Determination of estrogenic steroids in sewage sludge samples from eight domestic wastewater treatment plants

Abstract

Sludges from urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were tested for the presence of the following natural and synthetic estrogenic steroids: estrone, 17α-estradiol, 17β-estradiol, estriol, 17α-ethinylestradiol and equiline. The method involved ultrasonic extraction followed by solid phase extraction cleanup and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry coupled with electrospray ionization in the negative mode. The steroids were identified and determined by internal standard method in selected multiple reaction monitoring mode. All target compounds were detected in the investigated sludge samples. The highest estrogen concentrations were determined for estrone, which reached 164.4 ng/g in one sample. Synthetic estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol was detected in 50% of the analyzed samples, in concentrations ranging from 2.7 to 16.1 ng/g.