Dissolved organic carbon from sewage sludge and manure can affect estrogen sorption and mineralization in soils

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2010, Vol.158 (1), p.148-154
• Main Authors: Stumpe, Britta, Marschner, Bernd
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; agricultural soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; animal manures; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biological and physicochemical properties of pollutants. Interaction in the soil; Carbon - chemistry; dissolved organic carbon; DOC; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Estrogen; estrogens; Estrogens - chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Mineralization; Organic Chemicals - chemistry; Organic waste; organic wastes; Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Sewage - chemistry; sewage sludge; Soil - analysis; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil and water pollution; soil pollution; soil properties; Soil science; Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments; Sorption
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2009.07.027

In this study, effects of sewage sludge and manure borne dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) sorption and mineralization processes were investigated in three agricultural soils. Batch equilibrium techniques and equilibrium dialysis methods were used to determine sorption mechanisms between DOC, estrogens and the soil solid phase. It was found that that the presence of organic waste borne DOC decreased estrogen sorption in soils which seems to be controlled by DOC/estrogen complexes in solution and by exchange processes between organic waste derived and soil borne DOC. Incubation studies performed with 14C-estrogens showed that DOC addition decreased estrogen mineralization, probably due to reduced bioavailability of estrogens associated with DOC. This increased persistence combined with higher mobility could increase the risk of estrogen transport to ground and surface waters. The effect of DOC on estrogen sorption and mineralization is influenced by exchange processes between organic waste borne and soil derived DOC.