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Lu S, Wang J, Wang B, Xin M, Lin C, Gu X, Lian M, Li Y. Spatiotemporal variations and risk assessment of estrogens in the water of the southern Bohai Sea: A comprehensive investigation spanning three years. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 474:134754. [PMID: 38820750 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134754] [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: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
The ubiquitous and adverse effects of estrogens have aroused global concerns. Natural and synthetic estrogens in 255 water samples from the southern Bohai Sea were analyzed over three years. Total estrogen concentrations were 11.0-268 ng/L in river water and 1.98-99.7 ng/L in seawater, with bisphenol A (BPA) and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) being the predominant estrogens, respectively. Estrogen showed the highest concentrations in summer 2018, followed by spring 2021 and spring 2019, which was consistent with the higher estrogen flux from rivers during summer. Higher estrogen concentrations in 2021 than in 2019 were driven by the higher level of BPA, an additive used in personal protective equipment. Estrogen exhibited higher concentrations in the southern coast of the Yellow River Delta and the northeastern coast of Laizhou bay due to the riverine input and aquaculture. Estrogens could disturb the normal endocrine activities of organisms and edict high ecological risks (90th simulated RQT > 1.0) to aquatic organisms, especially to fish. EE2 was the main contributor of estrogenic potency and ecological risk, which requires special concern. This is the first comprehensive study of estrogen spatiotemporal variations and risks in the Bohai Sea, providing insights into the environmental behavior of estrogens in coastal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Lu
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264005, China; Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Baodong Wang
- First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry in of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Ming Xin
- First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry in of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
| | - Chunye Lin
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xiang Gu
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Maoshan Lian
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yun Li
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Lin ZF, Lin HY, Doong RA, Schäfer AI. Heterostructure g-C 3N 4/Bi 2MoO 6 PVDF nanofiber composite membrane for the photodegradation of steroid hormone micropollutants. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:134765. [PMID: 38905981 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) are a promising technology for micropollutant removal. Sunlight utilization and catalyst surface sites limit photodegradation. A poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofiber composite membrane (NCM) with immobilized visible-light-responsive g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6 (BMCN) were developed. Photodegradation of steroid hormones with the PVDF-BMCN NCM was investigated with varying catalyst properties, operating conditions, and relevant solution chemistry under solar irradiation. Increasing CN ratio (0-65 %) enhanced estradiol (E2) degradation from 20 ± 10 to 75 ± 7 % due to improved sunlight utilization and photon lifetime. PVDF nanofibers reduced self-aggregation of catalysts. Hydraulic residence time and light intensity enhanced the photodegradation. With the increasing pH value, the E2 removal decreased from 84 ± 4 to 67 ± 7 % owing to electrical repulsion and thus reduced adsorption between catalysts and E2. A removal of 96 % can be attained at environmentally relevant feed concentration (100 ng.L-1) with a flux of 60 L.m-2.h-1, irradiance of 100 mW.cm-2, and 1 mg.cm-2 BMCN65 loading. This confirmed that heterojunction photocatalysts can enhance micropollutants degradation in PMRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Fu Lin
- Institute for Advanced Membrane Technology (IAMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany; Institute of Analytical and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan, R.O.C.; International Intercollegiate Ph.D. Program, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Han-Ya Lin
- Institute for Advanced Membrane Technology (IAMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
| | - Ruey-An Doong
- Institute of Analytical and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30044, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Andrea I Schäfer
- Institute for Advanced Membrane Technology (IAMT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany.
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Heß S, Hof D, Oetken M, Sundermann A. Macroinvertebrate communities respond strongly but non-specifically to a toxicity gradient derived by effect-based methods. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124330. [PMID: 38848961 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Chemical pollution is one of the most important threats to freshwater ecosystems. The plethora of potentially occurring chemicals and their effects in complex mixtures challenge standard monitoring methods. Effect-based methods (EBMs) are proposed as complementary tools for the assessment of chemical pollution and toxic effects. To investigate the effects of chemical pollution, the ecological relevance of EBMs and the potential of macroinvertebrates as toxicity-specific bioindicators, ecological and ecotoxicological data were linked. Baseline toxicity, mutagenicity, dioxin-like and estrogenic activity of water and sediment samples from 30 river sites in central Germany were quantified with four in vitro bioassays. The responses of macroinvertebrate communities at these sites were assessed by calculating 16 taxonomic and functional metrics and by investigating changes in the taxonomic and trait composition. Principal component analysis revealed an increase in toxicity along a joint gradient of chemicals with different modes of action. This toxicity gradient was associated with a decrease in biodiversity and ecological quality, as well as significant changes in taxonomic and functional composition. The strength of the effects suggested a strong impact of chemical pollution and underlined the suitability of EBMs in detecting ecological relevant effects. However, the metrics, taxa, and traits associated with vulnerability or tolerance to toxicity were found to also respond to other stressors in previous studies and thus may have only a low potential as toxicity-specific bioindicators. Because macroinvertebrates respond integratively to all present stressors, linking both ecological and environmental monitoring is necessary to investigate the overall effects but also isolate individual stressors. EBMs have a high potential to separate the toxicity of chemical mixtures from other stressors in a multiple stressor scenario, as well as identifying the presence of chemical groups with specific modes of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Heß
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Clamecystr. 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Delia Hof
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty Biological Sciences, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Matthias Oetken
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty Biological Sciences, Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Hessen, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andrea Sundermann
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Clamecystr. 12, 63571, Gelnhausen, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Faculty Biological Sciences, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Hessen, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Wu JL, Liu ZH, Ma QG, Wan YP, Dang Z, Liu Y, Liu Y. Combined collection systems of sewage and rainfall runoff seriously affect the spatial distributions of natural estrogens and their conjugates in river water: Insights from the Pearl River of China. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121588. [PMID: 38636120 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121588] [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: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
So far, little has been known about how the combined collection systems of sewage and rainfall runoff (CCSs) affect emerging contaminants in river water. To fill up the knowledge gap, this study was conducted to investigate the spatial distributions of three natural estrogens (NEs, i.e., estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2) and estriol (E3)) and their conjugates (C-NEs) in the Pearl River in the wet and dry seasons. Results showed that the respective average concentrations of NEs and C-NEs at different locations alongside the Pearl River in the wet season were 7.3 and 1.8 times those in the dry season. Based on estrogen equivalence (EEQ), the average estimated EEQ level in the Pearl River waters in the wet season was nearly 10 times that in the dry season. These seemed to imply that the CCSs in the wet season not only cause untreated sewage into the receiving water body, but greatly decrease the removal efficiency of NEs and C-NEs in wastewater treatment plant. Furthermore, the estimated annual loads of E1, E2, and E3 to the Pearl River in the wet season accounted for about 88.6 %, 100 %, and 99.3 % of the total annual loads. Consequently, this work for the first time demonstrated that the CCSs in cities with high precipitation are unfavorable for controlling of emerging contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Le Wu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Ze-Hua Liu
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China; Key Lab Pollution Control & Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Cluster, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Environment Risk Prevention and Emergency Disposal, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China.
| | - Qing-Guang Ma
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi-Ping Wan
- School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhi Dang
- Key Lab Pollution Control & Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Cluster, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Yun Liu
- South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Guangzhou, 510655, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Engineering Laboratory of Low-Carbon Unconventional Water Resources Utilization and Water Quality Assurance, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
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Aggerbeck MR, Frøkjær EE, Johansen A, Ellegaard-Jensen L, Hansen LH, Hansen M. Non-target analysis of Danish wastewater treatment plant effluent: Statistical analysis of chemical fingerprinting as a step toward a future monitoring tool. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 257:119242. [PMID: 38821457 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
In an attempt to discover and characterize the plethora of xenobiotic substances, this study investigates chemical compounds released into the environment with wastewater effluents. A novel non-targeted screening methodology based on ultra-high resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry and nanoflow ultra-high performance liquid chromatography together with a newly optimized data-processing pipeline were applied to effluent samples from two state-of-the-art and one small wastewater treatment facility. In total, 785 molecular structures were obtained, of which 38 were identified as single compounds, while 480 structures were identified at a putative level. Most of these substances were therapeutics and drugs, present as parent compounds and metabolites. Using R packages Phyloseq and MetacodeR, originally developed for bioinformatics, significant differences in xenobiotic presence in the wastewater effluents between the three sites were demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Rønne Aggerbeck
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark; Aarhus University Centre for Water Technology (WATEC), Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600, Silkeborg, Denmark.
| | - Emil Egede Frøkjær
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anders Johansen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark; Aarhus University Centre for Water Technology (WATEC), Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600, Silkeborg, Denmark; Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark; Aarhus University Centre for Circular Bioeconomy, Aarhus University, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
| | - Lea Ellegaard-Jensen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark; Aarhus University Centre for Water Technology (WATEC), Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Lars Hestbjerg Hansen
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Martin Hansen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark; Aarhus University Centre for Water Technology (WATEC), Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, 8600, Silkeborg, Denmark.
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Georgin J, Franco DSP, Manzar MS, Meili L, El Messaoudi N. A critical and comprehensive review of the current status of 17β-estradiol hormone remediation through adsorption technology. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:24679-24712. [PMID: 38488920 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32876-z] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Even at low concentrations, steroid hormones pose a significant threat to ecosystem health and are classified as micropollutants. Among these, 17β-estradiol (molecular formula: C18H24O2; pKa = 10.46; Log Kow = 4.01; solubility in water = 3.90 mg L-1 at 27 °C; molecular weight: 272.4 g mol-1) is extensively studied as an endocrine disruptor due to its release through natural pathways and widespread use in conventional medicine. 17β-estradiol (E2) is emitted by various sources, such as animal and human excretions, hospital and veterinary clinic effluents, and treatment plants. In aquatic biota, it can cause issues ranging from the feminization of males to inhibiting plant growth. This review aims to identify technologies for remediating E2 in water, revealing that materials like graphene oxides, nanocomposites, and carbonaceous materials are commonly used for adsorption. The pH of the medium, especially in acidic to neutral conditions, affects efficiency, and ambient temperature (298 K) supports the process. The Langmuir and Freundlich models aptly describe isothermal studies, with interactions being of a low-energy, physical nature. Adsorption faces limitations when other ions coexist in the solution. Hybrid treatments exhibit high removal efficiency. To mitigate global E2 pollution, establishing national and international standards with detailed guidelines for advanced treatment systems is crucial. Despite significant advancements in optimizing technologies by the scientific community, there remains a considerable gap in their societal application, primarily due to economic and sustainable factors. Therefore, further studies are necessary, including conducting batch experiments with these adsorbents for large-scale treatment along with economic analyses of the production process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordana Georgin
- Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de La Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
| | - Dison Stracke Pfingsten Franco
- Department of Civil and Environmental, Universidad de La Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66, Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
| | - Mohammad Saood Manzar
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, 31451, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lucas Meili
- Laboratory of Processes, Center of Technology, Federal University of Alagoas Campus A. C. Simões, Av. Lourival Melo Mota, Tabuleiro Dos Martins, Maceió, AL, 57072-970, Brazil
| | - Noureddine El Messaoudi
- Laboratory of Applied Chemistry and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr, University, 80000, Agadir, Morocco.
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Profita M, Fabbri E, Vasumini I, Valbonesi P. Endocrine disrupting chemicals in Italian drinking water systems: Insights from a three-year investigation combining chemical and effect-based tools. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26785. [PMID: 38463797 PMCID: PMC10920174 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Drinking water quality can be compromised by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Three phenolic compounds [bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), and 4-octylphenol (OP)] and three hormones [17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2)] were analyzed as EDCs potentially occurring in source and drinking water from three full-scale drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in the Romagna area (Italy) by a combined approach of HPLC-MS/MS target analysis and effect-based tests for estrogenicity and genotoxicity. The EDC removal efficiency was evaluated at different steps along the treatment process in the most advanced DWTP. NP prevailed in all samples, followed by BPA. Sporadic contamination by OP and E1/E2 appeared only in the source waters; EE2 was never detected. No estrogenic or genotoxic activity was found, except for two samples showing estrogenicity well below the effect-based trigger value suggested for drinking water safety (0.9 ng/L EEQ). BPA and NP levels were largely below the threshold value; however, increases were observed after the intermediate steps of the treatment chain. The good quality of the water relied on the last step, i.e. the activated carbon filtration. DWTPs may represent an extra source of EDCs and monitoring chemical occurrence at all steps of the process is advisable to improve efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Profita
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Campus of Ravenna, Italy
| | - E. Fabbri
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Campus of Ravenna, Italy
| | - I. Vasumini
- Romagna Acque Società delle Fonti SpA, Forlì, Italy
| | - P. Valbonesi
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Campus of Ravenna, Italy
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Wang X, Kong F, Liu Y, Lv S, Zhang K, Sun S, Liu J, Wang M, Cai X, Jin H, Yan S, Luo J. 17β-estradiol biosensors based on different bioreceptors and their applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1347625. [PMID: 38357703 PMCID: PMC10864596 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1347625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
17β-Estradiol (E2) is a critical sex steroid hormone, which has significant effects on the endocrine systems of both humans and animals. E2 is also believed to play neurotrophic and neuroprotective roles in the brain. Biosensors present a powerful tool to detect E2 because of their small, efficient, and flexible design. Furthermore, Biosensors can quickly and accurately obtain detection results with only a small sampling amount, which greatly meets the detection of the environment, food safety, medicine safety, and human body. This review focuses on previous studies of biosensors for detecting E2 and divides them into non-biometric sensors, enzyme biosensors, antibody biosensors, and aptamer biosensors according to different bioreceptors. The advantages, disadvantages, and design points of various bioreceptors for E2 detection are analyzed and summarized. Additionally, applications of different bioreceptors of E2 detection are presented and highlight the field of environmental monitoring, food and medicine safety, and disease detection in recent years. Finally, the development of E2 detection by biosensor is prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fanli Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yaoyao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shiya Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shutong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juntao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mixia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinxia Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hongyan Jin
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shi Yan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery II, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Jinping Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Glineur A, Nott K, Carbonnelle P, Ronkart S, Pollet T, Purcaro G. Occurrence and environmental risk assessment of 4 estrogenic compounds in surface water in Belgium in the frame of the EU Watch List. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:6857-6873. [PMID: 38153577 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31698-9] [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: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
The presence of natural estrogens estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3) and synthetic estrogen 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) in the aquatic environment has raised concerns because of their high potency as endocrine disrupting chemicals. The European Commission (EC) established a Watch List of contaminants of emerging concerns including E1, E2 and EE2. The proposed environmental quality standards (EQSs) are 3.6, 0.4, 0.035 ng/L, for E1, E2, EE2, respectively. A thorough evaluation of analytical procedures developed by several studies aiming to perform sampling campaigns in different European countries highlighted that the required limits of quantification in surface water were not reached, especially for EE2 and to a lesser extent for E2. Moreover, data regarding the occurrence of these contaminants in Belgian surface water are very limited. A sampling campaign was therefore performed on a wide range of rivers in Belgium (accounting for a total of 63 samples). The detection frequencies of E1, E2, E3 and EE2 were 100, 98, 86 and 48%, respectively. E1 showed the highest mean concentration (= 4.433 ng/L). In contrast, the mean concentration of EE2 was 0.042 ng/L. The risk quotients (RQs) were calculated based on the respective EQS of each analyte. The frequency of exceedance of the EQS was 31.7% for E1, EE2, while it increased to 44.4% for E2. The extent of exceedance of the EQS, represented by the 95th percentile of the RQ dataset, was higher than 1 for E1, E2, EE2. The use of a confusion matrix was investigated to try to predict the risk posed by E2, EE2, based on the concentration of E1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Glineur
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Bât. G1 Chimie Des Agro-Biosystèmes, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
| | - Katherine Nott
- La Société Wallonne Des Eaux, Rue de La Concorde 41, 4800, Verviers, Belgium
| | | | - Sébastien Ronkart
- La Société Wallonne Des Eaux, Rue de La Concorde 41, 4800, Verviers, Belgium
| | - Thomas Pollet
- Biodiversity and Landscape, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Avenue Maréchal Juin 27, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Giorgia Purcaro
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Bât. G1 Chimie Des Agro-Biosystèmes, Passage Des Déportés 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium
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10
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Maddalon A, Pierzchalski A, Krause JL, Bauer M, Finckh S, Brack W, Zenclussen AC, Marinovich M, Corsini E, Krauss M, Herberth G. Impact of chemical mixtures from wastewater treatment plant effluents on human immune cell activation: An effect-based analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167495. [PMID: 37804965 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Humans are exposed to many different chemicals on a daily basis, mostly as chemical mixtures, usually from food, consumer products and the environment. Wastewater treatment plant effluent contains mixtures of chemicals that have been discarded or excreted by humans and not removed by water treatment. These effluents contribute directly to water pollution, they are used in agriculture and may affect human health. The possible effect of such chemical mixtures on the immune system has not been characterized. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of extracts obtained from four European wastewater treatment plant effluents on human primary immune cell activation. METHODS Immune cells were exposed to the effluent extracts and modulation of cell activation was performed by multi-parameter flow cytometry. Messenger-RNA (mRNA) expression of genes related to immune system and hormone receptors was measured by RT-PCR. RESULTS The exposure of immune cells to these extracts, containing 339 detected chemicals, significantly reduced the activation of human lymphocytes, mainly affecting T helper and mucosal-associated invariant T cells. In addition, basophil activation was also altered upon mixture exposure. Concerning mRNA expression, we observed that 12 transcripts were down-regulated by at least one extract while 11 were up-regulated. Correlation analyses between the analyzed immune parameters and the concentration of chemicals in the WWTP extracts, highlighted the most immunomodulatory chemicals. DISCUSSION Our results suggest that the mixture of chemicals present in the effluents of wastewater treatment plants could be considered as immunosuppressive, due to their ability to interfere with the activation of immune cells, a process of utmost importance for the functionality of the immune system. The combined approach of immune effect-based analysis and chemical content analysis used in our study provides a useful tool for investigating the effect of environmental mixtures on the human immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambra Maddalon
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Arkadiusz Pierzchalski
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jannike Lea Krause
- Schwiete Laboratory for Microbiota and Inflammation, German Rheumatism Research (DRFZ), Centre-a Leibniz Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mario Bauer
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Saskia Finckh
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Werner Brack
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Ana C Zenclussen
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany; Perinatal Immunology Research Group, Medical Faculty, Saxonian Incubator for Clinical Translation (SIKT), University of Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marina Marinovich
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Corsini
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences 'Rodolfo Paoletti', Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Martin Krauss
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gunda Herberth
- Department of Environmental Immunology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
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Smutná M, Javůrek J, Sehnal L, Toušová Z, Javůrková B, Sychrová E, Lepšová-Skácelová O, Hilscherová K. Potential risk of estrogenic compounds produced by water blooms to aquatic environment. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 341:140015. [PMID: 37657694 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Some freshwater phytoplankton species have been suggested to produce estrogenic compounds in concentrations which could cause adverse effects to aquatic biota, while other studies showed no estrogenic effects after exposure to phytoplankton extracts or pointed out possible sources of the overestimation of the estrogenic activity. This study aimed to clarify these research inconsistencies by investigating estrogenicity of biomass extracts from both environmental freshwater blooms and laboratory cyanobacterial and algae cultures by in vitro reporter bioassay. Biomasses of 8 cyanobacterial and 3 algal species from 7 taxonomic orders were extracted and tested. Next to this, samples of environmental water blooms collected from 8 independent water bodies dominated by phytoplankton species previously assessed as laboratory cultures were tested. The results showed undetectable or low estrogenicity of both freshwater blooms and laboratory cultures with E2 equivalent concentration (EEQ) in a range from LOQ up to 4.5 ng EEQ/g of dry mass. Moreover, the co-exposure of biomass extracts with environmentally relevant concentration of model estrogen (steroid hormone 17β-estradiol; E2), commonly occurring in surface waters, showed simple additive interaction. However, some of the biomass extracts elicited partially anti-estrogenic effects in co-exposure with higher E2 concentration. In conclusion, our study documents undetectable or relatively low estrogenic potential of biomass extracts from both environmental freshwater blooms and studied laboratory cultured cyanobacterial and algae species. Nevertheless, in case of very high-density water blooms, even this low estrogenicity (detected for two cyanobacterial species) could lead to EEQ content in biomass reaching effect-based trigger values indicating potential risk, if recalculated per water volume at field sites. However, these levels would not occur in water under realistic environmental scenarios and the potential estrogenic effects would be most probably minor compared to other toxic effects caused by massive freshwater blooms of such high densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Smutná
