Estrogenicity Determination in Sewage Treatment Plants and Surface Waters from the Catalonian Area (NE Spain)

• Published in: Environmental science & technology 2000-12, Vol.34 (24), p.5076-5083
• Main Authors: Solé, Montserrat, López de Alda, Maria J, Castillo, Montserrat, Porte, Cinta, Ladegaard-Pedersen, Knud, Barceló, Damià
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Continental surface waters; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Estrogens; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Natural water pollution; Other wastewaters; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Sewage disposal; Sewage treatment plants; Wastewaters; Water resources; Water treatment; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es991335n

Polyethoxylated nonylphenol (NPEOx) surfactants and nonylphenol (NP) as their major degradation product as well as some synthetic and natural estrogens and progestogens have been reported to be present in freshwater systems, mainly at the vicinity of urban discharges and sewage treatment plants (STPs), at levels high enough to exhort estrogenicity to wildlife. To determine both presence and effects of such compounds in two tributaries of the Llobregat river (NE Spain), water samples and carp, Cyprinus carpio, were collected from selected sites along a transect, for chemical and biological determinations, respectively. Also influent and effluent water from several STPs, discharging into these rivers, was collected for its chemical characterization. NP and NPEO were determined by solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by liquid chromatography−mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Representative estrogens, both natural (estradiol, estriol, estrone) and synthetic (ethynyl estradiol, mestranol, diethylstilbestrol), progestogens (norethindrone, levonorgestrel), and the natural hormone progesterone were determined by offline SPE followed by LC-diode array detection (DAD)-MS. High levels of NP were encountered in all water samples (up to 600 μg/L), whereas only a few samples gave quantifiable levels of estrogens and progestogens (ng/L range). Western blot analysis of male carp plasma vitellogenin (VTG), using a polyclonal antibody raised in the cyprinid Koi carp, detected this protein in all samples, the VTG increase being more evident at the vicinity of the treatment plants. A certain correlation was also found between NP in water and VTG induction in fish (r = 0.75).