Feasibility of sulfated BPA and BPS as wastewater-based epidemiology biomarkers: Insights from wastewater and reported human urine analysis

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2024-06, Vol.927, p.171870-171870, Article 171870
• Main Authors: Wang, Hao, Gao, Rui, Liang, Weiqian, Zhou, Yingyue, Wang, Zhuo, Lan, Longxia, Chen, Jinfeng, Zeng, Feng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: biomarkers; BPA; BPS; China; environment; environmental monitoring; epidemiology; excretion; humans; sewage treatment; Sulfate conjugated; urinalysis; urine; wastewater; Wastewater analysis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171870

In wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), the selection of appropriate biomarkers presents a significant challenge. Recently, sulfated bisphenols have garnered attention as potential WBE biomarkers due to their increased stability in wastewater compared to glucuronide conjugates. This study aims to comprehensively assess the feasibility of employing sulfated BPA and BPS as WBE biomarkers by analyzing both WBE and human biomonitoring data. To conduct this research, wastewater samples were collected from six domestic wastewater treatment plants in Guangzhou, China, and urinary concentration of BPA and BPS were obtained from peer-reviewed literature. The results revealed that mean urinary concentrations of BPA and BPS, calculated using Monte Carlo simulations, significantly exceeded those reported in human biomonitoring studies. Furthermore, the per capita mass load ratio of sulfated BPA and BPS in human urine to the mass load in wastewater was found to be below 10 %. This outcome suggests that the excretion of BPA-S and BPS-S in urine does not make a substantial contribution to wastewater, hinting at the existence of other notable sources. Consequently, our study concludes that sulfated BPA-S and BPS-S are not suitable candidates as WBE biomarkers. This work provides a referenceable analytical framework for evaluating the feasibility of WBE biomarkers and emphasizes the necessity for caution when utilizing WBE to assess human exposure to chemicals. [Display omitted] •Sulfate forms of BPA and BPS in wastewater samples were found.•A low contribution of BPA and BPS in human urine to BPA and BPS in wastewater was observed.•Confirmed that the per capita mass load of BPA-S and BPS-S in urine is significantly lower than in wastewater.•BPA-S and BPS-S are unsuitable as WBE biomarkers were proposed.