1. Correlating effluent concentrations and bench-scale experiments to assess the transformation of endocrine active compounds in wastewater by UV or chlorination disinfection.
- Author
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Molé RA, Good CJ, Stebel EK, Higgins JF, Pitell SA, Welch AR, Minarik TA, Schoenfuss HL, and Edmiston PL
- Subjects
- Chicago, Chloramines, Endocrine Disruptors chemistry, Halogenation, Ultraviolet Rays, Chlorine chemistry, Disinfection methods, Endocrine Disruptors analysis, Photolysis, Wastewater analysis, Water Purification methods
- Abstract
Transformation of endocrine active compounds (EACs) by either chlorination (Cl-D) or UV disinfection (UV-D) was studied by field sampling and bench-scale validation studies. Field testing assessed concentration of 13 EACs in effluent at two Chicago area 250 MGD wastewater reclamation plants (WRP) over two years. One WRP uses chlorination/dechlorination while the other employs UV disinfection. Target compounds included bupropion, carbamazepine, citalopram, duloxetine, estradiol, estrone, fluoxetine, nonylphenol, norfluoxetine, norsertraline, paroxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine. Concentrations of 9/13 target compounds were partially reduced after disinfection (5-65% reduction). None of the target compounds were fully transformed by either chlorination or UV treatment at the WRP scale. In bench-scale experiments each compound was spiked into deionized water or effluent and treated in a process mimicking plant-scale disinfection to validate transformations. Correlation was observed between compounds that were transformed in bench-testing and those that decreased in concentration in post-disinfection WRP effluent (10/13 compounds). A survey of potential reaction products was made. Chlorination of some amine containing compounds produced chloramine by-products that reverted to the initial form after dechlorination. Transformation products produced upon simulated UV disinfection were more diverse. Laboratory UV-induced transformation was generally more effective under stirred conditions, suggesting that indirect photo-induced reactions may predominate over direct photolysis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2019
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