First phase completed for study examining fate of bioactive CECs from treated wastewater effluent

SCCWRP and the Orange County Sanitation District have completed the first phase of analysis for a one-year study examining whether bioactive chemical contaminants persist at detectable levels after being discharged via treated wastewater effluent to coastal waters.

The first phase, completed in December, involved using bioanalytical assays to screen water-column samples for the presence of bioactive contaminants that could pose health risks to wildlife and humans. The samples were collected along the diffusion gradient of a wastewater plume.

Researchers also will screen sediment samples, then use targeted chemical analysis and possibly gene-expression analysis to learn more about any contaminants they find. The study is scheduled to be completed this summer.