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Cavallin JE, Beihoffer J, Blackwell BR, Cole AR, Ekman DR, Hofer R, Jastrow A, Kinsey J, Keteles K, Maloney EM, Parman J, Winkelman DL, Villeneuve DL. Effects-based monitoring of bioactive compounds associated with municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent discharge to the South Platte River, Colorado, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 289:117928. [PMID: 34426200 PMCID: PMC9169558 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have detected numerous organic contaminants and in vitro bioactivities in surface water from the South Platte River near Denver, Colorado, USA. To evaluate the temporal and spatial distribution of selected contaminants of emerging concern, water samples were collected throughout 2018 and 2019 at 11 sites within the S. Platte River and surrounding tributaries with varying proximities to a major wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Water samples were analyzed for pharmaceuticals, pesticides, steroid hormones, and wastewater indicators and screened for in vitro biological activities. Multiplexed, in vitro assays that simultaneously screen for agonistic activity against 24 human nuclear receptors detected estrogen receptor (ER), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) bioactivities in water samples near the WWTP outflow. Targeted in vitro bioassays assessing ER, GR, and PPARγ agonism corroborated bioactivities for ER (up to 55 ± 9.7 ng/L 17β-estradiol equivalents) and GR (up to 156 ± 28 ng/L dexamethasone equivalents), while PPARγ activity was not confirmed. To evaluate the potential in vivo significance of the bioactive contaminants, sexually-mature fathead minnows were caged at six locations upstream and downstream of the WWTP for 5 days after which targeted gene expression analyses were performed. Significant up-regulation of male hepatic vitellogenin was observed at sites with corresponding in vitro ER activity. No site-related differences in GR-related transcript abundance were detected in female adipose or male livers, suggesting observed environmental concentrations of GR-active contaminants do not induce a detectable in vivo response. In line with the lack of detectable targeted in vitro PPARɣ activity, there were no significant effects on PPARɣ-related gene expression. Although the chemicals responsible for GR and PPAR-mediated bioactivities are unknown, results from the present study provide insights into the significance (or lack thereof) of these bioactivities relative to short-term in situ fish exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Cavallin
- US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA.
| | - Jon Beihoffer
- US EPA, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Brett R Blackwell
- US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Alexander R Cole
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Drew R Ekman
- US EPA, Ecosystem Processes Division, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Rachel Hofer
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Kristen Keteles
- US EPA, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Erin M Maloney
- University of Minnesota, Cooperative Training Agreement, US EPA, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Jordan Parman
- Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Dana L Winkelman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Cavallin JE, Battaglin WA, Beihoffer J, Blackwell BR, Bradley PM, Cole AR, Ekman DR, Hofer RN, Kinsey J, Keteles K, Weissinger R, Winkelman DL, Villeneuve DL. Effects-Based Monitoring of Bioactive Chemicals Discharged to the Colorado River before and after a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:974-984. [PMID: 33373525 PMCID: PMC8135223 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of the Colorado River near the Moab, Utah, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outflow has detected pharmaceuticals, hormones, and estrogen-receptor (ER)-, glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ)-mediated biological activities. The aim of the present multi-year study was to assess effects of a WWTP replacement on bioactive chemical (BC) concentrations. Water samples were collected bimonthly, pre- and post-replacement, at 11 sites along the Colorado River upstream and downstream of the WWTP and analyzed for in vitro bioactivities (e.g., agonism of ER, GR, and PPARγ) and BC concentrations; fathead minnows were cage deployed pre- and post-replacement at sites with varying proximities to the WWTP. Before the WWTP replacement, in vitro ER (24 ng 17β-estradiol equivalents/L)-, GR (60 ng dexamethasone equivalents/L)-, and PPARγ-mediated activities were detected at the WWTP outflow but diminished downstream. In March 2018, the WWTP effluent was acutely toxic to the fish, likely due to elevated ammonia concentrations. Following the WWTP replacement, ER, GR, and PPARγ bioactivities were reduced by approximately 60-79%, no toxicity was observed in caged fish, and there were marked decreases in concentrations of many BCs. Results suggest that replacement of the Moab WWTP achieved a significant reduction in BC concentrations to the Colorado River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E. Cavallin
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
- Corresponding author: Jenna E. Cavallin, US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd., Duluth, MN 55804, , 218-529-5246
| | | | - Jon Beihoffer
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Region 8, Denver, CO
| | - Brett R. Blackwell
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
| | - Paul M. Bradley
- U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, Columbia, SC
| | - Alex R. Cole
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORISE Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
| | - Drew R. Ekman
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ecosystem Processes Division, Athens, GA
| | - Rachel N. Hofer
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORISE Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
| | - Julie Kinsey
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, Denver, CO
| | - Kristen Keteles
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Region 8, Denver, CO
| | | | - Dana L. Winkelman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Daniel L. Villeneuve
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
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Cavallin JE, Battaglin WA, Beihoffer J, Blackwell BR, Bradley PM, Cole AR, Ekman DR, Hofer RN, Kinsey J, Keteles K, Weissinger R, Winkelman DL, Villeneuve DL. Effects-Based Monitoring of Bioactive Chemicals Discharged to the Colorado River before and after a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021. [PMID: 33373525 DOI: 10.23719/1519052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of the Colorado River near the Moab, Utah, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outflow has detected pharmaceuticals, hormones, and estrogen-receptor (ER)-, glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ)-mediated biological activities. The aim of the present multi-year study was to assess effects of a WWTP replacement on bioactive chemical (BC) concentrations. Water samples were collected bimonthly, pre- and post-replacement, at 11 sites along the Colorado River upstream and downstream of the WWTP and analyzed for in vitro bioactivities (e.g., agonism of ER, GR, and PPARγ) and BC concentrations; fathead minnows were cage deployed pre- and post-replacement at sites with varying proximities to the WWTP. Before the WWTP replacement, in vitro ER (24 ng 17β-estradiol equivalents/L)-, GR (60 ng dexamethasone equivalents/L)-, and PPARγ-mediated activities were detected at the WWTP outflow but diminished downstream. In March 2018, the WWTP effluent was acutely toxic to the fish, likely due to elevated ammonia concentrations. Following the WWTP replacement, ER, GR, and PPARγ bioactivities were reduced by approximately 60-79%, no toxicity was observed in caged fish, and there were marked decreases in concentrations of many BCs. Results suggest that replacement of the Moab WWTP achieved a significant reduction in BC concentrations to the Colorado River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Cavallin
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, United States
| | - William A Battaglin
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Jon Beihoffer
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Region 8, Denver, Colorado 80202, United States
| | - Brett R Blackwell
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, United States
| | - Paul M Bradley
- U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, Columbia, South Carolina 29210, United States
| | - Alexander R Cole
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participant, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, United States
| | - Drew R Ekman
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ecosystem Processes Division, Athens, Georgia 30605-2700, United States
| | - Rachel N Hofer
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Research Participant, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, United States
| | - Julie Kinsey
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, Denver, Colorado 80202, United States
| | - Kristen Keteles
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Region 8, Denver, Colorado 80202, United States
| | - Rebecca Weissinger
- National Park Service, Northern Colorado Plateau Network, Moab, Utah 84532, United States
| | - Dana L Winkelman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - Daniel L Villeneuve
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, Minnesota 55804, United States
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Martyniuk CJ, Feswick A, Munkittrick KR, Dreier DA, Denslow ND. Twenty years of transcriptomics, 17alpha-ethinylestradiol, and fish. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 286:113325. [PMID: 31733209 PMCID: PMC6961817 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In aquatic toxicology, perhaps no pharmaceutical has been investigated more intensely than 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2), the active ingredient of the birth control pill. At the turn of the century, the fields of comparative endocrinology and endocrine disruption research witnessed the emergence of omics technologies, which were rapidly adapted to characterize potential hazards associated with exposures to environmental estrogens, such as EE2. Since then, significant advances have been made by the scientific community, and as a result, much has been learned about estrogen receptor signaling in fish from environmental xenoestrogens. Vitellogenin, the egg yolk precursor protein, was identified as a major estrogen-responsive gene, establishing itself as the premier biomarker for estrogenic exposures. Omics studies have identified a plethora of estrogen responsive genes, contributing to a wealth of knowledge on estrogen-mediated regulatory networks in teleosts. There have been ~40 studies that report on transcriptome responses to EE2 in a variety of fish species (e.g., zebrafish, fathead minnows, rainbow trout, pipefish, mummichog, stickleback, cod, and others). Data on the liver and testis transcriptomes dominate in the literature and have been the subject of many EE2 studies, yet there remain knowledge gaps for other tissues, such as the spleen, kidney, and pituitary. Inter-laboratory genomics studies have revealed transcriptional networks altered by EE2 treatment in the liver; networks related to amino acid activation and protein folding are increased by EE2 while those related to xenobiotic metabolism, immune system, circulation, and triglyceride storage are suppressed. EE2-responsive networks in other tissues are not as comprehensively defined which is a knowledge gap as regulated networks are expected to be tissue-specific. On the horizon, omics studies for estrogen-mediated effects in fish include: (1) Establishing conceptual frameworks for incorporating estrogen-responsive networks into environmental monitoring programs; (2) Leveraging in vitro and computational toxicology approaches to identify chemicals associated with estrogen receptor-mediated effects in fish (e.g., male vitellogenin production); (3) Discovering new tissue-specific estrogen receptor signaling pathways in fish; and (4) Developing quantitative adverse outcome pathway predictive models for estrogen signaling. As we look ahead, research into EE2 over the past several decades can serve as a template for the array of hormones and endocrine active substances yet to be fully characterized or discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Martyniuk
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; Center for Environmental & Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; University of Florida Genetics Institute, USA; Canadian Rivers Institute, Canada.
| | - April Feswick
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; Canadian Rivers Institute, Canada
| | - Kelly R Munkittrick
- Department of Biology, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada; Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada; Canadian Rivers Institute, Canada
| | - David A Dreier
- Center for Environmental & Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Nancy D Denslow
- Center for Environmental & Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; University of Florida Genetics Institute, USA
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Brain RA, Schneider SZ, Anderson JC, Knopper LD, Wolf JC, Hanson ML. Extended fish short term reproduction assays with the fathead minnow and Japanese medaka: No evidence of impaired fecundity from exposure to atrazine. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 205:126-136. [PMID: 29689526 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.04.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Short-term reproduction assays were conducted with fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) and Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) to evaluate responses from atrazine exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations and above. Breeding groups of fish with multiple males and females were exposed to atrazine under flow-through conditions. Fathead minnows were exposed to mean measured concentrations of 1.0, 10, 26, 52, and 105 μg atrazine/L for 28 days. Medaka were exposed to mean measured concentrations of 9.4, 48, 74, 97, and 244 μg atrazine/L for 28 or 29 days. Fish were evaluated for survival, fecundity, fertility, total length, wet weight, secondary sex characteristics, gonadosomatic index (GSI) (P. promelas only), plasma or hepatic vitellogenin (VTG), and histopathology of gonads. General observations of health and behaviour were also conducted. There were no statistically significant effects (i.e., p < 0.05) of atrazine on survival, size, reproduction, behaviour, GSI, VTG, or secondary sex characteristics in either species at any exposure level. In fathead minnows, there were no histopathological findings associated with atrazine exposure in male fish, but there was an increased proportion of Stage 4.0 ovaries accompanied by an increase in proportion of Grade 3 post-ovulatory follicles in females of the 105 μg/L treatment group. Without a concomitant increase in oocyte atresia, neither of these findings are considered adverse for the health of the fish. In medaka, there were no significant effects of atrazine exposure on histopathology in either sex. These data support current weight-of-evidence assessments that atrazine does not cause direct adverse effects on fish reproduction at environmentally realistic concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jeffrey C Wolf
- Experimental Pathology Laboratories Inc., Sterling, VA, USA
| | - Mark L Hanson
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Martyniuk CJ. Are we closer to the vision? A proposed framework for incorporating omics into environmental assessments. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2018; 59:87-93. [PMID: 29549817 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2018.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Environmental science has benefited a great deal from omics-based technologies. High-throughput toxicology has defined adverse outcome pathways (AOPs), prioritized chemicals of concern, and identified novel actions of environmental chemicals. While many of these approaches are conducted under rigorous laboratory conditions, a significant challenge has been the interpretation of omics data in "real-world" exposure scenarios. Clarity in the interpretation of these data limits their use in environmental monitoring programs. In recent years, one overarching objective of many has been to address fundamental questions concerning experimental design and the robustness of data collected under the broad umbrella of environmental genomics. These questions include: (1) the likelihood that molecular profiles return to a predefined baseline level following remediation efforts, (2) how reference site selection in an urban environment influences interpretation of omics data and (3) what is the most appropriate species to monitor in the environment from an omics point of view. In addition, inter-genomics studies have been conducted to assess transcriptome reproducibility in toxicology studies. One lesson learned from inter-genomics studies is that there are core molecular networks that can be identified by multiple laboratories using the same platform. This supports the idea that "omics-networks" defined a priori may be a viable approach moving forward for evaluating environmental impacts over time. Both spatial and temporal variability in ecosystem structure is expected to influence molecular responses to environmental stressors, and it is important to recognize how these variables, as well as individual factor (i.e. sex, age, maturation), may confound interpretation of network responses to chemicals. This mini-review synthesizes the progress made towards adopting these tools into environmental monitoring and identifies future challenges to be addressed, as we move into the next era of high throughput sequencing. A conceptual framework for validating and incorporating molecular networks into environmental monitoring programs is proposed. As AOPs become more defined and their potential in environmental monitoring assessments becomes more recognized, the AOP framework may prove to be the conduit between omics and penultimate ecological responses for environmental risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Martyniuk
- Canadian Rivers Institute and the Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, UF Genetics Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA.
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