From: Water Online – OK it’s American but it is a huge source of information and you can sign up here.

By Sara Jerome at Water Online: ‘In an effort to target contaminants that affect the reproductive functions of fish, researchers have discovered a new way to remove traces of human birth control pills from municipal wastewater during treatment.

In a paper published in Scientific Reports, a research team helmed by Carnegie Mellon University Chemist Terrence Collins argues that a group of catalysts known as TAML activators “could be a viable option for large-scale water treatment,” according to a press statement from the journal. TAML activators are small molecules that behave much like oxidizing enzymes.

The study focused on the removal of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2), a synthetic estrogen found in oral contraceptives. The substance — which passes through the human body, into the wastewater system, and out into environmental waters — is problematic because it is linked to the feminization of fish. Male fish feminized by estrogenic contaminants have been found to create proteins responsible for the growth of eggs, which is not usually a male function, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.

“Prolonged exposure to these female hormones can cause males to develop eggs in their testes and lead to the decline of fish populations,” the journal said.’ To read more click here.