Measurement of estrogenic activity in sediments from Haihe and Dagu River, China

Sediments from two rivers in China, the Haihe and Dagu Rivers, were examined for estrogenic activity using an estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated in vitro bioassay system. ER-active compounds were isolated from sediments by Soxhlet extraction, and the crude extracts were fractionated using a florisil column into three fractions. The estrogenic activity of each extract was detected by measuring luciferase activity in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 transfected with a luciferase receptor gene. Significant estrogenic activity was observed in each total extract. The 17beta-estradiol equivalents (E2-EQs) ranged from 8.24 to 95.28 ng E2 g(-1) dw. As a result, the relative estrogenic potencies of three fractions in this study descended in the order of Fraction 3>Fraction 2>Fraction 1. The results of the bioassay analysis indicated the heavy pollution status of these sites with estrogenic contaminants. In this study, five selected chemicals, the natural estrogens 17beta-estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1), and the xeno-estrogens 4-octylphenol (OP), 4-nonylphenol (NP), and Bisphenol A (BPA) were also analyzed using the in vitro bioassay. The estrogenic activity of these chemicals were E2>E1>NP>OP>BPA.     

Effect-based assessment of passive air samples from four countries in Eastern Europe

Although passive sampling has been previously used for the monitoring of volatile and semi-volatile contaminants in air, there are limited data on the use of this technique coupled with bioassays based on specific biological responses. Biological responses including those mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) receptor as well as (anti-)estrogenicity and (anti-)androgenicity of samples from four Eastern European countries (Lithuania, Slovakia, Romania, and Serbia) were determined. To address the potential differences of specific toxic potencies of pollutant mixtures in ambient air in Eastern Europe, each country was characterized by a single more remote location that served to determine regional background conditions and one location in more urbanized and industrialized locations, which were defined as “impacted” areas. Besides samples from Lithuania, a significant gradient in concentrations of AhR-mediated potency from background and impacted localities was observed. Greatest potencies were measured in samples from impacted locations in Romania and Slovakia. Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that were quantified accounted for 3–33 % of the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents determined by use of the bioassay. No significant estrogenic potency was detected but anti-estrogenic effects were produced by air from two background locations (Lithuania, Slovakia) and three impacted locations (Lithuania, Romania, and Serbia). Anti-androgenic potency was observed in all samples. The greatest anti-estrogenic potency was observed at the background location in Slovakia. Anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic potencies of studied air samples were probably associated with compounds that are not routinely monitored. The study documents suitability of passive air sampling for the assessment of specific toxic potencies of ambient air pollutants.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils along the coastal and estuarine areas of the northern Bohai and Yellow Seas, China

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their health risks in surface soils (n?=?31) collected from coastal and estuarine areas of the northern Bohai and Yellow Seas (CEANBYS), China, were investigated. Total concentrations of PAHs ranged from 6.6?×?10¹ to 9.2?×?10²?ng?g^?1 dry weight, with an average of 3.1?×?10²?ng?g^?1 dw. The locations where greater concentrations of PAHs were observed were all near factories emitting black smoke or on the edge of the urban areas. These observations are consistent with concentrations of PAHs in soils being influenced by human activities, especially industrialization and urbanization. Concentrations of PAHs were significantly correlated with concentrations of organic carbon in soils. The patterns of relative concentrations and types of PAHs observed as well as knowledge of the potential sources were consistent with the primary sources of PAHs in soils of the CEANBYS being derived from the pyrolytic processes such as combustion of fossil fuel. The incremental lifetime cancer risks of exposing to PAHs for child, youth, and adult were 1.6?×?10^?6, 1.2?×?10^?6, and 1.9?×?10^?6.     

Distribution and sources of mercury in soils from former industrialized urban areas of Beijing, China

Fifty-seven typical surface soils and 108 deeper soils were collected from five former industrial sites in Beijing and concentrations of total Hg (SigmaHg) as well as pH, total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), total sulfur, and dissolved organic carbon concentrations determined. The mean concentration of SigmaHg in surface soils was significantly greater than background concentrations in the vicinity of Beijing. Forty-eight percent of the samples exceeded the "critical" concentration of 1.0 mg Hg/kg, dry weight in soils, which has been established by the Chinese government. At depths of 0-80 cm in the soil, profile concentrations of SigmaHg also exceeded the background value. There were significant correlations between concentrations of SigmaHg, TC, and TN in the industrial soils. The greater concentration of SigmaHg in most soils could have been due in part to combustion of coal and leakage from industrial processes.     

Revised relative potency values for PCDDs, PCDFs, and non-ortho-substituted PCBs for the optimized H4IIE-luc in vitro bioassay

While the World Health Organization 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) equivalency factors are useful estimates of relative potencies of mixtures when conducting risk assessments, they are not useful when comparing the results of bioassays such as the H4IIE-luc to concentrations of TCDD equivalents calculated from instrumental analyses. Since there are thousands of dioxin-like compounds (DLCs), one use of screening assays is to determine if all of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) active DLCs in a mixture have been accounted for in instrumental analyses. For this purpose, bioassay-specific relative potency (ReP) values are needed. RePs of 21 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls that exhibit effects mediated through the AhR were determined by use of the H4IIE-luc assay. Different values of RePs are derived, depending on the statistical, curve-fitting methods used to derive them from the dose–response relationships. Here, we discuss the various methods for deriving RePs from in vitro data and their assumptions and effects on values of RePs. Full dose–response curves of 2,3,7,8-TCDD and other representative DLCs were used to estimate effective concentrations at multiple points (e.g., EC20-50-80), which were then used to estimate ReP of each DLC to 2,3,7,8-TCDD.     

