Removal of endocrine disrupting compounds with membrane processes in wastewater treatment and reuse

Endocrine disrupting compounds can affect the hormone system in organisms and are the subject of environmental and human health concerns. The effluents of wastewater treatment plants contribute to the emission of estrogenically active substances into the environment. Membrane technology, which is an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water Science & Technology 2004-01, Vol.50 (5), p.1-8
Main Authors: Wintgens, T, Gallenkemper, M, Melin, T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advanced wastewater treatment
Benzhydryl Compounds
Biodegradation
Biodegradation, Environmental
Bioreactors
Bisphenol A
Contact angle
Disruption
Endocrine disruptors
Endocrine System - drug effects
Endocrine System - metabolism
Estrogens - isolation & purification
Estrogens - pharmacology
Filtration
Humans
Hydrophobicity
Landfills
Leachates
Membrane processes
Membranes
Membranes, Artificial
Nanofiltration
Nanotechnology
Osmosis
Permeability
Phenols
Phenols - isolation & purification
Retention
Reverse osmosis
Soil Pollutants - isolation & purification
Waste disposal sites
Waste treatment
Wastewater reuse
Wastewater treatment
Wastewater treatment plants
Water Pollutants - isolation & purification
Water Pollutants - toxicity
Water pollution treatment
Water Purification - instrumentation
Water Purification - methods
Water treatment plants
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Description
Summary:Endocrine disrupting compounds can affect the hormone system in organisms and are the subject of environmental and human health concerns. The effluents of wastewater treatment plants contribute to the emission of estrogenically active substances into the environment. Membrane technology, which is an advanced wastewater treatment option, is the subject of this research. The removal techniques under investigation are membrane bioreactors, reverse osmosis, and nanofiltration. Eleven different nanofiltration membranes were tested in the laboratory set-up. The observed retention of NP and BPA ranged between 70% and 100%. The contact angle is an indicator for the hydrophobicity of a membrane, whose influence on the permeability and retention of NP was evident. Regarding the retention of BPA no dependency on the contact angle was observed. Results of the investigation of a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant indicate a bisphenol A (BPA) removal of more than 98% with membrane bioreactors and reverse osmosis. The mass balance indicates that biological degradation is the most important removal process in the membrane bioreactor configuration.
ISSN:0273-1223
1996-9732
DOI:10.2166/wst.2004.0301