Artificial Sweeteners Underground with Dr. John Spoelstra

Field, Lab, Earth

“Artificial Sweeteners Reveal Septic System Effluent in Rural Groundwater” with Dr. John Spoelstra. Dr. John Spoelstra is something like a wastewater detective. If there is hidden wastewater that is contaminating groundwater and putting health outcomes at risk, he can find it. To trace the path of wastewater, scientists use a special set of tools: tracer compounds. These are compounds that are not found in the natural environment, but have a lot of human use. Examples are caffeine, acetaminophen, anti-seizure medications, and a recent discovery Dr. Spoelstra and his team have found to be incredibly effective: artificial sweeteners. Think about it: in addition to diet drinks, they are in everything from fruit snacks to ketchup to toothpaste and mouthwash. In his latest research, he needed to investigate the sources of a surplus of nitrogen in a community’s groundwater. Artificial sweeteners in rural wells and river seeps were used to assess the impact from wastewater. Listen in to hear more about: • The potential threats of wastewater to the environment and humans • How Dr. Spoelstra’s team figured out that artificial sweeteners could be such a powerful tool • What methods are used to analyze artificial sweeteners in a water sample • How common it is find find artificial sweeteners in groundwater If you would like more information about this topic, today’s paper is available here: https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/jeq/articles/46/6/1434 This paper is always freely available. If you would like to find transcripts for this episode or sign up for our newsletter, please visit our website: https://dl.sciencesocieties.org/publications/podcast Contact us at [e-mail] or on Twitter @FieldLabEarth if you have comments, questions, or suggestions for show topics, and if you want more content like this don’t forget to subscribe. If you would like to reach out to John, you can find him here: [e-mail] https://profils-profiles.science.gc.ca/en/profile/john-spoelstra https://uwaterloo.ca/earth-environmental-sciences/people-profiles/john-spoelstra-0 Resources Tracking Wastewater’s Path to Wells, Groundwater https://www.soils.org/discover-soils/story/tracking-wastewaters-path-wells-groundwater “Grand River has highest levels of artificial sweetener pollution on record:” https://www.therecord.com/news-story/4271982-grand-river-has-highest-levels-of-artificial-sweetener-pollution-on-record/ Municipal Wastewater Treatment Systems: https://www.epa.gov/npdes/municipal-wastewater EPA-Private Wells: https://www.epa.gov/privatewells EPA-Septic Systems: https://www.epa.gov/septic