Estrogenic activity measured in a sewage treatment works treating industrial inputs containing high concentrations of alkylphenolic compounds-A-case study

摘要

Chemical analyses were combined with a biological assay to investigate the main estrogenic chemicals as they passed through a sewage treatment works(STW) and entered a river. The STW studied was unusual in that it received wastewater from the textile trade. This wastewater was shown to contain high concentrations of alkylphenol polyethoxylates and their degradation products, such as nonylphenol. High-performance liquid chromatography fractionation, combined with biological assay, showed that the majority of the estrogenic activity was contributed by the alkylphenolic chemicals and the natural estrogens 17β-estradiol and estrone.