Reduction of endocrine disruptor emissions in the environment: the benefit of wastewater treatment.
The occurrence and fate of four estrogens and five alkylphenolic compounds were studied in thirteen plants with various treatment processes, sizes and countries. Complete load mass balance, including water and sludge phases, has shown a high reduction of the total load of hormones, around 90%. The removal of alkylphenols was more variable, due to the degradation of nonylphenol (NP) precursors - alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APnEO) - during the treatment, resulting in significant production of shorter and toxic alkylphenols (NP and short polyethoxylates) that concentrate in the sludges. Under anaerobic conditions, such as anaerobic digestion process, the load of NP was in most cases observed to increase. When considering the environmental impact, the high reduction of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) concentrations between raw wastewater and effluent enables to satisfy the requirements of the Water Framework Directive for NP except in very critical situations where the dilution factor of the effluent in the river would be lower than 7. For sludges, the pending European Directive on spreading of sludge on land would be complied with in all cases.
Janex-Habibi
Marie-Laure
ML
CIRSEE, SUEZ-ENVIRONNEMENT, 38 rue du Président Wilson, 78230 Le Pecq, France.
Huyard
Alain
A
Esperanza
Mar
M
Bruchet
Auguste
A
D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005060:Europe; D006728:Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010070:Oxalates / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010636:Phenols / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis*; D014481:United States; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D006728:Hormones; D010070:Oxalates; D010636:Phenols; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical