Présence et devenir des hormones stéroïdiennes dans les stations de traitement des eaux usées.

Différents produits chimiques naturels et d’origine industrielle présentent une activité endocrinienne. Ces composés sont susceptibles d’agir sur le système endocrinien des animaux et des êtres humains (altération ou déficiences des fonctions reproductrices, occurrence de tumeurs malignes, etc.). De nos jours, il reste de nombreuses questions en suspens (ampleur de la contamination, devenir dans l’environnement, etc.) et le caractère persistant de ces substances en fait un problème majeur pour les générations futures. De plus, plusieurs études ont montré que les estrogènes naturels (tels que l’estrone, le 17β‑estradiol et l’estriol) et l’estrogène synthétique (17α‑éthinylestradiol) sont les composés les plus oestrogéniques présents dans les effluents de stations de traitement des eaux usées. En conséquence, ces estrogènes peuvent rejoindre les eaux de surfaces et les contaminer. En effet, des concentrations aussi faibles que 0,1 ng/L peuvent provoquer des effets oestrogéniques chez les organismes aquatiques exposés. Cette revue s’est donc concentrée sur la présence de ces types de composé dans les eaux de surface et usées, et plusieurs procédés de traitement sont discutés par rapport à leur capacité d’enlèvement des estrogènes. Ainsi, le traitement primaire seul ne permet pas l’enlèvement des estrogènes des eaux usées, alors qu’un traitement secondaire à boue activée réduit généralement les quantités d’estrogènes. Les procédés dits avancés montrent un potentiel élevé pour l’enlèvement des estrogènes, bien qu’ils peuvent former des sous-produits oestrogéniques et/ou cancérigènes. Finalement, les systèmes enzymatiques pourraient être des procédés innovateurs pour le traitement des estrogènes, puisqu’ils montrent un potentiel élevé pour l’enlèvement des composés aromatiques dans les eaux usées.Various natural chemicals and certain contaminants from industries present an endocrine activity. These substances are likely to act on animal and human endocrine system (deterioration or reproductive functions deficiencies, malignant tumor occurrences, etc). Nowadays, many questions related to these compounds are not resolved and the persistent character of these compounds makes it a major problem for future generations. Furthermore, diverse studies determined that natural estrogens (e.g., estrone, 17β-estradiol and estriol) and synthetic estrogen (17α-ethinylestradiol) are the most estrogenic compounds in wastewater treatment plant effluents. Thus, these estrogens can reach surface water and contaminate it. Indeed, concentrations as low as 0.1 ng/L can induce estrogenic effects in exposed aquatic organisms. This review concentrated on this type of compounds in surface water and wastewater, and a number of treatment processes are discussed with regard to their potential on endocrine disrupting chemicals removal. In the primary treatment effluent, limited removal of estrogens has been observed, while secondary treatment involving activated sludge generally reduces all estrogens effluents concentrations. The advanced processes display a high potential for removing estrogens, although they may produce estrogenic and/or carcinogenic by-products. Enzymatic processes could be an innovative strategy for estrogens removal since they show a high potential to remove aromatic compounds from wastewater

Information-Communication Technologies as an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Tool for Sustainable Development

Sustainability is a crucial and at the same time vital approach for satisfying future generations’ rights on natural resources. Toward this direction, global policies, supported by international organizations such as UNESCO and its international science programs, foster sustainable development as principal concept for the management of various thematic areas including the environment. The present work promotes the integration of information-communication technologies (ICTs) in the water resources management field as a state of the art concept that sets the basis for sustainable development at global scale. The research focuses on the ICTs contribution to the evolution of scientific and technological disciplines, such as satellite earth observations, real time monitoring networks, geographic information systems, and cloud-based geo information systems and their interconnection to integrated water resources management. Moreover, selected international research programs and activities of UNESCO International Hydrology Programme (IHP) are synoptically but comprehensively being presented to demonstrate the integration of the technological advances in water resources management and their role toward sustainable development

Position Paper on Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus and Sustainable development Goals (SDGs)

