Phthalates and bisphenols are frequently found in wastewater around the world. Phthalates, which are commonly referred to as plasticisers, are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. Bisphenols are chemicals that are produced in large quantities, primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics. In order to better understand their sources, this project aims to estimate the percentage of these chemicals entering wastewater treatment plants through point sources (likely industry) and how much can be attributed to a diffuse (background) level from households and other community-based sources.
This project will examine wastewater, industrial wastewater, and biosolids, with the potential to expand into leachate.
Outcomes
When a conservative statistical baseline was applied, bisphenols in wastewater appeared to mostly come from point sources (industrial contributions) and most phthalates from diffuse sources (domestic/community driven contributions).
