The fate of steroid estrogens: Partitioning during wastewater treatment and onto river sediments

Gomes, Rachel L.; Scrimshaw, Mark D.; Cartmell, Elise; Lester, John N.

Abstract

The partitioning of steroid estrogens in wastewater treatment and receiving waters is likely to influence their discharge to, and persistence in, the environment. This study investigated the partitioning behaviour of steroid estrogens in both laboratory and field studies. Partitioning onto activated sludge from laboratory-scale Husmann units was rapid with equilibrium achieved after 1 h. Sorption isotherms and Kd values decreased in the order 17α-ethinyl estradiol > 17α-estradiol > estrone > estriol without a sorption limit being achieved (1/n >1). Samples from a wastewater treatment works indicated no accumulation of steroid estrogens in solids from primary or secondary biological treatment, however, a range of steroid estrogens were identified in sediment samples from the River Thames. This would indicate that partitioning in the environment may play a role in the long-term fate of estrogens, with an indication that they will be recalcitrant in anaerobic conditions

Citation

Gomes, R. L., Scrimshaw, M. D., Cartmell, E., & Lester, J. N. (2010). The fate of steroid estrogens: Partitioning during wastewater treatment and onto river sediments. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 175, 431–441. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1541-1

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 26, 2010
• Online Publication Date: Jun 17, 2010
• Publication Date: Jun 17, 2010
• Deposit Date: Oct 9, 2023
• Journal: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
• Print ISSN: 0167-6369
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-2959
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 175
• Pages: 431–441
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1541-1
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/23568447
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10661-010-1541-1