title: Sources and levels of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in Kuwait's coastal areas.
abstract: The sources and levels of endocrine disrupting compounds in Kuwait's coastal areas were investigated. Phthalates, alkylphenols and estrogens were measured in the inflows and outflows of three sewage treatment plants as well as in the seawater and sediments from the sewage impacted coastal areas. Phthalate levels in the inflow of the treatment plants ranged from 8.9 to 78.3μg/l; alkylphenols from 0.7 to 279ng/l and estrogens from 30 to 368ng/l. On average, the treatment plants removed about 80% of these compounds. The outflows, however, contained significant levels of all three classes of compounds. The seawater from the sewage impacted area also contained detectable levels of these compounds. Sediment samples from these locations contained elevated levels of phthalates (ranging from 2145 to 15,722μg/kg) and lower levels of alkylphenols (ranging from 2.49 to 15.14μg/kg) and estrogens (ranging from 4.1 to 214μg/kg, dry wt.).
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution and Climate Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait. Electronic address: tsaeed@kisr.edu.kw.
authors.forename: Talat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saeed
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution and Climate Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Noura
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Al-Jandal
authors.affiliation: Water Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Abdalla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abusam
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution and Climate Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Hameeda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taqi
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution and Climate Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Khabbaz
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution and Climate Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P. O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait.
authors.forename: Jamal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zafar
mesh_terms: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D007730:Kuwait; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004967:Estrogens; D010636:Phenols; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C032279:phthalic acid
keywords: Alkylphenols; Estrogens; Phthalates; Seawater; Sediment; Sewage