Concentrations and mass loadings of hormones, alkylphenols, and alkylphenol ethoxylates in healthcare facility wastewaters

Abstract

Healthcare facility wastewaters are an anticipated source of known endocrine disrupting chemicals to the environment. In this study, the composition and magnitude of eight steroid hormones, octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol (NP), 16 nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), and 10 octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs) in wastewater from a(n) hospital, nursing facility, assisted living facility, and independent living facility are presented. Steroid hormone concentrations were variable for each sampling location, ranging from a non-detectable concentration of 17β-ethynylestradiol in all samples to 127 ng L −1 androstenedione in the hospital’s wastewater composite. OP and NP were not detected in any site’s samples. However, NPEOs were found at each sampling location with a maximum combined concentration of 260 μg L −1 for NPEOs with a chain length between 3 and 18 units in the assisted living facility composite sample. OPEOs were only found in the hospital and nursing facilities samples with a maximum combined OPEO concentration of 13 μg L −1 for OPEOs with a chain length between 2 and 12 units in hospital wastewater. The total mass loading of hormones to the municipal sewer system from each facility ranged from 2.5 mg d –1 at the assisted living facility to 138 mg d –1 at the hospital. The total mass loading of the alklyphenol ethoxylates (NPEO + OPEO) is considerably higher than the estimated hormone mass loadings, ranging from 1.8 g d –1 at the independent living facility to 54 g d –1 at the hospital facility.