MECROPLAN: Kartläggning av nya miljögifter (CECs) i lakvatten från deponier

New contaminants, known as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) — such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disruptors, industrial chemicals and their byproducts, PFAS, and microplastics — are widely used in everyday products and often end up in landfills, where they can leach into the environment over time. Current treatment of landfill leachate primarily targets nutrients and metals, leaving CECs largely untreated.

This project maps CECs in Swedish landfill leachate and develops strategies to reduce their impact on aquatic ecosystems and human health. We aim to:

1. Identify important CECs and microplastics released from landfills.
2. Follow their transport, seasonal variations and effects on nearby aquatic environments.
3. Improve purification techniques using mycoremediation and biochar.

Our work supports the national goal of a non-toxic environment and provides a scientific basis for improved treatment techniques, helping landfill operators make informed investment decisions to protect water quality.

Publications:

1. Wong TY, Celma A.; Storm N; Hultberg M; Golovko O. Qualitative analysis on contaminants of emerging concern in Swedish landfill leachates: a snapshot of occurrence and spatio-temporal variability. Environment International, 2025, 204, 109834
2. M. Hultberg, TY (Patrick) Wong, B. Speksnijder, O. Golovko. Fungal-based wastewater treatment: pharmaceutical removal and nutrient release from a pellet system. Water Research X. Volume 29, 1 December 2025, 100440
3. Golovko O., Sörengård, M., Koba Ucun, O., Fedorova, G. Evaluation of targeted and high-resolution mass spectrometry methods for environmental monitoring of pharmaceuticals. MethodsX, Volume 15, December 2025, 103666
4. Speksnijder, B., Celma, A., Tyka, M., Simha, P., Golovko, O. Biochar potential for long-term pharmaceutical remediation in flow-through tertiary wastewater systems. Journal of Environmental Management. 2025, 394, 127389
5. Hewage, R., Golovko, O., Hultberg, M. Spawn-based pellets of Pleurotus ostreatus as an applied approach for the production of laccase in different types of water. Journal of Microbiological Methods, 2025, 229, 107092

Master students and visiting PhD students:

Natalie Storm, Master student, 2024 

Anna Kamél, Master student, 2025

Jhesibel Chavez Ortiz, visiting PhD student (UV, ES), February–August 2026

Gayani Rajakaruna Kapukotuwa (FROV, JCU, CZ), February–May 2026