Contaminants of emerging concern in the urban aquifers of Barcelona: Do they hamper the use of groundwater?

Urban aquifers are an alternative to obtain freshwater, but they are frequently polluted by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Therefore, there is a need to ascertain whether CECs are a water management challenge as they might limit the use of groundwater as safe drinking water even at ng L−1 concentration levels. To answer this question, it is required to evaluate human health-risk effects of measured CECs in the groundwater and to understand their behaviour at a field-scale. This study compiles data about the presence of CECs in the aquifers of Barcelona and its metropolitan area, evaluates health risk effects of measured CECs in the groundwater and presents approaches implemented to identify and quantify the coupled hydro-thermo-chemical processes that govern their fate in the subsurface. Some CECs might be harmful to humans, such as 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole and the pharmaceuticals azithromycin valsartan, valsartan acid, lamotrigine, gabapentin, venlafaxine and lidocaine, which show very high to intermediate health risk effects. The number of harmful CECs and the level of their hazard increase from the groups of adults and 14–18 years old teens to the groups of 4–8 years old and 1–2 years old children. Thus, some CECs can limit the use of groundwater in Barcelona as potential drinking water source. Finally, knowledge gaps in understanding the integration of these processes into urban water resources management plans are identified, which will help to define groundwater potential uses and to assure the adequate protection of the human health and the environment. © 2023 The Authors