Fate simulation and risk assessment of endocrine disrupting chemicals in a reservoir receiving recycled wastewater.
A fugacity based model was applied to simulate the distribution of three endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), namely estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) in a reservoir receiving recycled wastewater in Australia. At typical conditions, the majority of estrogens were removed by degradation in the water compartment. A sensitivity analysis found that the simulated concentrations of E1, E2 and EE2 were equally sensitive to the parameters of temperature (T), reservoir water volume (V) and equivalent biomass concentration (EBC), but E1 was more sensitive to estrogen concentration in the recycled water (C(e)) and recycling rate (F(r)). In contrast, all three estrogens were not sensitive to reservoir water releasing rate (F(d)). Furthermore, a probabilistic health risk assessment showed that the simulated concentrations were below fish exposure threshold value (ETV) and human public health standard (PHS). Human equivalent dose of EDCs from fish consumption was about 10 times higher than that from drinking water consumption. The highest risk quotient among the three estrogens was found for EE2 with less than 9.5×10(-2), implying negligible health risks.
Cao
Qiming
Q
Griffith School of Engineering, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia. q.cao@griffith.edu.au
Yu
Qiming
Q
Connell
Des W
DW
D000818:Animals; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004958:Estradiol / Q000032:analysis; D004970:Estrone / Q000032:analysis; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000032:analysis; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004970:Estrone; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D004958:Estradiol