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Title: Fate of steroid hormones in sewage sludge and poultry litter prior to land application

Author
item BEVACQUA, CHRISTINE - University Of Maryland
item Rice, Clifford
item TORRENTS, ALBA - University Of Maryland
item RAMIREZ, MARK - District Of Columbia Water & Sewer Authority (DCWASA)

Submitted to: American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2009
Publication Date: 8/16/2009
Citation: Bevacqua, C., Rice, C., Torrents, A., Ramirez, M. 2009. Fate of steroid hormones in sewage sludge and poultry litter prior to land application. American Chemical Society National Meeting. 238:502.

Interpretive Summary: .

Technical Abstract: Steroid hormones can act as potent endocrine disruptors when released into the environment. The main sources of these chemicals are thought to be wastewater treatment plant discharges and waste from animal feeding operations. While these compounds have frequently been found in wastewater effluents, few studies have investigated biosolids or manure, which are routinely land applied, as potential sources. This study is assessing the relative contribution of steroid hormones from biosolids and poultry litter by comparing their presence and concentrations prior to land application. The present focus is on levels in sludge and their prevalence after treatment. Limed biosolids samples collected over a three year period were analyzed for 17ß-estradiol, 17a-ethinylestradiol, estrone, estriol, progesterone, and testosterone, and for various conjugated forms of the estrogen hormones. Preliminary results indicate that estrone and progesterone are the most prevalent compounds. The fate of the hormones during composting will also be evaluated.