Pilot-Scale Removal of Trace Steroid Hormones and Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products from Municipal Wastewater Using a Heterogeneous Fenton’s Catalytic Process

The pollution of water sources by endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) is a growing concern, as conventional municipal wastewater treatment systems are not capable of completely removing these contaminants. A continuous stir tank reactor incorporating a modified polyacrylonitrile (PAN) catalyst and dosed with hydrogen peroxide in a heterogeneous Fenton’s process was used at pilot scale to remove these compounds from wastewater that has undergone previous treatment via a conventional wastewater treatment system. The treatment system was effective at ambient temperature and at the natural pH of the wastewater. High levels of both natural and synthetic hormones (EDCs) and PPCPs were found in the effluent after biological treatment of the wastewater. The treatment system incorporating the modified PAN catalyst/H2O2 decomposed >90% of the EDCs and >40% of PPCPs using 200？mgL？1 H2O2, 3？hr residence time. The estrogenic potency EE2-EQ was removed by 82.77%, 91.36%, and 96.13% from three different wastewater treatment plants. BOD was completely removed (below detection limits); 30%–40% mineralisation was achieved and turbidity reduced by more than 68%. There was a <4% loss in iron content on the catalyst over the study period, suggesting negligible leaching of the catalyst. 1. Introduction Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) which include natural sex hormones such as estrone—E1 and 17 β-estradiol—E2 produced by humans and animals as well as some synthetic estrogens such as 17 α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) used for contraception purposes are able to produce endocrine disruption in living organisms at trace concentrations (nanogram per litre levels) [1, 2]. EDCs have been attributed as a cause of reproductive disturbance in humans and wildlife such as feminisation of fish, developmental abnormalities, and demasculinisation of alligators [3]. Pharmaceutical products such as antibiotics, blood lipid regulators, analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, antiepileptics, impotence drugs, tranquilizers, and many personal care products such as fragrances, soaps, preservatives, and disinfectants (generally called pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs)) have different modes of action, toxicity, and effects on nontarget organisms [4]. EDCs and PPCPs are released into the environment by humans, animals, and industry, mainly through sewage treatment systems before reaching the receiving bodies (soil, surface water, sediment, and groundwater) [2]. Municipal wastewater treatment plants are