Dataset Information

Removal of ecotoxicity of 17?-ethinylestradiol using TAML/peroxide water treatment.

ABSTRACT: 17?-ethinylestradiol (EE2), a synthetic oestrogen in oral contraceptives, is one of many pharmaceuticals found in inland waterways worldwide as a result of human consumption and excretion into wastewater treatment systems. At low parts per trillion (ppt), EE2 induces feminisation of male fish, diminishing reproductive success and causing fish population collapse. Intended water quality standards for EE2 set a much needed global precedent. Ozone and activated carbon provide effective wastewater treatments, but their energy intensities and capital/operating costs are formidable barriers to adoption. Here we describe the technical and environmental performance of a fast- developing contender for mitigation of EE2 contamination of wastewater based upon small- molecule, full-functional peroxidase enzyme replicas called "TAML activators". From neutral to basic pH, TAML activators with H2O2 efficiently degrade EE2 in pure lab water, municipal effluents and EE2-spiked synthetic urine. TAML/H2O2 treatment curtails estrogenicity in vitro and substantially diminishes fish feminization in vivo. Our results provide a starting point for a future process in which tens of thousands of tonnes of wastewater could be treated per kilogram of catalyst. We suggest TAML/H2O2 is a worthy candidate for exploration as an environmentally compatible, versatile, method for removing EE2 and other pharmaceuticals from municipal wastewaters.

SUBMITTER: Mills MR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4464256 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Removal of ecotoxicity of 17α-ethinylestradiol using TAML/peroxide water treatment.

Mills Matthew R MR Arias-Salazar Karla K Baynes Alice A Shen Longzhu Q LQ Churchley John J Beresford Nicola N Gayathri Chakicherla C Gil Roberto R RR Kanda Rakesh R Jobling Susan S Collins Terrence J TJ

Scientific reports 20150612

17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), a synthetic oestrogen in oral contraceptives, is one of many pharmaceuticals found in inland waterways worldwide as a result of human consumption and excretion into wastewater treatment systems. At low parts per trillion (ppt), EE2 induces feminisation of male fish, diminishing reproductive success and causing fish population collapse. Intended water quality standards for EE2 set a much needed global precedent. Ozone and activated carbon provide effective wastewater t ...[more]

PMID: 26068117

Similar Datasets

Project description:Phytotoxins - toxins produced by plants - are contaminants with the potential to impair drinking water quality. They encompass a large group of toxic, partially persistent compounds that have been detected in seepage waters and in shallow wells used for drinking water production. If phytotoxins enter wells used for drinking water production, it is essential to know if the drinking water treatment processes will remove them from the water phase. However, it is currently unknown whether phytotoxins remain stable during traditional groundwater treatment using sand filters as the main treatment process. The objective of this study is to investigate removal potential of phytotoxins in biological sand filters and to asses if the removal potential is similar at different waterworks. Microcosms were set up with filter sand and drinking water collected at different groundwater-based waterworks. To be able to monitor phytotoxin removal ptaquiloside, caudatoside, gramine, sparteine, jacobine N-oxide, senecionine N-oxide and caffeine were applied at initial concentrations of 300 µg L-1, which is approx. two orders of magnitude higher than currently detected in environment, but expected to cover extreme environmental conditions. Removal was monitored over a period of 14 days. Despite the high initial concentration, all filter sands removed ptaquiloside and caudatoside completely from the water phase and at waterworks where pellet softening was implemented (pH 8.4) prior to rapid sand filtration, complete removal occurred within the first 30 min. All filter sands removed gramine and sparteine, primarily by a biological process, while jacobine N-oxide, senecionine N-oxide and caffeine were recalcitrant in the filter sands. During degradation of ptaquiloside and caudatoside we observed formation and subsequent removal of degradation products pterosin B and A. Filter sands with the highest removal potential were characterised by high contents of deposited iron and manganese oxides and hence large specific surface areas. Difference between bacterial communities investigated by 16S rRNA gene analyses did not explain different removal in the filter sands. All five investigated filter sands showed similar degradation patterns regardless of water chemistry and waterworks of origin. In drinking water treatment systems biological sand filters might therefore remove phytotoxin contaminants such as ptaquiloside, caudatoside, gramine, sparteine, while for other compounds e.g. jacobine N-oxide, senecionine N-oxide further investigations involving more advanced treatment options are needed.

Dataset Information

Removal of ecotoxicity of 17?-ethinylestradiol using TAML/peroxide water treatment.

Publications

Removal of ecotoxicity of 17α-ethinylestradiol using TAML/peroxide water treatment.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets