1
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Smalling KL, Romanok KM, Bradley PM, Hladik ML, Gray JL, Kanagy LK, McCleskey RB, Stavreva DA, Alexander-Ozinskas AK, Alonso J, Avila W, Breitmeyer SE, Bustillo R, Gordon SE, Hager GL, Jones RR, Kolpin DW, Newton S, Reynolds P, Sloop J, Ventura A, Von Behren J, Ward MH, Solomon GM. Mixed contaminant exposure in tapwater and the potential implications for human-health in disadvantaged communities in California. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 267:122485. [PMID: 39368187 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/07/2024]
Abstract
Water is an increasingly precious resource in California as years of drought, climate change, pollution, as well as an expanding population have all stressed the state's drinking water supplies. Currently, there are increasing concerns about whether regulated and unregulated contaminants in drinking water are linked to a variety of human-health outcomes particularly in socially disadvantaged communities with a history of health risks. To begin to address this data gap by broadly assessing contaminant mixture exposures, the current study was designed to collect tapwater samples from communities in Gold Country, the San Francisco Bay Area, two regions of the Central Valley (Merced/Fresno and Kern counties), and southeast Los Angeles for 251 organic chemicals and 32 inorganic constituents. Sampling prioritized low-income areas with suspected water quality challenges and elevated breast cancer rates. Results indicated that mixtures of regulated and unregulated contaminants were observed frequently in tapwater throughout the areas studied and the types and concentrations of detected contaminants varied by region, drinking-water source, and size of the public water system. Multiple exceedances of enforceable maximum contaminant level(s) (MCL), non-enforceable MCL goal(s) (MCLG), and other health advisories combined with frequent exceedances of benchmark-based hazard indices were also observed in samples collected in all five of the study regions. Given the current focus on improving water quality in socially disadvantaged communities, our study highlights the importance of assessing mixed-contaminant exposures in drinking water at the point of consumption to adequately address human-health concerns (e.g., breast cancer risk). Data from this pilot study provide a foundation for future studies across a greater number of communities in California to assess potential linkages between breast cancer rates and tapwater contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Diana A Stavreva
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Jesus Alonso
- Clean Water Action/Clean Water Fund, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Wendy Avila
- Communities for a Better Environment, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Gordon L Hager
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Rena R Jones
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Seth Newton
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Peggy Reynolds
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John Sloop
- ORISE, Office of Research & Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Mary H Ward
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Gina M Solomon
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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2
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Pronk TE, Hoondert RPJ, Kools SAE, Kumar V, de Baat ML. Bioassay predictive values for chemical health risks in drinking water. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 188:108733. [PMID: 38744044 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Bioanalytical tools can be used for assessment of the chemical quality of drinking water and its sources. For water managers it is important to know the probability that a bioassay response above an established health-based 'effect-based trigger value' (EBT) indeed implies a harmful chemical (mixture) concentration. This study presents and applies a framework, based on Bayes' theorem, to derive such risk probabilities for bioassay responses. These were evaluated under varying (in silico) chemical mixture concentrations relevant to drinking water (sources), with toxicity data for six in vitro assays from the ToxCast database. For single chemicals and in silico mixtures, the negative predictive value (NPV) was 100 % for all assays. For water managers, this means that when a bioassay response is below the EBT, a chemical risk is reliably absent, and no further action is required. The positive predictive value (PPV) increased with increasing chemical concentrations (2 µg/L) up to 40-80 %, depending on the assay. For in silico mixtures of increasing numbers of chemicals, the PPV did not increase until higher sum concentrations (>2-10 µg/L). Hence, the ability to accurately signal a harmful chemical (mixture) using bioassays will be lowest for highly diverse, low-concentration chemical mixtures. For water managers, this means in practice that further investigations after an EBT exceedance will, in many cases, not reveal chemicals at harmful concentrations. A solution offered is to increase the trigger value for positive responses to achieve a higher PPV and maintain the EBT for negative responses to ensure an optimal NPV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa E Pronk
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.
| | - Renske P J Hoondert
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan A E Kools
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Vikas Kumar
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d' Enginyeria Quimica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av. Països Catalans 26 43007, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain; IISPV, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan de Reus, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain; German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Milo L de Baat
- Dept. of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Inst. for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904 1098XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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3
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Liu S, Liu J. An Integrated Approach of Bioassays and Non-Target Screening for the Assessment of Endocrine-Disrupting Activities in Tap Water and Identification of Novel Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. TOXICS 2024; 12:247. [PMID: 38668470 PMCID: PMC11054029 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12040247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
The safety of drinking water is a significant environmental issue of great concern for human health since numerous contaminants are often detected in drinking water and its sources. Boiling is a common household method used to produce relatively high-quality drinking water in some countries and regions. In this study, with the aid of an integrated approach of in vitro bioassays and non-target analysis based on high-resolution mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography, alterations in endocrine-disrupting activities in tap water samples without and with boiling were revealed, as well as the potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) contributing to these alterations were identified. The organic extracts of tap water had no significant (ant)agonistic activities against an estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) at enrichment concentrations of ≤10 times, posing no immediate or acute health risk to humans. However, the presence of agonistic activities against PR and MR and antagonistic activities against ER, PR, GR, and MR in OEs of tap water at relatively higher enrichment concentrations still raise potential health concerns. Boiling effectively reduced antagonistic activities against these steroid hormone receptors (SHRs) but increased estrogenic and glucocorticoid activities in drinking water. Four novel potential EDCs, including one UV filter (phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid, PBSA) and three natural metabolites of organisms (beta-hydroxymyristic acid, 12-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid, and isorosmanol) were identified in drinking water samples, each of which showed (ant)agonistic activities against different SHRs. Given the widespread use of UV filters in sunscreens to prevent skin cancer, the health risks posed by PBSA as an identified novel EDC are of concern. Although boiling has been thought to reduce the health risk of drinking water contamination, our findings suggest that boiling may have a more complex effect on the endocrine-disrupting activities of drinking water and, therefore, a more comprehensive assessment is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Institute of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jing Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Institute of Environmental Health, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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4
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Zhang L, Zhang Y, Zhu M, Chen L, Wu B. A critical review on quantitative evaluation of aqueous toxicity in water quality assessment. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 342:140159. [PMID: 37716564 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Conventional chemical techniques have inherent limitations in detecting unknown chemical substances in water. As a result, effect-based methods have emerged as a viable alternative to overcome these limitations. These methods provide more accurate and intuitive evaluations of the toxic effects of water. While numerous studies have been conducted, only a few have been applied to national water quality monitoring. Therefore, it is crucial to develop toxicity evaluation methods and establish thresholds based on quantifying toxicity. This article provides an overview of the development and application of bioanalytical tools, including in vitro and in vivo bioassays. The available methods for quantifying toxicity are then summarized. These methods include aquatic life criteria for assessing the toxicity of a single compound, comprehensive wastewater toxicity testing for all contaminants in a water sample (toxicity units, whole effluent toxicity, the potential ecotoxic effects probe, the potential toxicology method, and the lowest ineffective dilution), methods based on mechanisms and relative toxicity ratios for substances with the same mode of action (the toxicity equivalency factors, toxic equivalents, bioanalytical equivalents), and effect-based trigger values for micropollutants. The article also highlights the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Finally, it proposes potential areas for applying toxicity quantification methods and offers insights into future research directions. This review emphasizes the significance of enhancing the evaluation methods for assessing aqueous toxicity in water quality assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Mengyuan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Bing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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5
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Kim F, Pablo GF, Lubertus B, Lutz A, Karin W, Félix H, Agneta O, Johan L. Effect-based evaluation of water quality in a system of indirect reuse of wastewater for drinking water production. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 242:120147. [PMID: 37320875 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Indirect potable reuse of wastewater is a practice that is gaining attention, aiming to increase freshwater supplies to meet water scarcity. However, reusing effluent wastewater for drinking water production comes with a paired risk of adverse health effects, due to the potential presence of pathogenic microorganisms and hazardous micropollutants. Disinfection is an established method to reduce microbial hazards in drinking water, but it has been associated with formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs). In this study, we performed an effect-based assessment of chemical hazards in a system wherein a full-scale trial of disinfection by chlorination, of the treated wastewater was performed prior discharge to the reciepient river. The presence of bioactive pollutants was assessed along the entire treatment system, starting from incoming wastewater to finished drinking water at seven sites in and around the Llobregat River in Barcelona, Spain. Samples were collected in two campaigns, with and without applied chlorination treatment (13 mg Cl2/L) to the effluent wastewater. The water samples were analysed for cell viability, oxidative stress response (Nrf2 activity), estrogenicity, androgenicity, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity and activation of NFĸB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) signaling using stably transfected mammalian cell lines. Nrf2 activity, estrogen receptor activation and AhR activation was detected in all investigated samples. Overall, removal efficiencies were high in both wastewater treatment and drinking water treatment samples for most of the studied endpoints. No increase in oxidative stress (Nrf2 activity) could be attributed to the additional chlorination treatment of the effluent wastewater. However, we found an increase in AhR activity and a reduction of ER agonistic activity after chlorination treatment of effluent wastewater. The bioactivity detected in finished drinking water was considerably lower compared to what was found in effluent wastewater. We could thus conclude that indirect reuse of treated wastewater for drinking water production can be possible without compromising drinking water quality. This study contributed important knowledge in efforts to increase the reuse of treated wastewater as a source for drinking water production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frieberg Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, Uppsala SE-750 07, Sweden.
| | - Gago-Ferrero Pablo
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Spanish Council of Scientific Research (CSIC), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research - Severo Ochoa Excellence Center (IDAEA), Jordi Girona, 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain; Edifici H20 - Parc Cientific i Tecnològic de Girona, Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Institut Català de Recerca de l'Aigua (ICRA), Carrer Emili Grahit, 101, Girona E-17003, Spain
| | - Bijlsma Lubertus
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Castellón E-12071, Spain
| | - Ahrens Lutz
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7050 SE, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
| | - Wiberg Karin
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7050 SE, Uppsala 750 07, Sweden
| | - Hernández Félix
- Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, Castellón E-12071, Spain
| | - Oskarsson Agneta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, Uppsala SE-750 07, Sweden
| | - Lundqvist Johan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Box 7028, Uppsala SE-750 07, Sweden
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6
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Jonkers TJH, Houtman CJ, van Oorschot Y, Lamoree MH, Hamers T. Identification of antimicrobial and glucocorticoid compounds in wastewater effluents with effect-directed analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116117. [PMID: 37178748 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals, such as glucocorticoids and antibiotics, are inadequately removed from wastewater and may cause unwanted toxic effects in the receiving environment. This study aimed to identify contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater effluent with antimicrobial or glucocorticoid activity by applying effect-directed analysis (EDA). Effluent samples from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Netherlands were collected and analyzed with unfractionated and fractionated bioassay testing. Per sample, 80 fractions were collected and in parallel high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data were recorded for suspect and nontarget screening. The antimicrobial activity of the effluents was determined with an antibiotics assay and ranged from 298 to 711 ng azithromycin equivalents·L-1. Macrolide antibiotics were identified in each effluent and found to significantly contribute to the antimicrobial activity of each sample. Agonistic glucocorticoid activity determined with the GR-CALUX assay ranged from 98.1 to 286 ng dexamethasone equivalents·L-1. Bioassay testing of several tentatively identified compounds to confirm their activity revealed inactivity in the assay or the incorrect identification of a feature. Effluent concentrations of glucocorticoid active compounds were estimated from the fractionated GR-CALUX bioassay response. Subsequently, the biological and chemical detection limits were compared and a sensitivity gap between the two monitoring approaches was identified. Overall, these results emphasize that combining sensitive effect-based testing with chemical analysis can more accurately reflect environmental exposure and risk than chemical analysis alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim J H Jonkers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE, Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | | | - Marja H Lamoree
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Timo Hamers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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7
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Usman M, Kuckelkorn J, Kämpfe A, Zwiener C, Wintgens TA, Linnemann V. Identification of disinfection by-products (DBP) in thermal water swimming pools applying non-target screening by LC-/GC-HRMS. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 449:130981. [PMID: 36801715 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.130981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of new disinfection by-products (DBPs) is still a rarely investigated research area in past studies. In particular, compared to freshwater pools, therapeutic pools with their unique chemical composition have rarely been investigated for novel DBPs. Here we have developed a semi-automated workflow that combines data from target and non-target screening, calculated and measured toxicities into a heat map using hierarchical clustering to assess the pool's overall potential chemical risk. In addition, we used complementary analytical techniques such as positive and negative chemical ionization to demonstrate how novel DBPs can be better identified in future studies. We identified two representatives of the haloketones (pentachloroacetone, and pentabromoacetone) and tribromo furoic acid detected for the first time in swimming pools. Non-target screening combined with target analysis and toxicity assessment may help to define risk-based monitoring strategies in the future, as required by regulatory frameworks for swimming pool operations worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Usman
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Environmental Analytical Laboratory, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str.1, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jochen Kuckelkorn
- German Environment Agency, Toxicology of Drinking Water and Swimming Pool Water, Heinrich-Heine-Str. 12, 08645 Bad Elster, Germany
| | - Alexander Kämpfe
- German Environment Agency, Swimming Pool Water, Chemical Analytics, Heinrich-Heine-Str. 12, 08645 Bad Elster, Germany
| | - Christian Zwiener
- Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 94-96, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas A Wintgens
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Environmental Analytical Laboratory, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str.1, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Volker Linnemann
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Environmental Analytical Laboratory, RWTH Aachen University, Mies-van-der-Rohe-Str.1, 52056 Aachen, Germany.
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8
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Neale PA, Escher BI, de Baat ML, Dechesne M, Dingemans MML, Enault J, Pronk GJ, Smeets PWMH, Leusch FDL. Application of Effect-Based Methods to Water Quality Monitoring: Answering Frequently Asked Questions by Water Quality Managers, Regulators, and Policy Makers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:6023-6032. [PMID: 37026997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Effect-based methods (EBM) have great potential for water quality monitoring as they can detect the mixture effects of all active known and unknown chemicals in a sample, which cannot be addressed by chemical analysis alone. To date, EBM have primarily been applied in a research context, with a lower level of uptake by the water sector and regulators. This is partly due to concerns regarding the reliability and interpretation of EBM. Using evidence from the peer-reviewed literature, this work aims to answer frequently asked questions about EBM. The questions were identified through consultation with the water industry and regulators and cover topics related to the basis for using EBM, practical considerations regarding reliability, sampling for EBM and quality control, and what to do with the information provided by EBM. The information provided in this work aims to give confidence to regulators and the water sector to stimulate the application of EBM for water quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Beate I Escher
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Milo L de Baat
- KWR Water Research Institute, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Magali Dechesne
- Veolia Research & Innovation,765 rue Henri Becquerel, 34965 Montpellier, France
| | - Milou M L Dingemans
- KWR Water Research Institute, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jérôme Enault
- SUEZ CIRSEE, 38 rue du President Wilson, 78230 Le Pecq, France
| | - Geertje J Pronk
- KWR Water Research Institute, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | | | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
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9
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Bradley PM, Kolpin DW, Thompson DA, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Breitmeyer SE, Cardon MC, Cwiertny DM, Evans N, Field RW, Focazio MJ, Beane Freeman LE, Givens CE, Gray JL, Hager GL, Hladik ML, Hofmann JN, Jones RR, Kanagy LK, Lane RF, McCleskey RB, Medgyesi D, Medlock-Kakaley EK, Meppelink SM, Meyer MT, Stavreva DA, Ward MH. Juxtaposition of intensive agriculture, vulnerable aquifers, and mixed chemical/microbial exposures in private-well tapwater in northeast Iowa. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161672. [PMID: 36657670 PMCID: PMC9976626 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In the United States and globally, contaminant exposure in unregulated private-well point-of-use tapwater (TW) is a recognized public-health data gap and an obstacle to both risk-management and homeowner decision making. To help address the lack of data on broad contaminant exposures in private-well TW from hydrologically-vulnerable (alluvial, karst) aquifers in agriculturally-intensive landscapes, samples were collected in 2018-2019 from 47 northeast Iowa farms and analyzed for 35 inorganics, 437 unique organics, 5 in vitro bioassays, and 11 microbial assays. Twenty-six inorganics and 51 organics, dominated by pesticides and related transformation products (35 herbicide-, 5 insecticide-, and 2 fungicide-related), were observed in TW. Heterotrophic bacteria detections were near ubiquitous (94 % of the samples), with detection of total coliform bacteria in 28 % of the samples and growth on at least one putative-pathogen selective media across all TW samples. Health-based hazard index screening levels were exceeded frequently in private-well TW and attributed primarily to inorganics (nitrate, uranium). Results support incorporation of residential treatment systems to protect against contaminant exposure and the need for increased monitoring of rural private-well homes. Continued assessment of unmonitored and unregulated private-supply TW is needed to model contaminant exposures and human-health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Mary C Cardon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rena R Jones
- National Cancer Institute/NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mary H Ward
- National Cancer Institute/NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
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10
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Tomei Torres FA, Masten SJ. Endocrine-disrupting substances: I. Relative risks of PFAS in drinking water. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2023; 21:451-462. [PMID: 37119147 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2023.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water are significantly lower than in vivo levels of the native target hormone. These concentrations are orders of magnitude lower than the hormone in question, particularly when corrected for transactivation. A pregnant woman can excrete about 7,000 μg/day of total estrogens. A low-dose oral contraceptive pill contains 20 μg estradiol. Soy-based baby formula contains phytoestrogens equivalent to a low-dose oral contraceptive pill. A woman on a low-dose oral hormone replacement therapy consumes about 0.5-2 mg/day of one or more estrogens. The levels of endocrine-disrupting substances (EDSs) exposure by oral, respiratory, or dermal routes have the potential to make removing PFAS from drinking water due to its estrogenic activity divert valuable resources. These levels become even less of a threat when their estrogenic potencies are compared with those of the target hormones present as contaminants in water and even more so when compared with levels commonly present in human tissues. The fact that PFAS constitute a tiny fraction compared to exposure to phytoestrogens makes the effort even more insignificant. If PFAS are to be removed from drinking water, it is not due to their estrogenic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Alberto Tomei Torres
- Ibero-American Society of Environmental Health (SIBSA), Zabala 3555, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CABA), Rep. Argentina, CP 1427 E-mail:
| | - Susan J Masten
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
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11
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Neale PA, Escher BI, de Baat ML, Enault J, Leusch FDL. Effect-Based Trigger Values Are Essential for the Uptake of Effect-Based Methods in Water Safety Planning. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:714-726. [PMID: 36524849 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Effect-based methods (EBMs) using in vitro bioassays and well plate-based in vivo assays are recommended for water quality monitoring because they can capture the mixture effects of the many chemicals present in water. Many in vitro bioassays are highly sensitive, so an effect in a bioassay does not necessarily indicate poor chemical water quality. Consequently, effect-based trigger values (EBTs) have been introduced to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable chemical water quality and are required for the wider acceptance of EBMs by the water sector and regulatory bodies. These EBTs have been derived for both drinking water and surface water to protect human and ecological health, respectively, and are available for assays indicative of specific receptor-mediated effects, as well as assays indicative of adaptive stress responses, apical effects, and receptor-mediated effects triggered by many chemicals. An overview of currently available EBTs is provided, and a simple approach is proposed to predict interim EBTs for assays currently without an EBT based on the effect concentration of the assay reference compound. There was good agreement between EBTs predicted using this simplistic approach and EBTs from the literature derived using more robust methods. Finally, an interpretation framework that outlines the steps to take if the effect of a sample exceeds the EBT was developed to help facilitate the uptake of EBMs in routine water quality monitoring and water safety planning for drinking water production. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:714-726. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
| | - Beate I Escher
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Milo L de Baat
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | | | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
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12
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Choi Y, Jung EY, Lee W, Choi S, Son H, Lee Y. In vitro bioanalytical assessment of the occurrence and removal of bioactive chemicals in municipal wastewater treatment plants in Korea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159724. [PMID: 36306847 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contain various organic micropollutants, some of which can exert negative effects on the quality of receiving waters or drinking water sources. This study monitored two full-scale WWTPs in Korea for the occurrence and removal of bioactive chemicals for a one-year period using a battery of in vitro bioassays as a complementary approach to chemical analysis. Bioassays covering different endpoints were employed, such as hormone receptor activation (AR and ERα), xenobiotic metabolism (PAH and PXR), oxidative stress response (Nrf2), and cytotoxicity. The WWTP influents showed AR, ERα, and PAH activities at ng/L - μg/L and PXR and Nrf2 activities at μg/L - mg/L as bioanalytical equivalent concentrations of a reference compound for each bioassay. These bioactivities decreased along with the WWTP treatment train, with significant removals achieved by the secondary biological treatment processes. Cytotoxicity was observed only for some municipal wastewater (M-WWTP) influents but was below the limit of quantification for most cases. The influent and effluent bioactivities observed in this study were mostly comparable to those reported in other WWTPs in the literature. Comparison of the bioactivities with the effect-based trigger (EBT) values indicates that the impact of WWTP effluents on receiving water quality was low for most endpoints. For Nrf2, however, further investigation is required to evaluate the observed high bioactivities compared with the current EBT. The observed ERα activity could partly be explained by the presence of some steroid estrogens. Overall, our results contribute to an important database for the concentrations and removal efficiencies of bioactive chemicals in WWTPs and demonstrate bioassays as a useful tool for urban water quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yegyun Choi
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Young Jung
- Water Quality Institute, Busan Water Authority, Kimhae 50804, Republic of Korea
| | - Woorim Lee
- Water Quality Institute, Busan Water Authority, Kimhae 50804, Republic of Korea; Environment & Energy Research Laboratory, Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (RIST), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangki Choi
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Heejong Son
- Water Quality Institute, Busan Water Authority, Kimhae 50804, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yunho Lee
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Bradley PM, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Focazio MJ, Evans N, Fitzpatrick SC, Givens CE, Gordon SE, Gray JL, Green EM, Griffin DW, Hladik ML, Kanagy LK, Lisle JT, Loftin KA, Blaine McCleskey R, Medlock-Kakaley EK, Navas-Acien A, Roth DA, South P, Weis CP. Bottled water contaminant exposures and potential human effects. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 171:107701. [PMID: 36542998 PMCID: PMC10123854 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bottled water (BW) consumption in the United States and globally has increased amidst heightened concern about environmental contaminant exposures and health risks in drinking water supplies, despite a paucity of directly comparable, environmentally-relevant contaminant exposure data for BW. This study provides insight into exposures and cumulative risks to human health from inorganic/organic/microbial contaminants in BW. METHODS BW from 30 total domestic US (23) and imported (7) sources, including purified tapwater (7) and spring water (23), were analyzed for 3 field parameters, 53 inorganics, 465 organics, 14 microbial metrics, and in vitro estrogen receptor (ER) bioactivity. Health-benchmark-weighted cumulative hazard indices and ratios of organic-contaminant in vitro exposure-activity cutoffs were assessed for detected regulated and unregulated inorganic and organic contaminants. RESULTS 48 inorganics and 45 organics were detected in sampled BW. No enforceable chemical quality standards were exceeded, but several inorganic and organic contaminants with maximum contaminant level goal(s) (MCLG) of zero (no known safe level of exposure to vulnerable sub-populations) were detected. Among these, arsenic, lead, and uranium were detected in 67 %, 17 %, and 57 % of BW, respectively, almost exclusively in spring-sourced samples not treated by advanced filtration. Organic MCLG exceedances included frequent detections of disinfection byproducts (DBP) in tapwater-sourced BW and sporadic detections of DBP and volatile organic chemicals in BW sourced from tapwater and springs. Precautionary health-based screening levels were exceeded frequently and attributed primarily to DBP in tapwater-sourced BW and co-occurring inorganic and organic contaminants in spring-sourced BW. CONCLUSION The results indicate that simultaneous exposures to multiple drinking-water contaminants of potential human-health concern are common in BW. Improved understandings of human exposures based on more environmentally realistic and directly comparable point-of-use exposure characterizations, like this BW study, are essential to public health because drinking water is a biological necessity and, consequently, a high-vulnerability vector for human contaminant exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Emily M Green
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - John T Lisle
- U.S. Geological Survey, Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Paul South
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher P Weis
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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14
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Zhou S, Schulze T, Brack W, Seiler TB, Hollert H. Spatial and temporal variations in anti-androgenic activity and environmental risk in a small river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 853:158622. [PMID: 36084781 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The biological effects of multiple compounds have been widely investigated in aquatic environments. However, investigations of spatial and temporal variations in biological effects are rarely performed because they are time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, the variability of the anti-androgen, receptor-mediated activity of surface water samples was observed over 3 years using in vitro bioassays. Large-volume water samples were collected at one site upstream (Wer site) and two sites downstream (Sil and Nien sites) of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outfall in the Holtemme River. Anti-AR activity was persistently present in all surface water samples over the three years. Large spatial variations in anti-androgenic activity were observed, with the lowest activity at the Wer site (mean concentration of 9.5 ± 7.2 μg flutamide equivalents/L) and the highest activity at the Sil site (mean concentration of 31.1 ± 12.0 μg flutamide equivalents/L) directly influenced by WWTP effluents. On the temporal scale, no distinct trend for anti-AR activity was observed among the seasons in all three years. The anti-androgenic activity at the upstream Wer site showed a decreasing trend from 2014 to 2016, indicating improved water quality. A novel bioanalytical-equivalent-based risk assessment method considering the frequency of risk occurrence was developed and then utilized to assess the environmental risk of anti-androgenic activity in the Holtemme River. The results revealed that the highest risk was present at the Sil site, while the risk was considerably reduced at the Nien site. The risk at the upstream Wer site was the lowest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangbo Zhou
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Worringerweg 1, D-52074 Aachen, Germany; College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
| | - Tobias Schulze
- UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstraße 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Werner Brack
- UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstraße 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty Biological Sciences, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas-Benjamin Seiler
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Worringerweg 1, D-52074 Aachen, Germany; Hygiene-Institut des Ruhrgebiets, Rotthauser Str. 21, 45879 Gelsenkirchen, Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Worringerweg 1, D-52074 Aachen, Germany; College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China; Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty Biological Sciences, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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15
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Bertanza G, Steimberg N, Pedrazzani R, Boniotti J, Ceretti E, Mazzoleni G, Menghini M, Urani C, Zerbini I, Feretti D. Wastewater toxicity removal: Integrated chemical and effect-based monitoring of full-scale conventional activated sludge and membrane bioreactor plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158071. [PMID: 35988629 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The literature is currently lacking effect-based monitoring studies targeted at evaluating the performance of full-scale membrane bioreactor plants. In this research, a monitoring campaign was performed at a full-scale wastewater treatment facility with two parallel lines (traditional activated sludge and membrane bioreactor). Beside the standard parameters (COD, nitrogen, phosphorus, and metals), 6 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, 29 insecticides, 2 herbicides, and 3 endocrine disrupting compounds were measured. A multi-tiered battery of bioassays complemented the investigation, targeting different toxic modes of action and employing various biological systems (uni/multicellular, prokaryotes/eukaryotes, trophic level occupation). A traffic light scoring approach was proposed to quickly visualize the impact of treatment on overall toxicity that occurred after the exposure to raw and concentrated wastewater. Analysis of the effluents of the CAS and MBR lines show very good performance of the two systems for removal of organic micropollutants and metals. The most noticeable differences between CAS and MBR occurred in the concentration of suspended solids; chemical analyses did not show major differences. On the other hand, bioassays demonstrated better performance for the MBR. Both treatment lines complied with the Italian law's "ecotoxicity standard for effluent discharge in surface water". Yet, residual biological activity was still detected, demonstrating the adequacy and sensitivity of the toxicological tools, which, by their inherent nature, allow the overall effects of complex mixtures to be taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Bertanza
- DICATAM-Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Nathalie Steimberg
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DSCS-Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Roberta Pedrazzani
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DIMI-Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Jennifer Boniotti
- DSCS-Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Ceretti
- DSMC-Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Mazzoleni
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DSCS-Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Michele Menghini
- DIMI-Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Chiara Urani
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DISAT-Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, I-20126 Milano, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Zerbini
- DSMC-Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Donatella Feretti
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DSMC-Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
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16
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Neale PA, Escher BI, de Baat ML, Dechesne M, Deere DA, Enault J, Kools SAE, Loret JF, Smeets PWMH, Leusch FDL. Effect-based monitoring to integrate the mixture hazards of chemicals into water safety plans. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2022; 20:1721-1732. [PMID: 36573675 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Water safety plans (WSPs) are intended to assure safe drinking water (DW). WSPs involve assessing and managing risks associated with microbial, chemical, physical and radiological hazards from the catchment to the consumer. Currently, chemical hazards in WSPs are assessed by targeted chemical analysis, but this approach fails to account for the mixture effects of the many chemicals potentially present in water supplies and omits the possible effects of non-targeted chemicals. Consequently, effect-based monitoring (EBM) using in vitro bioassays and well plate-based in vivo assays are proposed as a complementary tool to targeted chemical analysis to support risk analysis, risk management and water quality verification within the WSP framework. EBM is frequently applied to DW and surface water and can be utilised in all defined monitoring categories within the WSP framework (including 'system assessment', 'validation', 'operational' and 'verification'). Examples of how EBM can be applied within the different WSP modules are provided, along with guidance on where to apply EBM and how frequently. Since this is a new area, guidance documents, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and decision-making frameworks are required for both bioassay operators and WSP teams to facilitate the integration of EBM into WSPs, with these resources being developed currently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia E-mail:
| | - Beate I Escher
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia E-mail: ; Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig 04318, Germany; Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Milo L de Baat
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Magali Dechesne
- Veolia Research & Innovation, 765 rue Henri Becquerel, Montpellier 34965, France
| | | | - Jérôme Enault
- SUEZ CIRSEE, 38 rue du President Wilson, Le Pecq 78230, France
| | | | | | | | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia E-mail:
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17
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Bradley PM, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Focazio MJ, Charboneau R, George CM, Navas-Acien A, O’Leary M, Red Cloud R, Zacher T, Breitmeyer SE, Cardon MC, Cuny CK, Ducheneaux G, Enright K, Evans N, Gray JL, Harvey DE, Hladik ML, Kanagy LK, Loftin KA, McCleskey RB, Medlock-Kakaley EK, Meppelink SM, Valder JF, Weis CP. Tapwater Exposures, Effects Potential, and Residential Risk Management in Northern Plains Nations. ACS ES&T WATER 2022; 2:1772-1788. [PMID: 36277121 PMCID: PMC9578051 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.2c00293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
In the United States (US), private-supply tapwater (TW) is rarely monitored. This data gap undermines individual/community risk-management decision-making, leading to an increased probability of unrecognized contaminant exposures in rural and remote locations that rely on private wells. We assessed point-of-use (POU) TW in three northern plains Tribal Nations, where ongoing TW arsenic (As) interventions include expansion of small community water systems and POU adsorptive-media treatment for Strong Heart Water Study participants. Samples from 34 private-well and 22 public-supply sites were analyzed for 476 organics, 34 inorganics, and 3 in vitro bioactivities. 63 organics and 30 inorganics were detected. Arsenic, uranium (U), and lead (Pb) were detected in 54%, 43%, and 20% of samples, respectively. Concentrations equivalent to public-supply maximum contaminant level(s) (MCL) were exceeded only in untreated private-well samples (As 47%, U 3%). Precautionary health-based screening levels were exceeded frequently, due to inorganics in private supplies and chlorine-based disinfection byproducts in public supplies. The results indicate that simultaneous exposures to co-occurring TW contaminants are common, warranting consideration of expanded source, point-of-entry, or POU treatment(s). This study illustrates the importance of increased monitoring of private-well TW, employing a broad, environmentally informative analytical scope, to reduce the risks of unrecognized contaminant exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M. Bradley
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Columbia, South Carolina 29210, United States
| | | | - Kelly L. Smalling
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648, United States
| | | | - Robert Charboneau
- Spirit
Lake Tribe Office of Environmental Health, Fort Totten, North Dakota 58335, United States
| | - Christine Marie George
- Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Columbia
University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York 10032, United States
| | - Marcia O’Leary
- Missouri
Breaks Industries Research Inc., Eagle Butte, South Dakota 57625, United States
| | - Reno Red Cloud
- Oglala
Sioux Tribe Natural Resources Regulatory Agency, Pine Ridge, South Dakota 57770, United States
| | - Tracy Zacher
- Missouri
Breaks Industries Research Inc., Eagle Butte, South Dakota 57625, United States
| | | | - Mary C. Cardon
- U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Christa K. Cuny
- Missouri
Breaks Industries Research Inc., Eagle Butte, South Dakota 57625, United States
| | - Guthrie Ducheneaux
- Missouri
Breaks Industries Research Inc., Eagle Butte, South Dakota 57625, United States
| | - Kendra Enright
- Missouri
Breaks Industries Research Inc., Eagle Butte, South Dakota 57625, United States
| | - Nicola Evans
- U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - James L. Gray
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Lakewood, Colorado 80228-3742, United States
| | - David E. Harvey
- Indian Health Service/HHS, Rockville, Maryland 20857, United States
| | | | - Leslie K. Kanagy
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Lakewood, Colorado 80228-3742, United States
| | - Keith A. Loftin
- U.S.
Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas 66049, United States
| | | | | | | | - Joshua F. Valder
- U.S. Geological
Survey, Rapid City, South Dakota 57702, United States
| | - Christopher P. Weis
- National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, United
States
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18
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Escher BI, Lamoree M, Antignac JP, Scholze M, Herzler M, Hamers T, Jensen TK, Audebert M, Busquet F, Maier D, Oelgeschläger M, Valente MJ, Boye H, Schmeisser S, Dervilly G, Piumatti M, Motteau S, König M, Renko K, Margalef M, Cariou R, Ma Y, Treschow AF, Kortenkamp A, Vinggaard AM. Mixture Risk Assessment of Complex Real-Life Mixtures-The PANORAMIX Project. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12990. [PMID: 36293571 PMCID: PMC9602166 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192012990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Humans are involuntarily exposed to hundreds of chemicals that either contaminate our environment and food or are added intentionally to our daily products. These complex mixtures of chemicals may pose a risk to human health. One of the goals of the European Union's Green Deal and zero-pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment is to tackle the existent gaps in chemical mixture risk assessment by providing scientific grounds that support the implementation of adequate regulatory measures within the EU. We suggest dealing with this challenge by: (1) characterising 'real-life' chemical mixtures and determining to what extent they are transferred from the environment to humans via food and water, and from the mother to the foetus; (2) establishing a high-throughput whole-mixture-based in vitro strategy for screening of real-life complex mixtures of organic chemicals extracted from humans using integrated chemical profiling (suspect screening) together with effect-directed analysis; (3) evaluating which human blood levels of chemical mixtures might be of concern for children's development; and (4) developing a web-based, ready-to-use interface that integrates hazard and exposure data to enable component-based mixture risk estimation. These concepts form the basis of the Green Deal project PANORAMIX, whose ultimate goal is to progress mixture risk assessment of chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate I. Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, DE-04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, DE-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marja Lamoree
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Martin Scholze
- Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Environmental Sciences Division, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Matthias Herzler
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 10589 Berlin, Germany
| | - Timo Hamers
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark
| | - Marc Audebert
- Toxalim, UMR1331, INRAE, 31027 Toulouse, France
- PrediTox, 31100 Toulouse, France
| | | | | | | | - Maria João Valente
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Henriette Boye
- Odense Child Cohort, Hans Christian Andersen Hospital for Children, Odense University Hospital, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria König
- Department of Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, DE-04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, DE-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kostja Renko
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 10589 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Margalef
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Yanying Ma
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Andreas Kortenkamp
- Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Environmental Sciences Division, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Anne Marie Vinggaard
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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19
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Simon E, Riegraf C, Schifferli A, Olbrich D, Bucher T, Vermeirssen ELM. Evaluation of Three ISO Estrogen Receptor Transactivation Assays Applied to 52 Domestic Effluent Samples. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:2512-2526. [PMID: 35876436 PMCID: PMC9826432 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Estrogens are released to the aquatic environment by wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and can affect wildlife. In the last three decades, many in vitro assay platforms have been developed to detect and quantify estrogenicity in water. In 2018, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standardized protocols became available for three types of in vitro estrogen receptor transactivation assays (ERTAs) detecting estrogenicity in 96-well plates (ISO19040 1-3). Two ERTAs-lyticase Yeast Estrogen Screen (L-YES) and Arxula YES (A-YES)-use genetically modified yeast strains, whereas the third utilizes stably transfected human cells. One human cell based assay is ERα-CALUX, which is based on a genetically modified human bone osteosarcoma cell line. In the present study, we characterized the performance, comparability, and effectiveness of these three ERTAs, including an evaluation involving proposed water quality thresholds (effect-based trigger values [EBTs]). For a robust evaluation, we collected 52 effluent samples over three sampling campaigns at 15 different WWTPs in Switzerland. Estrogen receptor transactivation assay results were correlated and compared with results from chemical analysis targeting known estrogens. The three ERTAs showed comparable data over all campaigns. However, the selection of EBTs plays a significant role in the interpretation and comparison of bioassay results to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable water quality. Applying a fixed cross-assay EBT for effluent of 4 ng L-1 resulted in varying numbers of threshold exceedances ranging between zero and four samples depending on the ERTA used. Using assay-specific EBTs showed exceedances in eight samples (ERα-CALUX) and in one sample (A-YES), respectively. Thus, proposed EBTs do not produce similar risk profiles across samples and further refinement of assay-specific EBTs is needed to account for assay-specific differences and to enable the application of ERTAs as effect-based methods in environmental monitoring. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2512-2526. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Simon
- Swiss Centre for Applied EcotoxicologyDübendorfSwitzerland
- Air Pollution Control and Chemicals Division, Industrial Chemicals SectionFederal Office for the EnvironmentBernSwitzerland
| | | | | | - Daniel Olbrich
- Swiss Centre for Applied EcotoxicologyDübendorfSwitzerland
| | - Thomas Bucher
- Swiss Centre for Applied EcotoxicologyDübendorfSwitzerland
- Current affiliation: ETH ZurichLehrlabor BiologieZürichSwitzerland
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20
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Novaes SD, Oliveira PV, Petri DFS. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-sugarcane bagasse adsorbents for removal of 17α-ethinylestradiol from aqueous solution and freshwater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:63936-63952. [PMID: 35467193 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20345-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Adsorbents made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and sugarcane bagasse (BG) microparticles were applied for the separation of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) from aqueous solution in batch, and from aqueous solution and freshwater in fixed-bed columns. HPMC chains and BG microparticles were crosslinked by the esterification with citric acid. The adsorbents presented compression modulus values that increased from 208 ± 20 kPa (pure HPMC) to 917 ± 90 kPa, when the content of BG particles added to HPMC was 50 wt% (HPMC50BG). The porosity (~ 97%), specific surface area (1.16 ± 0.10 m2/g) and swelling degree (20 ± 1 g water/g) values were not affected by the addition of BG particles. The adsorption isotherms determined for EE2 on HPMC and on HPMC50BG fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich models; the adsorption capacity of HPMC was slightly higher than that of composite HPMC50BG. Nevertheless, the addition of BG particles rendered outstanding mechanical reinforcement and dimensional stability to the adsorbents. The adsorption was driven by (i) hydrophobic interactions between EE2 methylene and aromatic groups and HPMC methyl groups, as evidenced by FTIR spectroscopy, and (ii) H bonds between HPMC and EE2 hydroxyl groups, as revealed by the adsorption enthalpy change (ΔHads) of - 45 kJ/mol. Column adsorption experiments of EE2 from aqueous solution on HPMC and HPMC50BG indicated adsorptive capacity (q0) values of 8.06 mg/g and 4.07 mg/g, respectively. These values decreased considerably for the adsorption of EE2 from river water, probably due to the competition of EE2 with humic substances dissolved in natural water. The HPMC adsorbents could be recycled retaining up to 83% of the original efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Dias Novaes
- Fundamental Chemistry Department, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Pedro Vitoriano Oliveira
- Fundamental Chemistry Department, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Denise Freitas Siqueira Petri
- Fundamental Chemistry Department, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil.
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21
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Robitaille J, Denslow ND, Escher BI, Kurita-Oyamada HG, Marlatt V, Martyniuk CJ, Navarro-Martín L, Prosser R, Sanderson T, Yargeau V, Langlois VS. Towards regulation of Endocrine Disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in water resources using bioassays - A guide to developing a testing strategy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 205:112483. [PMID: 34863984 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are found in every environmental medium and are chemically diverse. Their presence in water resources can negatively impact the health of both human and wildlife. Currently, there are no mandatory screening mandates or regulations for EDC levels in complex water samples globally. Bioassays, which allow quantifying in vivo or in vitro biological effects of chemicals are used commonly to assess acute toxicity in water. The existing OECD framework to identify single-compound EDCs offers a set of bioassays that are validated for the Estrogen-, Androgen-, and Thyroid hormones, and for Steroidogenesis pathways (EATS). In this review, we discussed bioassays that could be potentially used to screen EDCs in water resources, including in vivo and in vitro bioassays using invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and/or mammalians species. Strengths and weaknesses of samples preparation for complex water samples are discussed. We also review how to calculate the Effect-Based Trigger values, which could serve as thresholds to determine if a given water sample poses a risk based on existing quality standards. This work aims to assist governments and regulatory agencies in developing a testing strategy towards regulation of EDCs in water resources worldwide. The main recommendations include 1) opting for internationally validated cell reporter in vitro bioassays to reduce animal use & cost; 2) testing for cell viability (a critical parameter) when using in vitro bioassays; and 3) evaluating the recovery of the water sample preparation method selected. This review also highlights future research avenues for the EDC screening revolution (e.g., 3D tissue culture, transgenic animals, OMICs, and Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs)).
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Robitaille
- Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de La Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | | | - Beate I Escher
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany; Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Vicki Marlatt
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Laia Navarro-Martín
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Thomas Sanderson
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, INRS, Laval, QC, Canada
| | | | - Valerie S Langlois
- Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de La Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Quebec City, QC, Canada.
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22
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Hamilton CM, Winter MJ, Margiotta-Casaluci L, Owen SF, Tyler CR. Are synthetic glucocorticoids in the aquatic environment a risk to fish? ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 162:107163. [PMID: 35240385 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The glucocorticosteroid, or glucocorticoid (GC), system is largely conserved across vertebrates and plays a central role in numerous vital physiological processes including bone development, immunomodulation, and modification of glucose metabolism and the induction of stress-related behaviours. As a result of their wide-ranging actions, synthetic GCs are widely prescribed for numerous human and veterinary therapeutic purposes and consequently have been detected extensively within the aquatic environment. Synthetic GCs designed for humans are pharmacologically active in non-mammalian vertebrates, including fish, however they are generally detected in surface waters at low (ng/L) concentrations. In this review, we assess the potential environmental risk of synthetic GCs to fish by comparing available experimental data and effect levels in fish with those in mammals. We found the majority of compounds were predicted to have insignificant risk to fish, however some compounds were predicted to be of moderate and high risk to fish, although the dataset of compounds used for this analysis was small. Given the common mode of action and high level of inter-species target conservation exhibited amongst the GCs, we also give due consideration to the potential for mixture effects, which may be particularly significant when considering the potential for environmental impact from this class of pharmaceuticals. Finally, we also provide recommendations for further research to more fully understand the potential environmental impact of this relatively understudied group of commonly prescribed human and veterinary drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles M Hamilton
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Matthew J Winter
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Luigi Margiotta-Casaluci
- Department of Analytical, Environmental & Forensic Sciences, School of Cancer & Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Stewart F Owen
- AstraZeneca, Global Environment, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK10 2NA, UK
| | - Charles R Tyler
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QD, UK.
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23
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Dehkordi SK, Paknejad H, Blaha L, Svecova H, Grabic R, Simek Z, Otoupalikova A, Bittner M. Instrumental and bioanalytical assessment of pharmaceuticals and hormone-like compounds in a major drinking water source-wastewater receiving Zayandeh Rood river, Iran. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:9023-9037. [PMID: 34498192 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15943-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Zayandeh Rood river is the most important river in central Iran supplying water for a variety of uses including drinking water for approximately three million inhabitants. The study aimed to investigate the quality of water concerning the presence of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) and hormonelike compounds, which have been only poorly studied in this region. Sampling was performed at seven sites along the river (from headwater sites to downstream drinking water source, corresponding drinking water, and treated wastewater) affected by wastewater effluents, specific drought conditions, and high river-water demand. The targeted and nontargeted chemical analyses and in vitro bioassays were used to evaluate the presence of PhACs and hormonelike compounds in river water. In the samples, 57 PhACs and estrogens were detected with LC-MS/MS with the most common and abundant compounds valsartan, carbamazepine, and caffeine present in the highest concentrations in the treated wastewater in the concentrations of 8.4, 19, and 140 μg/L, respectively. A battery of in vitro bioassays detected high estrogenicity, androgenicity, and AhR-mediated activity (viz., in treated wastewater) in the concentrations 24.2 ng/L, 62.2 ng/L, and 0.98 ng/L of 17β-estradiol, dihydrotestosterone and 2,3,7,8-TCDD equivalents, respectively. In surface water samples, estrogenicity was detected in the range of <0.42 (LOD) to 1.92 ng/L of 17β-estradiol equivalents, and the drinking water source contained 0.74 ng/L of 17β-estradiol equivalents. About 19% of the estrogenicity could be explained by target chemical analyses, and the remaining estrogenicity can be at least partially attributed to the potentiation effect of detected surfactant residues. Drinking water contained several PhACs and estrogens, but the overall assessment suggested minor human health risk according to the relevant effect-based trigger values. To our knowledge, this study provides some of the first comprehensive information on the levels of PhACs and hormones in Iranian waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shima Kouhi Dehkordi
- Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Department of Fisheries, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Hamed Paknejad
- Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Department of Fisheries, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Ludek Blaha
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX Centre, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, 625 00, Czechia
| | - Helena Svecova
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, Vodňany, 389 25, Czechia
| | - Roman Grabic
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, Vodňany, 389 25, Czechia
| | - Zdenek Simek
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX Centre, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, 625 00, Czechia
| | - Alena Otoupalikova
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX Centre, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, 625 00, Czechia
| | - Michal Bittner
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, RECETOX Centre, Kamenice 753/5, Brno, 625 00, Czechia.
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24
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Petosa AR, Nowierski M, Yargeau V. Assessing Performance of Wastewater Treatment Using in Vitro Cell-based Assays. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2022; 82:21-36. [PMID: 34748030 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-021-00900-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bioanalytical tools, namely in vitro bioassays, can be employed in tandem with chemical analyses to assess the efficacy of wastewater treatment and the potential for adverse effects from the discharges of wastewater into receiving waters. In the present study, samples of untreated wastewater (i.e., influent) and treated wastewater (i.e., effluent) were collected from two wastewater treatment plants and a wastewater treatment lagoon to investigate potential differences in treatment performance. In addition, grab samples of surface water were collected downstream of the lagoon discharge to evaluate the water quality in the receiving stream. After solid-phase extraction (SPE) using ion exchange columns for basic/neutral and acidic compounds, respectively, the extracts were analyzed for a suite of 16 indicator compounds. The two SPE extracts were combined for analysis of biological responses in four in vitro cell-based bioassays. The concentrations of several indicator compounds, including the estrogens, 17β-estradiol (E2) and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), were below the limits of detection. However, androstenedione and estrone were detected in several influent samples. The concentrations of these steroid hormones and some of the other indicator compounds declined during treatment, but acesulfame K, carbamazepine, trimethoprim and DEET persisted in the effluent. The MTS-CellTiter 96® AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay (MTS) indicated that cell viability was not affected by exposure to the extracts. The Qiagen Nuclear Receptors 10-Pathway Reporter Array indicated that several cellular pathways were upregulated, with the greatest upregulation observed with the estrogen receptor (i.e., induction ratios of 12 to 47) and the liver X receptor (i.e., induction ratios of 10 to 45). The ERα CALUX assay indicated that estrogenic activity was lower in effluents compared to influents, but the expected improved removal of estrogenic activity during nitrification was not observed. The results of the Nrf2 Luciferase Luminescence Assay indicated a lower oxidative stress in the effluent samples, except for the lagoon. Overall, the present study further demonstrates that bioassays provide complementary information to chemical analyses and offer a way to assess treatment performance, even when target contaminants are not detected. There are thus advantages to using a combination of chemical analyses and in vitro bioassays to monitor the treatment efficiency of wastewater treatment plants and to predict the potential impacts of wastewater discharges into receiving waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adamo Riccardo Petosa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 0C5, Canada
| | - Monica Nowierski
- Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Viviane Yargeau
- Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University St., Montreal, QC, H3A 0C5, Canada.
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25
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Schuijt LM, Peng FJ, van den Berg SJP, Dingemans MML, Van den Brink PJ. (Eco)toxicological tests for assessing impacts of chemical stress to aquatic ecosystems: Facts, challenges, and future. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148776. [PMID: 34328937 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of chemicals in the aquatic environment by chemical analysis alone cannot completely assess and predict the effects of chemicals on aquatic species and ecosystems. This is primarily because of the increasing number of (unknown) chemical stressors and mixture effects present in the environment. In addition, the ability of ecological indices to identify underlying stressors causing negative ecological effects is limited. Therefore, additional complementary methods are needed that can address the biological effects in a direct manner and provide a link to chemical exposure, i.e. (eco)toxicological tests. (Eco)toxicological tests are defined as test systems that expose biological components (cells, individuals, populations, communities) to (environmental mixtures of) chemicals to register biological effects. These tests measure responses at the sub-organismal (biomarkers and in vitro bioassays), whole-organismal, population, or community level. We performed a literature search to obtain a state-of-the-art overview of ecotoxicological tests available for assessing impacts of chemicals to aquatic biota and to reveal datagaps. In total, we included 509 biomarkers, 207 in vitro bioassays, 422 tests measuring biological effects at the whole-organismal level, and 78 tests at the population- community- and ecosystem-level. Tests at the whole-organismal level and biomarkers were most abundant for invertebrates and fish, whilst in vitro bioassays are mostly based on mammalian cell lines. Tests at the community- and ecosystem-level were almost missing for organisms other than microorganisms and algae. In addition, we provide an overview of the various extrapolation challenges faced in using data from these tests and suggest some forward looking perspectives. Although extrapolating the measured responses to relevant protection goals remains challenging, the combination of ecotoxicological experiments and models is key for a more comprehensive assessment of the effects of chemical stressors to aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara M Schuijt
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Feng-Jiao Peng
- Wageningen Environmental Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Population Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B rue Thomas Edison, 1445 Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Sanne J P van den Berg
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen Environmental Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Milou M L Dingemans
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Paul J Van den Brink
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen Environmental Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
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26
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Boonen I, De Nys S, Vervliet P, Covaci A, Van Landuyt KL, Duca RC, Godderis L, Denison MS, Elskens M. Assessing the estrogenic activity of chemicals present in resin based dental composites and in leachates of commercially available composites using the ERα-CALUX bioassay. Dent Mater 2021; 37:1834-1844. [PMID: 34579959 DOI: 10.1016/j.dental.2021.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The biocompatibility of resin based dental composites has not yet been fully characterized even though certain monomers used in these composites are synthesized from Bisphenol A (BPA), a well-known estrogenic endocrine disruptor. As a result, they show structural relationship to BPA and can contain it as an impurity. Therefore, the estrogenic activity of 9 monomers, 2 photoinitiators, one photostabilizer and leachates of 4 commercially available composites was determined. METHODS The ERα-CALUX bioassay was used to determine both agonistic and antagonistic estrogenic activities of the pure compounds (BPA, BisDMA, BisGMA, BisEMA(3), BisEMA(6), BisEMA(10), TEGDMA, TCD-DI-HEA, BADGE, UDMA, HMBP, DMPA, CQ) and the leachates of cured composite disks. The leachates of 4 commercially available composites (Solitaire 2, Ceram.x Spectra ST, G-ænial Posterior and Filtek Supreme XTE) in water and 0.1 M NaOH (pH = 13, 'worst-case scenario') were tested for estrogenic activity (pooled leachates from 10 cured composite disks). RESULTS Agonistic estrogenic activity was found for the monomer BisDMA, the photostabilizer HMBP and photoinitiator DMPA. All leachates from the 4 tested composites showed significant agonistic estrogenic activity higher than the DMSO control, and the highest activity (potency and efficacy) was found for Solitaire 2, followed by Ceram.x Spectra ST. Furthermore, antagonistic estrogenic activity was found in the leachates from G-ænial Posterior. SIGNIFICANCE These results show that significant estrogenic activity was found in all leachates of the cured composite disks, and that this estrogenicity is most likely due to a mixture effect of multiple estrogenic compounds (including BPA, HMBP and DMPA). This indicates that further research into the endocrine activity of all the compounds that are present in these composites (even at low quantities) and their possible mixture effect is warranted to guarantee their safe use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imke Boonen
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry, Brussels, 1050, Belgium.
| | - Siemon De Nys
- KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Department of Oral Health Sciences, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | | | - Adrian Covaci
- University of Antwerp, Toxicological Centre, Antwerp, 2000, Belgium
| | - Kirsten L Van Landuyt
- KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Department of Oral Health Sciences, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Radu Corneliu Duca
- KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Environment and Health, Leuven, 3000, Belgium; National Health Laboratory (LNS), Department of Health Protection, Environmental Hygiene and Human Biological Monitoring, Dudelange, L-3555, Luxembourg
| | - Lode Godderis
- KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Environment and Health, Leuven, 3000, Belgium; IDEWE, External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work, Interleuvenlaan 58, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Michael S Denison
- University of California at Davis, Department of Environmental Toxicology, Davis, 95616, USA
| | - Marc Elskens
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry, Brussels, 1050, Belgium
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27
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Houtman CJ, Brewster K, Ten Broek R, Duijve B, van Oorschot Y, Rosielle M, Lamoree MH, Steen RJCA. Characterisation of (anti-)progestogenic and (anti-)androgenic activities in surface and wastewater using high resolution effectdirected analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 153:106536. [PMID: 33812044 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The quality of surface waters is threatened by pollution with low concentrations of bioactive chemicals, among which those interfering with steroid hormone systems. Induced by reports of anti-progestogenic activity in surface waters, a two-year four-weekly survey of (anti-)progestogenic activity was performed at three surface water locations in the Netherlands that serve as abstraction points for the production of drinking water. As certain endogenous and synthetic progestogenic compounds are also potent (anti-)androgens, these activities were also investigated. Anti-progestogenic and anti-androgenic activities were detected in the majority of the monitoring samples, sometimes in concentrations exceeding effect-based trigger values, indicating the need for further research. To characterize the compounds responsible for the activities, a high resolution Effect-Directed Analysis (hr-EDA) panel was combined with PR and AR CALUX bioassays, performed in agonistic and antagonistic modes. The influent and effluent of a domestic wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were included as effluent is a possible emission source of active compounds. As drivers for androgenic and progestogenic activities several native and synthetic steroid hormones were identified in the WWTP samples, namely androstenedione, testosterone, DHT, levonorgestrel and cyproterone acetate. The pesticides metolachlor and cyazofamid were identified as contributors to both the anti-progestogenic and anti-androgenic activities in surface water. In addition, epiconazole contributed to the anti-progestogenic activities in the rivers Rhine and Enclosed Meuse. This study showed the strength of hr-EDA for the identification of bioactive compounds in environmental samples and shed light on the drivers of (anti-)progestogenic and (anti-)androgenic activities in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Kevin Brewster
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Rob Ten Broek
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Bente Duijve
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | | | - Martine Rosielle
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Marja H Lamoree
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Ruud J C A Steen
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
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28
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Bradley PM, LeBlanc DR, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Focazio MJ, Cardon MC, Clark JM, Conley JM, Evans N, Givens CE, Gray JL, Earl Gray L, Hartig PC, Higgins CP, Hladik ML, Iwanowicz LR, Loftin KA, Blaine McCleskey R, McDonough CA, Medlock-Kakaley EK, Weis CP, Wilson VS. Public and private tapwater: Comparative analysis of contaminant exposure and potential risk, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 152:106487. [PMID: 33752165 PMCID: PMC8268049 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Humans are primary drivers of environmental contamination worldwide, including in drinking-water resources. In the United States (US), federal and state agencies regulate and monitor public-supply drinking water while private-supply monitoring is rare; the current lack of directly comparable information on contaminant-mixture exposures and risks between private- and public-supplies undermines tapwater (TW) consumer decision-making. METHODS We compared private- and public-supply residential point-of-use TW at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where both supplies share the same groundwater source. TW from 10 private- and 10 public-supply homes was analyzed for 487 organic, 38 inorganic, 8 microbial indicators, and 3 in vitro bioactivities. Concentrations were compared to existing protective health-based benchmarks, and aggregated Hazard Indices (HI) of regulated and unregulated TW contaminants were calculated along with ratios of in vitro exposure-activity cutoffs. RESULTS Seventy organic and 28 inorganic constituents were detected in TW. Median detections were comparable, but median cumulative concentrations were substantially higher in public supply due to 6 chlorine-disinfected samples characterized by disinfection byproducts and corresponding lower heterotrophic plate counts. Public-supply applicable maximum contaminant (nitrate) and treatment action (lead and copper) levels were exceeded in private-supply TW samples only. Exceedances of health-based HI screening levels of concern were common to both TW supplies. DISCUSSION These Cape Cod results indicate comparable cumulative human-health concerns from contaminant exposures in private- and public-supply TW in a shared source-water setting. Importantly, although this study's analytical coverage exceeds that currently feasible for water purveyors or homeowners, it nevertheless is a substantial underestimation of the full breadth of contaminant mixtures documented in the environment and potentially present in drinking water. CONCLUSION Regardless of the supply, increased public engagement in source-water protection and drinking-water treatment, including consumer point-of-use treatment, is warranted to reduce risks associated with long-term TW contaminant exposures, especially in vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Mary C Cardon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - L Earl Gray
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher P Weis
- U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Stavreva DA, Collins M, McGowan A, Varticovski L, Raziuddin R, Brody DO, Zhao J, Lee J, Kuehn R, Dehareng E, Mazza N, Pegoraro G, Hager GL. Mapping multiple endocrine disrupting activities in Virginia rivers using effect-based assays. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 773:145602. [PMID: 33592464 PMCID: PMC8026610 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Water sources are frequently contaminated with natural and anthropogenic substances having known or suspected endocrine disrupting activities; however, these activities are not routinely measured and monitored. Phenotypic bioassays are a promising new approach for detection and quantitation of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). We developed cell lines expressing fluorescent chimeric constructs capable of detecting environmental contaminants which interact with multiple nuclear receptors. Using these assays, we tested water samples collected in the summers of 2016, 2017 and 2018 from two major Virginia rivers. Samples were concentrated 200× and screened for contaminants interacting with the androgen (AR), glucocorticoid (GR), aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) and thyroid receptors. Among 45 tested sites, over 70% had AR activity and 60% had AhR activity. Many sites were also positive for GR and TRβ activation (22% and 42%, respectively). Multiple sites were positive for more than one type of contaminants, indicating presence of complex mixtures. These activities may negatively impact river ecosystems and consequently human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana A Stavreva
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| | - Michael Collins
- Center for Natural Capital, PO Box 901, Orange, VA, United States
| | - Andrew McGowan
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Lyuba Varticovski
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Razi Raziuddin
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - David Owen Brody
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Jerry Zhao
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Johnna Lee
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Riley Kuehn
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Elisabeth Dehareng
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Nicholas Mazza
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Gianluca Pegoraro
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Gordon L Hager
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
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30
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Medlock Kakaley E, Cardon MC, Evans N, Iwanowicz LR, Allen JM, Wagner E, Bokenkamp K, Richardson SD, Plewa MJ, Bradley PM, Romanok KM, Kolpin DW, Conley JM, Gray LE, Hartig PC, Wilson VS. In vitro effects-based method and water quality screening model for use in pre- and post-distribution treated waters. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 768:144750. [PMID: 33736315 PMCID: PMC8085790 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Recent urban public water supply contamination events emphasize the importance of screening treated drinking water quality after distribution. In vitro bioassays, when run concurrently with analytical chemistry methods, are effective tools to evaluating the efficacy of water treatment processes and water quality. We tested 49 water samples representing the Chicago Department of Water Management service areas for estrogen, (anti)androgen, glucocorticoid receptor-activating contaminants and cytotoxicity. We present a tiered screening approach suitable to samples with anticipated low-level activity and initially tested all extracts for statistically identifiable endocrine activity; performing a secondary dilution-response analysis to determine sample EC50 and biological equivalency values (BioEq). Estrogenic activity was detected in untreated Lake Michigan intake water samples using mammalian (5/49; median: 0.21 ng E2Eq/L) and yeast cell (5/49; 1.78 ng E2Eq/L) bioassays. A highly sensitive (anti)androgenic activity bioassay was applied for the first time to water quality screening and androgenic activity was detected in untreated intake and treated pre-distribution samples (4/49; 0.93 ng DHTEq/L). No activity was identified above method detection limits in the yeast androgenic, mammalian anti-androgenic, and both glucocorticoid bioassays. Known estrogen receptor agonists were detected using HPLC/MS-MS (estrone: 0.72-1.4 ng/L; 17α-estradiol: 1.3-1.5 ng/L; 17β-estradiol: 1.4 ng/L; equol: 8.8 ng/L), however occurrence did not correlate with estrogenic bioassay results. Many studies have applied bioassays to water quality monitoring using only relatively small samples sets often collected from surface and/or wastewater effluent. However, to realistically adapt these tools to treated water quality monitoring, water quality managers must have the capacity to screen potentially hundreds of samples in short timeframes. Therefore, we provided a tiered screening model that increased sample screening speed, without sacrificing statistical stringency, and detected estrogenic and androgenic activity only in pre-distribution Chicago area samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Medlock Kakaley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, 109 TW Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27511, United States of America.
| | - Mary C Cardon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, 109 TW Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27511, United States of America
| | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, 109 TW Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27511, United States of America
| | - Luke R Iwanowicz
- U.S. Geological Survey, Leetown Science Center, 11649 Leetown Rd, Kearneysville, WV 25430, United States of America
| | - Joshua M Allen
- University of South Carolina, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Graduate Science Research Center, 631 Sumter St, Columbia, SC 29208, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Wagner
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Crop Sciences, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Katherine Bokenkamp
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Crop Sciences, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Susan D Richardson
- University of South Carolina, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Graduate Science Research Center, 631 Sumter St, Columbia, SC 29208, United States of America
| | - Michael J Plewa
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Crop Sciences, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Paul M Bradley
- U.S. Geological Survey, South Carolina Water Science Center, 720 Gracern Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, United States of America
| | - Kristin M Romanok
- U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science Center, 3450 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, United States of America
| | - Dana W Kolpin
- U.S. Geological Survey, Central Midwest Water Science Center, 400 S Clinton St Room 269, Iowa City, IA 52240, United States of America
| | - Justin M Conley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, 109 TW Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27511, United States of America
| | - L Earl Gray
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, 109 TW Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27511, United States of America
| | - Phillip C Hartig
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, 109 TW Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27511, United States of America
| | - Vickie S Wilson
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, 109 TW Alexander Dr., Research Triangle Park, NC 27511, United States of America
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Been F, Pronk T, Louisse J, Houtman C, van der Velden-Slootweg T, van der Oost R, Dingemans MML. Development of a framework to derive effect-based trigger values to interpret CALUX data for drinking water quality. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 193:116859. [PMID: 33540341 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.116859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bioassays are increasingly being implemented for water quality monitoring as targeted chemical analyses are not always sufficient for the detection of all emerging chemicals or transformation products. However, the interpretation of bioassay results remains challenging, in particular because a positive response does not necessarily indicate that there may be an increased risk. For this purpose, effect-based trigger (EBT) values have been introduced as thresholds above which action needs to be undertaken to determine the cause of the response. The goals of this study were to (i) evaluate various approaches used to determine EBT values and (ii) based on the findings, derive human health EBT values for Chemical Activated LUciferase gene eXpression (CALUX) in vitro bioassays used for routine monitoring of water quality in the Netherlands. Finally, (iii) an uncertainty analysis was carried out to determine the protective power of the derived EBT values and the chance that potentially harmful substances might not be detected. EBT values that can be implemented in routine monitoring could be determined for four of eight selected bioassays. These EBT were compared to bioassay results from routine water quality monitoring carried out in the Netherlands. Furthermore, a framework for the calculation and evaluation of derived EBT values for routine application to monitor drinking water and its sources is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Been
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433BB Nieuwegein, Netherlands.
| | - Tessa Pronk
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433BB Nieuwegein, Netherlands
| | - Jochem Louisse
- Wageningen Food Safety Research, Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708WB Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Corine Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003RS Haarlem, Netherlands
| | | | - Ron van der Oost
- Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Milou M L Dingemans
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433BB Nieuwegein, Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Oskarsson A, Rosenmai AK, Mandava G, Johannisson A, Holmes A, Tröger R, Lundqvist J. Assessment of source and treated water quality in seven drinking water treatment plants by in vitro bioassays - Oxidative stress and antiandrogenic effects after artificial infiltration. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:144001. [PMID: 33338789 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water quality and treatment efficacy was investigated in seven drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), using water from the river Göta Älv, which also is a recipient of treated sewage water. A panel of cell-based bioassays was used, including measurements of receptor activity of aryl hydrocarbon (AhR), estrogen (ER), androgen (AR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) as well as induction of oxidative stress (Nrf2) and micronuclei formation. Grab water samples were concentrated by solid phase extraction (SPE) and water samples were analyzed at a relative enrichment factor of 50. High activities of AhR, ER and AR antagonism were present in WWTP outlets along the river. Inlet water from the river exhibited AhR and AR antagonistic activities. AhR activity was removed by DWTPs using granulated activated carbon (GAC) and artificial infiltration. AR antagonistic activity was removed by the treatment plants, except the artificial infiltration plant, which actually increased the activity. Furthermore, treated drinking water from the DWTP using artificial infiltration exhibited high Nrf2 activity, which was not found in any of the other water samples. Nrf2 activity was found in water from eight of the 13 abstraction wells, collecting water from the artificial infiltration. No genotoxic activity was detected at non-cytotoxic concentrations. No Nrf2 or AR antagonistic activities were detected in the inlet or outlet water after the DWTP had been replaced by a new plant, using membrane ultrafiltration and GAC. Neither target chemical analysis, nor chemical analysis according to the drinking water regulation, detected any presence of chemicals, which could be responsible of the prominent effects on oxidative stress and AR antagonistic activity in the drinking water samples. Thus, bioanalysis is a useful tool for detection of unknown hazards in drinking water and for assessment of drinking water treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agneta Oskarsson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Anna Kjerstine Rosenmai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Geeta Mandava
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anders Johannisson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Kungälv Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Filaregatan 15, SE-442 81 Kungälv, Sweden
| | - Rikard Tröger
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Lundqvist
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Bain PA, Gregg A, Pandey AK, Mudiam MKR, Neale PA, Kumar A. Using bioanalytical tools to detect and track organic micropollutants in the Ganga River near two major cities. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 404:124135. [PMID: 33049624 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Major rivers in India are subject to ongoing impacts from urban drain discharges, most of which contain high levels of domestic and industrial wastewater and stormwater. The aim of the present study was to determine the levels of bioactive organic micropollutants at the discharge points of major urban drains in comparison to upstream and downstream sites. To achieve this, we employed a panel of in vitro bioanalytical tools to quantify estrogenic, androgenic, progestogenic, glucocorticoid and peroxisome proliferator-like activity in water extracts collected from two Indian cities in the Ganga Basin. Cytotoxicity of the water extracts in a human-derived cell line and the potential to cause oxidative stress in a fish cell line were also investigated. We found high levels of activity for all endpoints in samples directly receiving urban drain discharge and low levels at sites upstream from drain discharges. Estrogenicity was detected at levels equivalent to 10 ng/L 17β-estradiol, representing a high likelihood of biomarker effects in fish. Sites located downstream from drain discharges exhibited low to intermediate activity in all assays. This study demonstrates the importance of managing urban drain discharges and the utility of applying bioanalytical tools to assess water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Bain
- CSIRO Land and Water, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond 5062, South Australia, Australia
| | - Adrienne Gregg
- CSIRO Land and Water, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond 5062, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alok K Pandey
- Nanomaterial Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Vishvigyan Bhavan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India
| | - Mohana Krishna Reddy Mudiam
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Analytical & Structural Chemistry Department, Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007, India
| | - Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport 4222, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anu Kumar
- CSIRO Land and Water, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond 5062, South Australia, Australia.
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Escher BI, Neale PA. Effect-Based Trigger Values for Mixtures of Chemicals in Surface Water Detected with In Vitro Bioassays. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:487-499. [PMID: 33252775 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Effect-based trigger (EBT) values for in vitro bioassays are important for surface water quality monitoring because they define the threshold between acceptable and poor water quality. They have been derived for highly specific bioassays, such as hormone-receptor activation in reporter gene bioassays, by reading across from existing chemical guideline values. This read-across method is not easily applicable to bioassays indicative of adaptive stress responses, which are triggered by many different chemicals, and activation of nuclear receptors for xenobiotic metabolism, to which many chemicals bind with rather low specificity. We propose an alternative approach to define the EBT from the distribution of specificity ratios of all active chemicals. The specificity ratio is the ratio between the predicted baseline toxicity of a chemical in a given bioassay and its measured specific endpoint. Unlike many previous read-across methods to derive EBTs, the proposed method accounts for mixture effects and includes all chemicals, not only high-potency chemicals. The EBTs were derived from a cytotoxicity EBT that was defined as equivalent to 1% of cytotoxicity in a native surface water sample. The cytotoxicity EBT was scaled by the median of the log-normal distribution of specificity ratios to derive the EBT for effects specific for each bioassay. We illustrate the new approach using the example of the AREc32 assay, indicative of the oxidative stress response, and 2 nuclear receptor assays targeting the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and the arylhydrocarbon receptor. The EBTs were less conservative than previously proposed but were able to differentiate untreated and insufficiently treated wastewater from wastewater treatment plant effluent with secondary or tertiary treatment and surface water. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:487-499. © 2020 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate I Escher
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
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35
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Vinggaard AM, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC, Jensen TK, Fernandez MF, Rosenmai AK, Taxvig C, Rodriguez-Carrillo A, Wielsøe M, Long M, Olea N, Antignac JP, Hamers T, Lamoree M. Receptor-based in vitro activities to assess human exposure to chemical mixtures and related health impacts. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106191. [PMID: 33068852 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Humans are exposed to a large number of chemicals from sources such as the environment, food, and consumer products. There is growing concern that human exposure to chemical mixtures, especially during critical periods of development, increases the risk of adverse health effects in newborns or later in life. Historically, the one-chemical-at-a-time approach has been applied both for exposure assessment and hazard characterisation, leading to insufficient knowledge about human health effects caused by exposure to mixtures of chemicals that have the same target. To circumvent this challenge researchers can apply in vitro assays to analyse both exposure to and human health effects of chemical mixtures in biological samples. The advantages of using in vitro assays are: (i) that an integrated effect is measured, taking combined mixture effects into account and (ii) that in vitro assays can reduce complexity in identification of Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) in human tissues. We have reviewed the state-of-the-art on the use of receptor-based in vitro assays to assess human exposure to chemical mixtures and related health impacts. A total of 43 studies were identified, in which endpoints for the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR), the estrogen receptor (ER), and the androgen receptor (AR) were used. The majority of studies reported biological activities that could be associated with breast cancer incidence, male reproductive health effects, developmental toxicities, human demographic characteristics or lifestyle factors such as dietary patterns. A few studies used the bioactivities to check the coverage of the chemical analyses of the human samples, whereas in vitro assays have so far not regularly been used for identifying CECs in human samples, but rather in environmental matrices or food packaging materials. A huge field of novel applications using receptor-based in vitro assays for mixture toxicity assessment on human samples and effect-directed analysis (EDA) using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for identification of toxic compounds waits for exploration. In the future this could lead to a paradigm shift in the way we unravel adverse human health effects caused by chemical mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Vinggaard
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark; Greenland's Centre for Health Research, University of Greenland, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Tina Kold Jensen
- Dep of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark
| | - Mariana F Fernandez
- School of Medicine, Center of Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Anna Kjerstine Rosenmai
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Camilla Taxvig
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet Building 202, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Maria Wielsøe
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Manhai Long
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Nicolas Olea
- School of Medicine, Center of Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain
| | | | - Timo Hamers
- Vrije Universiteit, Department Environment & Health, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marja Lamoree
- Vrije Universiteit, Department Environment & Health, De Boelelaan 1108, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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González A, Kroll KJ, Silva-Sanchez C, Carriquiriborde P, Fernandino JI, Denslow ND, Somoza GM. Steroid hormones and estrogenic activity in the wastewater outfall and receiving waters of the Chascomús chained shallow lakes system (Argentina). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140401. [PMID: 32653700 PMCID: PMC7492445 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 06/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Natural and synthetic steroid hormones, excreted by humans and farmed animals, have been considered as important sources of environmental endocrine disruptors. A suite of estrogens, androgens and progestogens was measured in the wastewater treatment plant outfall (WWTPO) of Chascomús city (Buenos Aires province, Argentina), and receiving waters located downstream and upstream from the WWTPO, using solid phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The following natural hormones were measured: 17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), estriol (E3), testosterone (T), 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), progesterone (P), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) and the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2). Also, in order to complement the analytical method, the estrogenic activity in these surface water samples was evaluated using the in vitro transactivation bioassay that measures the estrogen receptor (ER) activity using mammalian cells. All-natural steroid hormones measured, except 17OHP, were detected in all analyzed water samples. E3, E1, EE2 and DHT were the most abundant and frequently detected. Downstream of the WWTPO, the concentration levels of all compounds decreased reaching low levels at 4500 m from the WWTPO. Upstream, 1500 m from the WWTPO, six out of eight steroid hormones analyzed were detected: DHT, T, P, 17OHP, E3 and E2. Moreover, water samples from the WWTPO and 200 m downstream from it showed estrogenic activity exceeding that of the EC50 of the E2 standard curve. In sum, this work demonstrates the presence of sex steroid hormones and estrogenic activity, as measured by an in vitro assay, in superficial waters of the Pampas region. It also suggests the possibility of an unidentified source upstream of the wastewater outfall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anelisa González
- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Kevin J Kroll
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cecilia Silva-Sanchez
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Pedro Carriquiriborde
- Centro de Investigaciones del Medioambiente (UNLP-CONICET), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan I Fernandino
- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nancy D Denslow
- Department of Physiological Sciences and Center for Environmental and Human Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Gustavo M Somoza
- Instituto Tecnológico de Chascomús (CONICET-UNSAM), Chascomús, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Houtman CJ, Ten Broek R, van Oorschot Y, Kloes D, van der Oost R, Rosielle M, Lamoree MH. High resolution effect-directed analysis of steroid hormone (ant)agonists in surface and wastewater quality monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2020; 80:103460. [PMID: 32738293 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of chemical water quality is extremely challenging due to the large variety of compounds and the presence of biologically active compounds with unknown chemical identity. Previously, we developed a high resolution Effect-Directed Analysis (EDA) platform that combines liquid chromatography with high resolution mass spectrometry and parallel bioassay detection. In this study, the platform is combined with CALUX bioassays for (anti)androgenic, estrogenic and glucocorticoid activities, and the performance of the platform is evaluated. It appeared to render very repeatable results, with high recoveries of spiked compounds and high consistency between the mass spectrometric and bioassay results. Application of the platform to wastewater treatment plant effluent and surface water samples led to the identification of several compounds contributing to the measured activities. Eventually, a workflow is proposed for the application of the platform in a routine monitoring context. The workflow divides the platform into four phases, of which one to all can be performed depending on the research question and the results obtained. This allows one to make a balance between the effort put into the platform and the certainty and depth by which active compounds will be identified. The EDA platform is a valuable tool to identify unknown bioactive compounds, both in an academic setting as in the context of legislative, governmental or routine monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands.
| | - R Ten Broek
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Y van Oorschot
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - D Kloes
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - R van der Oost
- Department of Technology, Research and Engineering, Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M Rosielle
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - M H Lamoree
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Itzel F, Baetz N, Hohrenk LL, Gehrmann L, Antakyali D, Schmidt TC, Tuerk J. Evaluation of a biological post-treatment after full-scale ozonation at a municipal wastewater treatment plant. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 170:115316. [PMID: 31785561 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
To reduce the discharge of trace organic compounds into water bodies associated with potential toxic effects such as endocrine disruption, new advanced treatment methods are being investigated at several wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). One of the most studied and already implemented technologies is ozonation. However, ozonation only partially oxidizes trace organic compounds (TrOC) and as a result, transformation products (TPs) with unknown properties can be formed. In order to minimise the risk of releasing unknown and potentially toxic TPs into surface water, it is recommended to install a biological post-treatment after ozonation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a moving bed reactor following ozonation in a full-scale plant. Different ozone dosages (zspec. = 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 mg O3/mgDOC) were investigated. To assess the biological activity of the post-treatment, the assimilable organic carbon (AOC) was determined in addition to the formed biomass. Furthermore, selected TrOC were analysed in parallel to monitor the ozonation efficiency at different ozone doses. In addition, estrogenic, androgenic as well as corresponding antagonistic effects were investigated after each treatment step using the A-YES and A-YAS assay. A non-target screening was performed to evaluate a trend analysis of formed TPs as well as their removal by the post-treatment procedure. The results proved the successful design of the biological post-treatment reactor by a constant biofilm development and reduction of the AOC. Endocrine effects were removed below the limit of detection (LOD) of 10 pg EEQ/L already after ozonation for all applied ozone doses. Antagonistic effects were not significantly reduced during ozonation and subsequent biological post-treatment. For this reason, further research is needed to evaluate different post-treatment technologies. The trend analysis from non-target screening data showed a reduction of about 95% of the number of formed TPs by the biological post-treatment. Consequently, an assessment of the biological activity and the elimination capacity of a certain biological post-treatment technique is thus possible by applying the AOC in combination with a non-target screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Itzel
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Str. 58-60, 47229, Duisburg, Germany; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Nicolai Baetz
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Str. 58-60, 47229, Duisburg, Germany; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Lotta L Hohrenk
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Linda Gehrmann
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Str. 58-60, 47229, Duisburg, Germany
| | | | - Torsten C Schmidt
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany; IWW Zentrum Wasser, Moritzstr. 26, 45476, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Jochen Tuerk
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Str. 58-60, 47229, Duisburg, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany.
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Aziz M, Ojumu T. Exclusion of Estrogenic and Androgenic Steroid Hormones from Municipal Membrane Bioreactor Wastewater Using UF/NF/RO Membranes for Water Reuse Application. MEMBRANES 2020; 10:membranes10030037. [PMID: 32120927 PMCID: PMC7143240 DOI: 10.3390/membranes10030037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In the context of water scarcity, domestic secondary effluent reuse may be an option as a reliable source for alleviating acute water shortage. The increasing risks linked with the presence of natural steroid hormones and many emerging anthropogenic micropollutants (MPs) passing through municipal wastewater treatment works (MWWTWs) are of concern for their endocrine-disrupting activities. In this study, domestic wastewater treated by a full-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) at an MWWTW in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, was used directly as the influent to a reverse osmosis (RO) pilot plant for the removal of selected natural steroid hormones 17β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) as a potential indirect water recycling application. Estrogenicity and androgenicity were assessed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and the recombinant yeast estrogen receptor binding assays (YES). The influent pH and flux did not influence the rejection of E2 and T, which was most likely due to adsorption, size exclusion, and diffusion simultaneously. RO and nanofiltration (NF) exhibited excellent removal rates (>95%) for E2 and T. All the E2 effluent samples with MBR/ultrafiltration (UF), MBR/NF, and MBR/RO were lower than the US EPA and WHO trigger value of 0.7 ng/L, as well as the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) values for fish (1 ng E2/L).
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40
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Brunner AM, Bertelkamp C, Dingemans MML, Kolkman A, Wols B, Harmsen D, Siegers W, Martijn BJ, Oorthuizen WA, Ter Laak TL. Integration of target analyses, non-target screening and effect-based monitoring to assess OMP related water quality changes in drinking water treatment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 705:135779. [PMID: 31818566 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The ever-increasing production and use of chemicals lead to the occurrence of organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) in drinking water sources, and consequently the need for their removal during drinking water treatment. Due to the sheer number of OMPs, monitoring using targeted chemical analyses alone is not sufficient to assess drinking water quality as well as changes thereof during treatment. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) based non-target screening (NTS) as well as effect-based monitoring using bioassays are promising monitoring tools for a more complete assessment of water quality and treatment performance. Here, we developed a strategy that integrates data from chemical target analyses, NTS and bioassays. We applied it to the assessment of OMP related water quality changes at three drinking water treatment pilot installations. These installations included advanced oxidation processes, ultrafiltration in combination with reverse osmosis, and granular activated carbon filtration. OMPs relevant for the drinking water sector were spiked into the water treated in these installations. Target analyses, NTS and bioassays were performed on samples from all three installations. The NTS data was screened for predicted and known transformation products of the spike-in compounds. In parallel, trend profiles of NTS features were evaluated using multivariate analysis methods. Through integration of the chemical data with the biological effect-based results potential toxicity was accounted for during prioritization. Together, the synergy of the three analytical methods allowed the monitoring of OMPs and transformation products, as well as the integrative biological effects of the mixture of chemicals. Through efficient analysis, visualization and interpretation of complex data, the developed strategy enabled to assess water quality and the impact of water treatment from multiple perspectives. Such information could not be obtained by any of the three methods alone. The developed strategy thereby provides drinking water companies with an integrative tool for comprehensive water quality assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bas Wols
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Danny Harmsen
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Wolter Siegers
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Thomas L Ter Laak
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Univerisity of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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41
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Johann S, Esser M, Nüßer L, Altin D, Hollert H, Seiler TB. Receptor-mediated estrogenicity of native and chemically dispersed crude oil determined using adapted microscale reporter gene assays. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 134:105320. [PMID: 31739133 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) emerged as a major concern for water quality in the last decade and have been studied extensively since. Besides typical natural and synthetic estrogens also petroleum product compounds such as some PAHs have been identified as potential EDCs, revealing endocrine disruption to be a relevant mode of action for crude oil toxicity. Hence, in the context of a comprehensive retro- or prospective risk assessment of oil spills the implementation of mechanism-specific toxicity such as endocrine disruption is of high importance. To evaluate the exposure risk for the aquatic biota, research focuses on water-soluble fractions underlying an oil slick that could be simulated via water-accommodated fractions (WAF). Against this background human (ERα-CALUX®) and yeast based (A-YES®) reporter gene bioassays were successfully optimized for the application in estrogenicity evaluation of the water-accommodated fraction (WAF) from a crude oil. Combining different approaches, the estrogenicity of the WAFs from a naphthenic North Sea crude oil was tested with and without the addition of a chemical dispersant addressing specific aspects of estrogenicity including the influence of biotransformation capacities and different salinity conditions. Both the WAF free from droplets (LEWAF) as well as the chemically dispersed WAF (CEWAF) gave indications of an ER-mediated estrogenicity with much stronger ERα agonists in the CEWAF treatment. Resulting estradiol equivalents of the WAFs were above the established effect-based trigger values for both bioassays. Results indicate that the dispersant rather increased the fraction of ER-activating crude oil compounds instead of interacting with the receptor itself. Only slight changes in estrogenic responses were observed when cells capable of active metabolism (T47D) were used instead of cells without endogenous metabolism (U2-OS) in the recombinant ER transactivation CALUX assay. With the yeast cells a higher estrogenic activity was observed in the experiments under elevated salinity conditions (6‰), which was in contrast to previous expectations due to typical decrease in dissolved PAH fraction with increasing salinity (salting-out effect) but might be related to increased cell sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Johann
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Milena Esser
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Leonie Nüßer
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Henner Hollert
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Thomas-Benjamin Seiler
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
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Gaw S, Harford A, Pettigrove V, Sevicke‐Jones G, Manning T, Ataria J, Cresswell T, Dafforn KA, Leusch FDL, Moggridge B, Cameron M, Chapman J, Coates G, Colville A, Death C, Hageman K, Hassell K, Hoak M, Gadd J, Jolley DF, Karami A, Kotzakoulakis K, Lim R, McRae N, Metzeling L, Mooney T, Myers J, Pearson A, Saaristo M, Sharley D, Stuthe J, Sutherland O, Thomas O, Tremblay L, Wood W, Boxall ABA, Rudd MA, Brooks BW. Towards Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for the Australasian Region of Oceania. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2019; 15:917-935. [PMID: 31273905 PMCID: PMC6899907 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Environmental challenges persist across the world, including the Australasian region of Oceania, where biodiversity hotspots and unique ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef are common. These systems are routinely affected by multiple stressors from anthropogenic activities, and increasingly influenced by global megatrends (e.g., the food-energy-water nexus, demographic transitions to cities) and climate change. Here we report priority research questions from the Global Horizon Scanning Project, which aimed to identify, prioritize, and advance environmental quality research needs from an Australasian perspective, within a global context. We employed a transparent and inclusive process of soliciting key questions from Australasian members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Following submission of 78 questions, 20 priority research questions were identified during an expert workshop in Nelson, New Zealand. These research questions covered a range of issues of global relevance, including research needed to more closely integrate ecotoxicology and ecology for the protection of ecosystems, increase flexibility for prioritizing chemical substances currently in commerce, understand the impacts of complex mixtures and multiple stressors, and define environmental quality and ecosystem integrity of temporary waters. Some questions have specific relevance to Australasia, particularly the uncertainties associated with using toxicity data from exotic species to protect unique indigenous species. Several related priority questions deal with the theme of how widely international ecotoxicological data and databases can be applied to regional ecosystems. Other timely questions, which focus on improving predictive chemistry and toxicology tools and techniques, will be important to answer several of the priority questions identified here. Another important question raised was how to protect local cultural and social values and maintain indigenous engagement during problem formulation and identification of ecosystem protection goals. Addressing these questions will be challenging, but doing so promises to advance environmental sustainability in Oceania and globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Gaw
- School of Physical and Chemical SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Andrew Harford
- Department of the Environment and EnergyAustralian Government, DarwinAustralia
| | - Vincent Pettigrove
- Aquatic Environmental Stress Research CentreRMIT University, BundooraVictoriaAustralia
| | | | | | | | - Tom Cresswell
- Australia's Nuclear Science and Technology OrganisationLucas HeightsAustralia
| | | | - Frederic DL Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment and ScienceGriffith UniversityBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Bradley Moggridge
- Institute for Applied EcologyUniversity of CanberraCanberraAustralia
| | | | - John Chapman
- Office of Environment and HeritageNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Gary Coates
- Te Rūnanga o Ngāi TahuChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Anne Colville
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Technology SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Claire Death
- Faculty of Veterinary ScienceUniversity of MelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Kimberly Hageman
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryUtah State University, LoganUtahUSA
| | - Kathryn Hassell
- Aquatic Environmental Stress Research CentreRMIT University, BundooraVictoriaAustralia
| | - Molly Hoak
- School of BiosciencesThe University of Melbourne, ParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Jennifer Gadd
- National Institute of Atmospheric and Water ResearchAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Dianne F Jolley
- Faculty of Science, University of Technology SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Ali Karami
- Environmental Futures Research InstituteGriffith UniversityBrisbaneAustralia
| | | | - Richard Lim
- Faculty of Science, University of Technology SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Nicole McRae
- School of Physical and Chemical SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | | | - Thomas Mooney
- Department of the Environment and EnergyAustralian Government, DarwinAustralia
| | - Jackie Myers
- Aquatic Environmental Stress Research CentreRMIT University, BundooraVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Minna Saaristo
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Dave Sharley
- Bio2Lab, Melbourne Innovation CentreGreensboroughAustralia
| | | | | | - Oliver Thomas
- School of Applied Chemistry and Environmental ScienceRMIT University, MelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Louis Tremblay
- Cawthron InstituteNelsonNew Zealand
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
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Schilter B, Burnett K, Eskes C, Geurts L, Jacquet M, Kirchnawy C, Oldring P, Pieper G, Pinter E, Tacker M, Traussnig H, Van Herwijnen P, Boobis A. Value and limitation of in vitro bioassays to support the application of the threshold of toxicological concern to prioritise unidentified chemicals in food contact materials. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess 2019; 36:1903-1936. [PMID: 31550212 DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2019.1664772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Some of the chemicals in materials used for packaging food may leak into the food, resulting in human exposure. These include so-called Non-intentionally Added Substances (NIAS), many of them being unidentified and toxicologically uncharacterized. This raises the question of how to address their safety. An approach consisting of identification and toxicologically testing all of them appears neither feasible nor necessary. Instead, it has been proposed to use the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) Cramer class III to prioritise unknown NIAS on which further safety investigations should focus. Use of the Cramer class III TTC for this purpose would be appropriate if amongst others sufficient evidence were available that the unknown chemicals were not acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or direct DNA-reactive mutagens. While knowledge of the material and analytical chemistry may efficiently address the first concern, the second could not be addressed in this way. An alternative would be use of a bioassay capable of detecting DNA-reactive mutagens at very low levels. No fully satisfactory bioassay was identified. The Ames test appeared the most suitable since it specifically detects DNA-reactive mutagens and the limit of biological detection of highly potent genotoxic carcinogens is low. It is proposed that for a specific migrate, the evidence for absence of mutagenicity based on the Ames test, together with analytical chemistry and information on packaging manufacture could allow application of the Cramer class III TTC to prioritise unknown NIAS. Recommendations, as well as research proposals, have been developed on sample preparation and bioassay improvement with the ultimate aim of improving limits of biological detection of mutagens. Although research is still necessary, the proposed approach should bring significant benefits over the current practices used for safety evaluation of food contact materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Schilter
- Food Safety Research Department, Nestlé Research, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, Switzerland
| | | | - Chantra Eskes
- Services & Consultations on Alternative Methods (SeCAM), Magliaso, Switzerland and Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC), Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lucie Geurts
- International Life Sciences Institute Europe, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mélanie Jacquet
- Danone Food Safety Center, Danone S.A., Danone Food Safety Center, Palaiseau, France
| | - Christian Kirchnawy
- Technical Competence Center, OFI - Austrian Research Institute for Chemistry and Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Elisabeth Pinter
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Manfred Tacker
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Alan Boobis
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
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44
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Recent developments and concepts of effect-based methods for the detection of endocrine activity and the importance of antagonistic effects. Trends Analyt Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2019.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Guo W, Van Langenhove K, Vandermarken T, Denison MS, Elskens M, Baeyens W, Gao Y. In situ measurement of estrogenic activity in various aquatic systems using organic diffusive gradients in thin-film coupled with ERE-CALUX bioassay. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 127:13-20. [PMID: 30897513 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Organic-diffusive gradients in thin-film samplers (o-DGT), were developed and applied for accumulation of estrogen and estrogen-like compounds on a XAD18 resin and deployed in situ in the effluents of Beijing Gaobeidian Wastewater Treatment Plant (GWWTP) and Brussels North Wastewater Treatment Plant as well as in several aquatic systems in Belgium, including the Zenne River, the Belgian Oostende Harbor and the North Sea. Estrogenic compounds accumulate on the XAD18 resin and the estrogenic activity of the resin extract was measured with the Estrogen Responsive Elements-Chemically Activated LUciferase gene eXpression (ERE-CALUX) bioassay. With this result and by applying Fick's diffusion law, it is possible to calculate the estrogenic activity in the aquatic system, if the diffusion boundary layer (DBL) is known or negligible compared to the hydrogel diffusive layer thickness. The DBL thickness in our study varied from 0.010 to 0.023 cm and ignoring the DBL thickness would for instance, underestimate the estrogenic activity by 10-20%. Estrogenic activities in the secondary effluent of GWWTP were the highest (29 ± 4 ng E2-equivalents L-1), while the lowest level was found at the Belgian Oostende Harbor (0.05 ± 0.01 ng E2-equivalents L-1). Comparable estrogenic activities in water samples measured by o-DGT and grab sampling were obtained, confirming that o-DGT can be efficiently used in various aquatic systems. The advantage of our sampling and measuring method is that very low, time averaged estrogenic activities can be determined, with a minimum of sample treatment. The risk of sample contamination is very low as well as the cost of the whole analytical procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Guo
- Analytical, Environmental and Geochemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050, Belgium; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Kersten Van Langenhove
- Analytical, Environmental and Geochemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050, Belgium
| | - Tara Vandermarken
- Analytical, Environmental and Geochemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050, Belgium
| | - Michael S Denison
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Marc Elskens
- Analytical, Environmental and Geochemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050, Belgium
| | - Willy Baeyens
- Analytical, Environmental and Geochemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050, Belgium
| | - Yue Gao
- Analytical, Environmental and Geochemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1050, Belgium.
