范围从μg/L到ng/L的痕量对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物。这些化合物已在水、空气、土壤和人体组织中被检测到。虽然科学界仍在争论对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物对人类健康和生态系统的全面影响，但人们普遍认识到对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物可作为内分泌干扰物。此外，一些研究表明对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物可能具有致癌作用。环境中对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物的存在主要是由于废水排放，这导致了广泛的污染，并且在新冠疫情期间其浓度有所增加。忽视水中对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物的存在会使人类通过受污染的食物和饮用水接触到这些化合物。尽管有一些综述关注对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物在环境中的存在、归宿和行为，但它们经常忽略一些关键方面，如去除方法、政策制定和监管框架。为了填补这一空白，有效处理水中的对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物依赖于综合方法，以应对成本和操作方面的挑战。膜过滤方法，如纳滤（NF）和反渗透（RO），显示出高效性，但由于严重的污染导致维护和能源成本较高而受到阻碍。抗污染和能源效率方面的创新，以及吸附等预处理方法，有助于降低这些成本并提高可扩展性。此外，将吸附与高级氧化工艺（AOPs）或生物处理相结合可显著提高经济和能源效率。将O₃/UV等系统与活性炭相结合，以及副产品回收策略，通过减少废物和资源使用进一步推进循环经济目标。本综述全面概述了废水中对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物的监测、当前的处理技术以及管理其存在的监管政策。此外，它还提供了对未来科学研究和制定旨在降低饮用水中对羟基苯甲酸酯类化合物风险的政策至关重要的观点。