Biota–sediment accumulation factor (BSAF), bioaccumulation factor (BAF), and contaminant levels in prey fish to indicate the extent of PAHs and OCPs contamination in eggs of waterbirds

Samples of pond sediment, fish, and shrimp were collected from the Ramsar site at Mai Po marshes, Hong Kong (south China), and samples of pond sediment, fish, and shrimp, as well as eggs of water birds (Chinese Pond Herons (Ardeola bacchus) and Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta)), were collected from two smaller wetland sites at Jiangsu Province (mid-China), between 2004 and 2007. Accumulation levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the biota were used to calculate biota–sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) and bioaccumulation factor (BAF). For fish and shrimp, BSAFs of OCPs (3.8–56) were greater than those of PAHs (0.12–6.3). BSAFs and BAFs of 11–79 and 4–34, respectively, were registered for OCPs in eggs of the birds and were greater than those for PAHs (0.11–1.5 and 0.02–1.3, respectively). Assuming that fish were the main prey of the birds, greater bioaccumulation of OCPs was detected for both bird species (BAFs?=?4.5–34), while accumulation of PAHs was only detected in Little Egret (BAF?=?1.3). A significant linear relationship (p?<?0.01) was observed between concentrations of OCPs in bird eggs and in the prey fish. The present study provides a new possibility of using OCP levels detected in prey fish to predict the extent of OCPs contamination in eggs of waterbirds including the endangered species, as a noninvasive method.     

Derivation of predicted no effect concentrations (PNEC) for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol based on Chinese resident species

2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) is a common chemical intermediate and a by-product of water chlorination and combustion processes, and is a priority pollutant of the aquatic environment in many countries. Although information on the toxicity of 2,4,6-TCP is available, there is a lack of information on the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of 2,4,6-TCP, mainly due to the shortage of chronic and site-specific toxicity data. In the present study, acute and sub-chronic toxicity of 2,4,6-TCP on six different resident Chinese aquatic species were determined. PNEC values were calculated and compared by use of two approaches: assessment factor (AF) and species sensitivity distribution (SSD). Values for acute toxicity ranged from 1.1 mg L⁻¹ (Plagiognathops microlepis) to 42 mg L⁻¹ (Corbicula fluminea) and the sub-chronic no observed effect concentrations (NOECs) ranged from 0.05 mg L⁻¹ (Mylopharyngodon piceus) to 2.0 mg L⁻¹ (C. fluminea). PNECs obtained by the assessment factor approach with acute (AF = 1000, 0.001 mg L⁻¹) or chronic (AF = 10, 0.005 mg L⁻¹) toxicity data were one order of magnitude less than those from SSD methods (0.057 mg L⁻¹). PNEC values calculated using SSD methods with a 50% certainty for 2,4,6-TCP was less than those obtained by use of the USEPA recommend final chronic value (FCV) method (0.097 mg L⁻¹) and the one obtained by use of the USEPA recommend acute-to-chronic (ACR) methods (0.073 mg L⁻¹). PNECs derived using AF methods were more protective and conservative than that derived using SSD methods.     

Estrogenic activity in extracts and exudates of cyanobacteria and green algae

Here is presented some of the first information on interactions of compounds produced by cyanobacteria and green algae with estrogen receptor signaling. Estrogenic potency of aqueous extracts and exudates (culture spent media with extracellular products) of seven species of cyanobacteria (10 different laboratory strains) and two algal species were assessed by use of in vitro trans-activation assays. Compounds produced by cyanobacteria and algae, and in particular those excreted from the cells, were estrogenic. Most exudates were estrogenic with potencies expressed at 50% of the maximum response under control of the estrogen receptor ranging from 0.2 to 7.2 ng 17β-estradiol (E₂) equivalents (EEQ)/L. The greatest estrogenic potency was observed for exudates of Microcystis aerigunosa, a common species that forms water blooms. Aqueous extracts of both green algae, but only one species of cyanobacteria (Aphanizomenon gracile) elicited significant estrogenicity with EEQ ranging from 15 to 280 ng 17β-estradiol (E₂)/g dry weight. Scenedesmus quadricauda exudates and extracts of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae were antagonistic to the ER when coexposed to E₂. The EEQ potency was not correlated with concentrations of cyanotoxins, such as microcystin and cylindrospermopsin, which suggests that the EEQ was comprised of other compounds. The study demonstrates some differences between the estrogenic potency of aqueous extracts prepared from the same species, but of different origin, while the effects of exudates were comparable within species. The observed estrogenic potencies are important namely in relation to the possible mass expansion of cyanobacteria and release of the active compounds into surrounding water.     

Sources and distribution of polychlorinated-dibenzo-p-dioxins and -dibenzofurans in soil and sediment from the Yellow Sea region of China and Korea

Polychlorinated-dibenzo-p-dioxins and -dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were measured in soils and sediments from the Yellow Sea region. Korean soils and sediments mostly contained detectable PCDD/Fs and showed a widespread distribution among locations. Soil and sedimentary PCDD/Fs from China were comparable to or less than those in Korea. The patterns of relative concentrations of individual congeners in soils were different between the two countries, but similar in sediments. Sources of PCDD/Fs in China and Korea were found to be independent of each other and their distributions reflected matrix-dependent accumulation. Spatial distribution indicated some point sources in Korea while Chinese sources were more widespread and diffuse. PCDD/Fs measured in the coastal areas of the Yellow Sea were comparable to or less than those previously reported in for eastern Asia. However, ∑TEQs in soils and sediments were near to or, in some cases exceeded environmental quality guidelines.