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Javůrek
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Luděk Sehnal
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Toušová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Javůrková
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eliška Sychrová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Lepšová-Skácelová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Na Zlaté stoce 1, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Klára Hilscherová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
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12
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Huidobro-López B, Martínez-Hernández V, Barbero L, Meffe R, Nozal L, de Bustamante I. Evaluation of contaminants of emerging concern attenuation through a vegetation filter managed using different operating conditions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132217. [PMID: 37544173 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
In wastewater treatment using Vegetation Filters (VFs), natural processes reduce contaminants present in water although some of them can reach the environment. In this study, 39 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are evaluated in a pilot VF under different operating conditions during almost four years. The use of woodchip amendments and the change from surface irrigation through furrows to drip irrigation (and from weekly to daily water application) provide CEC concentration reductions in the water infiltrating through the vadose zone. Biodegradation is the main process taking place and has been favoured mainly by woodchip soil amendments and the increased residence. Median attenuation percentages of the CECs most frequently detected with highest concentrations in applied wastewater vary between 52% and 100% at the end of the study (at 45 cm depth). Among targeted CECs, caffeine, and its transformation product paraxanthine are the most attenuated. Flecainide and venlafaxine show a persistent behaviour. However, their leaching concentrations are very low (< 31 ng/L). Concerning the underlying aquifer, the groundwater quality in terms of CEC concentrations is conditioned by the surrounding area rather than the operation of the VF. Levels in groundwater are always below those in wastewater and infiltrating water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Huidobro-López
- IMDEA Water Institute, Avda. Punto Com 2, 28805 Madrid, Spain; Alcalá University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, E-28871 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Lucía Barbero
- IMDEA Water Institute, Avda. Punto Com 2, 28805 Madrid, Spain; Alcalá University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, E-28871 Madrid, Spain
| | - Raffaella Meffe
- IMDEA Water Institute, Avda. Punto Com 2, 28805 Madrid, Spain
| | - Leonor Nozal
- Alcalá University and General Foundation of Alcalá University, Center of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, E-28871 Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene de Bustamante
- IMDEA Water Institute, Avda. Punto Com 2, 28805 Madrid, Spain; Alcalá University, Department of Geology, Geography and Environment, A-II km 33,0, 28805 Madrid, Spain
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13
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Li Y, Wang J, Lin C, Wang A, He M, Liu X, Ouyang W. Socioeconomic and seasonal effects on spatiotemporal trends in estrogen occurrence and ecological risk within a river across low-urbanized and high-husbandry landscapes. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 180:108246. [PMID: 37802008 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108246] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen pollution is a persistent issue in rivers. This study investigated the occurrence, spatiotemporal variation mechanisms, sources, and ecological risks of estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2), estriol (E3), 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), diethylstilbestrol (DES), and bisphenol-A (BPA) in the waters of the Zijiang River, a tributary of the middle Yangtze River. The results revealed elevated detection frequencies and estrogen concentrations in the dry season compared to the wet season, mainly due to the precipitation dilution effect. Total estrogen concentration ranged from 21.2 to 97.5 ng/L in the dry season, which was significantly correlated to spatial distributions of animal husbandry and population. Among the estrogens studied in the river, E2, BPA, and EE2 were predominant. The collective sources of E1, E2, E3, and EE2 were traced back to human and husbandry excrement, whereas BPA emitted from daily life products, contributing to 55.5% and 42.7% of the total estrogen concentration, respectively. Particularly, the average and median E1, E2, and EE2 concentrations in the river exceeded the environmental quality standards of the European Union. The total estrogenic activity dominated by EE2 exceeded the 1 ng E2/L threshold, with levels exceeding 10 ng E2/L during the dry season. The risk quotients exhibited a high ecological risk of E1 and EE2 to fish and a moderate to high ecological risk of E1 to crustaceans, EE2 to mollusks, and E2 to fish. Therefore, E1, E2, and EE2 pollution of the river may lead to both high estrogenic potency and moderate or high ecological risk; thus, they should be considered priority pollutants in the river. These results yield valuable insights into the spatiotemporal change mechanisms, sources, and ecological risks of estrogens in river water of low-urbanization and rural watersheds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Li
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jing Wang
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Chunye Lin
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Aihua Wang
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Mengchang He
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xitao Liu
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Wei Ouyang
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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14
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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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15
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Durcik M, Grobin A, Roškar R, Trontelj J, Peterlin Mašič L. Estrogenic potency of endocrine disrupting chemicals and their mixtures detected in environmental waters and wastewaters. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 330:138712. [PMID: 37068617 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals such as natural and synthetic steroid hormones and bisphenols are among the most important pollutants in the aquatic environment. We performed an environmental chemical analysis of five Slovenian water samples, two rivers, one groundwater, and the influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants, with a highly sensitive analysis of twenty-five endocrine-disrupting compounds belonging to the groups of natural hormones, synthetic hormones, and bisphenols. Since these compounds are simultaneously present in the environment, it is important to study their individual effects as well as the effects of mixtures. We investigated in vitro the estrogenic potency of selected natural and synthetic steroid hormones and bisphenols detected in surface, ground and waste water in Slovenia using the OECD-validated transactivation assay on the cell line Hela9903. We predicted their mixture effects using the concentration addition model and compared them with experimentally determined values. Two mixing designs were used: a balanced design in which chemicals were combined in proportion to their individual EC50 values, and an unbalanced design with compounds in proportion to their measured concentrations in the environmental samples. The estrogenic effects of the experimental mixtures followed the concentration addition model. Real water samples exhibited weaker estrogenic effects, showing the great heterogeneity of the real water samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Durcik
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andrej Grobin
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robert Roškar
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jurij Trontelj
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Lucija Peterlin Mašič
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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16
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Carstensen L, Zippel R, Fiskal R, Börnick H, Schmalz V, Schubert S, Schaffer M, Jungmann D, Stolte S. Trace analysis of benzophenone-type UV filters in water and their effects on human estrogen and androgen receptors. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 456:131617. [PMID: 37224711 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
To carry out risk assessments of benzophenone-type UV filters (BPs), fast and accurate analytical methods are crucial to determine and monitor levels in the environment. This study presents an LC-MS/MS method that requires minimal sample preparation and yet can identify 10 different BPs in environmental samples such as surface or wastewater resulting in a LOQ range from 2 to 1060 ng/L. The method suitability was tested through environmental monitoring, which showed that, BP-4 is the most abundant derivative found in the surface waters of Germany, India, South Africa and Vietnam. BP-4 levels correlate with the WWTP effluent fraction of the respective river for selected samples in Germany. Peak values of 171 ng/L for 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4-OH-BP), as measured in Vietnamese surface water, already exceed the PNEC value of 80 ng/L, elevating 4-OH-BP to the status of a new pollutant that needs more frequent monitoring. Moreover, this study reveals that during biodegradation of benzophenone in river water, the transformation product 4-OH-BP is formed which contain structural alerts for estrogenic activity. By using yeast-based reporter gene assays, this study provides bio-equivalents of 9 BPs, 4-OH-BP, 2,3,4-tri-OH-BP, 4-cresol and benzoate and complements the existing structure-activities relationships of BPs and their degradation products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lale Carstensen
- Institute of Water Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Rene Zippel
- Institute of Water Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ron Fiskal
- Institute of Water Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Hilmar Börnick
- Institute of Water Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Viktor Schmalz
- Institute of Water Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sara Schubert
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Technische Universität, 01069 Dresden, Germany; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Mario Schaffer
- Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Defence, and Nature Conservation Agency, 31135 Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Dirk Jungmann
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Technische Universität, 01069 Dresden, Germany; University of the Free State, Centre for Environmental Management, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Bloemfontein 9300, Republic of South Africa
| | - Stefan Stolte
- Institute of Water Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
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17
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Mirmont E, Bœuf A, Charmel M, Lalère B, Lardy-Fontan S. Validation of an isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) measurement procedure for the reliable quantification of steroid hormones in waters. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023:10.1007/s00216-023-04698-4. [PMID: 37120618 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04698-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Reliable data are compulsory to efficiently monitor pollutants in aquatic environments, particularly steroid hormones that can exert harmful effects at challenging analytical levels below the ng L-1. An isotope dilution two-step solid-phase extraction followed by an ultra-performance liquid chromatography separation coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) detection method was validated for the quantification of 21 steroid hormones (androgens, estrogens, glucocorticoids, and progestogens) in whole waters. To achieve a realistic and robust assessment of the performances of this method, the validation procedure was conducted using several water samples representative of its intended application. These samples were characterized in terms of concentration of ionic constituents, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and dissolved organic carbon contents (DOC). For estrogens that are part of the European Water Framework Directive Watchlist (17beta-estradiol and estrone), the performances met the European requirements (decision 2015/495/EU) in terms of limit of quantification (LQ) and measurement uncertainty. For 17alpha-ethinylestradiol, the challenging LQ of 0.035 ng L-1 was reached. More generally, for 15 compounds out of 21, the accuracy, evaluated in intermediate precision conditions at concentrations ranging between 0.1 and 10 ng L-1, was found to be within a 35% tolerance. The evaluation of the measurement uncertainty was realized following the Guide to the expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. Finally, a water monitoring survey demonstrated the suitability of the method and pointed out the contamination of Belgium rivers by five estrogens (17alpha-ethinylestradiol, estriol, 17alpha-estradiol, 17beta-estradiol, and estrone) and three glucocorticoids (betamethasone, cortisol, and cortisone) which have been up to now poorly documented in European rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Mirmont
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essai (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Amandine Bœuf
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essai (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75015, Paris, France.
