Figures (6)  Tables (2)

    • Figure 1. 

      Main treatment processes and parameters in the WWTP and the pilot plants.

    • Figure 2. 

      Agonistic activity against the ER during wastewater treatment processes.

    • Figure 3. 

      Antagonistic activity against the ER during wastewater treatment processes.

    • Figure 4. 

      Antagonistic activity against the AR during wastewater treatment processes.

    • Figure 5. 

      Antagonistic activity against the TR during wastewater treatment processes.

    • Figure 6. 

      Removal rate (%) of BEQ for the detected nuclear receptor- disrupting effects in each treatment processes.

    • Endpoint Positive chemicals Maximum test concentrations (M) Mixed exposure chemical
      Estrogenic E2 2.5E-10 −
      Anti-estrogenic 4-OHT 1 E-5 E2
      Androgenic DHT 6.25 E-8 −
      Anti-androgenic FLU DHT
      Thyroid T3 5E-7 −
      Anti-thyroid AMH 1E-4 T3

      Table 1. 

      Reference compound for positive controls and test concentrations used in the two-hybrid yeast assay

    • Bioassay Endpoint EBT value Ref.
      ER CALUX Estrogenic 0.5 ng EEQ/L Van der Oost et al.[35]
      ER-Gene BLAzer Estrogenic 0.34 ng EEQ/L Escher et al.[36]
      ERa_Luc_BG1 Estrogenic 0.62 ng EEQ/L Escher et al.[36]
      Two-hybrid recombinant ER gene yeast assay Estrogenic 0.5 ng EEQ/L Zhang et al.[22]
      Anti-AR CALUX Anti-androgenic 25 µg FLU EQ/L Van der Oost et al.[35]
      Anti-AR Gene BLAzer Anti-androgenic 3.28 µg FLU EQ/L Escher et al.[36]
      Two-hybrid recombinant AR gene yeast assay Anti-androgenic 7.97 μg FLU EQ/L Present study
      Anti-TR-LUC-GH3 Anti-TR 0.60 µg BPA-EQ/L Escher et al.[36]

      Table 2. 

      EBT values for the bioassays of nuclear receptor-disrupting effects