Endocrine disruptors and pharmaceuticals: implications for water sustainability

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane A. Snyder ◽  
Mark J. Benotti
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Fate And Transport ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽  
Ecological Effect ◽  
Comprehensive Understanding ◽  
Lake Mead ◽  
Seasonal Flow ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting

The presence of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the environment raises many questions about risk to the environment and risk to human health. Researchers have attributed adverse ecological effect effects to the presence of these compounds, particularly EDCs, though there is no consensus on what risk, if any, these compounds pose to human health. The scientific community is in the process of developing a better understanding of the occurrence, fate, and transport of pharmaceuticals and EDCs in the environment, including a better characterization of human exposure via drinking water. This paper provides a brief review of pharmaceuticals and EDCs in drinking water, as well as uses examples from Lake Mead, Nevada, USA, to highlight the issues associated with their fate and transport. Lastly, the effects of natural or anthropogenically driven processes, like natural seasonal flow or climate-change/prolonged drought are discussed as they are factors which can drastically alter environmental concentrations of these compounds. Without question, the propensity for the contamination of fresh water will rise as (1) human population continues to grow or (2) patterns of natural surface water slow and wastewater becomes a larger fraction of flow further highlighting the need for a more comprehensive understanding of their environmental behavior.

scholarly journals Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Brazilian Water and the Risks They May Represent to Human Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 11765
Author(s):  
Sérgio Francisco de Aquino ◽  
Emanuel Manfred Freire Brandt ◽  
Sue Ellen Costa Bottrel ◽  
Fernanda Bento Rosa Gomes ◽  
Silvana de Queiroz Silva
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Population Exposure ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Priority List ◽  
Guideline Values ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting

The risks of pharmaceuticals and endocrine disrupting compounds (P&EDC) to the environment and human health are a current topic of interest. Hundreds of P&EDC may reach the environment, hence, there is a need to rank the level of concern of human exposure to these compounds. Thus, this work aimed at setting a priority list of P&EDC in Brazil, by studying their occurrence in raw and drinking water, calculating health guideline values (GV), and estimating the risks of population exposure to water intake. Data on the Brazilian pharmaceutical market as well as published data of the monitoring of Brazilian natural and drinking water have been collected by means of an exhaustive literature review. Furthermore, many foreign data were also collected to enable a comparison of the values found in Brazilian studies. A list of 55 P&EDC that have the potential to be found in Brazilian water is proposed, and for 41 of these a risk assessment was performed by estimating their margin of exposure (ME), by considering their occurrence in drinking water, and guideline values estimated from reported acceptable daily intake (ADI) data. For seven compounds the risk was deemed high (three estrogens and four anti-inflammatories), whereas for another seven compounds, it was regarded as an ‘alert’ situation. Although such risk analysis is conservative, since it has been calculated based on the highest reported P&EDC concentration in drinking water, it highlights the need to enhance their monitoring in Brazil to strengthen the database and support decision makers. An analysis of the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance agents (antibiotics, resistant bacteria, and resistance genes) in surface waters was also carried out and confirmed that such agents are present in water sources throughout Brazil, which deserves the attention of policy makers and health agents to prevent dissemination of antimicrobial resistance through water use.

The potential reproductive effects of exposure of domestic ruminants to endocrine disrupting compounds

2002 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.L. Boerjan ◽  
S. Freijnagel ◽  
S.M. Rhind ◽  
G.A.L. Meijer
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Domestic Ruminants ◽  
Reproductive Effects ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Contaminated Food

AbstractChemical compounds that mimic or block some of the actions of the steroid hormone oestradiol, have created public concern primarily because of potential adverse reproductive effects in wildlife and humans. Many studies, in vivo and in vitro, have revealed abnormal reproductive function following exposure to these compounds. The number of chemicals known to have the potential to modulate endocrine functions is increasing. In contrast to humans and wildlife, the potential reproductive effects of exposure of domestic animals to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) have been studied little. The aim of this overview is to evaluate the possible contribution of EDC to reproductive failure in domestic ruminants.Sources and classes of EDC are discussed as well as their structure and the modes of hormone disruption. Endocrine disrupting agents may interfere with the reproductive processes of both males and females at several points of the reproductive cycle and through a range of physiological mechanisms. Extrapolating from the results obtained with laboratory animals, the mechanisms whereby infertility in domestic ruminants might be expressed by exposure to EDC through contaminated food and drinking water are addressed.A preliminary risk assessment is included and it is concluded that under certain circumstances there may be a significantly enhanced intake of oestrogenic hormones and EDC through sewage-contaminated water or soil-contaminated herbage. The physiological consequences for domestic ruminants of EDC ingestion, at the rates estimated, are largely unknown. However, the levels of exposure to oestrogenic hormones and phthalates in grazing ruminants are such that when studying fertility problems in high-yielding dairy cattle the impacts of exposure to endocrine disruptors via the food and drinking water cannot be neglected.

scholarly journals Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment: implications for the drinking water industry and global environmental health

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 224-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. F. Rahman ◽  
E. K. Yanful ◽  
S. Y. Jasim
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Personal Care Products ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽  
Fish Population ◽  
Personal Care ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Trace Concentrations ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are a group of chemical compounds with diverse physical and chemical properties. Recent studies have indicated undesired effects of EDCs and PPCPs at their reported trace concentrations (ng l−1 to μg l−1). This paper reviews the current knowledge on the sources, properties, occurrence and health impacts of EDCs and PPCPs, and their removal from drinking water using ozonation and ozone/hydrogen peroxide-based advanced oxidation. The paper also examines the potential threats posed by these chemicals to drinking water and public health. While these compounds are known to have adverse effects on ecosystem health, notably in the fish population, a similar link is yet to be established between ingestion of these compounds through drinking water and human health. In addition, data on the effectiveness of existing methods for the removal of these compounds are not conclusive. Further studies are required to characterize risks, and also to evaluate and optimize existing removal processes. Also concerted international effort is urgent to cut down the risk of exposure and restrain the production and marketing of toxic chemicals.

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

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 123-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seojin Chang ◽  
Namjung Jang ◽  
Younghyun Yeo ◽  
In S. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Bioreactor ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Fate And Transport ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds ◽  
Hollow Fibre ◽  
Incomplete Removal ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Micro Pollutants

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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