| | - Mélissa Charmel
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essai (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Béatrice Lalère
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essai (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Lardy-Fontan
- Nancy Laboratory for Hydrology, Water Chemistry Unit, ANSES, 40 rue Lionnois, 54 000, Nancy, France
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18
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Feng H, Xu X, Peng P, Yang C, Zou H, Chen C, Zhang Y. Sorption and desorption of epiandrosterone and cortisol on sewage sludge: Comparison to aquatic sediment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 329:121663. [PMID: 37085099 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Steroids have aroused global concern due to their potent endocrine-disrupting effects. Androgens and glucocorticoids are the most abundant species in sewage; however, our understanding of their fate and risks from the source to environmental sinks remains elusive. This study compared the sorption-desorption characteristics of epiandrosterone (EADR) and cortisol (CRL) in sewage sludge and aquatic sediment, and the surface and molecular interactions were tentatively investigated through infrared spectroscopy and the fluorescence excitation-emission matrix. The results showed that the sorption capacities of EADR and CRL in the sludge were 4015 L/kg and 81.17 L/kg, respectively, which are much larger than those in the sediment (EADR: 78.77 L/kg, CRL: 6.39 L/kg); 0.02%-1.2% of EADR and 0.2%-14.5% of CRL could be desorbed from sludge, while the desorption ratios were even lower in the sediment. The high organic content in the sludge might contribute to the larger sorption capacities, while the weak interaction between steroids and organic matter could lead to larger desorption potential. The sediment contained more mineral content and featured a larger specific surface area, which could be responsible for the greater desorption hysteresis for EADR and CRL. These results will help to better understand the potential risk of sewage sludge-associated steroids and their distribution in sediment-water systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Feng
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Xin Xu
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Peng Peng
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Chenghao Yang
- Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, 85281, Arizona, USA
| | - Hua Zou
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Chen Chen
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Urban Ecological Environment Simulation and Protection, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, Guangzhou, 510535, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
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19
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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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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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21
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Finckh S, Buchinger S, Escher BI, Hollert H, König M, Krauss M, Leekitratanapisan W, Schiwy S, Schlichting R, Shuliakevich A, Brack W. Endocrine disrupting chemicals entering European rivers: Occurrence and adverse mixture effects in treated wastewater. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 170:107608. [PMID: 36343551 PMCID: PMC9720157 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In the present study on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in treated wastewater, we used chemical and effect-based tools to analyse 56 wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents from 15 European countries. The main objectives were (i) to compare three different receptor-based estrogenicity assays (ERα-GeneBLAzer, p-YES, ERα-CALUX®), and (ii) to investigate a combined approach of chemical target analysis and receptor-based testing for estrogenicity, glucocorticogenic activity, androgenicity and progestagenic activity (ERα-, GR-, AR- and PR-GeneBLAzer assays, respectively) in treated wastewater. A total of 56 steroids and phenols were detected at concentrations ranging from 25 pg/L (estriol, E3) up to 2.4 μg/L (cortisone). WWTP effluents, which passed an advanced treatment via ozonation or via activated carbon, were found to be less contaminated, in terms of lower or no detection of steroids and phenols, as well as hormone receptor-mediated effects. This result was confirmed by the effect screening, including the three ERα-bioassays. In the GeneBLAzer assays, ERα-activity was detected in 82 %, and GR-activity in 73 % of the samples, while AR- and PR-activity were only measured in 14 % and 21 % of the samples, respectively. 17β-estradiol was confirmed as the estrogen dominating the observed estrogenic mixture effect and triamcinolone acetonide was the dominant driver of glucocorticogenic activity. The comparison of bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQ) predicted from the detected concentrations and the relative effect potency (BEQchem) with measured BEQ (BEQbio) demonstrated good correlations of chemical target analysis and receptor-based testing results with deviations mostly within a factor of 10. Bioassay-specific effect-based trigger values (EBTs) from the literature, but also newly calculated EBTs based on previously proposed derivation options, were applied and allowed a preliminary assessment of the water quality of the tested WWTP effluent samples. Overall, this study demonstrates the high potential of linking chemical with effect-based analysis in water quality assessment with regard to EDC contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Finckh
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Buchinger
- Department of Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute for Hydrology - BfG, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany; Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maria König
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Krauss
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Warich Leekitratanapisan
- Environmental Toxicology Unit - GhEnToxLab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sabrina Schiwy
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Rita Schlichting
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Aliaksandra Shuliakevich
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Werner Brack
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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22
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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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23
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Wang Y, Wang M, Zhou L, Geng X, Xu Z, Zhang H. Development of a competitive ELISA based on estrogen receptor and weak competitive molecule for the screening of potential estrogens in foods. Food Chem 2022; 401:134084. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.134084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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24
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Hamilton PB, Baynes A, Nicol E, Harris G, Uren Webster TM, Beresford N, Straszkiewicz M, Jobling S, Tyler CR. Feminizing effects of ethinylestradiol in roach (Rutilus rutilus) populations with different estrogenic pollution exposure histories. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2022; 249:106229. [PMID: 35753216 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Experimental exposures aimed at assessing the risks posed by estrogens in waste-water treatment work (WwTW) effluents to fish populations have rarely considered whether populations differ in their sensitivity to estrogenic compounds. This is despite evidence that selection at genes involved in the estrogen response has occurred in wild populations, and evidence that genotype can influence estrogen-response. In this study we compare the effects of a two-year exposure to a low measured concentration (1.3 ng/L) of ethinylestradiol (EE2) on the sexual development of roach (Rutilus rutilus) whose parental generation was sampled from two river stretches heavily contaminated with WwTW effluent and from two without any known WwTW effluent contamination. Exposure to EE2 significantly reduced the proportion of genetic males and induced a range of feminized phenotypes in males. Significantly, exposure also increased the proportion of genetic females with vitellogenic oocytes from 51 to 96%, raising the possibility that estrogen pollution could impact populations of annually spawning fish species through advancing female reproduction by at least a year. However, there was no evidence that river origin affected sensitivity to estrogens in either sex. Thus, we conclude that chronic exposure to low level EE2 has reproductive health outcomes for both male and female roach, but we find no evidence that the nature or magnitude of the response is affected by the population origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick B Hamilton
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK; College of Medicine and Health, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU.
| | - Alice Baynes
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Elizabeth Nicol
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Graham Harris
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Tamsyn M Uren Webster
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK; Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Nicola Beresford
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Marta Straszkiewicz
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Susan Jobling
- Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Charles R Tyler
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
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25
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Occurrence, analysis and removal of pesticides, hormones, pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants in soil and water streams for the past two decades: a review. RESEARCH ON CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATES 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11164-022-04778-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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26
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Biswas P, Vellanki BP, Kazmi AA. Investigating a broad range of emerging contaminants in a set of anthropogenically impacted environmental compartments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 824:153757. [PMID: 35151754 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153757] [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: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Environmental compartments are repositories of probably thousands of emerging contaminants (ECs) released along with treated/untreated wastewater. Despite extensive studies on the detection of ECs in surface water, other environmental compartments such as sediments and groundwater are yet to be thoroughly investigated. To assess the heavy anthropogenic impact on the environment, 24 environmental samples comprising of surface water, sediment and groundwater collected from the Yamuna River basin of India were analyzed via target and suspect screening. The surface water and sediment samples were collected from upstream and downstream of densely populated cities and towns situated along the heavily contaminated river Yamuna. The groundwater samples were collected from shallow drinking water wells of the catchment. Liquid chromatography tandem mass-spectroscopy was used to quantify 10 widely consumed pharmaceuticals in the samples. The study also analyzed the potential health hazards posed by the quantified contaminants. In order to evaluate further, the surface water and groundwater samples were subjected to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) screening against a library resulting in a list of 450 ECs in the surface water and 309 ECs in the groundwater. Agricultural chemicals and pharmaceuticals found abundantly in the samples and half of whom were reported first time. The risk quotient was calculated to assess the potential hazard of the target analytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinakshi Biswas
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India.
| | - Bhanu Prakash Vellanki
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India.
| | - Absar Ahmad Kazmi
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand 247667, India.
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27
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Metcalfe CD, Bayen S, Desrosiers M, Muñoz G, Sauvé S, Yargeau V. An introduction to the sources, fate, occurrence and effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals released into the environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 207:112658. [PMID: 34990614 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Many classes of compounds are known or suspected to disrupt the endocrine system of vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. This review of the sources and fate of selected endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment includes classes of compounds that are "legacy" contaminants, as well as contaminants of emerging concern. EDCs included for discussion are organochlorine compounds, halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, brominated flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, alkylphenols, phthalates, bisphenol A and analogues, pharmaceuticals, drugs of abuse and steroid hormones, personal care products, and organotins. An exhaustive survey of the fate of these contaminants in all environmental media (e.g., air, water, soil, biota, foods and beverages) is beyond the scope of this review, so the priority is to highlight the fate of EDCs in environmental media for which there is a clear link between exposure and endocrine effects in humans or in biota from other taxa. Where appropriate, linkages are also made between the fate of EDCs and regulatory limits such as environmental quality guidelines for water and sediments and total daily intake values for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - S Bayen
- McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - M Desrosiers
- Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques du Québec. Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - G Muñoz
- Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - S Sauvé
- Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - V Yargeau
- McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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28
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Shuliakevich A, Schroeder K, Nagengast L, Wolf Y, Brückner I, Muz M, Behnisch PA, Hollert H, Schiwy S. Extensive rain events have a more substantial impact than advanced effluent treatment on the endocrine-disrupting activity in an effluent-dominated small river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150887. [PMID: 34634343 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150887] [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: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remain an important primary source of emission for endocrine-disrupting compounds in the environment. As an advanced wastewater treatment process, ozonation is known to reduce endocrine-disrupting activity. However, it remains unclear to which extend improved wastewater treatment may reduce the endocrine-disrupting activity in the receiving water body. The present study investigated possible factors for the endocrine-disrupting activity in a small receiving water body, the Wurm River (North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany), up- and downstream of a local WWTP. The cell-based reporter gene CALUX® assay was applied to identify the endocrine-disrupting activity in the water, sediment, and suspended particulate matter. The water phase and the effluent sampling were primarily driven by applying the full-scale effluent ozonation (sampling campaigns in June 2017 and March 2019). In contrast, the sediment sampling aimed to compare the particle-bound endocrine-disrupting activity during dry (June 2017) and rainy summer (June 2018) seasons. The water phase showed low to moderate estrogenic/antiandrogenic activity. Advanced effluent treatment by ozonation led to a complete reduction of the endocrine-disrupting activity according to the limit of detection of the CALUX® assays. The suspended particulate matter originated from the water phase of the second sampling campaign revealed antiandrogenic activity only. Sediments at the sampling sites along the local WWTP revealed higher estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity after extensive rain events and were not affected by the ozonated effluent. Fluctuation patterns of the endocrine-disrupting activity in sediments were in line with fluctuated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Rainwater overflow basin release was suggested as a vector for particle-bound and dissolved endocrine-disrupting activity in the receiving water body. The present study underlined the necessity for monitoring both water and sediment phases to achieve reliable profiling of the endocrine-disrupting activity. The receptor-mediated CALUX® assays were proven to be suitable for investigating the endocrine-disrupting activity distribution in different river compartments and WWTP effluents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliaksandra Shuliakevich
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Katja Schroeder
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Biology V, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Laura Nagengast
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Biology V, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Yvonne Wolf
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Biology V, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ira Brückner
- Eifel-Rur Waterboard (WVER), Eisenbahnstr. 5, 52354 Düren, Germany
| | - Melis Muz
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Peter A Behnisch
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), Science Park 406, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Henner Hollert
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
| | - Sabrina Schiwy
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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29
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Simon E, Duffek A, Stahl C, Frey M, Scheurer M, Tuerk J, Gehrmann L, Könemann S, Swart K, Behnisch P, Olbrich D, Brion F, Aït-Aïssa S, Pasanen-Kase R, Werner I, Vermeirssen ELM. Biological effect and chemical monitoring of Watch List substances in European surface waters: Steroidal estrogens and diclofenac - Effect-based methods for monitoring frameworks. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 159:107033. [PMID: 34979407 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Three steroidal estrogens, 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), diclofenac have been included in the first Watch List of the Water Framework Directive (WFD, EU Directive 2000/60/EC, EU Implementing Decision 2015/495). This triggered the need for more EU-wide surface water monitoring data on these micropollutants, before they can be considered for inclusion in the list of priority substances regularly monitored in aquatic ecosystems. The revision of the priority substance list of the WFD offers the opportunity to incorporate more holistic bioanalytical approaches, such as effect-based monitoring, alongside single substance chemical monitoring. Effect-based methods (EBMs) are able to measure total biological activities (e.g., estrogenic activity or cyxlooxygenase [COX]-inhibition) of specific group of substances (such as estrogens and NSAIDs) in the aquatic environment at low concentrations (pg/L). This makes them potential tools for a cost-effective and ecotoxicologically comprehensive water quality assessment. In parallel, the use of such methods could build a bridge from chemical status assessments towards ecological status assessments by adressing mixture effects for relevant modes of action. Our study aimed to assess the suitability of implementing EBMs in the WFD, by conducting a large-scale sampling and analysis campaign of more than 70 surface waters across Europe. This resulted in the generation of high-quality chemical and effect-based monitoring data for the selected Watch List substances. Overall, water samples contained low estrogenicity (0.01-1.3 ng E2-Equivalent/L) and a range of COX-inhibition activity similar to previously reported levels (12-1600 ng Diclofenac-Equivalent/L). Comparison between effect-based and conventional analytical chemical methods showed that the chemical analytical approach for steroidal estrogens resulted in more (76%) non-quantifiable data, i.e., concentrations were below detection limits, compared to the EBMs (28%). These results demonstrate the excellent and sensitive screening capability of EBMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Simon
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Anja Duffek
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Berlin, Germany
| | - Cordula Stahl
- Steinbeis-Innovationszentrum Zellkulturtechnik, c/o University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Germany
| | - Manfred Frey
- Steinbeis-Innovationszentrum Zellkulturtechnik, c/o University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marco Scheurer
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jochen Tuerk
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Duisburg, Germany
| | - Linda Gehrmann
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Duisburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Könemann
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kees Swart
- BioDetection Systems B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Behnisch
- National Institute of Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | - Daniel Olbrich
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Franҫois Brion
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Labour Directorate Section Chemicals and Work, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Selim Aït-Aïssa
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Labour Directorate Section Chemicals and Work, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert Pasanen-Kase
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Labour Directorate Section Chemicals and Work, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Inge Werner
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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Wolf Y, Oster S, Shuliakevich A, Brückner I, Dolny R, Linnemann V, Pinnekamp J, Hollert H, Schiwy S. Improvement of wastewater and water quality via a full-scale ozonation plant? - A comprehensive analysis of the endocrine potential using effect-based methods. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 803:149756. [PMID: 34492496 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Micropollutants (MPs), especially endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), are mainly released from WWTPs into surface water bodies and can subsequently lead to adverse effects in biota. Treatment with ozone proved to be a suitable method for eliminating such MPs. This method was implemented at the WWTP Aachen-Soers by commissioning the largest full-scale ozonation plant in Europe at the moment. Recently, effect-based methods (EBMs) have been successfully proved for compliance monitoring, e.g. estrogenic compounds. Therefore, the impact of ozone treatment on endocrine potential (agonistic and antagonistic) of treated wastewater was investigated using the ERα- and AR CALUX assays. Additionally, the impact on the receiving stream and a potential preload of the water body was assessed. Therefore, the current study could deal as a case study for small rivers being highly impacted by WWTPs. The estrogenic potential was nearly fully eliminated after ozone treatment. Contrary, the antagonistic (anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic) potential did not show a clear elimination pattern after ozone treatment independent of the applied ozone dosage and control system. Therefore, further investigations are required regarding the antagonistic potential. Additionally, preloading of the receiving stream was found during the study period. One significant impact is a rain overflow basin (ROB) located upstream of the WWTP effluent. The highest endocrine potential was found after a ROB overflow (2.7 ng EEQ/L, 2.4 μg TMX-EQ/L, 104 μg FLU-EQ/L), suggesting that such runoff events after a heavy rainfall may act as a driver of endocrine loading to the water body. This manuscript contributes significantly to the basic understanding of the efficiency of eliminating the endocrine potential of ozone treatment by, e.g., showing that there is a further need for improving the removal efficiency of antagonistic potential. Moreover, it highlights the need to include other point sources, such as ROBs, to assess polluted surface waters comprehensively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Wolf
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Sophie Oster
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany; iES Institute for Environmental Science, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Aliaksandra Shuliakevich
- Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology (E(3)T), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Regina Dolny
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Volker Linnemann
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Johannes Pinnekamp
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology (E(3)T), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Sabrina Schiwy
- Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology (E(3)T), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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31
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Ezechiáš M. The agonistic bioanalytical equivalent concentration: A novel tool for assessing the endocrine activity of environmental mixtures. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2022; 89:103781. [PMID: 34871798 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2021.103781] [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: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based bioassays are very sensitive and allow integrative effect screening of the whole environmental sample, which is usually composed of a mixture of agonists and antagonists. Measured toxicity is usually expressed as a bioanalytical equivalent concentration. So far, it is not possible to distinguish which part of this value is caused by the agonists and which by the antagonists. In this article, we present a simple method to analyze the dose-response curve of a mixture and to determine an agonistic bioanalytical equivalent concentration: a concentration of a reference chemical that would elicit the same effect as do only agonists in an unknown mixture. The method has been validated using several artificially prepared mixtures of agonists and competitive antagonists measured in a recombinant yeast assay. No difference was observed between the calculated equivalent concentrations and the used concentrations of the agonist in the mixture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Ezechiáš
- The Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, Prague 142 20, Czech Republic.
