Abstract
The presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in treated wastewater is gaining attention due to their potential environmental impact. An analytical method was developed to quantify estrogen compounds in samples from a concentrated wastewater matrix typical of water recycling systems used in space. The method employed conventional HPLC with UV detection. Solid phase extraction (SPE) was used to isolate the compounds of interest from wastewater. Spike-recovery tests in clean and wastewater matrices were used to test the extraction process. The results of these experiments suggest that deconjugation is the most predominant reaction occurring in the systems, as effluent concentrations of free estrogens typically exceeded influent concentrations. Despite the long retention times of the system or the near infinite solids retention time, free estrogens were not removed from graywater representative of space waste streams. For a closed-loop wastewater treatment system, these compounds may accumulate to levels requiring other removal mechanisms (i.e., reverse osmosis).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andersen, H. R., Kjølholt, J., Hansen, M., Stuer-Lauridsen, F., Blicher, T. D., Ingerslev, F., et al. (2004). Degradation of estrogens in sewage treatment processes. Environmental Project no. 899 2004, Danish Environmental Protection Agency, 49.
Andersen, H., Siegrist, H., Halling-Sørensen, B., & Ternes, T. A. (2003). Fate of estrogens in a municipal sewage treatment plant. Environmental Science & Technology, 37, 4021–4026.
Angelakis, A. N., Bontoux, L., & Lazarova, V. (2003). Challenges and prospectives for water recycling and reuse in EU countries. Water Science and Technology: Water Supply, 3, 59–68.
Belfroid, A. C., Van der Horst, A., Vethaak, A. D., Schafer, A. J., Rijs, G. B. J., Wegener, J., et al. (1999). Analysis and occurrence of estrogenic hormones and their glucuronides in surface water and waste water in The Netherlands. The Science of the Total Environment, 225, 101–108.
Campbell, M., Finger, B. W., & Pickering, K. D. (2003a). Integrated water recovery system test. Proceedings 33rd International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), Bayshore Resort & Marina, Vancouver, B.C.. Canada. July 7–10.
Campbell, M., Vega, L., Ungar, E. K., & Pickering, K. D. (2003b). Development of a gravity independent nitrification biological wastewater processor. Proceedings 33rd International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES). Bayshore Resort & Marina, Vancouver, B.C. Canada. July 7–10.
Chang, S., Jang, N., Yeo, Y., & Kim, S (2006). Fate and transport of endocrine-disrupting compounds (oestrone and 17b-oestradiol) in a membrane bio-reactor used for water re-use. Water Science and Technology, 53, 123–130.
D’Ascenzo, G., Di Corcia, A., Gentili, A., Mancini, R., Mastropasqua, R., Nazzari, M., et al. (2003). Fate of natural estrogens conjugates in municipal sewage transport treatment facilities. The Science of the Total Environment, 302, 199–209.
Diaz, T., Jackson, W. A., & Morse, A. (2006). Alleviating carbon limitations of the early planetary base wastestream. International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), Norfolk, VA. July 17–20.
Ferguson, P. L., Iden, C. R., McElroy, A. E., & Brownawell, B. J. (2001). Determination of steroid estrogens in wastewater by immune affinity extraction coupled with HPLC-electro spray-MS. Analytical Chemistry, 73, 3890–3895.
Gomes, R. I., Birkett, J. W., Scrimshaw, M. D., & Lester, J. N. (2005). Simultaneous determination of natural and synthetic steroid estrogens and their conjugates in aqueous matrices by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 85, 1–14.
Hermanowicz, S. W., & Wozei, E. (2002). Biodegradation of estrogenic compounds and its enhancement in a membrane bioreactor. http://repositories.cdlib.org/wrc/tcr/hermanowicz.
Jackson, W. A., & Morse, A. (2005). Optimum loading rates and design limitations of biological reactors for long-term space habitation waste streams. International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), Rome, Italy. July 11–14.
Jackson, W., Morse, A., Ho, T., & Collins, G. (2004). Optimization and Biochemical Characterization of Biological Reactors for Long-Term Space Habitation Waste Streams. Proceedings 34th International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), Doubletree Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO. July 19–22.
Johnson, A. C., Aerni, H.-R., Gerritsen, A., Gibert, M., Gier, W., Hylland, K., et al. (2004). Comparing steroid estrogen, and nonylphenol content across a range of European sewage plants with different treatment and management practices. http://www.elsevier.com/waters.
Komori, K., Tanaka, H., Yasojima, M., & Sato, C. (2004). Analysis and occurrence of estrogen in wastewater in Japan. Water Science and Technology, 50, 93–100.
Körner, W., Bolz, U., Süßmuth, W., Hiller, G., Schuller, W., Hanf, V., et al. (2000). Input/output balance of estrogenic active compounds in a major municipal sewage plant in Germany. Chemosphere, 40, 1131–1142.
Layton, A. C., Gregory, B. W., Seward, J. R., Schultz, T. W., & Sayler, G. S. (2000). Mineralization of Steroidal Hormones by Biosolids in Wastewater Treatment Systems in Tennessee U.S.A. Environmental Science and Technology, 34, 3925–3931.
Lopez de Alda, M. J., & Barcelo, D. (2001). Review of analytical methods for the determination of estrogens and progestogens in waste waters. Fresenius’ Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 371, 437–447.
McLamore, E., Jackson, W. A., & Morse, A. (2007). Abiotic transport in a membrane aerated bioreactor. Journal of Membrane Science, 298(1–2), 110–116.
Metcalf & Eddy, Inc (2003). Wastewater Engineering Treatment and Reuse, Fourth Edition: 1609. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Morse, A., Khatri, S., & Jackson, W. A. (2007). Treatment efficiency and stoichiometry of a high strength graywater. Water Environment Research. (in press)
Muirhead, D., Rector, T., Collins, G., Keister, H., Morse, A., Jackson, A., et al. (2003). Performance of a small-scale advanced life support water recovery system. Proceedings 33rd International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES). Canada: Bayshore Resort & Marina, Vancouver, B.C. July 7–10.
Nghiem, L. D., McCutcheon, J., Schafer, A. I., & Elimelech, M. (2004). The role of endocrine distrupters in water recycling: risk or mania? Water Science and Technolgoy, 50, 215–220.
Ternes, T. A., Stumpf, M., Mueller, J., Haberer, K., Wilken, R. D., & Servos, M. (1999). Behavior and occurrence of estrogens in municipal sewage treatment plants – I. Investigations in Germany, Canada and Brazil. The Science of the Total Environment, 225, 81–90.
U.S. EPA. (2000). SW846 Test Methods. Washington, D.C.: USEPA.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Center for Space Sciences at Texas Tech University and NASA Johnson Space Center for funding the work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kvanli, D.M., Marisetty, S., Anderson, T.A. et al. Monitoring Estrogen Compounds in Wastewater Recycling Systems. Water Air Soil Pollut 188, 31–40 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-007-9498-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-007-9498-6