Study of the occurrence and ecosystem danger of selected endocrine disruptors in the urban water cycle of the city of Bogotá, Colombia

ABSTRACT

Endocrine disruptors have been studied for their high occurrence in different environments including aquatic; however, in the context of developing countries, their occurrence, magnitude and potential threat have little information. This study involved the analysis of various components of the urban water cycle in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, it was found that the compounds with the highest occurrence are plasticizers such as phthalates and bisphenol A, whereas among the drugs, carbamazepine presented the highest concentrations (0.68–31.45 µg L⁻¹); the analysis of the threat coefficient (HQ) showed the importance of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (BEHP) and estrone (E1) that can reach surface waters from domestic and industrial discharges.

KEYWORDS:

• Emerging contaminants
• endocrine disruptors
• hazard ratio
• occurrence
• water pollution

Notes

¹ Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals.

² Safe Drinking Water Act.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded through the COLCIENCIAS 669-2014 call to support projects in engineering research and development.