Environ. Sci. Technol. 2005, 39, 3351-3358
Fate of Steroid Estrogens in Australian Inland and Coastal Wastewater Treatment Plants OLGA BRAGA,† GEORGE A. SMYTHE,† A N D R E A I . S C H A¨ F E R , ‡ A N D A N D R E W J . F E I T Z * ,§ Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney New South Wales 2052, Australia, Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong New South Wales 2522, Australia, and Centre for Water and Waste Technology, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney New South Wales 2052, Australia
A comparison of estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), and 17R-ethinylestradiol (EE2) removal at a coastal enhanced primary and inland advanced sewage treatment plant (STP) is reported. The average concentration of estrogens in the raw sewage is similar to that reported in other studies. The sequential batch reactor at the advanced STP removed on average 85% of the incoming E1 and 96% of the E2. Further removal was observed during later microfiltration with the estrogen concentration below detection (
