Identification of retinoic acid receptor agonists in sewage treatment plants

Biomineralized Nuclear Receptor Protein-Selection Mass Spectrometry for the Discovery of Drugs and Toxics

Protein-selection mass spectrometry is cost-effective for the discovery of drugs and toxics. Nuclear receptors (NRs) are major targets for pharmaceuticals and endocrine-disrupting chemicals and are, thus, widely used as "bait" proteins. However, their application is limited due to the tendency to lose protein activity during cold storage. To address this problem, we introduced a novel biomineralization-based approach to preserve activity in NRs, exemplified by human retinoic acid receptor alpha (hRARα), a target for cancer and leucocythemia therapy. Since information on the coordination chemistry of metal ion and NR protein complexes is almost unavailable, we applied peptide mapping analysis for the first time for the rational design of his-hRARα-Co phosphate nanobiomaterial with high bioactivity. This nanobiomaterial successfully captured hRARα bioactive chemicals from a Chinese herb and environmental water and discovered an unsaturated fatty acid, (±)-(9Z,11E)-13-hydroxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid ((±)13-HODE), which exhibited strong hRARα antagonistic activity.

Screening (ant)agonistic activities of xenobiotics on the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) using in vitro and in silico analysis

Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) are known as crucial endocrine receptors that could mediate a broad diversity of biological processes. However, the data on endocrine disrupting effects of emerging chemicals by targeting RAR (ant)agonism are far from sufficient. Herein, we investigated the RARα agonistic or antagonistic activities for 75 emerging chemicals of concern, and explored their interactions with this receptor. A recombinant two-hybrid yeast assay was used to examine the RARα activities of the test chemicals, wherein 7 showed effects of RARα agonism and 54 exerted potentials of RARα antagonism. The representative chemicals with RARα agonistic activities, i.e. 4-hydroxylphenol (4-HP) and bisphenol AF (BPAF), significantly increased the mRNA levels of CRABP2 and CYP26A1, while 4 select chemicals with RARα antagonistic potentials, including bisphenol A (BPA), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), and 4-n-nonylphenol (4-n-NP), conversely decreased the transcriptional levels of the test genes. The in silico molecular docking analysis using 3 different approaches further confirmed the substantial binding between the chemicals with RARα activities and this nuclear receptor protein. This work highlights the promising strategy for screening endocrine-disrupting effects of emerging chemicals of concern by targeting RARα (ant)agonism.

Nontargeted Analysis Reveals a Broad Range of Bioactive Pollutants in Drinking Water by Estrogen Receptor Affinity-Mass Spectrometry

Exposure to environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can cause extensive health issues. However, specific EDCs remain elusive. This work aimed at performing nontargeted identification of estrogen receptor α (ERα)-active compounds using an ERα protein affinity assay combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry in the source and drinking water sampled from major rivers in China. Fifty-one potential ERα-active compounds across 13 categories were identified. For the first time, diisodecyl phenyl phosphate was found to have antiestrogenic activity, and three chemicals (galaxolidone, bensulfuron methyl, and UV234) were plausible ERα ligands. Among the 51 identified compounds, 12 were detected in the aquatic environment for the first time, and the concentration of N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine, a widely used antioxidant in rubber products, was up to 1469 and 1190 ng/L in source and drinking water, respectively. This study demonstrated the widespread presence of known and unknown ERα estrogenic and antiestrogenic pollutants in the major rivers that serve as key sources of drinking water in China and the low removal efficiency of these chemicals in drinking water treatment plants.

Endocrine disrupting activity in sewage sludge: Screening method, microbial succession and cost-effective strategy for detoxification

Sewage sludge (SS) presents a high agronomic potential due to high concentrations of organic matter and nutrients, encouraging its recycling as a soil conditioner. However, the presence of toxic substances can preclude this use. To enable the safe disposal of this waste in agriculture, SS requires additional detoxification to decrease the environmental risks of this practice. Although some alternatives have been proposed in this sense, little attention is provided to eliminating endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). To fill this gap, this study aimed to develop effective and low-cost technology to eliminate EDCs from SS. For this, a detoxification process combining microorganisms and biostimulating agents (soil, sugarcane bagasse, and coffee grounds) was performed for 2, 4, and 6 months with aerobic and anaerobic SSs. The (anti-)estrogenic, (anti-)androgenic, retinoic-like, and dioxin-like activities of SSs samples were verified using yeast-based reporter-gene assays to prove the effectiveness of the treatments. A fractionation procedure of samples, dividing the target sample extract into several fractions according to their polarity, was conducted to decrease the matrix complexity and facilitate the identification of EDCs. A decrease in the abundance and microbial diversity of the SS samples was noted along the biostimulation with the predominance of filamentous fungal species over yeasts and gram-positive bacteria and non-fermenting rods over enterobacteria. Among the 9 EDCs quantified by LC-ESI-MS/MS, triclosan and alkylphenols presented the highest concentrations in both SS. Before detoxification, the studied SSs induced significant agonistic activity, especially at the human estrogen receptor α (hERα) and the human aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). The raw anaerobic sludge also activated the androgen (hAR), retinoic acid (RARα), and retinoid X (RXRα) receptors. However, no significant endocrine-disrupting activities were observed after the SS detoxification, showing that the technology applied here efficiently eliminates receptor-mediated toxicity.

