| The removal of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) from municipal wastewater by conventional and advanced wastewater treatment methods was investigated. Effluent from a membrane bioreactor (MBR), on average, contained lower EDC concentrations than a conventional (activated sludge) treatment plant receiving the same influent wastewater. MBR effluent was also disinfected to meet California State Guidelines (Title 22) for water reuse using chlorine, chloramines, chlorine dioxide and UV. Disinfection was not shown to impact EDC concentrations except for Bisphenol A (95% removal). MBR effluent was also treated using a bench-scale RO membrane system. The RO reduced all EDCs monitored, except BPA, to non-detectable levels (<0.5ng/L). Yeast estrogen screen analyses showed no detectable levels of estrogenic activity in any of the samples. From these results, a combination of treatments as opposed to one treatment alone will provide the most effective means to reduce EDCs in municipal wastewaters. |
