Steroid hormones in biosolids and poultry litter: A comparison of potential environmental inputs

Steroid hormones can act as potent endocrine disruptors when released into the environment. The main sources of these chemicals are thought to be wastewater treatment plant discharges and waste from animal feeding operations. While these compounds have frequently been found in wastewater effluents, few studies have investigated biosolids or manure, which are routinely land applied, as potential sources. This study assessed the potential environmental contribution of steroid hormones from biosolids and chicken litter. Hormone concentrations in samples of limed biosolids collected at a waste treatment plant over a four year period ranged from <2.5 to 21.7 ng/g dry weight for estrone (E1) and <2.5 to 470 ng/g dry weight for progesterone. Chicken litter from 12 mid-Atlantic farms had averages of 41.4 ng/g dry weight El, 63.4 ng/g dry weight progesterone, and 19.2 ng/g dry weight El-sulfate (E1-S). Other analytes studied were 17 beta-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2), testosterone, E2-3-sulfate (E2-3-S), and E2-17-sulfate (E2-17-3). (C) 2011 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.