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# Biocide contamination of domestic greywater: an indicator of uses by inhabitants

Pierre Martinache, Amandine Naprix, Lila Boudhamane, Emilie Caupos, Svetlana Vujovic, Régis Moilleron, Adèle Bressy

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## ► To cite this version:

Pierre Martinache, Amandine Naprix, Lila Boudhamane, Emilie Caupos, Svetlana Vujovic, et al. "Biocide contamination of domestic greywater: an indicator of uses by inhabitants." SETAC Europe 34th, May 2024, Sevilla (Spain), Spain. hal-05153231

HAL Id: hal-05153231

https://enpc.hal.science/hal-05153231v1

Submitted on 9 Jul 2025

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# Biocide contamination of domestic greywater: an indicator of uses by inhabitants

P. Martinache¹, A. Naprix¹, L. Boudahmane¹, É. Caupos¹,², S. Vujovic³, R. Moilleron¹, A. Bressy¹

¹ Leesu, Ecole des Ponts, Univ Paris Est Creteil, Marne-la-Vallee, France, ² Univ Paris Est Creteil, CNRS, OSU-EFLUVE, F-94010 Creteil, France, ³ ESITC Paris, 94110 Arcueil, France

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## Context and objectives

Biocidal substances are used in several areas of the domestic environment and are ubiquitous in our daily life. They are used as active substances, but also as conservatives or excipients in many products: building materials, pesticides, disinfectants, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and household products[1,2]. These substances have **toxic effects on human health** by inducing antibiotic resistance[3] or allergy[4]; but they also **harm aquatic organisms**[2]. Their ubiquitous presence in domestic environments and daily products raise the question of their transfer to **greywater**, whose **contamination** could **hindder their reuse or contaminate the environment**. Indeed, greywater are discharged into receiving water via wastewater treatment plants that are not efficient to remove biocides[5].

Despite these potential risks, no study has measured biocidal substances in domestic greywater yet. **The aim of the research is:**

(i) To conduct a survey on inhabitant habits in terms of products used and practices

(ii) To characterize domestic greywater contamination by analyzing 29 prioritized biocidal substances

(iii) To compare both approaches in order to assess the effect of inhabitant habits on greywater contamination

## Market surveys

In order to study inhabitant habits in terms of products used, **surveys were conducted in a DIY store and two supermarkets**. PPCPs, products for pest control and household were investigated (n=3,490).

<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>When products contain biocidal substances, what are their repartition?</figcaption></figure>

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1,975 of the 3,490 products contain at least one of the biocidal substances. Isothiazolinones are predominant in almost all type of uses. Disinfectants, wipes and algicides are mostly composed of quaternary ammoniums. Insecticides contain mainly pyrethroids.

**Isothiazolinones:** benzisothiazolinone (BIT), chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT), dichloro-n-octylisothiazolinone (DCOIT), methylisothiazolinone (MIT), octylisothiazolinone (OIT)

**Ureas:** diflubenzuron (DFB), diuron (DIU), hexaflumuron (HFU), isoproturon (IPU)

**Azoles:** propiconazole (PPC), tebuconazole (TEB), thiabendazole (THB)

**Quaternary ammoniums:** benzalkonium chloride (BAC C12, C14, C16, C18), didecyldimethylammonium bromide/chloride (DDAB/DDAC)

**Phenoxy acid:** mecoprop (MCPP)

**Carbamates:** carbendazim (CBZ), iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC)

**Triazines:** cybutryne (CBY), terbutryn (TB), terbuthylazine (TBZ)

**Neonicotinoid:** acetamiprid (ACE)

**Phenylpyrazole:** fipronil (FIP)

**Pyrethroids:** bifenthrin (BFT), cypermethrin (CPMT), deltamethrin (DMT), permethrin (PMT)

## Greywater contamination

Greywaters were sampled in 7 dwellings (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7) near Paris in 2023. Samples were filtered and then solid-phase extracted. Biocidal substances were quantified by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with internal calibration.

<figure><img src="image_6.png" /><figcaption>Concentrations measured in greywater for biocidal substances (ng/L)</figcaption></figure>

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26 of the 29 molecules were quantified in at least one of the 20 samples. Four substances had a quantification frequency higher than 75%: BAC-C12, BAC-C14, DDAB/DDAC, OIT. **Quantified substances varied from one dwelling to another, but much more so according to the type of greywater used. Floor cleaning greywater were the most concentrated waters.** The highest concentrations were measured for BAC-C16 (>20,000 ng/L) in floor cleaning greywater and washing machine.

List of abbreviations

## Acknowledgements

## Corresponding authors

## Conclusion

Our work provides a first overview of biocidal contamination in the domestic environment and the first database of biocidal concentrations in greywater. BAC-C12, BAC-C14, DDAB/DDAC and OIT were ubiquitous in greywater and household products.

The biocidal concentrations in greywater were explained by the wide range of domestic uses. These results raise the question of the contribution of domestic uses of biocides to the contamination of the receiving environment. Further research should be carried out to estimate the daily tonnages of biocidal substances emitted from domestic environments via greywater.

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PRAMMICS

Adèle BRESSY & Pierre MARTINACHE

Leesu - École des Ponts ParisTech

adele.bressy@enpc.fr

pierre.martinache@enpc.fr

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École des Ponts

ParisTech

Régis MOILLERON

Leesu – Université Paris-Est Créteil

moilleron@u-pec.fr

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UPEC

**References:** [1] C. Paijens, A. Bressy, B. Frère, and R. Moilleron, "Biocide emissions from building materials during wet weather: identification of substances, mechanism of release and transfer to the aquatic environment", [2] S. Wieck, O. Olsson, and K. Kümmerer, "Possible underestimations of risks for the environment due to unregulated emissions of biocides from households to wastewater", [3] S. Mohapatra et al., "Quaternary ammonium compounds of emerging concern: Classification, occurrence, fate, toxicity and antimicrobial resistance", [4] O. Aerts, A. Goossens, J. Lambert, and J.-P. Lepoittevin, "Contact allergy caused by isothiazolinone derivatives: an overview of noncosmetic and unusual cosmetic sources", [5] C. Paijens et al., "Urban pathways of biocides towards surface waters during dry and wet weathers: Assessment at the Paris conurbation scale"