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Analysis of estrogenic hormones in municipal wastewater effluent and surface water using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Huang ChingHua,
Sedlak David L.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620200114
Subject(s) - chromatography , effluent , wastewater , gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry , chemistry , gas chromatography , tandem mass spectrometry , environmental chemistry , gas chromatography–mass spectrometry , mass spectrometry , enzyme , surface water , environmental science , biochemistry , environmental engineering
Ahough the estrogenichormones177β‐estradiol and 17α‐ethinyl estradiol can be quantified in polluted waters by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS), the compounds often are present at concentrations below detection limits. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) provide a sensitive and robust means of quantifying estrogenic hormones in wastewater effluents and surface waters. Results from ELISA analysis of estrogenic hormones in secondary wastewater effluent indicate concentrations comparable to those that cause vitellogenesis in fish. Confirmatory analyses by GC/MS/MS are consistent with ELISA results. Effluent filtration, using sand filtration or microfiltration, removes approx. 70% of the hormones from secondary effluent, while advanced treatment, using reverse osmosis, removes more than 95% of hormones. The detection limits for estrogenic hormones are approx. 0.1 ng/L in wastewater effluent and 0.05 ng/L in surface water. The ELISA technique provides a relatively simple and practical method of assessing the fate of estrogenic hormones in engineered and natural systems.