United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
RESEARCH PROJECT
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
Water Quality Management Branch
WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND REUSE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
AND DEVELOPMENT
IMPACT STATEMENT
This project will assess the effectiveness of a Biomass
Concentrator Reactor (BCR) to remove endocrine disrupting
chemicals (EDCs) from wastewater. This technology could
provide an alternative to traditional wastewater treatment
methods.
BACKGROUND:
Many sections of the United States have been experiencing an increasing number of drought periods due to
climate change. As more sections of the country find themselves in drought conditions, the need for an
increase in the reuse of reclaimed water or wastewater is becoming more critical. Reclaimed water can be the
discharge from a wastewater treatment plant, rain water, surface runoff from retention ponds, or industrial
wastewater after sufficient treatment. Over half of the states have put active water reuse programs into place.
The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
(EPA) Office of Research and Development (ORD) has developed a holistic water research program in order to
identify engineering and management options for safe and expanded use of reclaimed water. EPA also hopes
to relieve public fears and negative perceptions about the use of wastewater.
DESCRIPTION:
NRMRL has funded this research project in support of its Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI) Research Program. The
primary objective of this research project is to assess the effectiveness of the BCR in treating complex,
synthetically prepared wastewater simulating a medium-strength municipal wastewater containing a suite of
EDC. The BCR will be operated under conventional aerobic treatment as well as a hybrid treatment that
combines aerobic treatment and an anoxic zone for nitrate reduction. Influent and effluent concentrations of
the EDCs will be measured as well as the sorbed EDCs extracted from the biosolids. Many conventionally
operated wastewater treatment plants have not seen effective removal of EDCs from their effluents. This
technology could vastly increase our ability to effectively remove EDCs from wastewater.
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
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EPA GOAL: Goal #2 - Clean & Safe Water, Objective 2.1.1- Water Safe to Drink
ORD MULTI YEAR PLAN: Drinking Water (DW), Long Term Goal (LTG) - DW-1 Characterize risks associated with DW sources,
distribution, treatment, and use', Water Quality (WQ) LTG - WQ-3 Source Control
RESEARCH PARTNERS :
Collaborators: EPA/ORD/NRMRL/Land Remediation and Pollution Control Division and the University of Cincinnati
Contractors'. Pegasus Technical Services Inc.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS:
This research project aims to provide a technology for improving and optimizing EDC removal from
wastewater. This technology could have wide ranging impacts on wastewater treatment and water reuse.
OUTPUTS:
Expected outputs include a possible redesign and development of more efficient and energy-saving treatment
technologies in reuse applications; journal articles; and conference proceedings.
RESOURCES:
Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program: http://www.epa.gov/awi/
NRMRL's Water Quality Management Branch: http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/wswrd/wqm.htm
CONTACTS:
Eric Kleiner Principal Investigator - (513) 569-7824 orkleiner.eric@epa.gov
Steven Doub, Media Relations - (513) 569-7503 or doub.steven@epa.gov
Michelle Latham, Communications - (513) 569-7601 orlatham.michelle@epa.gov
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
www.epa.gov/nrmrl
EPA/600/F-09/015
October 2009
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