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Degradation of estradiol and ethinyl estradiol by activated sludge and by a defined mixed culture

  • Applied Microbial and Cell Physiology
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Abstract

The aerobic degradation of the natural hormone 17-β-estradiol (E2) and the synthetic hormone 17-α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2) was investigated in batch experiments with activated sludge from a conventional and a membrane sewage treatment plant. E2 was converted to estrone (E1), the well known metabolite, and further completely transformed within 3 days. The turnover rates of E2 did not differ greatly between conventional and membrane activated sludge. EE2 was persistent in both sludges. By several transfers into fresh E2-medium an enrichment culture could be selected that used E2 as growth substrate. Further enrichment and isolation led to a defined mixed culture consisting of two strains, which were identified by a polyphasic approach as Achromobacter xylosoxidans and Ralstonia sp., respectively. The culture used E2 and E1 as growth substrates and transformed estriol (E3) and 16-α-hydroxyestrone but not the xenoestrogens bisphenol A, α-zearalenol, mestranol or EE2. The turnover rates of E2 were 0.025–0.1 μg h−1 cfu−1 and did not depend on the steroid concentration.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the German Research Foundation and the Environmental Forum of the Technical University of Aachen, Germany, for supporting the project AGEESA (Aachen Graduate Colleague for the elimination of endocrine disrupters from wastewater). Further acknowledgements go to Maike Meindorf for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Health RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52064, Aachen, Germany

    Stefanie Weber, Prisca Leuschner, Wolfgang Dott & Juliane Hollender

  2. Institute for Applied Microbiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26–32, 35392, Giessen, Germany

    Peter Kämpfer

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  1. Stefanie Weber
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  2. Prisca Leuschner
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  3. Peter Kämpfer
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  4. Wolfgang Dott
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  5. Juliane Hollender
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Correspondence to Juliane Hollender.

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Weber, S., Leuschner, P., Kämpfer, P. et al. Degradation of estradiol and ethinyl estradiol by activated sludge and by a defined mixed culture. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 67, 106–112 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1693-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-004-1693-4

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