Phthalates removal efficiency in different wastewater treatment technology in the Eastern Cape, South Africa Taofeek Salaudeen & Omobola Okoh & Foluso Agunbiade & Anthony Okoh Received: 18 July 2017 /Accepted: 4 April 2018 # Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018 Abstract The removal capacity of different wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) technologies adopted in rural areas for phthalate was investigated in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Wastewater samples collected from three selected WWTPs which use activated sludge (AS), trickling filter (TF), and oxidation pond (OP) technolo- gy were extracted using the solid-phase extraction meth- od followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The six selected phthalate esters (PAEs) dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthal- ate (BBP), di(2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and di- n-octyl phthalate (DOP) were detected in all the samples collected from the WWTPs. DBP was the most abun- dant compound in the influent, effluent, and sludge samples with a maximum detection of 2497 μgL -1 , 24.2 μgL -1 , and 1249 μg/g dW, respectively, followed by DEHP and BBP. There was a relatively high removal capacity achieved by AS in Alice, TF in Berlin, and OP in Bedford with a removal efficiency that varied be- tween 77 and 99%, 76 and 98%, and 61 and 98%, respectively. A high significant correlation of PAE re- moval with total suspended solids (TSS) and turbidity suggests that the removal performance proceeded more through adsorption on settling particles and sludge than on biodegradation. However, the concentrations of PAEs detected in the final effluent and sludge samples exceeded acceptable levels allowed internationally for a safe aquatic environment. AS may have exhibited a more stable and better performance across the different seasons; however, pollution source control still deserves a special attention to prevent the risk posed by these micropollutants. Keywords Wastewater treatment plants . Phthalate esters . Activated sludge . Trickling filters . Oxidation pond . Sludge Introduction In recent years, some chemicals have been implicat- ed in endocrine system interference, resulting in negative effects on hormonal control and on the development of aquatic organisms, wildlife, and even humans (Matsui 2008). They are known to be mutagenic and carcinogenic in a number of human tissues, causing a shortened menstrual cycle, female breast cancer, hypospadias, cryptorchidism, and Environ Monit Assess (2018) 190:299 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-018-6665-8 T. Salaudeen (*) : O. Okoh : A. Okoh SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa e-mail: taosal2002@gmail.com T. Salaudeen : O. Okoh Department of Chemistry, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa F. Agunbiade Department of Chemistry, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria A. Okoh Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa