Environmental Health in Israel | 2014

Data on Chemical Contaminants in Treated Wastewater and Produce Irrigated with Treated Wastewater According to a Water Authority Report from 2009, based on measurements in 11 different wastewater treatment plants, the main chemicals detected in wastewater were pharmaceutical compounds (primarily carbamazepine) and the flame retardant trichloroethyl phosphate. A 2012 survey of leafy vegetables and root vegetables irrigated with treated wastewater, conducted by the MoH in cooperation with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem showed that the pharmaceutical carbamazepine was detected in about 30% of samples. Levels were between 0.35 and 12.4 µg/kg. Pharmaceutical compounds were not detected in crops irrigated with drinking water. Carbamazepine and additional pharmaceutical compounds (for example, diclofenac and naproxen), as well as pesticides and flame retardants (including tris [3-chloropropyl] phosphate) were detected in wastewater samples. Bisphenol A (BPA) was not detected in any of the wastewater samples. In a 2011 survey of vegetables including carrots, onions, tomatoes and cucumbers, carbamazepine and triclosan were detected in 7 out of 27 samples. BPA and hormones (such as estrone, estriol and testosterone) were not detected in any of the samples. Research on Chemical Contaminants in Food Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have published studies on plant uptake of pharmaceutical compounds from wastewater, including studies on carbamazepine uptake by cucumber plants using different soil types irrigated either with fresh water or reclaimed wastewater. Numerous research groups in Israel are studying the removal of pharmaceuticals and other compounds during the wastewater treatment process. Progress and Challenges  The methodology of the joint survey conducted by the MoH and the MoAg for examining animal-based food products was improved in 2012 and consequently the number of samples taken and the statistical power of the survey increased significantly.  Legislation on animal feed was recently updated to address issues related to the inspection and control of manufacturing animal feed, including testing for animal feed contaminants that might be passed on to humans.  The use of animal waste as fertilizer in agriculture is currently being jointly evaluated by the MoAg and the MoH. Control and supervision will be introduced as part of regulations for using organic waste in agriculture in order to address the issue of pollutants originating in untreated animal waste that can reach humans via contaminated agricultural produce. Environmental Health in Israel 2014  Chapter 6 - 50 -