Abstract
Numerous micropollutants, especially endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), can pollute natural aquatic environments causing great concern for human and ecosystem health. While most of the conversation revolves around estrogen and androgen, glucocorticoids (GCs) are also prevalent in natural waters. Despite the fact that GCs play a crucial role in both inflammatory and immunologic development activities, they are also detected in natural waters and considered as one of the EDCs. Although many researchers have mentioned the adverse effect of GCs on aquatic organisms, a complete management technology to remove these pollutants from surface and coastal waters is yet to be established. In the current study, six glucocorticoids (prednisone, prednisolone, cortisone, cortisol, dexamethasone, and 6R-methylprednisolone) have been selected according to their higher detection frequency in environmental waters. The concentration of selected GCs ranged from 0.05 ng/L to 433 ng/L and their removal efficiency ranged from 10% to 99% depending on the water source and associated removal technologies. Although advanced technologies are available for achieving successful removal of GCs, associated operational and economic considerations make implementation of these processes unsustainable. Further studies are necessary to resolve the entry routes of GCs compounds into the surface water or drinking water permanently as well as employ sustainable detection and removal technologies.
Highlights
In the past few decades, thousands of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) entered into the water cycle through different ways [1,2,3,4]
As a result of inadequate removal from wastewaters treatment plants (WWTPs), GC activity has been demonstrated in 27% of surface water samples (n = 115) collected in more than 14 states in the US, more than 10 countries in Europe, and many riverine areas of China, Japan, Australia, etc. [40,43,44,45]
Some natural and synthetic GCs from different sources of waste disrupt the normal activities of the endocrine glands [25,45,46,47,48,49]
Summary
In the past few decades, thousands of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) entered into the water cycle through different ways [1,2,3,4]. According to EPA, endocrinedisrupting chemicals (EDCs), which can be both natural and synthetic substances in our environment, are typically pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) and foods that interfere with hormone biosynthesis and metabolism resulting in a deviation from normal homeostatic control or reproduction [5]. Adopted treatment processes in WWTPs are generally not successful in eliminating EDCs completely [2,3] Identification of these compounds is challenging in a conventional WWTP as they are present at a very low concentration, typically at the range of ng/L [16]. A large volume of GCs (both natural and synthetic) may be released into surface water through the effluent of sewage treatment plants (STPs) or runoff and become a major potential warning for the aquatic environments [30]. The search item included: glucocorticoids (GCs), hormone (GCs) removal, micro pollutant removal, removal of GCs from wastewater, steroidal hormones, and removal efficiency of GCs as the search keywords
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