What difference might sewage treatment performance make to endocrine disruption in rivers?
An assessment of the steroid estrogen removing performance of 23 different sewage treatment plants (STPs) was performed. The assessment relied on a model to estimate influent concentrations, and completed questionnaires on the STP treatment details from the relevant water companies. This information was compared with observed effluent 17beta-estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1) concentrations. The 10 biological filter plants (BFP) in the study performed poorly with only 30% (SD 31) removal on average for E1. This reduced E1 removal performance of the BFPs compared to all the other STP types in the survey was statistically significant (p<0.001). Scenarios of all the STPs as activated sludge types, and one as all BFP types were modelled using the GREAT-ER model set up for the Aire/Calder catchment in the UK. This difference was shown to have an important effect on predicted river E1 concentrations and consequent risk classifications.
Johnson
Andrew C
AC
Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK. ajo@ceh.ac.uk
Williams
Richard J
RJ
Simpson
Pete
P
Kanda
Rakesh
R
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000378:metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000032:analysis; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis*; D004970:Estrone / Q000032:analysis; D011786:Quality Control; D045483:Rivers; D012722:Sewage; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D004967:Estrogens; D012722:Sewage; D014819:Vitellogenins; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol