Degradation of corticosteroids during activated sludge processing.

Laboratory tests of the decomposition of corticosteroids during activated sludge processing were investigated. Corticosteroid standards were added to activated sludge, and aliquots were regularly taken for analysis. The corticosteroids were extracted from the samples using a solid-phase extraction method and analyzed LC-MS. Ten types of corticosteroids were measured and roughly classified into three groups: 1) prednisolone, triamcinolone, betamethasone, prednisolone acetate, and hydrocortisone acetate, which decomposed within 4 h; 2) flunisolide, betamethasone valerate, and budesonide of which more than 50% remained after 4 h, but almost all of which decomposed within 24 h; and 3) triamcinolone acetonide, and fluocinolone acetonide of which more than 50% remained after 24 h. The decomposed ratio was correlated with each corticosteroid's Log P, especially groups 2) and 3).