Electrochemical Treatment Effective For Eradicating EDCs

New research demonstrates the effectiveness of electrochemical treatment processes for the removal of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) from wastewater.

Notorious for eluding water treatment processes, endocrine disruptors are chemicals that interfere with the body’s developmental systems. They can be disruptive to humans and wildlife when they make their way through wastewater treatment plants and back into aquatic environments.

Research has linked these compounds to infertility, breast and ovarian cancer, prostate conditions, thyroid disorders, and neurological issues, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. “Endocrine disruptors are found in everything from plastics to pesticides, toys to cosmetics, and there are growing concerns about their safety,” The New York Times reported.

A new study examines how treatment facilities can fight back. According to the paper from a University of Southern Florida researcher, “The mean concentration of each EDC component was statistically lower after treatment (removal range = 42% – 98.2%), demonstrating the effectiveness of [electrochemical processes] for EDC removal from both raw and treated sewage.”

The technique may be a viable option for wastewater treatment plants. “The removal technique was tested on a laboratory scale and has a commercial-sized counterpart which can be integrated at the level of the wastewater treatment plants,” the study said.

According to the study, wastewater plants are ineffective at removing endocrine-disrupting compounds from treated wastewater before it is released back into the environment. The study represents the first examination of EDCs in waters around Tampa Bay.

“All targeted EDCs were present in 89% of sewage samples, while 100% of the samples contained at least one or more EDCs. The concentrations of EDCs in marine aqueous and sediment samples tended to decrease with increasing distance from the wastewater treatment plant discharge site. The ubiquitous presence of these estrogenic EDCs in the Tampa Bay area is cause for concern with respect to endocrine disruption in local terrestrial and aquatic wildlife,” the study found.

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