Constructing an MCF-7 breast cancer cell-based transient transfection assay for screening RARα (Ant)agonistic activities of emerging phenolic compounds

The screening of compounds with endocrine disrupting effects has been attracting increasing attention due to the continuous release of emerging chemicals into the environment. Testing the (ant)agonistic activities of these chemicals on the retinoic acid receptor α (RARα), a vital nuclear receptor, is necessary to explain their perturbation in the endocrine system in vivo. In the present study, MCF-7 breast carcinoma cells were transiently transfected with a RARα expression vector (pEF1α-RARα-RFP) and a reporter vector containing a retinoic acid reaction element (pRARE-TA-Luc). Under optimized conditions, the performance of the newly constructed system was evaluated for its feasibility in screening the (ant)agonistic effects of emerging phenolic compounds on RARα. The results showed that this transient transfection cell model responded well to stimulation with (ant)agonists of RARα, and the EC₅₀ and IC₅₀ values were 0.87 nM and 2.67 μM for AM580 and Ro41-5253, respectively. Its application in testing several emerging phenolic compounds revealed that triclosan (TCS) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) exerted notable RARα antagonistic activities. This newly developed bioassay based on MCF-7 is promising in identifying the agonistic or antagonistic activities of xenobiotics on RARα and has good potential for studying RARα signaling-involved toxicological effects of emerging chemicals of concern.

Spatiotemporal variations of retinoic acids and their metabolites in the marine environment of Hong Kong

Excessive intake of retinoic acids (RAs) and the oxidative metabolites, 4-oxo-RAs, can lead to abnormal morphological development in animals. This study investigated spatiotemporal variations of concentrations and compositions of these compounds in Hong Kong's seawater and during algal blooms. Total concentrations of the studied compounds in seawater were up to 0.790 and 0.427 ng/L in dry and wet seasons, respectively, though no significant seasonal variation was observed. Spatially, the Deep Bay Water Control Zone was the most enriched area with the studied compounds owing to its semi-enclosed nature and influence from the Pearl River discharge. During algal blooms, the studied compounds were detected up to 4.74 ng/L. Based on calculated risk quotients, the ecological risk of the studied compounds to Hong Kong's marine ecosystems was low. Nevertheless, the occurrence and distribution of these chemicals in the marine environment should be closely monitored where algal blooms frequently occur.

Concentration-response of six marine species to all-trans-retinoic acid and its ecological risk to the marine environment

Being a class of vitamin A's main derivatives, retinoic acids (RAs) are important to animals' growth and development. Previous studies demonstrated that exposure of excessive amounts of RAs would lead to malformation and abnormal development in aquatic animals such as amphibians and fishes. Currently, there are only limited toxicity data of RAs available for freshwater species, while those for marine species are seriously lacking. This study aimed to fill such data gap by conducting toxicity tests on six marine species (i.e., one microalga, four invertebrates and one fish) towards the exposure to all-trans-RA (at-RA), which is the most widely distributed RA in the environment. Results showed that the embryo of medaka fish Oryzias melastigma was the most sensitive towards the exposure of at-RA while the gastropod Monodonta labio was the least sensitive. A species sensitivity distribution (SSD) was constructed based on the experimental results generated from the present study. An interim marine-specific predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of at-RA was derived at 2300 ng/L. By computing the hazard quotients using the interim marine-specific PNEC and available measured and predicted concentrations of RAs, we found the current levels of RAs posed no immediate risks to the marine environment of Hong Kong. The interim marine-specific PNEC was more than 500-fold of freshwater-specific PNEC (i.e., 3.93 ng/L), indicating that marine species were generally less sensitive than their freshwater counterparts towards RAs. This was the first study to document the concentration-response of various marine species towards at-RA exposure and construct the marine-specific SSD for assessing the ecological risk of at-RA towards the marine environment. Since various forms of RAs and their metabolites often coexist in aquatic environments, further studies should investigate their combined toxicity to an array of marine species of different trophic levels with consideration of chronic exposure scenarios.

Towards regulation of Endocrine Disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in water resources using bioassays - A guide to developing a testing strategy

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are found in every environmental medium and are chemically diverse. Their presence in water resources can negatively impact the health of both human and wildlife. Currently, there are no mandatory screening mandates or regulations for EDC levels in complex water samples globally. Bioassays, which allow quantifying in vivo or in vitro biological effects of chemicals are used commonly to assess acute toxicity in water. The existing OECD framework to identify single-compound EDCs offers a set of bioassays that are validated for the Estrogen-, Androgen-, and Thyroid hormones, and for Steroidogenesis pathways (EATS). In this review, we discussed bioassays that could be potentially used to screen EDCs in water resources, including in vivo and in vitro bioassays using invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and/or mammalians species. Strengths and weaknesses of samples preparation for complex water samples are discussed. We also review how to calculate the Effect-Based Trigger values, which could serve as thresholds to determine if a given water sample poses a risk based on existing quality standards. This work aims to assist governments and regulatory agencies in developing a testing strategy towards regulation of EDCs in water resources worldwide. The main recommendations include 1) opting for internationally validated cell reporter in vitro bioassays to reduce animal use & cost; 2) testing for cell viability (a critical parameter) when using in vitro bioassays; and 3) evaluating the recovery of the water sample preparation method selected. This review also highlights future research avenues for the EDC screening revolution (e.g., 3D tissue culture, transgenic animals, OMICs, and Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs)).

Discovery of contaminants with antagonistic activity against retinoic acid receptor in house dust

Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) control reproduction and development in vertebrates, but little attention has been paid to anthropogenic chemicals exhibiting RAR agoniztic/antagonistic activity. Here we applied a His-RARα pull-down assay combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify chemicals with RARα activity in house dust. After screening, a total of 540 peaks were retained as potential RARα ligands. The mass spectra of 14 chemicals matched with those in the database, of which triphenyl phosphate, galaxolidone, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), tris(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (TEHP), and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate were confirmed by their standards. While one chemical in the sample matched with monophenyl phosphate in the MS/MS database, its retention time was much higher than that of monophenyl phosphate standard, suggesting that it may be an in-source fragment. Its parent ion was finally identified to be m/z 399.2663 using a similarity analysis among chromatographic peaks of hundreds of ions at the same retention time in MS¹ spectrum, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phenyl phosphate (BEHPP) was identified. BEHPP, DEHP, and TEHP were for the first time identified to be RARα antagonists with IC₅₀ values of 6556, 6600, and 2538 nM, respectively. This study improved structural annotation and filled the knowledge gap regarding widespread environmental contaminants with RAR antagonistic activity.

