Powley, HR, Dürr, HH, Lima, AT et al. (2 more authors) (2016) Direct Discharges of Domestic Wastewater are a Major Source of Phosphorus and Nitrogen to the Mediterranean Sea. Environmental Science and Technology, 50 (16). pp. 8722-8730. ISSN 0013-936X
Abstract
Direct discharges of treated and untreated wastewater are important sources of nutrients to coastal marine ecosystems and contribute to their eutrophication. Here, we estimate the spatially distributed annual inputs of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) associated with direct domestic wastewater discharges from coastal cities to the Mediterranean Sea (MS). According to our best estimates, in 2003 these inputs amounted to 0.9 × 10⁹ mol P yr-1 and 15 × 10⁹ mol N yr-1, that is, values on the same order of magnitude as riverine inputs of P and N to the MS. By 2050, in the absence of any mitigation, population growth plus higher per capita protein intake and increased connectivity to the sewer system are projected to increase P inputs to the MS via direct wastewater discharges by 254, 163, and 32% for South, East, and North Mediterranean countries, respectively. Complete conversion to tertiary wastewater treatment would reduce the 2050 inputs to below their 2003 levels, but at an estimated additional cost of over €2 billion yr-1. Management of coastal eutrophication may be best achieved by targeting tertiary treatment upgrades to the most affected near-shore areas, while simultaneously implementing legislation limiting P in detergents and increasing wastewater reuse across the entire basin.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | (c) 2016, American Chemical Society. This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in Environmental Science and Technology, copyright (c) American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b01742 |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Earth Surface Science Institute (ESSI) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 06 Dec 2016 17:32 |
Last Modified: | 18 Jul 2017 03:44 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b01742 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Chemical Society |
Identification Number: | 10.1021/acs.est.6b01742 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:108902 |