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32
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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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33
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Ojoghoro JO, Scrimshaw MD, Sumpter JP. Steroid hormones in the aquatic environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 792:148306. [PMID: 34157532 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148306] [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: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Steroid hormones are extremely important natural hormones in all vertebrates. They control a wide range of physiological processes, including osmoregulation, sexual maturity, reproduction and stress responses. In addition, many synthetic steroid hormones are in widespread and general use, both as human and veterinary pharmaceuticals. Recent advances in environmental analytical chemistry have enabled concentrations of steroid hormones in rivers to be determined. Many different steroid hormones, both natural and synthetic, including transformation products, have been identified and quantified, demonstrating that they are widespread aquatic contaminants. Laboratory ecotoxicology experiments, mainly conducted with fish, but also amphibians, have shown that some steroid hormones, both natural and synthetic, can adversely affect reproduction when present in the water at extremely low concentrations: even sub-ng/L. Recent research has demonstrated that mixtures of different steroid hormones can inhibit reproduction even when each individual hormone is present at a concentration below which it would not invoke a measurable effect on its own. Limited field studies have supported the conclusions of the laboratory studies that steroid hormones may be environmental pollutants of significant concern. Further research is required to identify the main sources of steroid hormones entering the aquatic environment, better describe the complex mixtures of steroid hormones now known to be ubiquitously present, and determine the impacts of environmentally-realistic mixtures of steroid hormones on aquatic vertebrates, especially fish. Only once that research is completed can a robust aquatic risk assessment of steroid hormones be concluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- J O Ojoghoro
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Delta State University Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria
| | - M D Scrimshaw
- Division of Environmental Science, Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, United Kingdom.
| | - J P Sumpter
- Division of Environmental Science, Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 3PH, United Kingdom.
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34
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Gómez L, Niegowska M, Navarro A, Amendola L, Arukwe A, Ait-Aissa S, Balzamo S, Barreca S, Belkin S, Bittner M, Blaha L, Buchinger S, Busetto M, Carere M, Colzani L, Dellavedova P, Denslow N, Escher BI, Hogstrand C, Khan EA, König M, Kroll KJ, Lacchetti I, Maillot-Marechal E, Moscovici L, Potalivo M, Sanseverino I, Santos R, Schifferli A, Schlichting R, Sforzini S, Simon E, Shpigel E, Sturzenbaum S, Vermeirssen E, Viarengo A, Werner I, Lettieri T. Estrogenicity of chemical mixtures revealed by a panel of bioassays. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 785:147284. [PMID: 33957588 PMCID: PMC8210648 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Estrogenic compounds are widely released to surface waters and may cause adverse effects to sensitive aquatic species. Three hormones, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol, are of particular concern as they are bioactive at very low concentrations. Current analytical methods are not all sensitive enough for monitoring these substances in water and do not cover mixture effects. Bioassays could complement chemical analysis since they detect the overall effect of complex mixtures. Here, four chemical mixtures and two hormone mixtures were prepared and tested as reference materials together with two environmental water samples by eight laboratories employing nine in vitro and in vivo bioassays covering different steps involved in the estrogenic response. The reference materials included priority substances under the European Water Framework Directive, hormones and other emerging pollutants. Each substance in the mixture was present at its proposed safety limit concentration (EQS) in the European legislation. The in vitro bioassays detected the estrogenic effect of chemical mixtures even when 17β-estradiol was not present but differences in responsiveness were observed. LiBERA was the most responsive, followed by LYES. The additive effect of the hormones was captured by ERα-CALUX, MELN, LYES and LiBERA. Particularly, all in vitro bioassays detected the estrogenic effects in environmental water samples (EEQ values in the range of 0.75-304 × EQS), although the concentrations of hormones were below the limit of quantification in analytical measurements. The present study confirms the applicability of reference materials for estrogenic effects' detection through bioassays and indicates possible methodological drawbacks of some of them that may lead to false negative/positive outcomes. The observed difference in responsiveness among bioassays - based on mixture composition - is probably due to biological differences between them, suggesting that panels of bioassays with different characteristics should be applied according to specific environmental pollution conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia Gómez
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Magdalena Niegowska
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Anna Navarro
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Luca Amendola
- ARPA Lazio, Regional Agency for Environmental Protection, Via G. Saredo 52, 00173 Rome, Italy
| | - Augustine Arukwe
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Selim Ait-Aissa
- French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), UMR-I 02 SEBIO, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | - Stefania Balzamo
- ISPRA - Environmental Metrology Unit, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Barreca
- ARPA Lombardia, Regional Agency for Environmental Protection, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Shimshon Belkin
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Michal Bittner
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ludek Blaha
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Maddalena Busetto
- ARPA Lombardia, Regional Agency for Environmental Protection, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Carere
- ISS-National Health Institute, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Colzani
- ARPA Lombardia, Regional Agency for Environmental Protection, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Pierluisa Dellavedova
- ARPA Lombardia, Regional Agency for Environmental Protection, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Nancy Denslow
- Center for Environmental & Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christer Hogstrand
- Metal Metabolism Group, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, 150 Stamford St, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Essa Ahsan Khan
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Maria König
- Department Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kevin J Kroll
- Center for Environmental & Human Toxicology, Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ines Lacchetti
- ISS-National Health Institute, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Emmanuelle Maillot-Marechal
- French National Institute for Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), UMR-I 02 SEBIO, 60550 Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | - Liat Moscovici
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Monica Potalivo
- ISPRA - Environmental Metrology Unit, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00128 Rome, Italy
| | - Isabella Sanseverino
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy
| | - Ricardo Santos
- Laboratório de Análises, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Andrea Schifferli
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Rita Schlichting
- Department Cell Toxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanna Sforzini
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in Marine Environment, National Research Council (CNR-IAS), Via de Marini 6, Genova 16149, Italy
| | - Eszter Simon
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Etai Shpigel
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Stephen Sturzenbaum
- School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London, UK
| | - Etienne Vermeirssen
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Aldo Viarengo
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in Marine Environment, National Research Council (CNR-IAS), Via de Marini 6, Genova 16149, Italy
| | - Inge Werner
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Teresa Lettieri
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Via E. Fermi 2749, 21027 Ispra, VA, Italy.
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Mirmont E, Bœuf A, Charmel M, Vaslin-Reimann S, Lalère B, Laprévote O, Lardy-Fontan S. Development and implementation of an analytical procedure for the quantification of natural and synthetic steroid hormones in whole surface waters. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2021; 1175:122732. [PMID: 33992977 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2021.122732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Natural and synthetic steroid hormones are chronically released into aquatic spheres. Whereas knowledge on their combined mode of action and the cocktail effect are needed, only few multi-class methods address the challenge of their trace quantification in surface waters. The current study describes a sensitive multi-residue analytical strategy aiming to quantify 23 steroid hormones belonging to androgens, estrogens, glucocorticoids and progestogens in whole surface waters. The procedure relies on a two-step solid-phase extraction followed by an ultra-performance liquid chromatography separation coupled to tandem mass spectrometry detection (UPLC-MS/MS). Isotope dilution was implemented when possible in order to ensure the reliability of the measurement. The procedure was optimized toward the reliable quantification of the 23 target compounds at the predicted no-effect concentrations when existing or below the ng L-1 level. Satisfactory absolute global recoveries ≥ 77% were obtained for almost all compounds (21 out of 23) in intermediate precision conditions. Measurement errors were comprised between -27% and +17% for the great majority of compounds (21 out of 23) with standard deviations < 20% in intermediate precision conditions. Despite signal suppression was observed in water samples, satisfactory limits of quantification were achieved, ranging from 0.035 ng L-1 for 17alpha-ethinylestradiol to 1 ng L-1 for 6beta-hydroxycortisol and 6beta-hydroxydexamethasone. Abiotic stability was demonstrated for the great majority of target compounds (22 out of 23) in reference water samples stored at 4 ± 3 °C during 48 h, driving our sampling strategy. To demonstrate its fitness for purpose, the procedure was implemented in a preliminary monitoring survey of Belgian surface waters. As a result, 6 out of 23 target compounds were detected or quantified, showing a contamination by some estrogens and glucocorticoids at levels ranging from 0.1 to 0.9 ng L-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Mirmont
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essais (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75724 Paris, France; UMR CNRS 8038 CiTCoM, Chimie-Toxicologie Analytique et Cellulaire, Université de Paris, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, 75006 Paris, France
| | - A Bœuf
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essais (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75724 Paris, France
| | - M Charmel
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essais (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75724 Paris, France
| | - S Vaslin-Reimann
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essais (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75724 Paris, France
| | - B Lalère
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essais (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75724 Paris, France
| | - O Laprévote
- UMR CNRS 8038 CiTCoM, Chimie-Toxicologie Analytique et Cellulaire, Université de Paris, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, 4 avenue de l'Observatoire, 75006 Paris, France; Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Service de Biochimie, 24 rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France
| | - S Lardy-Fontan
- Laboratoire National de métrologie et d'Essais (LNE), 1 rue Gaston Boissier, 75724 Paris, France.
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Ng B, Quinete N, Maldonado S, Lugo K, Purrinos J, Briceño H, Gardinali P. Understanding the occurrence and distribution of emerging pollutants and endocrine disruptors in sensitive coastal South Florida Ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 757:143720. [PMID: 33288250 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposure risk to different xenobiotics, which can potentially alter the function of the endocrine system, remains a great health and safety concern for aquatic species and humans. Steroid hormones, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been identified as important aquatic contaminants due to their widespread occurrence in surface waters and their endocrine disrupting properties. Heavily populated areas in South Florida not served by municipal wastewater collection present an unexpected high risk of anthropogenic contaminants to nearby coastal systems through surface runoff and groundwater flow. Previous studies in South Florida have been largely concentrated on assessing the relevance of the fate and transport of inorganic nutrients, heavy metals and pesticides with regulatory criteria. Therefore, a significant gap exists in assessing occurrence, distribution and biological significance of the presence of human related organic contaminants in natural surface waters. In this study, we have developed a fast and sensitive online solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-HRMS) method using a Q-Exactive system for the determination of the occurrence and distribution of selected wastewater tracers/indicators, recalcitrant PPCPs and steroid hormones in South Florida surface waters. Seasonal and spatial variations of these contaminants were monitored from 2017 to 2019. The presence of total coliforms and E. coli were also evaluated in order to further assess water quality. Correlations between hormones and anthropogenic tracers were explored to better elucidate the sources, pathways and exposure risks to these contaminants. Caffeine, sucralose, Diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) and carbamazepine were frequently detected in the water samples, which is indicative of extensive wastewater intrusion impacting the surface water. Estrone (E1), 17-β-estradiol (E2), and 17-α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) levels found in surface water raises concern of potential endocrine disruption effects in the aquatic ecosystem. Hazard quotient has been calculated to identify areas with high ecological risks to aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Ng
- Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Natalia Quinete
- Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Stephanie Maldonado
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA; Deparment of Chemistry, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Humacao 00791, Puerto Rico
| | - Kathleen Lugo
- Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Julian Purrinos
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Henry Briceño
- Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Piero Gardinali
- Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Modesto A. Maidique Campus, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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37
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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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Tao HY, Zhang J, Shi J, Guo W, Liu X, Zhang M, Ge H, Li XY. Occurrence and emission of phthalates, bisphenol A, and oestrogenic compounds in concentrated animal feeding operations in Southern China. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 207:111521. [PMID: 33254396 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Phthalates (PAEs), bisphenol A (BPA), and oestrogenic compounds have become major concerns due to their endocrine-disrupting effect. However, few studies related to the occurrence of PAEs, BPA, and oestrogen in food and compost from different growth age livestock have been conducted. In this study, faeces, urine and food samples were collected from a typical livestock (cow) and a special livestock (pigeon) from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The daily total oestrogen excretion of a single cow ranged from 192 μg/day to 671 μg/day, which was significantly higher than that of a single pigeon (0-0.01 μg/day). Conjugated oestrogens represented 22.0-46.0% of the total oestrogens excreted from cow faeces and 80.7-91.8% of those from cow urine, indicating that the form of the excreted oestrogens depends on the livestock species and type of excrement. BPA was all detected in all livestock manure and food, and the concentration in pigeon was 9.2-40.2 ng/g and 23.1 ng/g respectively, while that in cattle was 50.5-72.0 ng/g and 41.1 ng/g respectively. The results indicated that the food is significant sources of BPA entering the process of cow and pigeon breeding. Diethyl phthalate (DEP) was detected at high frequency in pigeon faeces samples, suggesting that pigeons were highly exposed to these plasticisers. The total oestradiol equivalent quantity (EEQt) of livestock origin in aquatic environments was estimated to be 2.99 ng/L, which was higher than the baseline hazard value (1 ng/L) (Xu et al., 2018). The study provides data on the emissions and sources of PAEs, BPA, and oestrogenic compounds from different livestock in CAFOs and demonstrates that food is a significant source of BPA entering livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Yu Tao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Environmental Engineering Research Centre, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiawei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Environmental Engineering Research Centre, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianghong Shi
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Wei Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xiaowei Liu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Mengtao Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Ge
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Li
- Environmental Engineering Research Centre, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
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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: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [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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Du B, Fan G, Yu W, Yang S, Zhou J, Luo J. Occurrence and risk assessment of steroid estrogens in environmental water samples: A five-year worldwide perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 267:115405. [PMID: 33618485 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitous occurrence of steroid estrogens (SEs) in the aquatic environment has raised global concern for their potential environmental impacts. This paper extensively compiled and reviewed the available occurrence data of SEs, namely estrone (E1), 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), 17β-estradiol (17β-E2), estriol (E3), and 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), based on 145 published articles in different regions all over the world including 51 countries and regions during January 2015-March 2020. The data regarding SEs concentrations and estimated 17β-estradiol equivalency (EEQ) values are then compared and analyzed in different environmental matrices, including natural water body, drinking and tap water, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) effluent. The detection frequencies of E1, 17β-E2, and E3 between the ranges of 53%-83% in natural water and WWTPs effluent, and the concentration of SEs varied considerably in different countries and regions. The applicability for EEQ estimation via multiplying relative effect potency (REPi) by chemical analytical data, as well as correlation between EEQbio and EEQcal was also discussed. The risk quotient (RQ) values were on the descending order of EE2 > 17β-E2 > E1 > 17α-E2 > E3 in the great majority of investigations. Furthermore, E1, 17β-E2, and EE2 exhibited high or medium risks in water environmental samples via optimized risk quotient (RQf) approach at the continental-scale. This overview provides the latest insights on the global occurrence and ecological impacts of SEs and may act as a supportive tool for future SEs investigation and monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banghao Du
- College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, 350116, Fujian, China
| | - Gongduan Fan
- College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, 350116, Fujian, China; State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, Fuzhou University, 350002, Fujian, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Storage Materials, Fuzhou University, 350002, Fujian, China.
| | - Weiwei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, 400074, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, 400074, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinjin Zhou
- College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, 350116, Fujian, China
| | - Jing Luo
- College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, 350116, Fujian, China
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Gea M, Toso A, Schilirò T. Estrogenic activity of biological samples as a biomarker. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 740:140050. [PMID: 32927569 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Biological assays can evaluate the cumulative effect of a mixture, considering synergistic/antagonistic interactions and effects of unknown/unconsidered compounds. Therefore, their application could increase in the next years also to analyse biological samples. The aim of this review is to discuss the methodological approach and the application of estrogenic activity assays in human biological samples. 75 research articles were analysed and divided according to whether they used these assays: i) to quantify the level of estrogens and/or as a biomarker of estrogenic status ii) as a biomarker of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). For the first purpose, some authors extracted biological samples while others tested them directly without any treatment. The study of these methodologies outlined that the methodology applied influenced the specificity of analysis. The estrogenic activity biomarker was used to analyse physiological variations of estrogens, pediatric diseases, hormone-dependent diseases and estrogen suppression/enhancement after pharmaceutical treatments. For the second purpose, some authors extracted samples while others tested them directly, some authors divided endogenous estrogens from xenoestrogens while others tested samples without separation. The analysis of these methodologies outlined some limitations related to the efficiency of extraction and the incorrect separation of some compounds. The studies which applied this EDC biomarker showed that it was correlated with some EDCs, it varied according to the exposure of the population and it allowed the identification of some relationships between EDC exposure and breast cancer, type 1 diabetes and adverse health effects on children. In conclusion, the estrogenic activity of biological samples can be a useful tool: to quantify low levels of 17β-estradiol, to assess the combined effect of endogenous estrogens and xenoestrogens, to estimate the estrogenic status providing considerable insight into physiological or pathological conditions, to evaluate EDC presence implementing the existing knowledge about EDC exposure and adverse health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gea
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Piazza Polonia 94, 10126 Torino, Italy.
| | - Anna Toso
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Piazza Polonia 94, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Tiziana Schilirò
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, Piazza Polonia 94, 10126 Torino, Italy
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42
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Alves TC, Mota JAX, Pinheiro A. Biosorption of organic micropollutants onto lignocellulosic-based material. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2020; 82:427-439. [PMID: 32960789 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2020.333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of organic micropollutants such as pharmaceutical drugs and hormones in the environment reflects the inefficiency of traditional wastewater treatment technologies. Biosorption is a promising alternative from a technical-economic point of view, so understanding the mechanisms of adsorption in new biosorbents is vital for application and process optimization. Within this context, this study aims to evaluate the mechanisms of adsorption and removal of synthetic and natural hormones by Pinus elliottii bark biosorbent (PS) compared to commercial granular activated carbon (GAC) through kinetic models, isotherm models, and thermodynamic models. The adsorbents were also characterized by morphology, chemical composition, functional groups, and point of zero charge. Characterization of the adsorbents highlights the heterogeneous and fibrous morphology and broader range of functional groups found for PS. Kinetic adjustments showed high accuracy for pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and intraparticle diffusion models, presenting multilinearity and evidencing multi-stage adsorption. The isotherms for PS followed high-affinity models, predominantly chemisorption, while those for GAC followed the Langmuir model, where physisorption predominates. These mechanisms were confirmed by thermodynamic models, which also indicated a higher dependence on temperature in the adsorption process. In the fortified water removal test, PS showed removal values higher than GAC, highlighting the advantages of this adsorbent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Caique Alves
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Rua São Paulo, n. 3250, CEP: 89030-000, Blumenau, SC, Brazil E-mail:
| | - João André Ximenes Mota
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Rua São Paulo, n. 3250, CEP: 89030-000, Blumenau, SC, Brazil E-mail:
| | - Adilson Pinheiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Rua São Paulo, n. 3250, CEP: 89030-000, Blumenau, SC, Brazil E-mail:
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43
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Serra H, Brion F, Chardon C, Budzinski H, Schulze T, Brack W, Aït-Aïssa S. Estrogenic activity of surface waters using zebrafish- and human-based in vitro assays: The Danube as a case-study. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2020; 78:103401. [PMID: 32417722 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103401] [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: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Most in vitro reporter gene assays used to assess estrogenic contamination are based on human estrogen receptor α (hERα) activation. However, fish bioassays can have distinct response to estrogenic chemicals and mixtures, questioning the relevance of human-based bioassays for assessing risk to this species. In this study, zebrafish liver cells stably expressing zebrafish ERβ2 (ZELHβ2) and human breast cancer cells expressing hERα (MELN) were used to quantify the estrogenic activity of 25 surface water samples of the Danube River, for which chemicals have been previously quantified. Most samples had a low estrogenic activity below 0.1 ng/L 17β-estradiol-equivalents that was more often detected by MELN cells, while ZELHβ2 response tend to be lower than predicted based on the chemicals identified. Nevertheless, both bioassays quantified well a higher estrogenic activity at two sites, which was confirmed in vivo using a transgenic zebrafish assay. The results are discussed considering the effect-based trigger values proposed for water quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Serra
- Unité Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France; UMR-CNRS EPOC/LPTC, Université de Bordeaux, Talence, France
| | - François Brion
- Unité Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | - Clémence Chardon
- Unité Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | | | - Tobias Schulze
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Werner Brack
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Selim Aït-Aïssa
- Unité Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.
