徐州地区地下水中内分泌干扰物的监测与风险评估

采用液相色谱-串联质谱法测定徐州地区地下水中内分泌干扰物,并用雌二醇当量EEQ计算法和风险熵RQ计算法分别对其活性和生态风险水平分析评价。结果表明,徐州地区地下水中不含雌酮(E1)、雌二醇(E2)、雌三醇(E3)、炔雌醇(EE2)等内分泌干扰物,只含有双酚A(BPA),且最高值达26.45 ng/L,提出应把BPA作为控制重点。     

A review of personal care products in the aquatic environment: environmental concentrations and toxicity

Considerable research has been conducted examining occurrence and effects of human use pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment; however, relatively little research has been conducted examining personal care products although they are found more often and in higher concentrations than pharmaceuticals. Personal care products are continually released into the aquatic environment and are biologically active and persistent. This article examines the acute and chronic toxicity data available for personal care products and highlights areas of concern. Toxicity and environmental data were synergized to develop a preliminary hazard assessment in which only triclosan and triclocarban presented any hazard. However, numerous PCPs including triclosan, paraben preservatives, and UV filters have evidence suggesting endocrine effects in aquatic organisms and thus need to be investigated and incorporated in definitive risk assessments. Additional data pertaining to environmental concentrations of UV filters and parabens, in vivo toxicity data for parabens, and potential for bioaccumulation of PCPs needs to obtained to develop definitive aquatic risk assessments.     

Bisphenol A content in fish caught in two different sites of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor (ED) that is abundant in the environment because of its extensive use in human-manufactured products. In this study, the BPA concentration was measured in the muscle and liver of five edible fish, characterized by different habitat and habits, caught in two different sites of the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy). Our results show that: (i) fish livers are about 2.5 times more polluted than muscle; (ii) fish caught in the Gulf of Naples are more polluted than those from the Latium coasts, ranging from 1.2-fold more for White Bream to 6.6-fold for Grey Mullet; and (iii) the percentages of fish found to be BPA-polluted in the Gulf of Naples ranged from 73% (for Bass) to 90% (for Mullet), while the Latium fish range from 60% (for Bass) to 90% (for Mullet). These data indicate that consumers of fish caught in the Gulf of Naples are at a greater risk for BPA-induced endocrine pathologies compared to those who consume fish caught along the Latium coasts.     

Reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A and cadmium in Potamopyrgus antipodarum and modulation of bisphenol A effects by different test temperature

An OECD initiative for the development of mollusc-based toxicity tests for endocrine disrupters and other chemicals has recommended three test species with respective test designs for further standardisation. Preparing a subsequent pre-validation study we performed a reproduction test with Potamopyrgus antipodarum, determining the concentration range of the selected test substances, bisphenol A (BPA) and cadmium (Cd). At 16 °C, the recommended test temperature, the number of embryos in the brood pouch was increased by BPA and decreased by Cd (NOEC: 20 μg BPA/L and 1 μg Cd/L). Coinstantaneous BPA tests at 7 °C and 25 °C demonstrated a temperature dependency of the response, resulting in lower NOECs (5 μg/L respectively). As expected, reproduction in control groups significantly varied depending on temperature. Additional observations of the brood stock showed seasonal fluctuations in reproduction under constant laboratory conditions. The recommended temperature range and test conditions have to be further investigated.     

Rapid-behaviour responses as a reliable indicator of estrogenic chemical toxicity in zebrafish juveniles