Occurrence of retinoic acids and their metabolites in sewage and their removal efficiencies by chemically enhanced primary treatment and secondary biological treatment

Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are important in densely populated megacities like Hong Kong to control the release of harmful pollutants from households and industries into the receiving water bodies and maintain water quality for supporting various beneficial uses. This study investigated the occurrence of the teratogenic retinoic acids (RAs) and their oxidative metabolites in sewage and sludge of six selected STPs that treat about 87% of all sewage in Hong Kong annually, and compared the removal efficiencies of these compounds from sewage between two major sewage treatment processes, i.e., chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) and secondary (biological) treatment. The total concentrations of the studied RAs in influent, effluent and sludge from the six selected STPs were found between 21.5 and 33.1 ng/L, 12.0-20.4 ng/L, and 4.33-7.02 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The compounds were dominated by all-trans-RA and 13-cis-RA, together accounting for 46.9-65.6%, 38.4-56.7%, and 62.8-82.8% of the total RAs in influent, effluent and sludge, respectively. The studied RAs could not be satisfactorily removed by both treatment processes with removal efficiencies ranging from 25.4% to 47.4% only, without significant difference in their removal between CEPT and secondary treatment. Based on the calculated hazard quotients of all-trans-RA equivalents (0.248-0.521), the treated effluents from all the six STPs exhibited medium ecological risks to the receiving coastal environment. Therefore, continuous monitoring of these compounds and enhancement of treatment technologies of STPs shall be considered in the future to improve the removal efficiencies of these compounds.

Current understanding of potential ecological risks of retinoic acids and their metabolites in aquatic environments

In animals, retinoic acids (RAs), one of the main derivatives of vitamin A, are crucial for a variety of physiological processes. RAs, including all-trans-RA, 9-cis-RA, 13-cis-RA, and their corresponding metabolites (i.e., all-trans-4-oxo-RA, 9-cis-4-oxo-RA and 13-cis-4-oxo-RA) can be excreted through urination from humans and animals. Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are a significant source of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs into aquatic environments. RAs and 4-oxo-RAs can be identified and quantified by use of liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). RAs and 4-oxo-RAs have been reported in various environmental matrices including rivers, lakes, reservoirs and coastal marine environments as well as in sewage effluents discharged from STPs. Greater concentrations of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs have been observed during blooms of cyanobacteria and microalgae, suggesting that cyanobacteria and microalgae are natural sources of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs in aquatic environments. These potential sources of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs raise concerns about their concentrations and risks in aquatic environments because excessive intake of these chemicals can result in abnormal morphological development in animals. Teratogenic effects were observed in amphibians, fish embryos, gastropods, mammals and birds when exposed to RAs. This review summarizes sources, concentrations, adverse effects and ecological risks of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs in aquatic environments. An interim, predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of RAs (in terms of at-RA) for freshwater environments was determined to be 3.93 ng/L at-RA equivalents. Based on limited data on concentrations of RAs in freshwater ecosystems, their hazard quotients were found to range from zero to 16.41, depending on the environmental conditions of receiving waters. Ecological risks of RAs in marine environments are yet to be explored due to the paucity of data related to both their concentrations in marine environment and toxic potencies to marine species. This review updates current knowledge of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs in aquatic environments and calls for more studies on their concentrations and fate in aquatic environments, especially estuarine and coastal marine environments with a view to enabling a comprehensive assessment of their ecological risks around the globe.

Systematic Review of Toxicity Removal by Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technologies via Ozonation and Activated Carbon

Upgrading wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with advanced technologies is one key strategy to reduce micropollutant emissions. Given the complex chemical composition of wastewater, toxicity removal is an integral parameter to assess the performance of WWTPs. Thus, the goal of this systematic review is to evaluate how effectively ozonation and activated carbon remove in vitro and in vivo toxicity. Out of 2464 publications, we extracted 46 relevant studies conducted at 22 pilot or full-scale WWTPs. We performed a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of in vitro (100 assays) and in vivo data (20 species), respectively. Data is more abundant on ozonation (573 data points) than on an activated carbon treatment (162 data points), and certain in vitro end points (especially estrogenicity) and in vivo models (e.g., daphnids) dominate. The literature shows that while a conventional treatment effectively reduces toxicity, residual effects in the effluents may represent a risk to the receiving ecosystem on the basis of effect-based trigger values. In general, an upgrade to ozonation or activated carbon treatment will significantly increase toxicity removal with similar performance. Nevertheless, ozonation generates toxic transformation products that can be removed by a post-treatment. By assessing the growing body of effect-based studies, we identify sensitive and underrepresented end points and species and provide guidance for future research.

Retinoids and oestrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals in saline sewage treatment plants: Removal efficiencies and ecological risks to marine organisms

Discharge of partially treated effluent from sewage treatment plants (STPs) is a significant source of chemical contaminants, such as retinoids and oestrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which are continuously input into the marine environments of densely populated and urbanized coastal cities. In this study, we successfully developed three analytical methods to detect and qualify retinoic acids (at-RA, 13c-RA & 9c-RA), their metabolites (at-4-oxo-RA, 13c-4-oxo-RA & 9c-4-oxo-RA), and oestrogenic EDCs using high pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Using these methods, we found that the total concentrations of retinoids in the influents and effluents of three saline STPs in Hong Kong were 7.1-29 ng/L and 3.7-9.1 ng/L, respectively, and those of EDCs were 3107-5829 ng/L and 1225-2638 ng/L, respectively. Retinoids were dominated by at-4-oxo-RA or 13c-4-oxo-RA in wastewater, whereas at-RA and 13c-RA were the most abundant in sludge. Alkylphenols and bisphenol A were the dominant EDCs in wastewater, whilst alkylphenols, triclosan, and triclocarban were dominant in sludge. Overall, the sewage treatment processes in the STPs of Hong Kong were not highly efficient in the removal of retinoids and EDCs from wastewater influents, with removal efficiencies in the aqueous phase of 41-82% and 31-79%, respectively. The removals were attributed mainly to sorption and degradation. Due to such limited removal, the effluents from STPs and the adjacent seawaters (i.e., receiving water bodies) still exhibited relatively high concentrations of retinoids (2.0-4.3 ng/L in seawaters) and EDCs (71-260 ng/L in seawaters), which posed medium ecological risks to the coastal marine ecosystem of Hong Kong (i.e., hazard quotients: 0.1-1).

