Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds in a Rocky Mountain Stream: Effect of a Major Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade

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"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."CBET- 0854527Ryan, JosephUniversity of Colorado at BoulderEndocrine-Disrupting Compounds in a Rocky Mountain Stream: Effect of a Major Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade The multidisciplinary research team assembled for this proposal will apply an integrated chemical, biological, and hydrological approach in field and laboratory studies to investigate the relationships between nutrient loading, endocrine-disrupting compound release, and perturbations in the stream ecosystem and endocrine function of aquatic organisms. Joseph Ryan (University of Colorado), Larry Barber (U.S. Geological Survey), and graduate research assistant Jeffrey Writer will evaluate the fate and transport of a suite of endocrine-disrupting compounds in Boulder Creek. David Norris, Alan Vajda, and a graduate research assistant (University of Colorado) will experimentally evaluate the interaction between nutrient and EDC load on fish reproduction and periphyton communities using an innovative on-site mobile exposure laboratory. The team will collaborate to examine the effects of the changes in endocrine-disrupting compound and nutrient loading using in-stream analyses of aquatic bio-criteria indicative of ecosystem function. These integrated analyses will elucidate the role of engineering upgrades in sustainable watershed management. The intellectual merit of the proposed research is increased understanding of the role of wastewater treatment in the preservation of human health and ecosystem function. Determination of the processes governing fate and transport of endocrine-disrupting compounds will elucidate and facilitate engineering and watershed management efforts to mitigate detrimental impacts on aquatic ecosystems. This unique and timely opportunity to evaluate the effect of a wastewater treatment plant upgrade on nutrient and endocrine-disrupting compound loading and ecosystem response will help water managers evaluate the efficacy of engineering solutions designed to restore environmental systems and protect water resources. The broader impacts of the proposed research include dissemination of the results by a variety of means to training of new researchers in an important interdisciplinary area of environmental engineering. The principal investigators have been and will continue to participate in a wide range of community and watershed organizations to provide access to the results of this study, including the Boulder Creek Watershed Initiative, the Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network, the Watershed curriculum, the Colorado Riparian Association, and associated forums and workshops.