Nachweis von natürlichen und synthetischen Östrogenen in Kläranlagen und Fliessgewässern

Abstract

A method for trace analysis of steroids in water with lower limits of detection down to I ng/l was developed. Using this method natural and synthetic estrogen as well as the phytoestrogen β-sitosterol can be detected even in water samples which are extremely contaminated by organic matter. The occurrance of steroids in influents and effluents of sewage plants, river water and tap water was investigated. It was shown that the steroids are eliminated effectively but not completely in sewage plants (58 to 91 %). In effluents of different sewage plants, estradiol (up to 20 ng/l), mestranol (up to 21 ng/l), ethinyl estradiol (up to 62 ng/l) and β-sitosterol (up to 402 ng/l) were detected. In river water the synthetic estrogens mestranol and ethinyl estradiol were occasionally detected with concentrations below 5 ng/l. β-sitosterol was determined in river water in a concentration range up to 56 ng/l. The investigated natural and synthetic estrogens were not found in tap water. Only the phytoestrogen β-sitosterol was detectable in some samples with concentrations in the range from 20 to 60 ng/l.