Retinoic acid signaling in ovarian folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis

Retinoids are essential for reproduction. Most research has focused on the role of retinoic acid signaling in the regulation of meiosis during early fetal germ cell development. However, less attention has been paid to the possible effects of retinoic acid signaling in adult female gonads. Retinoic acid, its receptors, and the key enzymes required for retinoic acid synthesis are expressed in the ovaries and they are involved in the regulation of folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis. Exposure to compounds that can interfere with normal retinoic acid signaling is associated with adverse ovarian outcomes, including altered steroidogenesis and reduction in indicators of ovarian reserve in women and laboratory animal models. These observations call for more attention to retinoids as regulators of adult ovarian physiology and as possible targets of endocrine disruption by environmental chemicals. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of retinoids in folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis in post-pubertal mammalian ovaries.

Retinoid-like compounds produced by phytoplankton affect embryonic development of Xenopus laevis

Teratogenic effects, which were remarkably similar to those induced by retinoic acids, have been seen in wild frogs indicating possible source of retinoids in the environment. Recent studies indicate that some cyanobacterial species can contain teratogenic retinoic acids (RAs) and their analogues. Retinoids are known to regulate important processes such as differentiation, development, and embryogenesis. The study investigated the effects of exudates (extracellular compounds) of two cyanobacteria species with retinoic-like activity and one algae species on embryonic development of amphibians. The retinoid-like activity determined by in vitro reporter gene assay reached 528ng retinoid equivalents (REQ)/L and 1000ng REQ/L in exudates of Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and Microcystis aeruginosa, respectively, while algal exudates showed no detectable activity. Total mean of retinoid-like copounds into exudate was 35.6ng ATRA/mil.cells for M.aeruginosa and 6.71ng ATRA/mil.cells for C.raciborskii, respectively. Toxicity tests with amphibian embryos up to 96h of development were carried out according to the standard guide for the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay Xenopus. Lowest observed effect concentrations (LOEC) of malformations (2.5-2.6µg/L REQ) were two times lower than LOEC for ATRA (5µg/L). The exudates of both cyanobacteria were indeed provoking diverse teratogenic effects (e.g. tail, gut and eyes deformation) and interference with growth in frogs embryos, while such effects were not observed for the algae. Xenopus embryos were also exposed to all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in concentration range (1-40µg/L) equivalent to the REQs detected in cyanobacterial exudates. ATRA (10µg/L) caused similar teratogenic phenotypes at corresponding REQs as cyanobacterial exudates. The study confirms the ability of some species of cyanobacteria to produce retinoids naturally and excrete them directly into the environment at concentrations which might have adverse influence on the development of amphibians.

The unexpected teratogenicity of RXR antagonist UVI3003 via activation of PPARγ in Xenopus tropicalis

The RXR agonist (triphenyltin, TPT) and the RXR antagonist (UVI3003) both show teratogenicity and, unexpectedly, induce similar malformations in Xenopus tropicalis embryos. In the present study, we exposed X. tropicalis embryos to UVI3003 in seven specific developmental windows and identified changes in gene expression. We further measured the ability of UVI3003 to activate Xenopus RXRα (xRXRα) and PPARγ (xPPARγ) in vitro and in vivo. We found that UVI3003 activated xPPARγ either in Cos7 cells (in vitro) or Xenopus embryos (in vivo). UVI3003 did not significantly activate human or mouse PPARγ in vitro; therefore, the activation of Xenopus PPARγ by UVI3003 is novel. The ability of UVI3003 to activate xPPARγ explains why UVI3003 and TPT yield similar phenotypes in Xenopus embryos. Our results indicate that activating PPARγ leads to teratogenic effects in Xenopus embryos. More generally, we infer that chemicals known to specifically modulate mammalian nuclear hormone receptors cannot be assumed to have the same activity in non-mammalian species, such as Xenopus. Rather they must be tested for activity and specificity on receptors of the species in question to avoid making inappropriate conclusions.

Detection of retinoic acid receptor antagonist contamination in the aquatic environment of the Kinki region of Japan

Retinoic acid receptor (RAR) antagonists are potential toxic compounds that can cause teratogenesis in vertebrates. This study was conducted to evaluate the occurrence of RAR antagonist contamination in aquatic environments and identify its potential sources in detail. To accomplish this, the RAR antagonistic activities of surface waters of two rivers (the Yodo River and the Ina River) and influents and effluents of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Kinki region of Japan were investigated using a yeast two-hybrid assay. In the investigated rivers, remarkable RAR antagonistic activities were detected relatively consistently in specific regions, although the levels varied with time, and tended to increase downstream of municipal WWTPs. Investigations of WWTPs also revealed that RAR antagonists were present at remarkably high levels in municipal wastewater, and that RAR antagonist contamination remained in effluent after activated sludge treatments. Comparison of the concentration factors that reduced 50% of the RAR agonistic activity of 10(-7) M all-trans retinoic acid (IC50) for selected river water and WWTP effluent samples revealed that the contamination levels were greater in effluent (IC50: concentration factors of 92-313) than river water (IC50: concentration factors of 10.2-68.9). These results indicate that municipal WWTPs could be an important source of RAR antagonist contamination in the receiving rivers. Fractionations with high-performance liquid chromatography directed by the bioassay indicated that there were multiple RAR antagonists in municipal wastewater. Although a trial to identify the causative compounds in municipal wastewater was not completed, multiple bioactive peaks that should be studied further were isolated. This study clarified the occurrence of novel endocrine disrupting chemicals (i.e., RAR antagonists) in the aquatic environment at the watershed level and identified their possible source for the first time, which suggests the need of further studies to identify the causative compounds and to assess possible ecological risks associated with the contamination.

