Metals and hormone-disrupting substances, such as oestrogens, pose a tangible risk to the sustainability of agriculture and water management in Europe, according to research by Chinese environmental scientist Yuwei Jia at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).
The study focused on metals in fertilised agricultural soils and oestrogens in aquatic systems, examining not only their presence but also their behaviour and interaction with environmental factors such as acidity, reduction-oxidation potential, and dissolved organic carbon.
A key aspect of the research examined how fertilisers affect the mobility and bioavailability of metals, using a new method to measure the fraction of metals available for uptake by plants.
“This is crucial for food safety and long-term sustainable agriculture policy, as fertilisers are a source of heavy metals in agricultural soils,” explains Jia’s supervisor, Prof. Yue Gao of the VUB’s Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry (AMGC) research group.
Employing innovative analytical techniques, Jia mapped the impact of different fertilisers on metal distribution in agricultural soils. She compared three types of fertilisers —phosphate, sewage sludge, and animal manure — concluding that animal manure is the best choice where metal contamination is concerned.
Parallel to the investigation of metals, Jia studied the presence of oestrogens in the Scheldt estuary. “These hormone-disrupting substances — often originating from household wastewater — can impact aquatic organisms and eventually humans,” she notes.
“The results highlight the importance of investment in wastewater treatment and the impact of European regulations like the Water Framework Directive,” says Prof. em. Willy Baeyens.
Continuous monitoring remains essential, especially considering the emergence of new chemicals and changes in industrial and urban discharge behaviours, he notes.
