Upgrading of sewage treatment plants

• Rationale : End- of pipe approach to reduce environmental loads of „microcontaminants“ including EDCs

• Approach: Installation of a fourth wastewater treatment step (sand filter plus ozonation)

• Verification: Accompanying monitoring studies (toxicological and ecological parameters) to assess whether the upgrading of the sewage treatment plants leads to improved ecologcial status of the receiving waters

Switzerland: Policy/regulatory developments

FIWI04/TW

Research (examples): increasing focus on pesticides

Moschet et al. Environ Sci Technol, 2014

EAWAF`G study highlights the „streetlight symptome“

Statements on environmental conta-miantion depend on the study efforts

FIWI04/TW

Research (examples): increasing focus on non-reproductive effects of EDCs

Avdersity according to WHO/IPCS 204:

• A change in morphology, physiology, grwoth, reproduction, development or lifespan of an organism, which results in impairment of functional capacity

Or

• Impairment of capacity to compensate for additional stress or increased susceptibility to the harmful effects of other environmental influences

Endocrine disruptors

Development, growth

Reproduction Neuronal/neuro-sensory system

immune system

Metaboic disorders

EDCs may affect many more physiological target systems than sexual functions

104 bacteria

106 bacteria

Project MODELKEY/Wenger et al 2011

Example: estrogen exposure increase susceptibility of fish to pathogens

PNEC 0.35 ng L-1

Intersex fish 4 ng L-1

Fish population crash in experimental lake:

5-6 ng L-1

Immunosuppression 3 ng L-1

Vitellogenin in male fish,

reduced fertility 1-2 ng L-1

Reduced growth 1-2 ng L-1

Effect thresholds of reproductive and non-reproductive effects appear to be in the same

range