Analytical methods for detection of selected estrogenic compounds in aqueous mixtures

Both natural estrogens and synthetic compounds that mimic estrogen can reac h the aquatic environment through wastewater discharges. Because nonylpheno l (NP), octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPE), 17 beta-estrad iol (E2), and ethynylestradiol (EE2) have previously been found to be estro genic and to occur in wastewater effluents, they were the primary analytes for which the method was developed. Water samples were extracted in situ us ing solid-phase extraction disks. Analytes were separated by high-pressure liquid chromatography and detected by fluorescence or competitive radioimmu noassay (RIA). Method detection limits(MDLs) using HPLC with fluorescence d etection were 11, 2, and 52 ng/L of water for NP, OF, and NPE, respectively . The RIA MDLs for E2 and EE2 were 107 and 53 pg/L, respectively. Samples w ere collected from four municipal wastewater treatment plants in south cent ral Michigan, eight locations on the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River, MI, and five locations in Lake Mead, NV. Concentrations of NP and OP ranged from less than the MDL to 37 and 0.7 mu g/L, respectively. NPE concentrati ons ranged from less than the MDL to 332 mu g/L. Concentrations of E2 and E E2 ranged from less than the MDLs to 3.7 and 0.8 ng/L, respectively.