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Occurrence and fate of pharmaceuticals and alkylphenol ethoxylate metabolites in an effluent‐dominated river and wetland
Author(s) -
Gross Birgit,
MontgomeryBrown John,
Naumann Anneke,
Reinhard Martin
Publication year - 2004
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 - 10.1897/03-606
Subject(s) - effluent , environmental chemistry , alkylphenol , chemistry , wastewater , sewage treatment , contamination , environmental science , environmental engineering , biology , ecology , alkyl , organic chemistry
Abstract The occurrence of pharmaceuticals, nonylphenol ethoxylate metabolites, and other wastewater‐derived contaminants in surface waters is a potential environmental concern, especially since the discovery of contaminants with endocrine‐disrupting properties. The present study investigated the discharge of emerging contaminants into the Santa Ana River (CA, USA) and their attenuation during river transport and passage through a constructed wetland. Contaminants studied included pharmaceuticals (gemfibrozil, ibuprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, and carbamazepine) and their metabolites, hormones, the metabolites of alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEMs), N ‐butyl benzenesulfonamide (NBBS), and chlorinated tris ‐propylphosphates (TCPPs). The APEMs included alkylphenols (APs), short‐chain AP polyethoxylates (APEOs), AP polyethoxycarboxylates (APECs), and carboxylated APECs (CAPECs). In wastewater treatment plant effluent, APECs and CAPECs represented the dominant APEM fraction (1.8–18.7 μg/L), whereas APEOs and APs contributed only small amounts to the overall APEM concentrations (0.10–0.92 and ≤0.1 μg/L, respectively) except where the effluent was infiltrated into soil (5.2 μg/L). In effluents, ibuprofen and its metabolites, TCPPs, and NBBS were detected regularly (<0.5 μg/L), and the other pharmaceuticals were detected occasionally. Transport in the Santa Ana River for 11 km resulted in the significant attenuation of all contaminants, from 67% for gemfibrozil to 100% for others. Wetland treatment (residence time, 2–4 d) resulted in partial removal of ibuprofen, gemfibrozil, and TCPPs and transformed APEOs to APECs.