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Lundqvist J, Andersson A, Johannisson A, Lavonen E, Mandava G, Kylin H, Bastviken D, Oskarsson A. Innovative drinking water treatment techniques reduce the disinfection-induced oxidative stress and genotoxic activity. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 155:182-192. [PMID: 30849732 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.02.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Disinfection of drinking water using chlorine can lead to the formation of genotoxic by-products when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter (NOM). A vast number of such disinfection by-products (DBPs) have been identified, making it almost impossible to routinely monitor all DBPs with chemical analysis. In this study, a bioanalytical approach was used, measuring oxidative stress (Nrf2 activity), genotoxicity (micronucleus test), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation to evaluate an innovative water treatment process, including suspended ion exchange, ozonation, in-line coagulation, ceramic microfiltration, and granular activated carbon. Chlorination was performed in laboratory scale after each step in the treatment process in order to investigate the effect of each treatment process to the formation of DBPs. Suspended ion exchange had a high capacity to remove dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and to decrease UV absorbance and Nrf2 activity in non-chlorinated water. High-dose chlorination (10 mg Cl2 L-1) of raw water caused a drastic induction of Nrf2 activity, which was decreased by 70% in water chlorinated after suspended ion exchange. Further reduction of Nrf2 activity following chlorination was achieved by ozonation and the concomitant treatment steps. The ozonation treatment resulted in decreased Nrf2 activity in spite of unchanged DOC levels. However, a strong correlation was found between UV absorbing compounds and Nrf2 activity, demonstrating that Nrf2 inducing DBPs were formed from pre-cursors of a specific NOM fraction, constituted of mainly aromatic compounds. Moreover, high-dose chlorination of raw water induced genotoxicity. In similarity to the DOC levels, UV absorbance and Nrf2 activity, the disinfection-induced genotoxicity was also reduced by each treatment step of the innovative water treatment technique. AhR activity was observed in the water produced by the conventional process and in the raw water, but the activity was clearly decreased by the ozonation step in the innovative water treatment process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Lundqvist
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Anna Andersson
- Department of Thematic Studies-Environmental Change, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anders Johannisson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7054, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elin Lavonen
- Norrvatten, Box 2093, SE-169 02, Solna, Sweden; Stockholm Vatten och Avfall, 106 36, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Geeta Mandava
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Henrik Kylin
- Department of Thematic Studies-Environmental Change, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden; Research Unit: Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - David Bastviken
- Department of Thematic Studies-Environmental Change, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Agneta Oskarsson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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Lundqvist J, Mandava G, Lungu-Mitea S, Lai FY, Ahrens L. In vitro bioanalytical evaluation of removal efficiency for bioactive chemicals in Swedish wastewater treatment plants. Sci Rep 2019; 9:7166. [PMID: 31073202 PMCID: PMC6509133 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43671-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical contamination of wastewater is a problem of great environmental concern, as it poses a hazard to both the ecosystem and to human health. In this study, we have performed a bioanalytical evaluation of the presence and removal efficiency for bioactive chemicals in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), using in vitro assays for toxicity endpoints of high relevance for human health. Water samples were collected at the inlet and outlet of five Swedish WWTPs, all adopting a treatment technology including pretreatment, primary treatment (sedimenation), seconday treatment (biological processes), post-sedimentation, and sludge handling. The water samples were analyzed for cytotoxicity, estrogenicity, androgenicity, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity, oxidative stress response (Nrf2) and the ability to activate NFĸB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) signaling. We observed clear androgenic and estrogenic activities in all inlet samples. Androgenic and estrogenic activities were also observed in all outlet samples, but the activities were lower than the respective inlet sample. AhR activity was observed in all samples, with higher activities in the inlet samples compared to the outlet samples. The removal efficiency was found to be high for androgenic (>99% for two plants and 50–60% for two plants) and estrogenic (>90% for most plants) compounds, while the removal efficiency for AhR-inducing compounds was 50–60% for most plants and 16% for one plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Lundqvist
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Geeta Mandava
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Lungu-Mitea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7028, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Foon Yin Lai
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lutz Ahrens
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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Jia Y, Hammers-Wirtz M, Crawford SE, Chen Q, Seiler TB, Schäffer A, Hollert H. Effect-based and chemical analyses of agonistic and antagonistic endocrine disruptors in multiple matrices of eutrophic freshwaters. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 651:1096-1104. [PMID: 30266054 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, both bioanalytical and instrumental tools were employed to examine the endocrine-disruptive potentials of water samples, cyanobloom samples, and sediment samples collected from in the northern region of Taihu Lake (China) during cyanobloom season. Results from cell-based bioassays suggested the occurrence of estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, anti-androgenic, and anti-glucocorticogenic activities, while no androgenic and glucocorticogenic activities were observed in the collected samples. Using an UPLC-MS/MS system, 29 endocrine disrupting compounds including seven estrogens, seven androgens, six progestogens, and five adrenocortical hormones and four industrial pollutants were simultaneously detected. 17, 20 and 12 chemicals were detected at least in one of the water samples, cyanobloom samples and sediment samples, respectively. Since both agonistic and antagonistic endocrine-disruptive activities were detected in the present study, commonly used receptor-based in vitro bioassays resulted in net effects, suggesting that the hormone receptor agonistic potentials might be underestimated with this practice. The EDCs detected in cyanobloom samples also highlight the necessity to consider the phytoplankton matrix for understanding the mass fluxes of endocrine disruptors in eutrophic freshwaters and to consider it in monitoring strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlu Jia
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Monika Hammers-Wirtz
- Research Institute for Ecosystem Analysis and Assessment - gaiac, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sarah E Crawford
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Aachen, Germany
| | - Qiqing Chen
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas-Benjamin Seiler
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andreas Schäffer
- Chair of Environmental Biology and Chemodynamics, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; Nanjing University, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing, China
| | - Henner Hollert
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Aachen, Germany; Research Institute for Ecosystem Analysis and Assessment - gaiac, Aachen, Germany; Tongji University, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Shanghai, China; Nanjing University, State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing, China.
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Dingemans MML, Baken KA, van der Oost R, Schriks M, van Wezel AP. Risk-based approach in the revised European Union drinking water legislation: Opportunities for bioanalytical tools. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2019; 15:126-134. [PMID: 30144268 PMCID: PMC7379647 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A plethora of in vitro bioassays are developed in the context of chemical risk assessment and clinical diagnostics to test effects on different biological processes. Such assays can also be implemented in effect-based monitoring (EBM) of (drinking) water quality alongside chemical analyses. Effects-based monitoring can provide insight into risks for the environment and human health associated with exposure to (unknown) complex, low-level mixtures of micropollutants, which fits in the risk-based approach that was recently introduced in the European Drinking Water Directive. Some challenges remain, in particular those related to selection and interpretation of bioassays. For water quality assessment, carcinogenesis, adverse effects on reproduction and development, effects on xenobiotic metabolism, modulation of hormone systems, DNA reactivity, and adaptive stress responses are considered the most relevant toxicological endpoints. An evaluation procedure of the applicability and performance of in vitro bioassays for water quality monitoring, based on existing information, has been developed, which can be expanded with guidelines for experimental evaluations. In addition, a methodology for the interpretation of in vitro monitoring data is required, because the sensitivity of specific in vitro bioassays in combination with sample concentration may lead to responses of chemicals (far) below exposure concentrations that are relevant for human health effects. Different approaches are proposed to derive effect-based trigger values (EBTs), including EBTs based on (1) relative ecotoxicity potency, (2) health-based threshold values for chronic exposure in humans and kinetics of reference chemicals, and (3) read-across from (drinking) water guideline values. Effects-based trigger values need to be chosen carefully in order to be sufficiently but not overly conservative to indicate potential health effects. Consensus on the crucial steps in the selection and interpretation of in vitro bioassay data will facilitate implementation and legal embedding in the context of water quality monitoring of such assays in EBM strategies. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:126-134. © 2018 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ron van der Oost
- Waternet Institute for the Urban Water CycleAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | | | - Annemarie P van Wezel
- KWR Watercycle Research InstituteNieuwegeinThe Netherlands
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable DevelopmentUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
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50
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Faber AH, Annevelink M, Gilissen HK, Schot P, van Rijswick M, de Voogt P, van Wezel A. How to Adapt Chemical Risk Assessment for Unconventional Hydrocarbon Extraction Related to the Water System. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2019; 246:1-32. [PMID: 29280081 DOI: 10.1007/398_2017_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
We identify uncertainties and knowledge gaps of chemical risk assessment related to unconventional drillings and propose adaptations. We discuss how chemical risk assessment in the context of unconventional oil and gas (UO&G) activities differs from conventional chemical risk assessment and the implications for existing legislation. A UO&G suspect list of 1,386 chemicals that might be expected in the UO&G water samples was prepared which can be used for LC-HRMS suspect screening. We actualize information on reported concentrations in UO&G-related water. Most information relates to shale gas operations, followed by coal-bed methane, while only little is available for tight gas and conventional gas. The limited research on conventional oil and gas recovery hampers comparison whether risks related to unconventional activities are in fact higher than those related to conventional activities. No study analyzed the whole cycle from fracturing fluid, flowback and produced water, and surface water and groundwater. Generally target screening has been used, probably missing contaminants of concern. Almost half of the organic compounds analyzed in surface water and groundwater exceed TTC values, so further risk assessment is needed, and risks cannot be waived. No specific exposure scenarios toward groundwater aquifers exist for UO&G-related activities. Human errors in various stages of the life cycle of UO&G production play an important role in the exposure. Neither at the international level nor at the US federal and the EU levels, specific regulations for UO&G-related activities are in place to protect environmental and human health. UO&G activities are mostly regulated through general environmental, spatial planning, and mining legislation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Hélène Faber
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Mark Annevelink
- KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Herman Kasper Gilissen
- Utrecht Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law, Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Schot
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen van Rijswick
- Utrecht Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law, Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Pim de Voogt
- KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie van Wezel
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
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