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44
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Yu W, Du B, Fan G, Yang S, Yang L, Zhang M. Spatio-temporal distribution and transformation of 17α- and 17β-estradiol in sterilized soil: A column experiment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 389:122092. [PMID: 31972526 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122092] [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: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The environmental behaviors of steroid estrogens (SEs) associated with land irrigation and application are of critical concern worldwide. Understanding the spatio-temporal distribution and transformation process of these estrogenic compounds in soil is greatly significant. In this study, laboratory soil column experiments were conducted to investigate and explore the migration and abiotic transformation of 17α-estradiol (17α-E2) and 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) over spatial and time scales. Results indicated that the migration tendency of 17α-E2 and 17β-E2 was similar. Discrepancies in transport for different SEs groups might be due to the competitive sorption and isomeric transformation in the binary-solute system. 17α-E2 and 17β-E2 can also undergo the abiotic transformation during soil column transport. The soil with naturally abundant mineral substances (e.g., iron and manganese oxides) indicated that E2 isomers tended to mineral-promoted racemization, oxidation, reduction, and radical coupling reactions. Some possible transformation products (e.g., SE239, E2378, and SE dimer476) were identified and proposed in soil samples. Compared to the single compound tests, the estimated 17β-estradiol equivalency (EEQ) values of E2 mixture were higher during SEs migration process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
| | - Banghao Du
- Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China.
| | - Gongduan Fan
- College of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350116, Fujian, China
| | - Shuo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
| | - Lun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
| | - Minne Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Hydraulic and Waterway Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of River and Ocean Engineering, Chongqing Jiaotong University, Chongqing 400074, China
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45
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Gosset A, Polomé P, Perrodin Y. Ecotoxicological risk assessment of micropollutants from treated urban wastewater effluents for watercourses at a territorial scale: Application and comparison of two approaches. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2020; 224:113437. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.113437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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46
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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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47
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Narain-Ford DM, Bartholomeus RP, Dekker SC, van Wezel AP. Natural Purification Through Soils: Risks and Opportunities of Sewage Effluent Reuse in Sub-surface Irrigation. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2020; 250:85-117. [PMID: 32939618 DOI: 10.1007/398_2020_49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominique M Narain-Ford
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
| | - Ruud P Bartholomeus
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Soil Physics and Land Management, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan C Dekker
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Science, Faculty of Management, Science and Technology, Open University, Heerlen, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie P van Wezel
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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48
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Hashmi MAK, Krauss M, Escher BI, Teodorovic I, Brack W. Effect-Directed Analysis of Progestogens and Glucocorticoids at Trace Concentrations in River Water. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2020; 39:189-199. [PMID: 31614391 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Effect-based monitoring is increasingly applied to detect and-in conjunction with chemical analysis-to identify endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) in the environment. Although this approach of effect-directed analysis has been successfully demonstrated for estrogenicity and androgenicity, data on progestogens and glucocorticoids driving endocrine disruption are quite limited. We investigated progestogenic and glucocorticoid activities in Danube River water receiving untreated wastewater from Novi Sad, Serbia. After a 2-step fractionation, all fractions were tested with reporter gene bioassays for agonistic and antagonistic hormonal responses at progestogenic and glucocorticoid hormone receptors as well as with target and nontarget analytical screening of active fractions by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry. Due to masking by cytotoxic mixture components, the effects could not be detected in the raw water extract but were unraveled only after fractionation. Target chemical screening of the fraction that was active in the progesterone receptor (PR) assay revealed that progesterone and megestrol acetate were predominant drivers of PR-mediated activity along with medroxyprogesterone, dihydrotestosterone, androsterone, and epiandrosterone. Hydrocortisone was detected at sub-ng/L concentration in the active fraction in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) assay but could not explain a significant fraction of the observed GR activity. The present study indicates that effect-based monitoring is a powerful tool to detect EDCs in the aquatic environment but that fractionation may be required to avoid masking effects of mixture components. Future effect-directed analysis studies are required to better understand the occurrence of EDCs and masking compounds in different lipophilicity windows, to finally reduce fractionation requirements for monitoring to a smart clean-up. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;39:189-199. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Arslan Kamal Hashmi
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany
| | - Martin Krauss
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Beate I Escher
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Werner Brack
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research (Biology V), RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany
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49
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Kienle C, Vermeirssen ELM, Schifferli A, Singer H, Stamm C, Werner I. Effects of treated wastewater on the ecotoxicity of small streams - Unravelling the contribution of chemicals causing effects. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226278. [PMID: 31881027 PMCID: PMC6934383 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plant effluents are important point sources of micropollutants. To assess how the discharge of treated wastewater affects the ecotoxicity of small to medium-sized streams we collected water samples up- and downstream of 24 wastewater treatment plants across the Swiss Plateau and the Jura regions of Switzerland. We investigated estrogenicity, inhibition of algal photosynthetic activity (photosystem II, PSII) and growth, and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition. At four sites, we measured feeding activity of amphipods (Gammarus fossarum) in situ as well as water flea (Ceriodaphnia dubia) reproduction in water samples. Ecotoxicological endpoints were compared with results from analyses of general water quality parameters as well as a target screening of a wide range of organic micropollutants with a focus on pesticides and pharmaceuticals using liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Measured ecotoxicological effects in stream water varied substantially among sites: 17β-estradiol equivalent concentrations (EEQbio, indicating the degree of estrogenicity) were relatively low and ranged from 0.04 to 0.85 ng/L, never exceeding a proposed effect-based trigger (EBT) value of 0.88 ng/L. Diuron equivalent (DEQbio) concentrations (indicating the degree of photosystem II inhibition in algae) ranged from 2.4 to 1576 ng/L and exceeded the EBT value (70 ng/L) in one third of the rivers studied, sometimes even upstream of the WWTP. Parathion equivalent (PtEQbio) concentrations (indicating the degree of AChE inhibition) reached relatively high values (37 to 1278 ng/L) mostly exceeding the corresponding EBT (196 ng/L PtEQbio). Decreased feeding activity by amphipods or decreased water flea reproduction downstream compared to the upstream site was observed at one of four investigated sites only. Results of the combined algae assay (PSII inhibition) correlated best with results of chemical analysis for PSII inhibiting herbicides. Estrogenicity was partly and AChE inhibition strongly underestimated based on measured steroidal estrogens respectively organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. An impact of dissolved organic carbon on results of the AChE inhibition assay was obvious. For this assay more work is required to further explore the missing correlation of bioassay data with chemical analytical data. Overall, the discharge of WWTP effluent led to increased estrogenicity, PSII and AChE inhibition downstream, irrespective of upstream land use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Kienle
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Andrea Schifferli
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Heinz Singer
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Stamm
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Inge Werner
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Zürich, Switzerland
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de Cezaro AM, Rigo AA, Martinazzo J, Muenchen DK, Manzoli A, Correa DS, Steffens J, Steffens C. Cantilever Nanobiosensor Functionalized with Tyrosinase for Detection of Estrone and β-estradiol in Water. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2019; 190:1512-1524. [PMID: 31784877 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-019-03195-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This work aimed to develop cantilever nanobiosensor functionalized with tyrosinase enzyme to detect 17β-estradiol and estrone hormones. In this system, the tyrosinase enzyme was covalently immobilized by self-assembled monolayer onto the cantilever sensor surface. It was possible to verify that the high hormone concentration investigated resulted in high voltage response. The nanobiosensor presented a distinction between the concentrations evaluated and was verified sensitivities of 0.497 and 0.101 V/μg, limit of detection of 0.1 and 0.4 ng/L for the hormones 17β-estradiol and estrone, respectively. The device showed good reversibility and during 30 days of storage maintained about 99% of the original signal. The cantilever nanobiosensor applied in different water samples (ultrapure, river, tap, and mineral) showed good performance, so could be readily extended toward the on-site monitoring of the other trace small molecular pollutants in environmental water matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana Marie de Cezaro
- Department of Food Engineering, URI Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS, 99709-910, Brazil
| | - Aline Andressa Rigo
- Department of Food Engineering, URI Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS, 99709-910, Brazil
| | - Janine Martinazzo
- Department of Food Engineering, URI Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS, 99709-910, Brazil
| | - Daniela Kunkel Muenchen
- Department of Food Engineering, URI Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS, 99709-910, Brazil
| | - Alexandra Manzoli
- Department of Food Engineering, URI Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS, 99709-910, Brazil
| | - Daniel Souza Correa
- Nanotechnology National Laboratory for Agriculture (LNNA), Embrapa Instrumentação, P.O. Box 741, São Carlos, SP, 13560-970, Brazil
| | - Juliana Steffens
- Department of Food Engineering, URI Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS, 99709-910, Brazil
| | - Clarice Steffens
- Department of Food Engineering, URI Erechim, Av. Sete de Setembro, 1621, Erechim, RS, 99709-910, Brazil.
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