Endocrine Disrupting Compounds Removal Methods from Wastewater in the United Kingdom: A Review

doi:10.3390/sci1010015.v1

Abstract

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are contaminants with estrogenic or androgenic activity that negatively impact human and animal communities. These compounds have become one of the significant concerns for wastewater treatment in recent decades. Several studies have evaluated EDC removal methods from wastewater across the globe including the United Kingdom (UK). Accordingly, the current study reviews EDC removal methods from municipal/domestic wastewater in the United Kingdom (UK) for the period of 2010–2017. The research highlights that despite the relative efficacy of existing chemical and physical methods for removing certain EDCs from wastewater there is emerging evidence supporting the need for more widespread application of nature-based and biological approaches, particularly the use of biofilms. The analysis reveals that there have been relatively few research studies on EDC removal methods have been carried out in the UK in the 2010–2017 period and none of the research focused on EDC removal using biofilms. Finally, this review suggests that more research is needed to remove EDCs, particularly through the application of biofilms, from municipal wastewater in current scenarios.

Highlights

The occurrence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in wastewaters, aquatic systems and drinking water is considered one of the main environmental problems globally
Four papers addressed the removal of specific endocrine disrupting compounds from United Kingdom (UK) municipal wastewater and none of the studies addressed Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) removal by using direct biofilms
This research examined the role of polyamide-6 for the removal and recovery of the estrogenic endocrine disruptors estrone, 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol and the oxidation product 2hydroxyestradiol in water

Summary

Introduction

The occurrence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in wastewaters, aquatic systems and drinking water is considered one of the main environmental problems globally. Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) have gained significant interest in recent decades in the academic press because of the many, serious diseases related to them. Exposure to EDCs is interlinked with decreased fertility, changed sexual behaviour, and amplification of abnormalities and cancers in humans and laboratory animals [1,2,3]. Several hundreds of chemicals may have endocrine disrupting properties [5,6]. More than 100 substances are categorised as potential endocrine disrupters such as: carbon disulfide, ophenylphenol, tetrabrominated diphenyl ether, 4-chloro-3-methylphenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, resorcinol, 4-nitrotoluene, 2,2′-bis(4-(2,3-epoxypropoxy) phenyl) propane, 4-octylphenol, estrone (E1), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), and 17β-estradiol

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