Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Peer-reviewed

Antibiotics and other micropollutants in Swiss sewage sludge and fecal compost

Lena Schinkel, Yves Eberhard, Andreas Maccagnan, Michael Berg, Christa S. McArdell

Chemosphere · 2025

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Summary

) were lower. Pollution patterns in digested sewage sludge were relatively constant throughout Switzerland. Levels of contamination in fecal compost were approximately 30 times lower than in sewage sludge. Pollution patterns differed between compost and sludge. Chemicals used in down-the-drain-applications (e.g., preservatives from personal care products or corrosion inhibitors) are less relevant in compost. Based on the Swiss consumption and excretion data, a mass flow analysis was carried out for antibiotics and pharmaceuticals in sludge and compost. The mass flow analysis in sludge showed a good agreement of predicted and measured concentrations for compounds that tend to sorb to organic matter (e.g., fluoroquinolones). Currently, there is no specific legislation that regulates the use

Subject
Pesticides, contaminants & food safety
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
System type
Other
DOI
10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144216
Catalogue ID
SNmp2b1umr-p8hfkk
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