Occurrence of endocrine disrupting compounds and pharmaceuticals in 11 WWTPs in Seoul, Korea

Abstract

The occurrence of thirty-one selected Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (EDCs) and Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) was analyzed in eleven major municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in Seoul, Korea over two consecutive days. The area was selected since there was a lack of information in the Seoul area on the suspected contamination of wastewater effluents by micropollutants. Discharge from those major WWTPs accounted for approximately 25% of the Han River flow where over 99% of drinking water is produced from surface waters in this area that has a population approximately 15 million inhabitants. Samples collected in WWTP effluents were analyzed by Liquid Chromatography with tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with Electrospray Ionization (ESI) and Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI). Many target compounds were detected in the effluent samples (66%). Atenolol, iopromide, TCPP, TCEP, musk ketone, naproxen, DEET, carbamazepine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, and benzophenone were frequently detected in effluent samples with mean concentrations ranging from 98 to 663 ng/L (maximum = 230-1,700 ng/L). However, the steroid hormones (17α-ethynylestradiol, progesterone, and testosterone), atrazine (herbicide), and octylphenol (surfactant) were not detected in all the samples. Results of this study can provide evidence that WWTP effluent is one of the major sources contaminating the Han River.

Cimetidine, acetaminophen, and 1,7-dimethylxanthine, as indicators of wastewater pollution in marine sediments from Masan Bay, Korea

“…Very little information on the occurrence and distribution of pharmaceuticals in marine environments is available to date (Long et al 2013). In Korea, pharmaceuticals also are of concern, and pharmaceutical residues have recently been reported in various matrices such as drinking water, river water, wastewater treatment plant effluents, and soils (Kim et al 2007a;Choi et al 2008;Yoon et al 2010;Sim et al 2010Sim et al , 2011Ryu et al 2011;Subedi et al 2013Subedi et al , 2014. Article Sediment analysis provides a broader, integrated time interval of pollution and accumulation less sensitive to environment changes, such as rainfall and drought.…”

Determination of biocides in different environmental matrices by use of ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

“…For example, clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, fluconazole, and carbendazim have been detected in Belgian WWTP effluents at concentrations up to 27,90,36,140, and 980 ngL −1 , respectively [6], and climbazole and thiabendazole have been found in German WWTP effluents at average concentrations of 443 and 8.2 ngL −1 [7]. The insect repellent DEET has frequently been detected in WWTP effluents at concentrations ranging between 51 and 773.9 ngL −1 [8][9][10][11], and methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in Spanish rivers and 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octylisothiazolinone (DCOIT) in Spanish coastal regions have been detected at maximum concentrations of 54, 30, 105, 7, and 3700 ng L −1 , respectively [12][13][14][15]. Triclosan has been found in 19 Australian WWTPs at average concentrations of 142 ngL −1 for effluents and 5.58 mgkg −1 for biosolids [16].…”

Assessment of the Occurrence and Potential Effects of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in South Florida Waters and Sediments

“…PPCPs completely from effluents of WWTPs (Ingrand et al, 2003;Esperanza et al, 2004;Sui et al, 2010;Lacey et al, 2011;Ryu et al, 2011). The typical rate of removal of analgesics, anti-inflammatories and beta-blockers are 30% to 40%.…”

“…The overall removal rate of E2 in WWTPs was around 65%, but E2 is usually converted to E1 during secondary treatment (conventional activated sludge) (Carballa et al, 2004), which explains why sometimes E1 was detected at a higher concentration in the effluent of WWTPs than E2 (Kim et al, 2007;Ryu et al, 2011). Estrone was detected in the surface water and ground water up to 4.6 ng/L and 1.6 ng/L, respectively, in Australia (Hohenblum et al, 2004).…”