Estrogenic activity in reused water: comparison of concentration methods

Determining the presence of endocrine disrupting substances in waters is a relevant aspect for monitoring environmental health. Given its relevance, it is important to use methods that can make the total concentration of substances with estrogenic activity (eg endocrine disruptors), being faster, and without the use of compounds that pollute the environment. The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of the methods of concentration by lyophilization and by vacuum concentration of substances with estrogenic activity present in reused water, using the commonly used methodology, solid phase extraction. Three methods were compared: solid phase extraction, lyophilization, and vacuum centrifugation. Sample aliquots of reused water received 17β-estradiol at a final concentration of 2 μg L-1 and were concentrated by the three methods. The analysis of estrogenic activity was performed by the in vitro YES (Yeast Estrogen Screen) assay. The results showed that the vacuum centrifugation, solid phase extraction and lyophilization methods had different percentages in the recovery of substances with estrogenic activity, being 45%, 40%, and 31%, respectively. The study pointed out that the lyophilization and vacuum centrifugation methods were effective as alternative methods for concentrating samples containing substances with estrogenic activity.