Effects-Based Monitoring of Bioactive Chemicals Discharged to the Colorado River before and after a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement

Abstract

Monitoring of the Colorado River near the Moab, Utah, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outflow has detected pharmaceuticals, hormones, and estrogen-receptor (ER)-, glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ)-mediated biological activities. The aim of the present multi-year study was to assess effects of a WWTP replacement on bioactive chemical (BC) concentrations. Water samples were collected bimonthly, pre- and post-replacement, at 11 sites along the Colorado River upstream and downstream of the WWTP and analyzed for in vitro bioactivities (e.g., agonism of ER, GR, and PPARγ) and BC concentrations; fathead minnows were cage deployed pre- and post-replacement at sites with varying proximities to the WWTP. Before the WWTP replacement, in vitro ER (24 ng 17β-estradiol equivalents/L)-, GR (60 ng dexamethasone equivalents/L)-, and PPARγ-mediated activities were detected at the WWTP outflow but diminished downstream. In March 2018, the WWTP effluent was acutely toxic to the fish, likely due to elevated ammonia concentrations. Following the WWTP replacement, ER, GR, and PPARγ bioactivities were reduced by approximately 60–79%, no toxicity was observed in caged fish, and there were marked decreases in concentrations of many BCs. Results suggest that replacement of the Moab WWTP achieved a significant reduction in BC concentrations to the Colorado River.

Prediction and Verification of Epimedium Flavonoids With Different Glycosylation Numbers in Reversing Glucocorticoid-Induced Bone Formation Inhibition by Molecular Docking and Zebrafish

“…Existing treatment processes in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are not entirely effective in removing these contaminants (Pedrouzo et al, 2009;Zwart et al, 2020). This can lead to pollutants transferring to the rivers and oceans via effluent of WWTPs (Cavallin et al, 2021). A previous study reported that total glucocorticoid levels had been detected at >0.5-52 ng/L in receiving river waters and up to 390 ng/L at discharged sites in Beijing region, China.…”

Recognition and Selectivity Analysis Monitoring of Multicomponent Steroid Estrogen Mixtures in Complex Systems Using a Group-Targeting Environmental Sensor

“…At present, traditional methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), , gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and liquid chromatography-tandem (LC-MS/MS) have been applied to monitoring and analyzing multi-SEs in the environment, thereby offering technical support for the assessment and risk prevention of multi-SE pollution. For example, Liu’s group successfully evaluated one municipal for estrogens in the municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and river water by GC-MS combined with molecular derivatization .…”

“…However, not only each component in multi-SEs is detected one by one and post-calculation processing is necessary, but also sample pretreatment such as extraction and concentration is often needed for complex samples in the environment. These complicated procedures increase the time spent on analysis. ,, Therefore, it is a big challenge to develop a feasible and cost-effective detection technique for environmental multi-SEs. First, EDCs have many types with different ecotoxicological effects.…”

“…These complicated procedures increase the time spent on analysis. 12,17,18 Therefore, it is a big challenge to develop a feasible and cost-effective detection technique for environmental multi-SEs. First, EDCs have many types with different ecotoxicological effects.…”

Food, Beverage, and Feedstock Processing Facility Wastewater: a Unique and Underappreciated Source of Contaminants to U.S. Streams

“…MWWTF and urban stormwater (StW) discharges are widely considered to be important environmental sources of a variety of legacy and contaminants of emerging concern, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, hormones, and bacteria and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with well-documented implications for stream and aquatic health. − A comparable understanding of contaminant exposures from FPWW is currently lacking and critical as more than 5000 food, beverage, and feedstock NPDES-permitted facilities exist across the United States. , …”