Chemicals: Health relevance, transport and attenuation
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wastewater treatment facilities play a key role in the introduction of EDCs into surface water and groundwater (Drewes and Shore, 2001). The transport of EDCs to groundwater depends on their hydrophobicity and degradability. The majority of highly potent compounds such as steroids are hydrophobic and degradable. Degradation rates of EDC compounds depend on temperature, soil characteristics and their molecular weights (IUPAC, 2003). The potential risk related to an uptake of individual EDCs present in wastewater affected groundwater by humans does not appear to be very significant. The small data set about the fate of EDCs (such as natural and synthetic hormones, surfactants and pesticides) during percolation through the soil and aquifer and the lack of toxicity data on long-term exposure of low concentrations makes it at present impossible to finally assess the impact of EDCs in groundwater on human health. However, contaminated groundwater may be impacted by a mix of different compounds, which could additively impose endocrine disrupting effects.
4.8
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