Probiotic removal of herbicides with endocrine disrupting potential from aqueous matrices.
Water dosed with 50 mg/L of 2,4-D and atrazine was treated to remove the herbicides which both are reported to have endocrine disrupting potential. Both chemicals could be removed effectively with activated carbon. Yet, traces of endocrine disrupter remained in the water and are able to enter the food chain. The further biological elimination of these compounds was investigated. Milk alone did not decrease the amount of chemicals present in the aqueous supernatant. Yet, the probiotic products Bifidus yoghurt (GB), Actimel (Danone) and Yakult (Yakult Honsha) appeared to bind a substantial amount of the endocrine disrupting chemicals to the particulate fraction and thus render them potentially less bio-available in the aqueous phase.