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Tanveer R, Neale PA, Melvin SD, Leusch FDL. Application of in vitro bioassays to monitor pharmaceuticals in water: A synthesis of chronological analysis, mode of action, and practical insights. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 359:142255. [PMID: 38729441 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Pharmaceutical compounds in wastewater have emerged as a significant concern for the aquatic environment. The use of in vitro bioassays represents a sustainable and cost-effective approach for assessing the potential toxicological risks of these biologically active compounds in wastewater and aligns with ethical considerations in research. It facilitates high-throughput analysis, captures mixture effects, integrates impacts of both known and unknown chemicals, and reduces reliance on animal testing. The core aim of the current review was to explore the practical application of in vitro bioassays in evaluating the environmental impacts of pharmaceuticals in wastewater. This comprehensive review strives to achieve several key objectives. First, it provides a summary categorisation of pharmaceuticals based on their mode of action, providing a structured framework for understanding their ecological significance. Second, a chronological analysis of pharmaceutical research aims to document their prevalence and trends over time, shedding light on evolving environmental challenges. Third, the review critically analyses existing bioassay applications in wastewater, while also examining bioassay coverage of representative compounds within major pharmaceutical classes. Finally, it explores the potential for developing innovative bioassays tailored for water quality monitoring of pharmaceuticals, paving the way for more robust environmental monitoring and risk assessment. Overall, adopting effect-based methods for pharmaceutical monitoring in water holds significant promise. It encompasses a broad spectrum of biological impacts, promotes standardized protocols, and supports a bioassay test battery approach indicative of different endpoints, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of environmental risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rameesha Tanveer
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia.
| | - Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia.
| | - Steven D Melvin
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia.
| | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Southport, Qld 4222, Australia.
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2
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Glassmeyer ST, Burns EE, Focazio MJ, Furlong ET, Gribble MO, Jahne MA, Keely SP, Kennicutt AR, Kolpin DW, Medlock Kakaley EK, Pfaller SL. Water, Water Everywhere, but Every Drop Unique: Challenges in the Science to Understand the Role of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in the Management of Drinking Water Supplies. GEOHEALTH 2023; 7:e2022GH000716. [PMID: 38155731 PMCID: PMC10753268 DOI: 10.1029/2022gh000716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
The protection and management of water resources continues to be challenged by multiple and ongoing factors such as shifts in demographic, social, economic, and public health requirements. Physical limitations placed on access to potable supplies include natural and human-caused factors such as aquifer depletion, aging infrastructure, saltwater intrusion, floods, and drought. These factors, although varying in magnitude, spatial extent, and timing, can exacerbate the potential for contaminants of concern (CECs) to be present in sources of drinking water, infrastructure, premise plumbing and associated tap water. This monograph examines how current and emerging scientific efforts and technologies increase our understanding of the range of CECs and drinking water issues facing current and future populations. It is not intended to be read in one sitting, but is instead a starting point for scientists wanting to learn more about the issues surrounding CECs. This text discusses the topical evolution CECs over time (Section 1), improvements in measuring chemical and microbial CECs, through both analysis of concentration and toxicity (Section 2) and modeling CEC exposure and fate (Section 3), forms of treatment effective at removing chemical and microbial CECs (Section 4), and potential for human health impacts from exposure to CECs (Section 5). The paper concludes with how changes to water quantity, both scarcity and surpluses, could affect water quality (Section 6). Taken together, these sections document the past 25 years of CEC research and the regulatory response to these contaminants, the current work to identify and monitor CECs and mitigate exposure, and the challenges facing the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan T. Glassmeyer
- U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and DevelopmentCincinnatiOHUSA
| | | | - Michael J. Focazio
- Retired, Environmental Health ProgramEcosystems Mission AreaU.S. Geological SurveyRestonVAUSA
| | - Edward T. Furlong
- Emeritus, Strategic Laboratory Sciences BranchLaboratory & Analytical Services DivisionU.S. Geological SurveyDenverCOUSA
| | - Matthew O. Gribble
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental HealthRollins School of Public HealthEmory UniversityAtlantaGAUSA
| | - Michael A. Jahne
- U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and DevelopmentCincinnatiOHUSA
| | - Scott P. Keely
- U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and DevelopmentCincinnatiOHUSA
| | - Alison R. Kennicutt
- Department of Civil and Mechanical EngineeringYork College of PennsylvaniaYorkPAUSA
| | - Dana W. Kolpin
- U.S. Geological SurveyCentral Midwest Water Science CenterIowa CityIAUSA
| | | | - Stacy L. Pfaller
- U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Research and DevelopmentCincinnatiOHUSA
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Zhang L, Zhang Y, Zhu M, Chen L, Wu B. A critical review on quantitative evaluation of aqueous toxicity in water quality assessment. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 342:140159. [PMID: 37716564 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