Whereas biochemical and molecular parameters have been well recognised as important “signposts” of individual disturbance to endocrine disrupting chemical’s (EDCs) exposure, behavioural endpoints are yet greatly overlooked as a routine tool in environmental risk assessment of EDCs. However, life histories are intimately associated with numerous inter- and intra-specific interactions, which invariably depend on the performance of effective behaviours. Within fish species, one of the most important factors influencing energy turnover earlier in the development is locomotor activity. This essential trait reflects the organism’s ability to generate and coordinate the metabolic energy required for both reproductive and non-reproductive behaviours. Inappropriate movement responses due to toxic effects of contaminants may ultimately impact important ecological variables.Therefore, in the present study, the swimming bursts of zebrafish juveniles exposed for 40 d to the synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol (EE₂), tested at environmentally relevant concentrations (nominal concentrations of 0.5, 1 and 2 ng L⁻¹), were investigated in order to address the potential of rapid-behaviour patterns as an effective response indicator of estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemical’s exposure. This synthetic estrogen was selected due to its high prevalence in aquatic ecosystems, ability to mimic natural estrogens and proven record of causing negative effects in fish reproduction. The behavioural responses were compared with established endpoints used in the screening of EE₂ effects at adulthood. Results indicate that zebrafish juveniles’ swimming activity was significantly decreased upon EE₂ exposure. Since reduced locomotion of zebrafish may impact foraging, predator avoidance, drift and transport, and even interfere with social and reproductive behaviours, a fitness decline of wild fish populations can ultimately be hypothesized. Furthermore, behavioural endpoints were found to display higher sensitivity to EE₂ than either vitellogenin gene induction or reproductive parameters determined at adulthood.Overall, the findings of this work not only demonstrate the power of high-throughput behavioural responses, able to act as sensitive early warning signals of EDC exposure, but also highlight the potential of behavioural endpoints in providing a more comprehensive and non-invasive measure of EDC’s exposure.     

Mass flows of endocrine disruptors in the Glatt River during varying weather conditions

This study focused on the occurrence and behaviour in wastewater and surface waters of several phenolic endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) including parabens, alkylphenolic compounds, phenylphenol (PhP) and bisphenol A (BPA). Analytical procedures using solid-phase-extraction and LC-MS/MS techniques were applied to samples of influents and effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) discharging into the Glatt River (Switzerland) as well as to river water samples. A mass flow analysis provided insight into the main sources and the fate of these contaminants during different weather conditions. Concentrations in influents were in the low μg/L range for most analytes. Removal of parabens in the WWTPs was mostly above 99%. Nonylphenol polyethoxylates (A₉PEO) removal amounted to 98%, but in some cases nonylphenoxy acetic acid (A₉PEC) or nonylphenols (NP) were formed. In effluents, concentrations were highest for the A₉PEC, A₉PEO and NP. Concentrations in river water were in the high ng/L range for alkylphenolic compounds and in the low ng/L range for BPA, PhP and the parabens. During the sampling period, in which several rain events occurred, both water flows and mass flows varied strongly. Mass flows in WWTP effluents and in the river increased with increasing water flows for most compounds indicating that higher water flows do not lead necessarily to a proportional dilution of the pollutants. Throughout the low water flow period, mass flows predicted from the known inputs were similar to the actual mass flows at the end of the river for most analytes. For none of the EDCs, significant in-stream removal could be observed. In the periods with high water flows, mass flows in the river were much higher than can be explained by the initially defined sources. Discharge of untreated wastewater influent into the river was assessed as an additional source. Adding this source improved the mass balance for some, but not all of the analytes.     

Amphibians and agricultural chemicals: Review of the risks in a complex environment

Agricultural landscapes, although often highly altered in nature, provide habitat for many species of amphibian. However, the persistence and health of amphibian populations are likely to be compromised by the escalating use of pesticides and other agricultural chemicals. This review examines some of the issues relating to exposure of amphibian populations to these chemicals and places emphasis on mechanisms of toxicity. Several mechanisms are highlighted, including those that may disrupt thyroid activity, retinoid pathways, and sexual differentiation. Special emphasis is also placed on the various interactions that may occur between different agro-chemicals and between chemicals and other environmental factors. We also examine the indirect effects on amphibian populations that occur when their surrounding pond communities are altered by chemicals.     

Combining passive samplers and biomonitors to evaluate endocrine disrupting compounds in a wastewater treatment plant by LC/MS/MS and bioassay analyses

Two types of integrative sampling approaches (passive samplers and biomonitors) were tested for their sampling characteristics of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Chemical analyses (LC/MS/MS) were used to determine the amounts of five EDCs (nonylphenol, bisphenol A, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol) in polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and freshwater mussels (Unio pictorum); both had been deployed in the influent and effluent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Genoa, Italy. Estrogenicity of the POCIS samples was assessed using the yeast estrogen screen (YES). Estradiol equivalent values derived from the bioassay showed a positive correlation with estradiol equivalents calculated from chemical analyses data. As expected, the amount of estrogens and EEQ values in the effluent were lower than those in the influent. Passive sampling proved to be the preferred method for assessing the presence of these compounds since employing mussels had several disadvantages both in sampling efficiency and sample analyses.