Optimization of estradiol monitoring in raw and treated wastewater samples by response surface methodology

The ever-increasing use of endocrine disruptors compounds (EDCs), through pharmaceuticals such as synthetic estrogens, both in humans as well as in animals, are raising its concentration in the environment. Estradiol, also designed as 17β-Estradiol (see Fig. 1), belongs to the pharmaceutical class of steroid estrogens and was included in the “Watch List” since 2013 the Directive 2013/39/EU due to its potential risk to human health and environment. The low removal efficiency of estrogens by the conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), becomes a major source of their release into different aquatic matrices. Therefore, the occurrence and, more importantly, the destination of these compounds are matters of utmost importance towards a better public health. The aim of this work is the optimization of solid phase extraction/high performance liquid chromatography (SPE/HPLC) using the response surface methodology (RSM) to detect and quantify 17β-Estradiol in WWTPs effluents.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020, UIDP/00690/2020 and EXPL2021CIMO_05-REMPHARM) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021). J.L. Diaz De Tuesta acknowledges the financial support of “Comunidad de Madrid” (Spain) for the individual research grant 2020-T2/AMB-19836.