Advancing Biological Wastewater Treatment: Extended Anaerobic Conditions Enhance the Removal of Endocrine and Dioxin-like Activities

Conventional activated sludge treatment of wastewater does not completely remove micropollutants. Here, extending anaerobic conditions may enhance biodegradation. To explore this, we combined iron-reducing or substrate-limiting and aerobic pilot-scale reactors directly at a wastewater treatment plant. To assess the removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) as group of micropollutants that adversely affects wildlife, we applied a bioanalytical approach. We used in vitro bioassays covering seven receptor-mediated mechanisms of action, including (anti)androgenicity, (anti)estrogenicity, retinoid-like, and dioxin-like activity. Untreated wastewater induced antiandrogenic, estrogenic, antiestrogenic, and retinoid-like activity. Full-scale as well as reactor-scale activated sludge treatment effectively removes the observed effects. Nevertheless, high antiandrogenic and minor dioxin-like and estrogenic effects persisted in the treated effluent that may still be environmentally relevant. The anaerobic post-treatment under substrate-limiting conditions resulted in an additional removal of endocrine activities by 17-40%. The anaerobic pre-treatment under iron-reducing conditions significantly enhanced the removal of the residual effects by 40-75%. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that a further optimization of biological wastewater treatment is possible. Here, implementing iron-reducing anaerobic conditions preceding aerobic treatment appears promising to improve the removal of receptor-mediated toxicity.

Using live algae at the anode of a microbial fuel cell to generate electricity

Live green microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa was introduced in the anode of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) to act as an electron donor. By controlling the oxygen content, light intensity, and algal cell density at the anode, microalgae would generate electricity without requiring externally added substrates. Two models of algal microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were constructed with graphite/carbon electrodes and no mediator. Model 1 algal MFC has live microalgae grown at the anode and potassium ferricyanide at the cathode, while model 2 algal MFC had live microalgae in both the anode and cathode in different growth conditions. Results indicated that a higher current produced in model 1 algal MFC was obtained at low light intensity of 2500 lx and algal cell density of 5 × 10(6) cells/ml, in which high algal density would limit the electricity generation, probably by increasing oxygen level and mass transfer problem. The maximum power density per unit anode volume obtained in model 1 algal MFC was relatively high at 6030 mW/m(2), while the maximum power density at 30.15 mW/m(2) was comparable with that of previous reported bacteria-driven MFC with graphite/carbon electrodes. A much smaller power density at 2.5 mW/m(2) was observed in model 2 algal MFC. Increasing the algal cell permeability by 4-nitroaniline would increase the open circuit voltage, while the mitochondrial acting and proton leak promoting agents resveratrol and 2,4-dinitrophenol would increase the electric current production in algal MFC.

Retinoid-like activity and teratogenic effects of cyanobacterial exudates

Retinoic acids and their derivatives have been recently identified by chemical analyses in cyanobacteria and algae. Given the essential role of retinoids for vertebrate development this has raised concerns about a potential risk for vertebrates exposed to retinoids during cyanobacterial blooms. Our study focuses on extracellular compounds produced by phytoplankton cells (exudates). In order to address the capacity for the production of retinoids or compounds with retinoid-like activity we compared the exudates of ten cyanobacteria and algae using in vitro reporter gene assay. Exudates of three cyanobacterial species showed retinoid-like activity in the range of 269-2,265 ng retinoid equivalents (REQ)/L, while there was no detectable activity in exudates of the investigated algal species. The exudates of one green alga (Desmodesmus quadricaudus) and the two cyanobacterial species with greatest REQ levels, Microcystis aeruginosa and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, were selected for testing of the potential relation of retinoid-like activity to developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos. The exudates of both cyanobacteria were indeed provoking diverse teratogenic effects (e.g. tail, spine and mouth deformation) and interference with growth in zebrafish embryos, while such effects were not observed for the alga. Fish embryos were also exposed to all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in a range equivalent to the REQ concentrations detected in exudates by in vitro bioassays. Both the phenotypes and effective concentrations of exudates corresponded to ATRA equivalents, supporting the hypothesis that the teratogenic effects of cyanobacterial exudates are likely to be associated with retinoid-like activity. The study documents that some cyanobacteria are able to produce and release retinoid-like compounds into the environment at concentrations equivalent to those causing teratogenicity in zebrafish. Hence, the characterization of retinoid-like and teratogenic potency should be included in the assessment of the potential adverse effects caused by the release of toxic and bioactive compounds during cyanobacterial blooms.