The EU and the international community is realising that the Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem components are interlinked and require a joint planning in order to meet the daunting global challenges related to Water, Energy and Food security and maintaining the ecosystem health and in this way, reach the SDGs. If not dealt with, the world will not be able to meet the demand for water, energy and food in a not too far future and, in any case, in a not sustainable way. The strain on the ecosystems resulting from unsustainable single-sector planning will lead to increasing poverty, inequality and instability. The Nexus approach is fully aligned with and supportive of the EU Consensus on Development. Key elements of the Consensus will require collaborative efforts across sectors in ways that can be supported/implemented by a Nexus approach. In this way, transparent and accountable decision-making, involving the civil society is key and common to the European Consensus on Development and the Nexus approach. The Nexus approach will support the implementation of the SDG in particular SDG 2 (Food), SDG 6 (Water) and SDG 7 (Energy), but most SDGs have elements that link to food, water and energy in one or other way, and will benefit from a Nexus approach. The SDGs are designed to be cross-cutting and be implemented together, which is also reflected in a WEFE Nexus approach. A Nexus approach offers a sustainable way of addressing the effects of Climate Change and increase resilience. The WEFE Nexus has in it the main drivers of climate change (water, energy and food security) and the main affected sectors (water and the environment). Decisions around policy, infrastructure, … developed based on the WEFE Nexus assessments will be suitable as elements of climate change mitigation and adaptation. In fact, it is difficult to imagine solutions to the climate change issue that are not built on a form of Nexus approach. The Nexus approach is being implemented around the world, as examples in the literature demonstrate. These examples together with more examples from EU and member state development cooperation will help build experience that can be consolidated and become an important contribution to a Toolkit for WEFE Nexus Implementation. From the expert discussions, it appears that because of the novelty of the approach, a Toolkit will be an important element in getting the Nexus approach widely used. This should build on experiences from practical examples of NEXUS projects or similar inter-sectorial collaboration projects; and, there are already policy, regulation and practical experience to allow institutions and countries to start applying the Nexus concept.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Natural and Synthetic Hormone Removal Using the Horseradish Peroxidase Enzyme: Temperature and pH Effects

The primary objective of our research was to establish the technical feasibility of using the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) enzyme for natural and synthetic estrogens-estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2)-removal. the effects of temperature and pH on enzymatic treatment kinetics were investigated. Residual estrogen concentrations were quantified by liquid chromatography, coupled with mass spectrometry analysis. in a synthetic solution at pH 7 and 25±1 °C, the HRP enzyme-catalyzed process was capable of achieving 92-100% removal of E1, E2, E3, and EE2 within 1 h of treatment with an HRP activity of 0.017 U/ml. the influence of the pH (5-9) and temperature (5-35 °C) on estrogen removal was observed to be significant, with the optimum pH near neutral conditions. the results also showed that wastewater constituents significantly impact the HRP-catalyzed estrogen removal. the experimental research proved that the HRP-catalyzed system is technically feasible for the removal of the main estrogens present in the environment at low concentrations

Soil and Sediment Chemistry in the Mississippi River Delta Following Hurricane Katrina

In October 2005, the U.S. Geological Survey\u27s (USGS) Mid-Continent Geographic Science Center and the University of Missouri-Rolla\u27s (UMR) Environmental Research Center for Emerging Contaminants partnered to collect perishable environmental data along the Mississippi River Delta to catalog the effects of Hurricane Katrina, a category 3 storm that caused nearly complete destruction to the delta\u27s population support structure and industry. The data presented here begin the process of characterizing the chemical composition of sediments and soil along the delta following this significant natural disaste

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds Removal from Wastewater, a New Challenge

Various natural chemicals and some contaminants of industrial source present an endocrine activity. Nowadays, many questions related to these compounds are not resolved and the persistent character of these compounds makes it a major problem for future generations. This study concentrated on some specific groups of endocrine disrupting chemicals (estrogens and alkylphenols). in this review, a number of treatment processes will be discussed with regard to their potential on endocrine disrupting chemicals removal