Publication date: Jul 18, 2024
This study examines the concentrations and population-normalized mass loads (PNML) of five phthalate esters (PAEs) and four metabolites (mPAEs) in 390 sewage sludge samples collected from two municipal wastewater treatment plants in Beijing between July 2020 and June 2023, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Through GC/MS analysis, the compounds were simultaneously quantified, with peak concentrations in 2020. Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate emerged as predominant PAE and mPAE congeners with concentrations of 78. 7 ug/g dw and 259 ug/g dw, respectively. DEHP and monobenzyl phthalate had the highest median PNML among PAEs and mPAEs, respectively, at 128 ug/inhabitant/day and 798 ug/inhabitant/day. Linear regression models revealed a positive association between PNML of PAEs and five public health and social measures aimed at mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic. This research contributes to the expanding body of literature by emphasizing the role of wastewater-based epidemiology as a vital tool for monitoring community-level exposure to environmental contaminants.
| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Beijing | COVID-19 period |
| Epidemiology | Endocrine disruptor |
| June | Sewage epidemiology |
| Sewage | Wastewater-based epidemiology |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | VO | population |