Characterization of retinoic acid-induced neurobehavioral effects in developing zebrafish

Retinoic signaling plays an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. Disruption of retinoic signaling via excessive or deficient retinoic acid can cause teratogenic effects on developing embryos. Similar to retinoic acid, many xenobiotic environmental pollutants have been found to disrupt retinoic signaling through binding and eliciting agonistic activity on retinoic acid receptors. Currently, studies of retinoic acid or retinoic acid-like compounds in aquatic organisms have mainly focused on teratogenicity and few studies have explored their neurobehavioral toxicity. In the present study, the authors used retinoic acid as an example to explore the neurobehavioral toxicity associated with developmental exposure of retinoic acid-like compounds in zebrafish. The findings confirmed retinoic acid's teratogenic effects such as bent spine, malformed tail, and pericardial edema in developing zebrafish with a median effective concentration of 2.47 nM. Retinoic acid-induced cell apoptosis at 24 h postfertilization was consistently found in the eye and tail regions of embryos. Spontaneous movement as characterized by tail bend frequency was significantly increased in zebrafish embryos following exposure to 2 nM and 8 nM retinoic acid. Relatively low-dose retinoic acid exposure of 2 nM led to fast locomotion behavior in the dark period and hyperactivity during light-dark photoperiod stimulation. The 2-nM retinoic acid exposure also led to alterations of neurobehavior- and optic nerve-related genes, with the transforming growth factor-β signal transduction inhibitor noggin (nog) and the spinal cord marker homeobox c3a (hox) being underexpressed and the retinal G protein-coupled receptor a (rgr), the photoreceptor cell marker rhodopsin (rho), and the short wave-sensitive cone pigment opsin 1 (opn1sw1) being overexpressed. Increased expression of opn1sw1 and rho was confirmed by whole-mount in situ hybridization. Whether the misexpression of these genes leads to the neurobehavioral changes merits further study. The findings demonstrated that low-dose retinoic acid exposure perturbed the visual system and optic nerve development and caused hyperactivity in developing zebrafish.

Deriving bio-equivalents from in vitro bioassays: assessment of existing uncertainties and strategies to improve accuracy and reporting

Bio-equivalents (e.g., 17β-estradiol or dioxin equivalents) are commonly employed to quantify the in vitro effects of complex human or environmental samples. However, there is no generally accepted data analysis strategy for estimating and reporting bio-equivalents. Therefore, the aims of the present study are to 1) identify common mathematical models for the derivation of bio-equivalents from the literature, 2) assess the ability of those models to correctly predict bio-equivalents, and 3) propose measures to reduce uncertainty in their calculation and reporting. We compiled a database of 234 publications that report bio-equivalents. From the database, we extracted 3 data analysis strategies commonly used to estimate bio-equivalents. These models are based on linear or nonlinear interpolation, and the comparison of effect concentrations (ECX ). To assess their accuracy, we employed simulated data sets in different scenarios. The results indicate that all models lead to a considerable misestimation of bio-equivalents if certain mathematical assumptions (e.g., goodness of fit, parallelism of dose-response curves) are violated. However, nonlinear interpolation is most suitable to predict bio-equivalents from single-point estimates. Regardless of the model, subsequent linear extrapolation of bio-equivalents generates additional inaccuracy if the prerequisite of parallel dose-response curves is not met. When all these factors are taken into consideration, it becomes clear that data analysis introduces considerable uncertainty in the derived bio-equivalents. To improve accuracy and transparency of bio-equivalents, we propose a novel data analysis strategy and a checklist for reporting Minimum Information about Bio-equivalent ESTimates (MIBEST).

Determination and occurrence of retinoids in a eutrophic lake (Taihu Lake, China): cyanobacteria blooms produce teratogenic retinal

Besides retinoic acids (RAs), some retinoids such as retinal (RAL) and retinol (ROH), which are considered as RA precursors in vertebrates, are also reported to be teratogenic agents. In this study we investigated four RA precursors including RAL, ROH, retinyl palmitate, and β-carotene in the eutrophic Taihu Lake, China, by developing a sensitive analytical method. RAL and β-carotene were widely detected in natural cyanobacteria blooms and lake water. Intracellular concentrations of RAL and β-carotene in blooms were 9.4 to 6.9 × 10(3) and 3.4 to 1.8 × 10(5) ng L(-1), respectively, and their concentrations in lake water were up to 1.4 × 10 ng L(-1) (RAL) and 9.8 × 10(2) ng L(-1) (β-carotene). The good correlation between intracellular concentrations of RAL and RAs implied that RAL was involved in the production of RAs by cyanobacteria blooms. Further examination of 39 cyanobacteria and algae species revealed that most species could produce RAL and β-carotene. The greatest amount of RAL was found in Chlamydomonas sp. (FACHB-715; 1.9 × 10(3) ng g(-1) dry weight). As the main cyanobacteria in Taihu Lake, many Microcystis species could produce high amounts of RAL and were thought to greatly contribute to the production of RAL measured in the blooms. Productions of RAL and β-carotene by cyanobacteria were associated with species, origin location, and growth stage. The results in this study present the existence of a potential risk to aquatic animals living in a eutrophic environment from a high concentration of RAL in cyanobacteria blooms and also provide a clue for further investigating the mechanism underlying the biosynthetic pathway of RAs in cyanobacteria and algae.

Contributions of flumequine and nitroarenes to the genotoxicity of river and ground waters

The SOS/umuC assay was performed in conjunction with analytical measurements to identify potential genotoxins in river and adjacent ground waters in the Jialu River basin, China. The major genotoxic activities of the river and adjacent ground waters occurred in the same two fractions (F4 and F11) when assayed using the Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1535/pSK1002. This indicates that ground water near the Jialu River was influenced by the river water. LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that flumequine accounted for 86% and 76% of the genotoxicity in fraction F11 of the river and adjacent ground waters, respectively. When HPLC fractions were tested using the strain NM3009, three fractions showed genotoxic activities for river water sample, while no fractions from ground water samples elicited genotoxic activities. The specific response to the strain NM3009 in one fraction compared with the strain TA1535/pSK1002 suggested the presence of nitroarenes. However, we failed to identify the exact nitroarenes when GC-MS analysis was used to analyze nitroarenes which are well detected in air and soil samples in previous papers.

