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Occurrence, fate, and risk assessment of selected endocrine disrupting chemicals in wastewater treatment plants and receiving river of Shanghai, China

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Abstract

The occurrence and fate of five endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including nonylphenol (NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), 4-tert-butylphenol (4-t-BP), bisphenol A (BPA) and norethindrone (NET) was investigated in four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and receiving river (Suzhou River and Yangtze River) of Shanghai. Selected EDCs in WWTPs influents ranged from 1.02 to 3560 ng L−1, which dominated by NP and BPA. Target compounds detected in effluents were from N.D. to 1136 ng L−1, with NP as most prevalent. The removal rates of target compounds varied from negative of NET to 99 % of BPA. Except of NET, efficiently removal rates (>70 %) were observed in WWTPs. Biological treatment was the major removal stage of selected EDCs in WWTPs. Furthermore, the selected EDCs were detected from N.D. to 424 ng L−1 in receiving river. The correlation analysis suggested EDCs pollution in receiving river might be mainly contributed by WWTPs effluents. The risk quotient of NP (RQ > 1) was higher than any other pollutants, indicating its relatively higher potential risk for the aquatic organism. These results will provide significant background data to future EDCs pollution control and management in Shanghai, China.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 41473090, 41430644, 41373098, 41273141, 41273126, 41573096) and by Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (no. IRT13078).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shangda Road 99, Shanghai, 200444, China

    Gang Xu, Sihan Ma, Liang Tang, Rui Sun, Jiajia Xiang, Bentuo Xu & Minghong Wu

  2. Shanghai Pudong New Area Environmental Monitoring Station, Shanghai, China

    Yangyang Bao

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  1. Gang Xu
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  2. Sihan Ma
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  3. Liang Tang
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  4. Rui Sun
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  5. Jiajia Xiang
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  6. Bentuo Xu
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  7. Yangyang Bao
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  8. Minghong Wu
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Correspondence to Gang Xu or Minghong Wu.

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Xu, G., Ma, S., Tang, L. et al. Occurrence, fate, and risk assessment of selected endocrine disrupting chemicals in wastewater treatment plants and receiving river of Shanghai, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 25442–25450 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7669-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7669-y

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