Prevalence, Production, and Ecotoxicity of Chlorination-Derived Metformin Byproducts in Chinese Urban Water Systems
Abstract
The widely used antidiabetic drug metformin has become an emerging contaminant of water systems. In a prior study, we demonstrated the marked mammalian toxicity of the disinfection-derived byproducts (DBPs) Y (yellow, C 4 H 6 ClN 5) and C (colorless, C 4 H 6 ClN 3), and here assess the distribution, formation, and ecotoxicity of these in Chinese urban water systems. A national tap water assessment showed that metformin and C concentrations were higher in large, dense urban areas and surface water sources than in sparsely populated areas and groundwater sources. Water types' analysis clearly showed that C derived from chlorination of metformin-contaminated water (up to 4308.5 ng/L) circulated from domestic water (0.7-9.7 ng/L) via sewage (2.3 ng/L in effluent) to surface water (0.6-3.5 ng/L). Simulated disinfection and aqueous stability results systematically showed rapid formation and 24 h stability of both byproducts, indicating high exposure odds for water users. Both byproducts showed clear but distinct toxic effects on the growth (72 h IC 50, 0.6 mg/L for Y and 4.4 mg/L for C) and photosynthesis of the microalgae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata at milligram levels. Combinedly, our work reveals that metformin byproducts have been disseminated to urban water cycle and contaminated tap water, increasing potential toxic risk for drinking water. Its outcomes provide a preliminary reference for future studies on the environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects of unintended DBPs formed in the chlorination of metformin-contaminated water.
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PPCPs introduced into the water supply are subject to HOCl-mediated chlorination and subsequent formation of CBPs.
“Additionally, PPCPs introduced into the water supply are subject to HOCl-mediated chlorination and subsequent formation of CBPs.”
From Hypochlorous Acid: From Innate Immune Factor and Environmental Toxicant to Chemopreventive Agent Targeting Solar UV-Induced Skin Cancer (2022) · cites this paper as [128]
Common drugs including metformin, diclofenac, and tamoxifen entering freshwater sources are subject to direct chlorination causing drinking water contamination associated with largely unexplored implications for human health.
“For example, common drugs including metformin, diclofenac, and tamoxifen entering freshwater sources are subject to direct chlorination causing drinking water contamination associated with largely unexplored implications for human health (126–129).”
From Hypochlorous Acid: From Innate Immune Factor and Environmental Toxicant to Chemopreventive Agent Targeting Solar UV-Induced Skin Cancer (2022) · cites this paper as [128]
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- Authors
- He, Y., Jin, H., Gao, H., Zhang, G., & Ju, F.
- Affiliations
- Fudan University (CN)
- Westlake University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Ju, Feng
- Venue
- Science of The Total Environment
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2022-04
- Volume
- 816
- Pages
- 151665
- ISSN
- 0048-9697 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3214197165
- Cited by
- 26
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 4
- FWCI
- 1.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- The Science of The Total Environment (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Westlake Institute for Advanced Study
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (51908467)
- Young Scientists Fund
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Water Treatment and Disinfection
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Keywords
- metformin, disinfection by-products, chlorination, emerging contaminants, urban water systems, tap water contamination, sewage effluent, surface water, drinking water safety, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, microalgae growth inhibition, photosynthesis inhibition, ecotoxicity, environmental fate
- MeSH terms
- Animals, China, Disinfectants, Disinfection, Metformin, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Prevalence, Water Purification, Halogenation, Drinking Water
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