Cyanobacteria blooms produce teratogenic retinoic acids

Deformed amphibians have been observed in eutrophic habitats, and some clues point to the retinoic acids (RAs) or RA mimics. However, RAs are generally thought of as vertebrate-specific hormones, and there was no evidence that RAs exist in cyanobacteria or algae blooms. By analyzing RAs and their analogs 4-oxo-RAs in natural cyanobacteria blooms and cultures of cyanobacteria and algae, we showed that cyanobacteria blooms could produce RAs, which were powerful animal teratogens. Intracellular RAs and 4-oxo-RAs with concentrations between 0.4 and 4.2 × 10(2) ng/L were detected in all bloom materials, and extracellular concentrations measured in water from Taihu Lake, China, were as great as 2.0 × 10 ng/L, which might pose a risk to wildlife through chronic exposure. Further examination of 39 cyanobacteria and algae species revealed that 32 species could produce RAs and 4-oxo-RAs (1.6-1.4 × 10(3) ng/g dry weight), and the dominant cyanobacteria species in Taihu Lake, Microcystis flos-aquae and Microcystis aeruginosa, produced high amounts of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs with concentrations of 1.4 × 10(3) and 3.7 × 10(2) ng/g dry weight, respectively. Most genera of cyanobacteria that could produce RAs and 4-oxo-RAs, such as Microcystis, Anabaena, and Aphanizomenon, often occur dominantly in blooms. Production of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs by cyanobacteria was associated with species, origin location, and growth stage. These results represent a conclusive demonstration of endogenous production of RAs in freshwater cyanobacteria blooms. The observation of teratogenic RAs in cyanobacteria is evolutionarily and ecologically significant because RAs are vertebrate-specific hormones, and cyanobacteria form extensive and highly visible blooms in many aquatic ecosystems.

Detection of retinoic acid receptor agonistic activity and identification of causative compounds in municipal wastewater treatment plants in Japan

Retinoic acid (RA) receptor (RAR) agonists are potential toxicants that can cause teratogenesis in vertebrates. To determine the occurrence of RAR agonists in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), we examined the RARα agonistic activities of influent and effluent samples from several municipal WWTPs in Osaka, Japan, using a yeast two-hybrid assay. Significant RARα agonistic activity was detected in all the influent samples investigated, suggesting that municipal wastewater consistently contains RAR agonists. Fractionations using high-performance liquid chromatography, directed by the bioassay, found several bioactive peaks from influent samples. The RAR agonists, all-trans RA (atRA), 13-cis RA (13cRA), 4-oxo-atRA, and 4-oxo-13cRA, possibly arising from human urine, were identified by liquid chromatography ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Quantification of the identified compounds in municipal WWTPs confirmed that they were responsible for the majority of RARα agonistic activity in WWTP influents, and also revealed they were readily removed from wastewater by activated sludge treatment. Simultaneous measurement of the RARα agonistic activity revealed that although total activity typically declined concomitant with the reduction of the four identified compounds, it remained high after the decline of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs in one WWTP, suggesting the occurrence of unidentified RAR agonists during the activated sludge treatment.

In vitro assessment of retinoic acid and aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity of treated effluent from 39 wastewater-treatment plants in Victoria, Australia

This project involved the collection of final effluent samples from 39 wastewater-treatment plants (WWTPs) in Victoria, Australia, in late summer (late February to early March 2007). The 39 WWTPs included 15 lagoon-based plants and 24 with activated sludge-based processes. Samples were collected and subjected to measurement of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity of the dissolved phase using yeast-based recombinant receptor-reporter gene bioassays. More than 90% of the effluents examined in this study elicited RAR activity (<0.5-198 ng/l a-t-RA equivalents [EQ]). All of the effluents had AhR activity (16-279 ng/l βNF EQ). Notwithstanding the paucity of comparative data, on the whole, the levels of RAR and AhR activity observed in this pilot survey of Victorian WWTP effluents were greater than those recently reported internationally. One assumption commonly made is that WWTP discharges will be diluted significantly in the receiving environment, further decreasing the potential risk of the discharges. Making this assumption may not be appropriate for some of Victoria's more ephemeral waterways or where effluent is discharged to an enclosed water body, such as a lake or terminal wetland. However, even where WWTP discharges represent all of the environmental flow in the warmer months, the observed RAR and AhR activity (as all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-dibenzo-p-dioxin [TCDD] EQ, respectively) was still significantly lower than the concentrations of RA, and 2,3,7,8-TCCD known to cause developmental malformations in fish larvae after short-term exposure to these chemicals. Of perhaps greater concern, WWTP effluent can contain significant suspended solids (essentially biosolids), which may be a considerable sink for some hormonally active, hydrophobic compounds, and which may in turn increase the long-term exposure risk for aquatic fauna. Further studies of the nuclear and AhR activity of WWTP effluent suspended soilds are required to address this hypothesis.

Identification of tetrabromobisphenol A diallyl ether as an emerging neurotoxicant in environmental samples by bioassay-directed fractionation and HPLC-APCI-MS/MS

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have been widely used as additives in products to reduce their flammability. Recent findings suggested that some BFRs exhibit neurotoxicity and thus might pose a threat to human health. In this work, a neurotoxicity assay-directed analysis was developed, combining sample cleanup, fractionation, chemical identification, and bioassay. Viability of primary cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) was used to evaluate the neurotoxicity of extracts or separated fractions from environmental samples. Tetrabromobisphenol A diallyl ether (TBBPA DAE) was identified as the causative toxicant in sediment samples collected from a river near a brominated flame retardant (BFR) manufacturing plant in South China. Liquid chromatography atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS/MS) was optimized to determine TBBPA DAE levels in the potent fractions and to confirm TBBPA DAE as the key neurotoxicant. On the basis of comparison with the structure of other TBBPA derivatives, the 1-propenyl group in TBBPA DAE appears to be the cause for the neurotoxic potency. The levels of TBBPA DAE in samples along the river were found at up to 49 ng/L for river water, 10,183 ng/g dry weight (dw) in surface sediments, and 42 ng/g dw in soils. According to the distribution of TBBPA DAE in the environmental samples, the manufacturing plant was identified as the release source of TBBPA DAE. To our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate potential neurotoxicity induced by TBBPA DAE in real environmental samples.

