Correlating effluent concentrations and bench-scale experiments to assess the transformation of endocrine active compounds in wastewater by UV or chlorination disinfection.

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.

Contaminants of emerging concern in tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes: II. Biological consequences of exposure.

The Laurentian Great Lakes contain one fifth of the world's surface freshwater and have been impacted by human activity since the Industrial Revolution. In addition to legacy contaminants, nitrification and invasive species, this aquatic ecosystem is also the recipient of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) with poorly understood biological consequences. In the current study, we documented the presence, concentrations, and biological effects of CECs across 27 field sites in six Great Lakes tributaries by examining over 2250 resident and caged sunfish (Lepomis ssp.

Contaminants of emerging concern in tributaries to the Laurentian Great Lakes: I. Patterns of occurrence.

Human activities introduce a variety of chemicals to the Laurentian Great Lakes including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, plasticizers, and solvents (collectively referred to as contaminants of emerging concern or CECs) potentially threatening the vitality of these valuable ecosystems. We conducted a basin-wide study to identify the presence of CECs and other chemicals of interest in 12 U.S.

Endocrine disrupting alkylphenolic chemicals and other contaminants in wastewater treatment plant effluents, urban streams, and fish in the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River Regions.

Urban streams are an integral part of the municipal water cycle and provide a point of discharge for wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents, allowing additional attenuation through dilution and transformation processes, as well as a conduit for transporting contaminants to downstream water supplies. Domestic and commercial activities dispose of wastes down-the-drain, resulting in wastewater containing complex chemical mixtures that are only partially removed during treatment. A key issue associated with WWTP effluent discharge into streams is the potential to cause endocrine disruption in fish.

Environmental estrogens in an urban aquatic ecosystem: I. Spatial and temporal occurrence of estrogenic activity in effluent-dominated systems.

The present study investigated occurrence of environmental estrogens (EEs) in waterways managed by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago ('District') - one of the largest and most complex water districts in the United States. The objectives of the study were: (i) to document spatial and temporal occurrence of EEs in the Chicago Area Waterways (CAWs); (ii) to determine whether water reclamation plant (WRP) effluents contribute to estrogenic pollution of the receiving streams; (iii) to determine whether the mandated water quality monitoring data could be used to predict estrogenic pollution in the receiving streams; and (iv) to determine whether snow melt, storm runoff and combined sewer overflows may also be contributors of estrogenic activity to these systems. The estrogenic potency of the waterways was assessed using a cell-based reporter gene assay.

Environmental estrogens in an urban aquatic ecosystem: II. Biological effects.

Urban aquatic ecosystems are often overlooked in toxicological studies even though they serve many ecosystem functions and sustain fish populations despite large-scale habitat alterations. However, urban fish populations are likely exposed to a broad range of stressors, including environmental estrogens (EEs) that may affect anatomy, physiology and reproduction of exposed fish. Although significant progress has been made in establishing ecological consequences of EE exposure, these studies have focused largely on hydrologically simple systems that lack the complexity of urban aquatic environments.