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Occurrence of Xenobiotics in Gray Water and Removal in Three Biological Treatment Systems

2010; American Chemical Society; Volume: 44; Issue: 17 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1021/es101509e

1520-5851

Lucía Hernández Leal, Niina Vieno, Hardy Temmink, G. Zeeman, Cees J.N. Buisman,

Wastewater Treatment and Reuse

Eighteen selected xenobiotics related to personal care and household chemicals (UV-filters, fragrances, preservatives, biocides, surfactants) were measured in gray water from 32 houses and in effluents of three different biological treatment systems (aerobic, anaerobic, and combined anaerobic + aerobic). All selected xenobiotics were detected in gray water samples in the low μg L−1 range. Generally, lower concentrations were measured after biological treatment and removal efficiencies were higher under aerobic conditions than under anaerobic conditions. However, most of the xenobiotics were still detected in biologically treated gray water. The most persistent compounds were the fragrance tonalide and the UV-filters 2-phenyl-5-benzimidazolesulfonic acid and ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate. Estimated estrogenic potential of the effluent ranged between 0.07 and 0.72 ng L−1 of 17β-estradiol equivalents. Depending on the application of the effluent and its environmental risk, physical-chemical processes might be required to increase the removal efficiency of these compounds from gray water.