Removal of selected endocrine disrupting chemicals and personal care products in surface waters and secondary wastewater by ozonation

This study investigated the removal of parabens, N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET), and phthalates by ozonation. The second-order rate constants for the reaction between selected compounds with ozone at pH 7 were of (2.2 +/-0.2) X 10(6) to (2.9 +/-0.3) X 10(6) M 1/s for parabens, (2.1+/- 0.3) to (3.9 +/-0.5) M-1/s for phthalates, and (5.2 +/-0.3) M-1/s for DEET. The rate constants for the reaction between selected compounds with hydroxyl radical ranged from (2.49 +/-0.06) x 10(9) to (8.5 +/-0.2) x 10(9) M-1/s. Ozonation of selected compounds in secondary wastewater and surface waters revealed that ozone dose of 1 and 3 mg/L yielded greater than 99% depletion of parabens and greater than 92% DEET and phthalates, respectively. In addition, parabens were found to transform almost exclusively through the reaction with ozone, while DEET and phthalates were transformed almost entirely by hydroxyl radicals (.OH).     

White rot fungi can be a promising tool for removal of bisphenol A,bisphenol S,and nonylphenol from wastewater

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) are a wide group of chemicals that interfere with the endocrine system. Their similarity to natural steroid...     

Rapid resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater irrigated soils

A multiresidue analytical method was developed for the determination of 9 endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and 19 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) including acidic and neutral pharmaceuticals in water and soil samples using rapid resolution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (RRLC-MS/MS). Solid phase extraction (SPE), and ultrasonic extraction combined with silica gel purification were applied as pretreatment methods for water and soil samples, respectively. The extracts of the EDCs and PPCPs in water and soil samples were then analyzed by RRLC-MS/MS in electrospray ionization (ESI) mode in three independent runs. The chromatographic mobile phases consisted of Milli-Q water and acetonitrile for EDCs and neutral pharmaceuticals, and Milli-Q water containing 0.01 % acetic acid (v/v) and acetonitrile: methanol (1:1, v/v) for acidic pharmaceuticals at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Most of the target compounds exhibited signal suppression due to matrix effects. Measures taken to reduce matrix effects included use of isotope-labeled internal standards, and application of matrix-match calibration curves in the RRLC-MS/MS analyses. The limits of quantitation ranged between 0.15 and 14.08 ng/L for water samples and between 0.06 and 10.64 ng/g for solid samples. The recoveries for the target analytes ranged from 62 to 208 % in water samples and 43 to 177 % in solid samples, with majority of the target compounds having recoveries ranging between 70–120 %. Precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD), was obtained less than 7.6 and 20.5 % for repeatability and reproducibility, respectively. The established method was successfully applied to the water and soil samples from four irrigated plots in Guangzhou. Six compounds namely bisphenol-A, 4-nonylphenol, triclosan, triclocarban, salicylic acid and clofibric acid were detected in the soils.     

Synthesis of core-shell magnetic molecular imprinted polymer by the surface RAFT polymerization for the fast and selective removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals from aqueous solutions

In this study, we present a general protocol for the making of surface-imprinted core-shell magnetic beads via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization using RAFT agent functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles as the chain transfer agent. The resulting composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface-imprinted magnetic beads were demonstrated with a homogeneous polymer films (thickness of about 22 nm), spherical shape, and exhibited magnetic property (Ms = 0.41 mA m² g⁻¹) and thermal stability. Rebinding experiments were carried out to determine the specific binding capacity and selective recognition. The as-synthesized surface-imprinted core-shell magnetic beads showed outstanding affinity and selectivity towards bisphenol A over structurally related compounds, and easily reach the magnetic separation under an external magnetic field. In addition, the resulting composites reusability without obviously deterioration in performance was demonstrated at least five repeated cycles.     

Exploring the potential of applying proteomics for tracking bisphenol A and nonylphenol degradation in activated sludge

A significant percentage of bisphenol A and nonylphenol removal in municipal wastewater treatment plants relies on biodegradation. Nonetheless, incomplete information is available concerning their degradation pathways performed by microbial communities in activated sludge systems. Hydroquinone dioxygenase (HQDO) is a specific degradation marker enzyme, involved in bisphenol A and nonylphenol biodegradation, and it can be produced by axenic cultures of the bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3. Proteomics, a technique based on the analysis of microbial community proteins, was applied to this strain. The bacterium proteome map was obtained and a HQDO subunit was successfully identified. Additionally, the reliability of the applied proteomics protocol was evaluated in activated sludge samples. Proteins belonging to Sphingomonas were searched at decreasing biomass ratios, i.e. serially diluting the bacterium in activated sludge. The protein patterns were compared and Sphingomonas proteins were discriminated against the ones from sludge itself on 2D-gels. The detection limit of the applied protocol was defined as 10^?3 g TTNP3 g^?1 total suspended solids (TSSs). The results proved that proteomics can be a promising methodology to assess the presence of specific enzymes in activated sludge samples, however improvements of its sensitivity are still needed.     

Influence of seasonal climate differences on the pharmaceutical,hormone and personal care product removal efficiency of a drinking water treatment plant

The potential presence of pharmaceuticals, hormones and personal care products in drinking water supplies has raised concerned over the efficiency with which these substances are removed by water treatment processes. In this work, we analyzed samples of raw, unprocessed water collected in different periods and found them to contain higher levels of these contaminants in the colder periods (viz. 12–314 ng L⁻¹ in autumn and winter as compared to 8–127 ng L⁻¹ in spring and summer) as a result of their biodegradation being favoured by high temperatures and solar irradiance. We also assessed the efficiency with which these contaminants are removed from drinking water by a water treatment plant operating in south-eastern Spain. Preoxidation with potassium permanganate and chloramination with sodium hypochlorite in the presence of highly concentrated ammonia were found to be the treatment steps most markedly contributing to the removal of pharmaceuticals, hormones and personal care products from drinking water (especially in the warmer periods, where these contaminants were completely removed from the water). By contrast, water treated in the colder periods (autumn and winter) still contained small amounts of ibuprofen and carbamazepine (0.09–0.5 ng L⁻¹) which, however, accounted for less than 0.2% of their original concentrations in the water prior to treatment.     

A review of personal care products in the aquatic environment: environmental concentrations and toxicity

Considerable research has been conducted examining occurrence and effects of human use pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment; however, relatively little research has been conducted examining personal care products although they are found more often and in higher concentrations than pharmaceuticals. Personal care products are continually released into the aquatic environment and are biologically active and persistent. This article examines the acute and chronic toxicity data available for personal care products and highlights areas of concern. Toxicity and environmental data were synergized to develop a preliminary hazard assessment in which only triclosan and triclocarban presented any hazard. However, numerous PCPs including triclosan, paraben preservatives, and UV filters have evidence suggesting endocrine effects in aquatic organisms and thus need to be investigated and incorporated in definitive risk assessments. Additional data pertaining to environmental concentrations of UV filters and parabens, in vivo toxicity data for parabens, and potential for bioaccumulation of PCPs needs to obtained to develop definitive aquatic risk assessments.