Behavioral and genomic impacts of a wastewater effluent on the fathead minnow

Rivers containing effluents from water treatment plants are complex soups of compounds, ranging from pharmaceuticals to natural hormones. Male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) were exposed for 3 weeks to effluent waters from the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant in St. Paul, MN. Fish were tested for their competitive nest holding behavior. Changes in vitellogenin were measured and these were correlated to changes in gene expression using a 22,000 gene microarray developed specifically for fathead minnows. Significant changes in gene expression were observed in both liver and testis, which correlate to phenotypic changes of vitellogenin induction and reduced competitive behavior. We also compared by real-time PCR the expression changes in key genes related to steroid biosynthesis and metabolism in fish exposed to the effluent as well as in fish exposed to a model estrogen and a model androgen. While the gene expression signature from effluent-exposed fish shared some elements with estrogen and androgen signatures, overall it was different, underscoring the complexity of compounds present in sewage and their different modes of action.

Screening of agonistic activities against four nuclear receptors in wastewater treatment plants in Japan using a yeast two-hybrid assay

To assess the potential endocrine disruptive effects through multiple nuclear receptors (NRs), especially non-steroidal NRs, in municipal wastewater, we examined the agonistic activities on four NRs (estrogen receptor alpha, thyroid hormone receptor alpha, retinoic acid receptor alpha and retinoid X receptor alpha) of untreated and treated wastewater from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Japan using a yeast two-hybrid assay. Investigation of the influent and effluent of seven WWTPs revealed that agonistic activities against steroidal and non-steroidal NRs were always detected in the influents and partially remained in the effluents. Further investigation of four WWTPs employing conventional activated sludge, pseudo-anoxic-oxic, anoxic-oxic and anaerobic-anoxic-oxic processes revealed that the ability to reduce the agonistic activity against each of the four NRs varies depending on the treatment process. These results indicated that municipal wastewater in Japan commonly contains endocrine disrupting chemicals that exert agonistic activities on steroidal and non-steroidal NRs, and that some of these chemicals are released into the natural aquatic environment. Although the results obtained in yeast assays suggested that measured levels of non-steroidal NR agonists in the effluent of WWTPs were not likely to cause any biological effect, further study is required to assess their possible risks in detail.

Determination and occurrence of retinoic acids and their 4-oxo metabolites in Liaodong Bay, China, and its adjacent rivers

Retinoic acids (RAs) and their metabolites play an important role in abnormal morphological development and are speculated to be a possible cause for the increased rates of deformities in wild frog populations. In the current study, a method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was developed for simultaneously analyzing all-trans-RA (at-RA), 13-cis-RA (13c-RA), 9-cis-RA (9c-RA), and their 4-oxo metabolites, all-trans-4-oxo-RA (at-4-oxo-RA), 13-cis-4-oxo-RA (13c-4-oxo-RA), and 9-cis-4-oxo-RA (9c-4-oxo-RA) in wastewaters and surface waters. Method detection limits were matrix dependent, ranging from 0.02 to 0.37 ng/L. The method was used to investigate the occurrence of RAs and 4-oxo-RAs in Liaodong Bay and its adjacent rivers. Of these six retinoids, at-RA, 13c-RA, at-4-oxo-RA, and 13c-4-oxo-RA were detected in river waters at detection frequencies of 100%, 92%, 48.6%, and 21.6%, and concentrations of 0.05 to 1.23 ng/L, less than 0.03 to 0.41 ng/L, less than 0.02 to 1.00 ng/L, and less than 0.06 to 0.81 ng/L, respectively. Retinoic acids were detected for the first time in the aquatic environment and were found to be more persistent than 4-oxo-RAs. The hazard quotient for mortality of frog embryos caused by induction by retinoids detected in the current study was then estimated, and the value was calculated to be 0.09. No retinoid was detected in seawaters.

Contamination with retinoic acid receptor agonists in two rivers in the Kinki region of Japan

This study was conducted to investigate the agonistic activity against human retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha in the Lake Biwa-Yodo River and the Ina River in the Kinki region of Japan. To accomplish this, a yeast two-hybrid assay was used to elucidate the spatial and temporal variations and potential sources of RARalpha agonist contamination in the river basins. RARalpha agonistic activity was commonly detected in the surface water samples collected along two rivers at different periods, with maximum all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) equivalents of 47.6 ng-atRA/L and 23.5 ng-atRA/L being observed in Lake Biwa-Yodo River and Ina River, respectively. The results indicated that RARalpha agonists are always present and widespread in the rivers. Comparative investigation of RARalpha and estrogen receptor alpha agonistic activities at 20 stations along each river revealed that the spatial variation pattern of RARalpha agonist contamination was entirely different from that of the estrogenic compound contamination. This suggests that the effluent from municipal wastewater treatment plants, a primary source of estrogenic compounds, seemed not to be the cause of RARalpha agonist contamination in the rivers. Fractionation using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) directed by the bioassay found two bioactive fractions from river water samples, suggesting the presence of at least two RARalpha agonists in the rivers. Although a trial conducted to identify RARalpha agonists in the major bioactive fraction was not completed as part of this study, comparison of retention times in HPLC analysis and quantification with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the major causative contaminants responsible for the RARalpha agonistic activity were not RAs (natural RAR ligands) and 4-oxo-RAs, while 4-oxo-RAs were identified as the major RAR agonists in sewage in Beijing, China. These findings suggest that there are unknown RARalpha agonists with high activity in the rivers.