Fate and transport of endocrine-disrupting compounds (oestrone and 17β-oestradiol) in a membranebio-reactor used for water re-use

Oestrogens have been detected in the effluents of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in several countries, as well as in surface water. This occurrence is fundamentally attributed to the excretion of oestrogen from humans and mammalian bodies, and the incomplete removal of these compounds from wastewater treatment plants. These micro-pollutants are causing great concern when it comes to water re-use. There is a lack information on endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as oestrogen in water re-use systems, e.g. a membrane bioreactor (MBR). It is clear that there is a strong need for “EDCs in MBR for water re-use”. This study examined an E1 and E2 biodegradation batch test by an activated sludge and hollow fibre membrane filtration test with and without a bio-cake. E2 was effectively removed, even in high initial concentrations (1,000 ppb). E2 was oxidised into E1, and E1 had a lower adsorption rate than E2. The membrane with the bio-cake provided better removal than the virgin membrane.

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Phosphorus and Emerging Micro-pollutants in Surface Waters: Challenges and Prospects for Water Quality Improvements

International Journal of Sustainable Water and Environmental Systems ◽

10.5383/swes.06.01.0003 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 06 (1) ◽

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Surface Waters ◽

Membrane Filtration ◽

Biological Effects ◽

Sewage Treatment ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽

Agricultural Runoff ◽

Phosphorus Recovery ◽

Water Bodies ◽

Micro Pollutants

An oversupply of Phosphorus in water bodies accelerates growth of algae and higher forms of plant life to produce undesirable impacts on overall water quality. Phosphorus inputs to surface waters arise from a variety of point and nonpoint sources. However much of the P is contributed by agricultural runoff and outfall of treated (or untreated) wastewater in receiving water-bodies. Point sourced-P inputs to waters have considerably decreased in recent years, at least partly driven by regulatory requirements, e.g. the EU Water Framework Directive. This has largely been achieved by removing P from treated wastewaters at sewage treatment works (STWs). Studies have shown that introducing an additional treatment step (“P-stripping”) can significantly reduce P in STW outfalls. Given P deposits are depleting, there is much interest in phosphorus recovery from wastewaters. A few STWs have already started to recover P as struvite (NH4MgPO4.6H2O) mineral – a substitute for commercially produced P-fertilizers. This requires major investment and is not economically viable at small STWs. Nonetheless it is a major breakthrough in terms of P recovery and its use. Effluents from sewage treatment works (STW) can often contain a complex mixture of residual microcontaminants, not removed during wastewater treatment. Organic micro-pollutants have been found in rivers receiving STW effluents. Such residual contaminants have become the focus of an emerging field of water quality study and are collectively referred to as pharmaceuticals and other personal healthcare products, PPHCPs. Many of these chemicals have the ability to effect the hormonal signaling of organisms and are called endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC). Such chemicals have shown some of the most damaging biological effects in aquatic organisms. Biological effects in the aquatic environment are typically related to the development of intersex in fish. Recent research shows the use of STW practices such as upgrading from using a combined trickling filter contact process to activated sludge treatment, ozonation, membrane filtration and use of suspended biofilm reactors reduces the amount of EDCs in waste effluent. It is thus possible to remove contaminants from STW effluents, but it will not be possible without major infrastructure improvements. This paper presents the challenges and prospects of P and micro-organic pollutants in surface waters.

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Removal of selected pharmaceuticals, fragrances and endocrine disrupting compounds in a membrane bioreactor and conventional wastewater treatment plants

Water Research ◽

10.1016/j.watres.2005.09.015 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 39 (19) ◽

pp. 4797-4807 ◽

Cited By ~ 608

Author(s):

M. Clara ◽

B. Strenn ◽

O. Gans ◽

E. Martinez ◽

N. Kreuzinger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Membrane Bioreactor ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽

Endocrine Disrupting ◽

Conventional Wastewater Treatment

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Evaluation of the Possibility of Using Hydroponic Cultivations for the Removal of Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Municipal Sewage Treatment Plants

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules25010162 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 162 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Daniel Wolecki ◽

Magda Caban ◽

Magdalena Pazda ◽

Piotr Stepnowski ◽

Jolanta Kumirska

Keyword(s):

Municipal Wastewater ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Solid Phase ◽

Sewage Treatment ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽

Municipal Sewage ◽

Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽

Plant Materials ◽

Euonymus Europaeus ◽

Endocrine Disrupting

The problem of the presence of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the environment is closely related to municipal wastewater and in consequence to municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTPs) because wastewater is the main way in which these compounds are transferred to the ecosystem. For this reason, the development of cheap, simple but very effective techniques for the removal of such residues from wastewater is very important. In this study, the analysis of the potential of using three new plants: Cyperus papyrus (Papyrus), Lysimachia nemorum (Yellow pimpernel), and Euonymus europaeus (European spindle) by hydroponic cultivation for the removal of 15 selected pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in an MWWTP is presented. In order to obtain the most reliable data, this study was performed using real WWTP conditions and with the determination of the selected analytes in untreated sewage, treated sewage, and in plant materials. For determining the target compounds in plant materials, an Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE)-Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE)-GC-MS(SIM) method was developed and validated. The obtained data proved that the elimination efficiency of the investigated substances from wastewater was in the range of 35.8% for diflunisal to above 99.9% for paracetamol, terbutaline, and flurbiprofen. Lysimachia nemorum was the most effective for the uptake of target compounds among the tested plant species. Thus, the application of constructed wetlands for supporting conventional MWWTPs allowed a significant increase in their removal from the wastewater stream.

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The Removal of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds and Pharmaceuticals from Membrane Bioreactor Effluent by Membrane Filtration

Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation ◽

10.2175/193864708788803929 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 2008 (1) ◽

pp. 640-647

Author(s):

Anna M. Comerton ◽

Robert C. Andrews ◽

David M. Bagley

Keyword(s):

Membrane Filtration ◽

Membrane Bioreactor ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽

Endocrine Disrupting

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Nanofiltration of endocrine disrupting compounds

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2003.0184 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 3 (5-6) ◽

pp. 321-327 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M. Gallenkemper ◽

T. Wintgens ◽

T. Melin

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Municipal Wastewater ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽

Municipal Wastewater Treatment ◽

Water And Wastewater Treatment ◽

Wide Range ◽

Endocrine Disrupting ◽

Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Set Up

Endocrine disrupting compounds can affect the hormone system in organisms. A wide range of endocrine disrupters were found in sewage and effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants. Toxicological evaluations indicate that conventional wastewater treatment plants are not able to remove these substances sufficiently before disposing effluent into the environment. Membrane technology, which is proving to be an effective barrier to these substances, is the subject of this research. Nanofiltration provides high quality permeates in water and wastewater treatment. Eleven different nanofiltration membranes were tested in the laboratory set-up. The observed retention for nonylphenol (NP) and bisphenol A (BPA) ranged between 70% and 100%. The contact angle is an indicator for the hydrophobicity of a membrane, whose influence on the permeability and retention of NP was evident. The retention of BPA was found to be inversely proportional to the membrane permeability.

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