[Pharmwaste] Process to break down estrogenic compounds

Wed Jul 5 13:38:04 EDT 2006

Carnegie Mellon, USDA Report That Fe-TAML(r) Catalysts Degrade
Estrogenic Compounds

Main Category: Public Health News
<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/public_health/> 
Article Date: 28 Jun 2006 - 15:00pm (PDT)

28 Jun 2006   

Scientists from Carnegie Mellon University and the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) have found that a rapid, environmentally friendly
catalytic process involving Fe-TAML(r) activators and hydrogen peroxide
breaks down two types of estrogenic compounds. These natural and
synthetic compounds can mimic or block the activities of hormones in
wildlife and humans, which may disrupt the normal functions of the
endocrine system and impair development. They could also contaminate
drinking water. 

The results will be presented by Nancy Shappell, a research physiologist
at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Fargo, N.D, on
Thursday, June 29, at the 10th annual Green Chemistry and Engineering
Conference in Washington, D.C. Shappell will present her paper,
"Degradation of Estradiol and Ethinylestradiol With an Fe-TAML(r)
Oxidant Activator and Hydrogen Peroxide," during the Frontiers in Green
Chemistry and Green Engineering section of the conference. 

Fe-TAML (tetra-amido macrocyclic ligand) activators, which are synthetic
catalysts made with elements found in nature, originated at Carnegie
Mellon's Institute for Green Oxidation Chemistry under the leadership of
Terry Collins, the Thomas Lord Professor of Chemistry in the Mellon
College of Science. 

"Environmental studies on various wildlife species have shown evidence
that endocrine disruptors interfere with reproductive, immune and
neurological capabilities and cause developmental abnormalities,"
Collins said. "We need to quickly develop a suite of standardized assays
that test for estrogen-like activity of introduced chemicals and their
byproducts so that anyone developing a new chemical technology can
assess whether or not their technology is associated with endocrine
disruption." 

Waste from animal-rearing facilities across the United States
constitutes a major concentrated source of estrogens. Millions of pigs
housed in these facilities produce tons of waste products laden with
estrogens that can enter environmental and drinking waters. In addition,
synthetic versions of estrogen found in birth control pills can enter
surface water as a result of incomplete wastewater treatment, according
to Shappell. Some scientists have suggested that these environmental
estrogens could interfere with estrogen-controlled systems in wildlife
and humans, disrupting innate regulatory mechanisms and leading to
developmental disorders, infertility and other reproductive
complications. 

"Our results show that Fe-TAML activators are capable of breaking down
two types of estrogenic compounds found as contaminants in surface
water," Shappell said. "These promising results also indicate the
potential use of Fe-TAML activators to destroy estrogenic compounds in
municipal and agricultural wastewaters." 

Shappell and colleagues found that the Fe-TAML activator, used with
hydrogen peroxide, almost completely degraded estradiol and
ethinylestradiol in the laboratory. In fact, ethinylestradiol -- the
synthetic estrogen found in most birth control pills -- is resistant to
most biological degradation processes, but Fe-TAML activators break down
more than 95 percent of this chemical within five minutes. 

"Our next step would be to advance testing to the field. Fe-TAML
activators have been field-tested in the pulp and paper industry and
textile industry with promising results," said Colin Horwitz, research
professor at Carnegie Mellon. ARS scientists Pat Hunt and Kyoung Ro from
the Florence, S.C., Coastal Plains Plant, Soil and Water Research Center
were instrumental in making the connection between Shappell and the
Institute for Green Oxidation Chemistry, and will be involved in
field-testing swine wastewater. 

Past studies with Fe-TAML activators have shown their enormous potential
to provide clean, safe alternatives to existing industrial practices and
provide ways to remediate other pressing environmental problems that
currently lack solutions. Specific applications of Fe-TAML activators
have included cleaning wastewater from textile manufacturing, reducing
fuel pollutants, treating pulp and paper processing byproducts, and
decontaminating a benign simulant of anthrax -- all of which have been
published by the Collins group. 

### 

The Mellon College of Science at Carnegie Mellon develops innovative
research and educational programs in a range of scientific,
interdisciplinary areas. For more information, visit
http://www.cmu.edu/mcs <http://www.cmu.edu/mcs>  

About The Agricultural Research Service (ARS): The ARS is the U.S.
Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency. ARS
conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural
problems of high national priority and provide information access and
dissemination to: ensure high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural
products; assess the nutritional needs of Americans; sustain a
competitive agricultural economy; enhance the natural resource base and
the environment; and provide economic opportunities for rural citizens,
communities and society. For more information, visit
http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/main.htm
<http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/main.htm>  

Contact: Lauren Ward 
Carnegie Mellon University <http://www.cmu.edu/>  

Article URL:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=46029

Deborah L. DeBiasi

Email:   dldebiasi at deq.virginia.gov

WEB site address:  www.deq.virginia.gov

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Office of Water Permit Programs

Industrial Pretreatment/Toxics Management Program

Mail:          P.O. Box 10009, Richmond, VA  23240-0009 

Location:  629 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA  23219

PH:          804-698-4028

FAX:      804-698-4032

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