Evaluation of Drinking Water Treatment Technologies for Removal of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds
Kathleen Schenckand Thomas Speth, U.S. EPA, NRMRL
Laura Rosenblum, Steve Wendelken, Barry Pepich, and RadhaKrishnan, IT Corporation
Kent Mitchell and David Warshawsky, University of Cincinnati

Many of the chemicals identified as potential endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) may be present in surface or ground waters used as drinking water sources due to their introduction from:
.. Domestic and industrial sewage treatment systems.
.. Wet-weather runoff.

Basic strategies to decrease the potential risk of adverse health effects associated with the 
presence of EDCsin drinking water:
.. Protect drinking water sources from contamination by EDCs.
.. Remove EDCs, that may be present in source waters, during drinking water treatment.

Compounds to be evaluated
Estradiol Estriol Ethynylestradiol

Compounds to be evaluated
Progesterone Testosterone Dihydrotestosterone

Additionalcompounds to be evaluated in the future
.. 4-nonylphenol (NP)
.. 4-nonylphenolmono-ethoxylate (NP1EO)
.. 4-nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO)
.. 4-nonylphenoxycarboxylic acid (NP1EC) 
.. 4-nonylphenoxy ethoxycarboxylic acid (NP2EC)

Technical approach
.. Develop analytical methods to identify and quantify the target compounds. The approach will include concentration by solid-phase extraction, followed by LC/MS. 

Analytical method for steroid compounds 
Solid phase extraction:
.. Baker C18 XF speed disks eluted with methanol 
Quantitation:
.. Waters ZQ LC/MS, electrospray
.. Xterra C18 column
.. Single step gradient, 50 –65% methanol in ammonium hydroxide in water
.. Single ion mode


Technical approach (cont.)
..Evaluate the use of a reporter gene assay, the MVLN assay, to detect the presence/ removal of estrogenic activity. This assay uses a human breast cell line (MCF-7) which has been stably 
transfectedwith the fireflyluciferasegene.

Technical approach (cont.)
.. Conduct bench-scale evaluations of various drinking water treatment technologies, including conventional treatment, granular activated carbon, softening and nanofiltration.
.. Pilot-scale evaluations may be conducted on the treatment technologies that appear promising at bench-scale. 

This study will provide information on:
.. currently available drinking water treatment technologies that can removeEDCs, specifically the steroid hormones and thenonylphenoliccompounds.
.. approaches to optimize these treatment technologies for EDC removal.
.. the need for additional management tools to be developed for the removal of EDCs during drinking water treatment.