Identifying model pollutants to investigate biodegradation of hazardous XOCs in WWTPs

Xenobiotic organic compounds (XOCs) in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents might cause toxic effects in ecosystems. Several investigations have emphasized biodegradation as an important removal mechanism to reduce pollution with XOCs from WWTP effluents. The aim of the study was to design a screening tool to identify and select hazardous model pollutants for the further investigation of biodegradation in WWTPs. The screening tool consists of three criteria: The XOC is present in WWTP effluents, the XOC constitutes an intolerable risk in drinking water or the environment, and the XOC is expected to be biodegradable in WWTPs. The screening tool was tested on bisphenol A (BPA), carbamazepine (CBZ), di(2ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP), 17beta-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), 17alpha-ethinyloetradiol (EE2), ibuprofen, naproxen, nonylphenol (NP), and octylphenol (OP). BPA, DEHP, E2, E1, EE2, and NP passed all criteria in the screening tool and were selected as model pollutants. OP did not pass the filter and was rejected as model pollutant. CBZ, ibuprofen, and naproxen were not finally evaluated due to insufficient data.     

The anaerobic degradation of detergent range fatty alcohol ethoxylates. Studies with C-labelled model surfactants

The anaerobic degradation of fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers was studied in a model sludge digester employing stearyl alcohol ethoxylate which was ¹⁴C-labelled either in the alkyl or in the heptaglycol chain. After 4-weeks' incubation of the ¹⁴C-compounds at 35°C in the presence of raw sludge as additional digestible substrate more than 80% of the initial radioactivity was found as methane and carbon dioxide. In addition, the major part of radioactivity in the digested sludge, corresponding to nearly 10% of added ¹⁴C, was attributable to biomass so that ultimate degradation of the two model surfactants amounted to more than 90%. Analysis of the small fraction of radiolabelled metabolites in the sludge supernatant allowed conclusions with regard to the anaerobic degradation route of linear alcohol ethoxylates. After primary biodegradation of the surfactant molecule by scission into the alkyl and poly(ethylene glycol) moieties the further biodegradation of the latter seems to proceed as under aerobic conditions, i.e. via oxidative or hydrolytic depolymerization steps. Eventually, ultimate biodegradation of the obtained monomers (C₂-units) leads to the formation of the gaseous end products.     

Removal of the endocrine disrupter nonylphenol and its estrogenic activity in sludge treatment processes

The estrogenic compound nonylphenol (NP) is frequently found in sludge from sewage treatment works. Hence, when sewage sludge is spread on the land, endocrine-disrupting compounds may get into the soil. The goal of this study was to investigate the extent to which aerobic mesophilic treatment in continuous reactors permits the removal of NP from sludge and how this process may be useful for treating anaerobically stabilised sludge. We also report on the behaviour of NP during the anaerobic treatment of sludge. The reduction in sludge estrogenic activity observed in the different types of treatment, as measured using estrogen-responsive reporter cells lines (MELN bioassay), was compared with NP removal rates. Under anaerobic conditions, no degradation of NP and its estrogenic activity was observed. Indeed, an accumulation of the compound occurred. In contrast, high removal of NP was achieved in aerobic conditions as well as in aerobic Post-treatment of anaerobically pre-digested sludge, with a concomitant reduction of the sludge's estrogenic potency.     

Biodegradation of nonylphenol polyethoxylates under sulfate-reducing conditions

Biodegradation behavior of nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPEOs) under sulfate-reducing conditions was investigated. The results showed that NPEOs were readily degraded under sulfate-reducing conditions. These compounds were degraded via sequential removal of ethoxyl units to nonylphenol (NP) without forming carboxylated intermediates under sulfate-reducing conditions. The biodegradation of NPEOs under sulfate-reducing conditions was not inhibited even at very high initial concentrations of NPEOs. The maximum removal rate increased about 1.3 microM d(-1) for each 10 micromol increase in initial concentration. The decrease in temperature caused a sharp decrease in the removal efficiency of NPEOs. The temperature coefficient (Phi) for the biodegradation of NPEOs under sulfate-reducing conditions was 0.008. Severe accumulation of NP and short-chain NPEOs occurred when most NPEOs were removed and this accumulation led to an increase in the estrogenic activity. The highest estrogenic activity appeared on day 21 when the total concentration of these metabolites reached its top (18.03+/-4.73 microM). NP could inhibit the biodegradation of NPEOs under sulfate-reducing conditions only at relatively high concentration. These findings are of major environmental importance in terms of the environmental behavior of NPEO contaminants in natural environment.     

