Monitoring of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds in Aquatic Environment

Abstract

ABSTRACT The endocrine system is the body system that consists of endocrine glands and functions to regulate the growth, reproduction, and somatic activities of animals and humans. The EDCs (Endocrine Disrupting Compounds) interfere with endogenic hormones in certain ways, and may potentially cause the adverse effects on human and wildlife populations. In spite of increasing concerns about the adverse effects, there still remains considerable scientific uncertainty about the EDCs. The objectives of this study are to investigate the levels of EDCs in geochemical samples, and to offer a protocol for the monitoring of EDCs in an effort to make them more susceptible to aerobic biodegradation prior to entering an activated sludge process. The following EDCs were monitored in synthesized solutions: di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), pentachlorophenol (PCP), 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol (bisphenol-A, BPA), 1,1-bis (4-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane (p-p′-DDT)., 2,2-bis (4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (p, p-′DDE), and 1,2,3, 4,5,6- hexachlorocyclohexane, γ-isomer (lindane, γ-BHC). The extraction and analysis of the EDCs were performed using mass spectrometry, and the analytical ability of GC-MS and LC-MS to detect target EDCs was compared. LC-MS has a significantly lower detection limit for the EDCs relative to GC-MS methods, and that it allows the identification of EDCs as almost intact molecules. Water samples were collected from urban sewage treatment plants and river/stream waters running through cities or farmlands. The monitoring of alkylphenols, chlorophenols and bisphenol-A was conducted with the samples. The effluent sample from GIST was the most contaminated sample by target EDCs. The concentrations of target compounds in samples of 2002 were higher than those of 2003, and the levels of target compounds in most effluent samples were relatively higher than those of river samples.