title: Removal of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during sand filtration and ozonation at a municipal sewage treatment plant.
abstract: We investigated the efficiencies of removal of 24 pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) during sand filtration and ozonation in an operating municipal sewage treatment plant (STP). The target compounds were 2 phenolic antiseptics (thymol, triclosan), 5 acidic analgesics or anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, fenoprofen, mefenamic acid), 4 amide pharmaceuticals (propyphenazone, crotamiton, carbamazepine, diethyltoluamide), 7 antibiotics (sulfapyridine, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, azithromycin, erythromycin anhydride, clarithromycin, roxithromycin), 3 phenolic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) (nonylphenol:NP, octylphenol:OP, bisphenol A:BPA) and 3 natural estrogens (17 beta-estradiol:E2, estrone:E1, estriol:E3). Ozonation removed approximately 80% or more of the phenolic antiseptics, crotamiton, sulfonamide and macrolide antibiotics, and 17 beta-estradiol. Their removal is discussed in terms of chemical structure. The study ascertained the validity of ozonation mechanisms proposed by previous studies in an actually running STP. Compounds with a CC double bond or an aromatic structure with electron donors (e.g., phenol, alkyl, methoxy, or non-protonated amine) were susceptible to ozonation. Compounds with amide structures were resistant. Removal of the PhACs during sand filtration was generally inefficient, probably because of their low hydrophobicities. The combination of ozonation and sand filtration with activated sludge treatment gave efficient removal (>80%) of all the target compounds except carbamazepine and diethyltoluamide. Among all the steps in the plant, ozonation contributed substantially to overall removal of naproxen, ketoprofen, triclosan, crotamiton, sulfapyridine, macrolide antibiotics, and estrone.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Institute of Symbiotic Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Norihide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakada
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiri
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Managaki
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Hideshige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takada
mesh_terms: D003358:Cosmetics; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods*; D010126:Ozone / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D010126:Ozone; D012822:Silicon Dioxide