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Estrogenic effects in the influents and effluents of the drinking water treatment plants

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Abstract

Estrogen-like endocrine disrupting compounds (EEDC) such as bisphenol A, nonylphenol, and phthalic acid esters are toxic compounds that may occur in both raw- and drinking water. The aim of this study was to combine chemical- and bioassay to evaluate the risk of EEDCs in the drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). Fifty-six samples were collected from seven DWTPs located in northern-, central-, and southern Taiwan from 2011 to 2012 and subjected to chemical analyses and two bioassay methods for total estrogenic activity (E-Screen and T47D-KBluc assay). Among of the considered EEDCs, only dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were detected in both drinking and raw water samples. DBP levels in drinking water ranged from <MDL to 0.840 μg/L and from <MDL to 0.760 μg/L in raw water. DEHP had higher detection rate (82.1 %) than other compounds and was present in both drinking water and raw water from all the DWTPs. The highest daily drinking water intake calculated for male and female were 0.0823 and 0.115 μg/kg per day. The two selected bioassays were conducted for the first batch of 56 samples and a detection rate of 23 % for estradiol equivalent (EEQ) lower than the LOQ to 1.3 and 15 % for EEQ lower than LOQ to 0.757 for the second 53 samples. Our results showed a good correlation between E-screen and chemical assay which indicates that a combination of both can be used in detecting EEDCs in environmental samples.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by two grants (100TWC03 and MOEAWRA1020139) from the Taiwan Water Corporation and Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). The authors thank the Department of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Dr. Huei-Wen Chen and Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, Ms. Yung-Dun Dai. We are also grateful to our team members in Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, for their valuable technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Neipu, Pingtung County, 912, Taiwan

    Yan-You Gou & Ding-Yan Lin

  2. International College, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Neipu, Pingtung County, 912, Taiwan

    Susana Lin

  3. School of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Mapúa Institute of Technology, Muralla St., Intramurous, Manila, 1002, Philippines

    Danielle E. Que & Lemmuel L. Tayo

  4. Emerging Compounds Research Center, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Neipu, Pingtung County, 912, Taiwan

    Kuan-Chung Chen & How-Ran Chao

  5. Graduate Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, College of Pharmacy and Health Care, Tajen University, No.20, Weixin Rd., Yanpu Township, Pingtung, Taiwan

    Fu-An Chen

  6. Graduate Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Taiwan University, 71 Chou-Shan Rd., Taipei City, Taiwan, 10673, Taiwan

    Pen-Chi Chiang

  7. Institute of Environmental Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, No.17, Xuzhou Rd., Room 734, Taipei, 10055, Taiwan

    Gen-Shuh Wang

  8. Department of Environmental Engineering, Kun Shan University, 195 Kunda Rd, Yung-Kang District, Tainan City, 710, Taiwan

    Yi-Chyuan Hsu

  9. Graduate Institute of Animal Vaccine Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1 Shuefu Rd, Neipu, Pingtung County, 912, Taiwan

    Kuo Pin Chuang

  10. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Rd, Hsinchu City, 300, Taiwan

    Chun-Yu Chuang

  11. Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli County, 350, Taiwan

    Tsui-Chun Tsou

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  1. Yan-You Gou
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  2. Susana Lin
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  3. Danielle E. Que
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  13. Tsui-Chun Tsou
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  14. How-Ran Chao
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Correspondence to Susana Lin or How-Ran Chao.

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Gou, YY., Lin, S., Que, D.E. et al. Estrogenic effects in the influents and effluents of the drinking water treatment plants. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 8518–8528 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5946-9

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