Research Project
Researchers:
Clean Ocean Foundation
(Associated with)
,
Emma Flukes
(Point of contact)
,
Gemmill, John
(collaborator)
,
Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
(Associated with)
,
Nguyen, Rose
(collaborator)
View all 6 related researchers
Full description This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Research Plan 2024 project "Environmental concentrations of emerging contaminants in coastal stormwater". For specific data outputs from this project, please see child records associated with this metadata.
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Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are natural and synthetic chemicals associated with pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industrial products, household items and microplastics that can affect environmental and human health. Australian wastewater and coastal water quality strategies have identified the need to better understand the concentrations, distribution and ecological impacts of these contaminants in marine environments, particularly in relation to wastewater discharges and stormwater inputs.
This project extended NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Project 2.4 (https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/project/2-4) that investigated CECs in Australian coastal waters, by increasing the spatial and temporal resolution of sampling around wastewater outfalls and stormwater systems. Sampling focused on Gamay (NSW) and Glenelg (South Australia), enabling comparison between wastewater treatment plant effluent and coastal stormwater inputs across different seasons and environmental conditions.
Field programs collected water and sediment samples to quantify contaminants including pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, PFAS, metals and microplastics. Associated environmental variables were also measured. Ecogenomic approaches were used to assess microbial assemblages and antimicrobial resistance to examine the potential ecological impacts of contaminant exposure. The project also incorporated targeted stormwater sampling associated with major flooding following Tropical Cyclone Alfred in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales, providing a rare time-series dataset on contaminant mobilisation during extreme rainfall events.
The project maintained and expanded the National Outfall Database (https://nod.org.au) through continued collection, collation and reporting of wastewater treatment plant discharge data, including outfall flows, pollutant loads and associated infrastructure information. Project outputs improve the evidence base needed to inform contaminant guideline development, wastewater and stormwater management. This includes coastal marine park and Ramsar wetland management, and future assessment of ecological risks associated with contaminants of emerging concern.
Outputs
• Updates to the National Outfall Database for 2022/23, including proposed new attributes for collection [dataset]
• Data from Gamay (Botany Bay) NSW including (1) contaminant levels in water and sediments (2) physico-chemical data; (3) microbial community and genetics composition of water and sediments [dataset]
• Timeseries (seasonal) CEC data from wastewater effluent at Glenelg beach area (SA) [dataset]
• [Possible] High-resolution temporal CEC data from a stormwater event in St Vincents Gulf [dataset]
• Final project report [written]
Lineage Maintenance and Update Frequency: asNeeded
Notes
Credit
This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, the Environment, Energy & Water (DCCEEW) through the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub. In addition to NESP (DCCEEW) funding, this project is matched by an equivalent amount of in-kind support and co-investment from project partners and collaborators.
Notes
Purpose
To extend NESP Project 2.4 to determine contaminants of emerging concern in coastal stormwater and effluent on a seasonal basis.
Data time period: 2024-03-01 to 2026-09-30
T M Nguyen, Hong, Prabhu, Apoorva, Billings, Kia, Bishop, David P., Seymour, Justin, and Doblin, Martina A. (2026). Influence of Urban Land Uses on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Contamination In Urban Runoff and The Receiving Marine Environment. Environmental Research 301 124539 124539. (Associated Publication)
doi :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2026.124539
(Project page on NESP Marine and Coastal Hub website)
url :
https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/project/4-22
(Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: NESP MaC Hub website)
url :
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/science-research/nesp/hub-marine-coastal
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NESP MaC Project 2.4 - Ecological outcomes of wastewater discharges in contrasting receiving environments
- DOI : 10.71676/FDD319F5
- global : aa8d41dc-4e5e-4d19-b1d0-c4b69445f799