Determination and Removal of Endocrine Disruptors in Wastewater by Activated Carbon

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the EDC (endocrine disruptors compounds) in the city of São Paulo’s water sources, from samples collected at predetermined sampling points and to evaluate the adsorptive capacity of these compounds in different types of activated carbon. The effects of these EDC on humans are not well established due to the necessary large exposure time for the effect’s manifestation. After tests using powdered and granular activated carbon, all samples were filtered under vacuum using cellulose acetate membrane (0.45 µm) to remove eventual impurities, and posteriorly carried out the solid-phase extraction SPE (solid-phase extraction) and chromatographic analysis. The results lead to the conclusion that both powdered activated carbon have removal effectiveness of these compounds by adsorption. Furthermore, great amount of endocrine disruptors were found at several sampling points in river and city’s water reservoirs, which shows different levels of pollution of water sources, some of them responsible for the watersupply of the city of São Paulo, Brazil.