Investigation of pharmaceutical and personal care product interactions of soil and beets (Beta vulgaris L.) under the effect of wastewater reuse

Although, several recent greenhouse studies are beginning to address the uptake of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) by a variety of crops, few studies have assessed the effects of exposure to complex, realistic wastewater effluents on uptake. Hence, in this study, a greenhouse experiment was conducted in order to study the interactions occurring exclusively between PPCPs in soil, and in the edible plant part of beets (Beta vulgaris) after exposure to treated wastewater effluent. According to the findings, the interactions between the pharmaceuticals caffeine (CFN) with bisoprolol (BSP), carbamezapine (CMZ), clarithromycin (CMC), metoprolol (MPL), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and trimethoprim (TMP) occurring in soil were almost 99% synergistic; it was noted variability in the interactive capacity of the pharmaceuticals; the concentrations of pharmaceuticals which measured did not affect unfavorably beet yield; interactions between the PPCPs via the PPCPs contribution in plant and soil affect the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the beets. [Display omitted] •Interactions between pharmaceuticals occurring in soil were almost 99% synergistic.•Variability in the interactive capacity of the pharmaceuticals was noted.•Most of pharmaceuticals in soil did not affect unfavorably beet yield.•Interactions of pharmaceuticals and plant/soil, affect characteristics of beets.