Occurrence and behaviour of linear alkylbenzenesulphonates, nonylphenol, nonylphenol mono- and nonylphenol diethoxylates in sewage and sewage sludge treatment

The fluxes of linear alkylbenzenesulphonates (LAS), nonylphenol (NP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO) and nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO) through sewage and sludge treatment of 29 Swiss sewage treatment plants were investigated. Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine LAS. Normal-phase HPLC was employed to measure NP, NP1EO and NP2EO which are metabolites of the nonionic surfactants of the nonylphenol polyethoxylate type (NPnEO). Quantitative determinations were performed of raw sewage, primary and secondary effluents and of sewage sludge. Under normal conditions of sewage and sludge treatment, LAS were efficiently removed from the raw wastewater (> 99% w/w) and were partly transferred to the sewage sludge (15–20% w/w). About 50% (molar base) of NPnEO in the sewage were transformed to NP and accumulated in the digested sludge. Large variations existed among different sewage treatment plants. It was estimated that 1.0 g m⁻² y⁻¹ of LAS and 0.3 g m⁻² y⁻¹ of NP are applied with sewage sludge to Swiss soils.     

Comparing steroid estrogen, and nonylphenol content across a range of European sewage plants with different treatment and management practices

The effluent of 17 sewage treatment works (STW) across Norway, Sweden, Finland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and Switzerland was studied for the presence of estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), ethinylestradiol (EE2) and nonylphenol (NP). Treatment processes included primary and chemical treatment only, submerged aerated filter, oxidation ditch, activated sludge (AS) and combined trickling filter with activated sludge. The effluent strength ranged between 87 and 846 L/PE (population equivalent), the total hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranged between 4 and 120 h, sludge retention time (SRT) between 3 and 30 d, and water temperature ranged from 12 to 21 °C. The highest estrogen values were detected in the effluent of the STW which only used primary treatment (13 ng/L E2 and 35 ng/L E1) and on one occasion in one of the STW using the AS system (6.5 ng/L E2, 50.5 ng/L E1, but on three other occasions the concentrations in this STW were at least a factor of 6 lower). For the 16 STW employing secondary treatment E2 was only detected in the effluent of six works during the study period (average 0.7-5.7 ng/L). E1 was detected in the effluent of 13 of the same STW. The median value for E1 for the 16 STW with secondary treatment was 3.0 ng/L. EE2 was only detected in two STW (1.1, <0.8-2.8 ng/L). NP could be detected in the effluent of all 14 STW where this measurement was attempted, with a median of 0.31 μg/L and values ranging from 0.05 to 1.31 μg/L. A comparison of removal performance for E1 was carried out following prediction of the probable influent concentration. A weak but significant (α<5%) correlation between E1 removal and HRT or SRT was observed.     

烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚的光降解行为和雌激素效应

利用UV／H2O2工艺对典型的烷基酚聚氧乙烯醚类物质TritonX—100（TX）进行降解,考察了不同反应条件对降解效果的影响,并且使用分子探针法测定了光解体系中羟基自由基的稳态浓度。以人类雌激素受体重组基因酵母测定其光降解过程中的雌激素效应变化,结果表明雌激素效应并未随着光解过程有较大的变化。     

壬基酚每日可耐受摄入量建议值的探讨

目的对壬基酚的健康指导值进行探讨,为进一步评估壬基酚暴露对人类健康的风险奠定基础。方法本研究采用系统综述的原则与方法,在广泛检索现有壬基酚毒理学数据的基础上,筛选高质量的文献纳入研究数据库,经全面评估后选择适宜的临界效应,结合不确定性分析确定壬基酚的每日可耐受摄入量。结果经过文献收集和筛选,最终选用以一项较高质量多代生殖毒性研究中观察到的肾脏毒性为敏感指标,以其观察到有害作用的最低水平(lowest observable adverse effect level,LOAEL)为外推起始点,使用LOAEL-不确定系数法进行推算。结论壬基酚的每日可耐受摄入量为0.025 mg/kg BW。     

光催化降解壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚的研究

研究了以悬浮态TiO2为催化剂,在H2O2存在的条件下,对壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚的光催化降解反应。分别考察了pH值、TiO2和H2O2的加入量、壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚的初始浓度以及光照时间对降解反应的影响。结果表明:在pH值为5,H2O2质量浓度为30mg/L的条件下,对初始质量浓度为50mg/L的壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚溶液光照4h后降解率达46.32%。     

蓖麻油酸甲酯乙氧基化物的合成及物化性能

先用酯交换甲酯化法制备了蓖麻油酸甲酯,再与环氧乙烷(EO)反应合成了不同平均EO数的蓖麻油酸甲酯乙氧基化物(CA-MEE),分析了EO数分布,测定了物化性能。结果表明,EO对酯基的选择性高于对仲羟基的选择性;CA-MEE的浊点为37．7～66．2℃,γcmc为36．52～37．38 mN／m,cmc为(1．73～3．94)×10-5 mol／L,润湿力为183~457 s,对大豆油的乳化能力为17．2～25．9 min,而对石蜡的乳化能力稳定在7．8～9．8 min。与其他表面活性剂对比可知,平均EO数为10的CA-MEE的γcmc大于OMS-10,而cmc则低于OMS- 10;CA-MEE的润湿力比COMEE-8和OMS的弱,但乳化力却优于COMEE-8和OMS。