Evaluating the occurrence of chemicals of emerging concern in tomato plants: a field study on agricultural wastewater reuse

With increasing global concerns over water scarcity, there is growing emphasis on employing sustainable agricultural practices, including the reuse of treated municipal wastewater for irrigation. However, the utilisation of treated wastewater can potentially introduce pollutants, including chemicals of emerging concern (CEC), into the food chain, posing a potential risk to human health. CEC encompass a wide range of chemical classes, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, herbicides, and industrial chemicals, among others. This study aims to evaluate the uptake of selected CEC in soil-grown tomatoes and their translocation in different plant tissues, as well as to identify metabolites, transformation products, and non-targeted pollutants. The data obtained will be used to calculate the dietary exposure to CEC from the consumption of wastewater-irrigated tomatoes.