REMOVAL OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING COMPOUNDS DURING CONVENTIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Abstract There is evidence that aquatic organisms downstream of some sewage treatment works show endocrine disruption as a result of exposure to substances in the effluent. As a result, the Environment Agency of England and Wales, in collaboration with the UK Government and the water industry, has started an intensive programme to determine the fate and behaviour of endocrine disrupting compounds in sewage treatment works. Sampling sites for the endocrine disruption demonstration programme are located throughout England and Wales. This paper presents data from Nuneaton sewage treatment works (Warwickshire, England), a modern nitrifying activated sludge plant serving an equivalent population of 98,000 and one of the selected sites for the demonstration programme. Results for the 24‐hour survey carried out in June 2006 in which manual grab samples were taken hourly show excellent removal of estrone, estradiol, nonyl‐phenol and the nonylphenolethoxylates (3–5 EO units) at 97, 99, 94 and 98% respectively. The...