Occurrence and seasonal distribution of five selected endocrine-disrupting compounds in wastewater treatment plants of the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, Mexico: The role of water quality parameters

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 269; p. 116223
• Main Authors: López-Velázquez, Khirbet, Guzmán-Mar, Jorge L., Saldarriaga-Noreña, Hugo A., Murillo-Tovar, Mario A., Hinojosa-Reyes, Laura, Villanueva-Rodríguez, Minerva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 15.01.2021
• Subjects: Benzhydryl Compounds; Endocrine Disruptors - analysis; Endocrine-disruptors; Environmental Monitoring; GC-MS; Metropolitan area of Monterrey; Mexico; Multivariate analysis; Seasons; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wastewater; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Purification; Water Quality; Mexico; Endocrine-disruptors; GC-MS; Metropolitan area of Monterrey; Multivariate analysis; Wastewater
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116223

Five endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) were determined in four urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey (MAM) in two seasonal periods (winter and summer). The MAM, one of the most urbanized areas in Mexico, is characterized by high industrial activity and population density, leading to extensive use of several EDCs. In the MAM, ∼90% of urban and industrial wastewater is treated in WWTPs, where EDCs can be partially eliminated. In this work, dissolved levels of 17β-estradiol (E2), 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), bisphenol A (BPA), 4-nonylphenol (4NP), and 4-tert-octylphenol (4TOP) in wastewater were determined. The EDCs’ determination was carried out through solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). High EDCs levels (0.4–450 ng/L) were found in the influents of WWTPs, while concentrations in the effluents ranged from 0.2 to 26.8 ng/L, with E2, EE2, and 4TOP being the most persistent. The Spearman correlation analysis revealed the association between E2 and EE2 (r = 0.4835, p < 0.05), and between BPA and 4NP (r = 0.5180, p < 0.05), suggesting that these EDCs have similar sources. Also, E2, BPA, and 4TOP were positively correlated with the chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and total suspended solids (TSS) (r = 0.4080–0.5694, p < 0.05), indicating the association of the EDCs with the organic matter in the wastewater. The factor analysis confirmed the significant correlation of COD, BOD, TSS, temperature, and pH with the high occurrence of 4TOP during the summer. It was also confirmed that summer warmer temperatures favored the removal of BPA and 4NP in the studied WWTPs. Finally, the studied sites were classified by cluster analysis in three groups, revealing the impact that seasonality has on the behavior of the selected EDCs. [Display omitted] •The endocrine-disrupting compounds E2, EE2, BPA, 4NP, and 4TOP were detected and quantified in WWTPs of Monterrey, Mexico.•SPE/GC-MS method showed excellent linearity, precision, and sensitivity.•The studied WWTPs did not entirely remove the determined EDCs.•E2, EE2, and 4TOP were the most persistent EDCs in the WWTPs.•Multivariate analysis was used to explore the associations between EDCs in WWTP and water quality parameters. The occurrence of the endocrine-disrupting compounds E2, EE2, BPA, 4NP, and 4TOP in four WWTPs of Monterrey, Mexico, and their associations with the water quality parameters were evaluated.