Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Preprints |
| DOI | 10.2139/ssrn.4960881 |
| Title (Primary) | Occurrence and risk assessment of steroid hormones in selected surface water and wastewater treatment plants in western Kenya |
| Author | Tanui, I.C.; Kandie, F.; Krauss, M.
; Piotrowska, A.; Finckh, S.; Kiprop, A.; Hollert, H.; Shahid, N.; Liess, M.; Brack, W. |
| Source Titel | SSRN |
| Year | 2024 |
| Department | ETOX; EXPO |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T9 Healthy Planet |
| Abstract | Steroid hormones are significant contributors to endocrine disruption, affecting the hormonal functions of both humans and aquatic organisms. However, data on their occurrence and risks in fresh water systems particularly in low- and medium-income countries, is scarce. In this regard, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of 58 steroid hormones in rivers and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in western Kenya. The objectives were to (i) identify and quantify the concentrations of steroid hormones, (ii) assess potential risks for estrogenicity, androgenicity, glucocorticogenic activity, progestagenic activity and (iii) evaluate the contribution of WWTPs in the removal of the detected hormones. Grab water samples were extracted by solid phase extraction and analysed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Forty-three steroids were identified with 24 of them being found in both rivers and WWTPs. The median concentrations of detected steroids ranged from 0.06 ng/L to 9 ng/L in rivers, 1.9 ng/L to 0.67 µg/L in the influents and 0.61 ng/L to 0.27 µg/L at the effluents. The most frequently detected compound in the rivers was 17β-estradiol occurring in 64% of the samples. Although 23 compounds were reduced to undetectable levels in WWTPs, 90% of the effluents exceed tentative risk thresholds for estrogenicity. In rivers, concentrations of estrogenic and glucocorticoid effects are in the range of risk thresholds, while androgenic and progestagenic concentrations fall below these thresholds. This study contributes to the occurrence of steroid hormones and an understanding of their potential impacts on freshwater ecosystem and human health. The data generated from the study provides crucial information for the formulation of environmental policies in Kenya. |
| Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=29777 |
| Tanui, I.C., Kandie, F., Krauss, M., Piotrowska, A., Finckh, S., Kiprop, A., Hollert, H., Shahid, N., Liess, M., Brack, W. (2024): Occurrence and risk assessment of steroid hormones in selected surface water and wastewater treatment plants in western Kenya SSRN 10.2139/ssrn.4960881 |
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