The 25 Chemicals Found in All Nine of the Biosolids Studied
Median concentrations are normalized to organic carbon and are given in micrograms per kilogram of organic carbon (µg/kg OC)
Chemical Measured |
Type of Chemical or Use |
Median Concentration
µg/kg OC |
carbamazapine |
antiepileptic drug |
68 |
diphenhydramine |
antihistamine drug |
340 |
fluoxetine |
antidepressant drug |
370 |
d-limonene |
fragrance compound |
630 |
tonalide (AHTN) |
fragrance compound |
11,600 |
galaxolide (HHCB) |
fragrance compound |
3,900 |
indole |
fragrance compound |
19,600 |
4-tert-octylphenol |
detergent metabolite |
4,030 |
para-nonylphenol-total |
detergent metabolite |
261,000 |
nonylphenol, monoethoxy-total |
detergent metabolite |
21,600 |
nonylphenol, dithoxy-total |
detergent metabolite |
7,010 |
bisphenol A |
fire retardant |
4,690 |
3-beta-coprostanol |
steroid |
126,000 |
cholesterol |
steroid |
209,000 |
beta-sitosterol |
steroid |
131,000 |
stigmastanol |
steroid |
17,400 |
phenanthrene |
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons |
342 |
anthracene |
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons |
139 |
fluoranthene |
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons |
1,090 |
pyrene |
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons |
1,110 |
phenol |
disinfectant chemical |
2,180 |
triclosan |
disinfectant chemical |
10,200 |
diethylhexyl phthalate |
plasticizer |
10,500 |
para-cresol |
preservative |
4,400 |
skatol |
fecal indicator |
2,510 |
Reference
Kinney, C.A., Furlong, E.T., Zaugg, S.D., Burkhardt, M.R., Werner, S.L., Cahill, J.D., and Jorgensen, G.R., 2006, Survey of organic wastewater contaminants in biosolids destined for land application: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 40, no. 23, p. 7207-7215, doi:10.1021/es0603406.
More Information
- Composting industrial waste—The first U.S. survey of wastewater treatment solids destined to become fertilizer turns up numerous emerging contaminants. Naomi Lubick, September 13, 2006, Online Science News, Environmental Science and Technology
- Land Application of Municipal Biosolids
Back To Household Chemicals and Drugs Found in Biosolids from Wastewater Treatment Plants Headlines
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