Removal of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in HSF and VF pilot-scale constructed wetlands Vassiliki A. Papaevangelou a , Georgios D. Gikas a , Vassilios A. Tsihrintzis b,⇑ , Maria Antonopoulou c , Ioannis K. Konstantinou d a Laboratory of Ecological Engineering and Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, 67100 Xanthi, Greece b Centre for the Assessment of Natural Hazards and Proactive Planning & Laboratory of Reclamation Works and Water Resources Management, Department of Infrastructure and Rural Development, School of Rural and Surveying Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou, 15780 Athens, Greece c Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Patras, Agrinio 30100, Greece d Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece highlights  Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in wastewater.  Bisphenol A, Nonylphenol, Nonylphenol monoethoxylate, Nonylphenol diethoxylate, Triclosan.  Removal of EDCs in pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) constructed wetlands.  Removal of EDCs in pilot-scale vertical flow (VF) constructed wetlands.  Effect of temperature, hydraulic residence time, constructed wetland type, plant type. article info Article history: Received 6 January 2016 Received in revised form 21 February 2016 Accepted 22 February 2016 Available online 27 February 2016 Keywords: Constructed wetlands Horizontal subsurface flow Vertical flow Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) abstract During the last decade, several emerging chemicals, also referred as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), have raised the interest of the scientific community, because of possible adverse effects on the environment and the living organisms. Although several treatment technologies have been applied for their removal, operation and maintenance costs are prohibitive. Therefore, this study aims to study the treatment of EDCs with an alternative and environmentally friendly technology: constructed wetlands (CWs). For this purpose, 6 pilot-scale CW units of two types, horizontal subsurface flow (HSF) and vertical flow (VF), were used for the treatment of municipal wastewater originating from a university campus, targeting the removal of five EDCs: Bisphenol A (BPA), Nonylphenol (NP), Nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP 1 EO), Nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP 2 EO) and Triclosan (TCS). Results showed that the median removal performance in HSF-R was 49.6%, 51.4% and 48.4%, in HSF-C was 50.0%, 99.0% and 66.0%, and in HSF-Z was 55.4%, 98.9% and 80.3% for BPA, NP 1 EO and NP 2 EO, respectively. NP was not removed but its concentration was increased by 48.0%, 43.7% and 51.9% in the HSF-R, HSF-C and HSF-Z, respectively. TCS was not detected in influent wastewater. In the VF-CWs, the median removal efficiencies were: 45.6%, 12.5%, 41.5% and 72.2% in VF-R, 60.0%, 96.2%, 99.0% and 99.8% in VF-C, and 59.0%, 95.6%, 98.7% and 99.8% in VF-Z for BPA, NP, NP 1 EO, NP 2 EO, respectively. The study indicates that the main removal pathways of the target EDCs is their biodegradation under aerobic or/and anaerobic conditions and adsorption onto the organic matter retained in the substrate. Ó 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Several chemicals interfere with the endocrine system of both humans and animals in several ways, imitating the function of hormones and eventually affecting the health, growth and repro- duction system. These substances are defined as Endocrine Dis- rupting Chemicals (EDCs) [1,2]. EDCs are emerging organic pollutants (EOP) of anthropogenic origin, which are continuously discharged into the environment through consumer activities, waste disposal, accidental releases and other causes [3,4]. EDCs constitute pollutants of high interest due to their extensive use and appearance in daily products, such as detergents, plastics http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2016.02.103 1385-8947/Ó 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. ⇑ Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: vpapaeva@env.duth.gr (V.A. Papaevangelou), ggkikas@env. duth.gr (G.D. Gikas), tsihrin@otenet.gr, tsihrin@central.ntua.gr (V.A. Tsihrintzis), iokonst@cc.uoi.gr (I.K. Konstantinou). Chemical Engineering Journal 294 (2016) 146–156 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Chemical Engineering Journal journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cej