Artificial sweeteners and their occurrence in the environment

Artificial sweeteners and their occurrence in the environment

Audiovizuální tvorba

This study is focused on artificial sweeteners and their occurrence in the environment, in particular on their presence in waste and surface waters. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes. They are much sweeter than beet sugar and have a wide range of applications. Mostly they are used in the food industry, but they also found their use in pharmaceutical industry and in personal care products. They contain almost no energy and thus do not increase blood sugar levels. For this reason they are used by many people with diabetes or dieting. Due to their persistence and ubiquitous occurrence in the aquatic environment, artificial sweeteners were newly classified as environmental pollutants. Sucralose (SUC) and Acesulfame K (ACS) do not subject to biotransformation, thus they are not removed on a biological purification step of waste water treatment. Artificial sweeteners SUC and ACS are used as potential markers of contamination of surface water and groundwater by domestic waste water. Sweeteners can get into groundwater due to leakage of landfill leachates. The predominant occurrence of sweeteners in the various countries is due to the extent of their use. E. g. in the US high levels of SUC were found, whereas in the European countries mainly ACS prevails. Some sweeteners are evaluated as a potential carcinogens or potential toxics and this is another reason why their monitoring is important.

This study is focused on artificial sweeteners and their occurrence in the environment, in particular on their presence in waste and surface waters. Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes. They are much sweeter than beet sugar and have a wide range of applications. Mostly they are used in the food industry, but they also found their use in pharmaceutical industry and in personal care products. They contain almost no energy and thus do not increase blood sugar levels. For this reason they are used by many people with diabetes or dieting. Due to their persistence and ubiquitous occurrence in the aquatic environment, artificial sweeteners were newly classified as environmental pollutants. Sucralose (SUC) and Acesulfame K (ACS) do not subject to biotransformation, thus they are not removed on a biological purification step of waste water treatment. Artificial sweeteners SUC and ACS are used as potential markers of contamination of surface water and groundwater by domestic waste water. Sweeteners can get into groundwater due to leakage of landfill leachates. The predominant occurrence of sweeteners in the various countries is due to the extent of their use. E. g. in the US high levels of SUC were found, whereas in the European countries mainly ACS prevails. Some sweeteners are evaluated as a potential carcinogens or potential toxics and this is another reason why their monitoring is important.

Artificial sweeteners, environment, waste wate

Artificial sweeteners, environment, waste wate

VÍTKOVÁ, L.; ČÁSLAVSKÝ, J.

2018

23.03.2017

Vysoké učení technické v brně, Fakulta chemická

Brno

978-80-214-5488-0

Sborník abstraktů

74

74

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