Estrogenic Effects of Effluents from Sewage Treatment Works

The occurrence of hermaphrodite fish in the lagoons of sewage treatment works led us to hypothesize that sewage effluent might contain a substance, or substances, estrogenic to fish. to test this hypothesis, we placed cages containing rainbow trout in the effluent from sewage-treatment works, and one to three weeks later measured the vitellogenin concentration in the plasma of the fish. Vitellogenin is a protein synthesized by the liver of oviparous fish in response to estradiol stimulation; it is then conveyed by the blood to the ovary, where it is sequestered by oocytes to form the yolk. Thus, the presence of vitellogenin in the plasma is indicative of estrogenic stimulation of the liver. an initial study, at a sewage-treatment works, showed that plasma vitellogenin concentrations rose rapidly and very markedly (over 1000-fold in three weeks) when trout were maintained in the effluent. an extensive nationwide survey was then conducted. Results were obtained from fifteen sewage-treatment works distributed throughout England. in all cases, exposure of trout to effluent resulted in a very pronounced increase (500 to 100,000-fold, depending on site) in the plasma vitellogenin concentration. Induction of vitellogenesis was also observed in carp, but to a much lesser extent than in trout.

The identity of the estrogenic substance is unknown. It is suggested that the two most likely possibilities are ethynylestradiol, originating from pharmaceutical use, or alkylphenol-ethoxylates (APE), originating from the biodegradation of surfactants and detergents during sewage treatment.

Laboratory studies on the potency of ethynylestradiol demonstrated that levels as low as 1 to 10 ng 1^-1 could generate the response shown by the caged fish and that positive responses may arise at 0.1 to 0.5 ng 1^-1. Further work is in progress on the potency of APE.