Conventional chemical techniques have inherent limitations in detecting unknown chemical substances in water. As a result, effect-based methods have emerged as a viable alternative to overcome these limitations. These methods provide more accurate and intuitive evaluations of the toxic effects of water. While numerous studies have been conducted, only a few have been applied to national water quality monitoring. Therefore, it is crucial to develop toxicity evaluation methods and establish thresholds based on quantifying toxicity. This article provides an overview of the development and application of bioanalytical tools, including in vitro and in vivo bioassays. The available methods for quantifying toxicity are then summarized. These methods include aquatic life criteria for assessing the toxicity of a single compound, comprehensive wastewater toxicity testing for all contaminants in a water sample (toxicity units, whole effluent toxicity, the potential ecotoxic effects probe, the potential toxicology method, and the lowest ineffective dilution), methods based on mechanisms and relative toxicity ratios for substances with the same mode of action (the toxicity equivalency factors, toxic equivalents, bioanalytical equivalents), and effect-based trigger values for micropollutants. The article also highlights the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Finally, it proposes potential areas for applying toxicity quantification methods and offers insights into future research directions. This review emphasizes the significance of enhancing the evaluation methods for assessing aqueous toxicity in water quality assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Mengyuan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Bing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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Xu R, Liu S, Chen H, Hao QW, Hu YX, Li HX, Lin L, Hou R, Hong B, Yu S, Xu XR. An effective tool for tracking steroids and their metabolites at the watershed level: Combining fugacity modeling and a chemical indicator. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 326:121499. [PMID: 36972813 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Steroids have attracted concern worldwide because of their potential carcinogenicity and severe adverse effects on aquatic organisms. However, the contamination status of various steroids, particularly their metabolites, at the watershed level remains unknown. This was the first study to employ field investigations to elucidate the spatiotemporal patterns, riverine fluxes, and mass inventories, and conduct a risk assessment of 22 steroids and their metabolites. This study also developed an effective tool for predicting the target steroids and their metabolites in a typical watershed based on the fugacity model combined with a chemical indicator. Thirteen steroids in the river water and seven steroids in sediments were identified with total concentrations of 1.0-76 ng/L and <LOQ-121 ng/g, respectively. In water, the levels of steroids were higher in the dry season, but the opposite trend was observed in sediments. Approximately 89 kg/a flux of steroids were transported from the river to the estuary. Mass inventories indicated that sediments acted as crucial sinks for steroids. Steroids in rivers might pose low to medium risks to aquatic organisms. Importantly, the fugacity model combined with a chemical indicator effectively simulated the steroid monitoring results within an order of magnitude at the watershed level, and various key sensitivity parameter settings provided reliable steroid concentration predictions under different circumstances. Our results should benefit environmental management and pollution control of steroids and their metabolites at the watershed level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
| | - Hui Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Qin-Wei Hao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Yong-Xia Hu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Heng-Xiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Lang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Rui Hou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Bing Hong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Shen Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Xiang-Rong Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China
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Gong J, Zhou YS, Lin CY, Li Q, Han C, Yang KX, Huang Y, Lin WQ, Wu CQ, Zhang SH, Huang JY. Suspended particulate matter-associated environmental corticosteroids in the Pearl River, China: Occurrence, distribution, and partitioning. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163701. [PMID: 37105482 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Suspended particulate matter (SPM) plays an important role in the geochemical behavior and fate of organic micropollutants in aquatic environments. However, the presence of trace emerging endocrine disruptors such as environmental corticosteroids (ECs) in SPM is less well understood. This study focused on the occurrence, distribution, and partitioning of SPM-associated ECs in the Pearl River system, China. Ubiquitous particulate ECs were found in the surface water of the rivers at average concentrations (dry weight) between 0.46 ng/g (flumethasone) and 8.83 ng/g (clobetasone butyrate). The total EC (∑ECs) concentrations of the 24 selected target compounds varied from <1.03 ng/g to 62.3 ng/g, with an average and median of 17.6 ng/g and 13.7 ng/g, respectively. Higher SPM-bound EC levels were commonly observed in winter (dry season), and spatially, their relatively high contamination in urban tributary networks decreased while flowing to mainstreams and then gradually attenuated from upstream to the estuary. Despite the approximately 90 % mass distribution of ∑ECs in the aqueous phase, approximately 50 % of their effect burden was derived from the suspended particulate fractions. For the first time, in situ SPM-water partitioning coefficients (Kp) and their organic carbon-normalized ones (Koc) of ECs were determined in surface waters, and a field-derived preliminary linear equation was proposed to estimate Koc for ECs using basic physicochemical parameters n-octanol/water partitioning coefficient (Kow), which is of importance with regard to the assessment of transport, fate, and risk of these emerging hazardous chemicals. Furthermore, the significant logKoc-logKow relationship for ECs reveals that nonspecific hydrophobic partitioning is a major association mechanism between SPM and ECs. Moreover, hydrogen bonding is suggested to be a prevailing specific binding mechanism and provides more contribution to nonhydrophobic interactions between ECs and particulate organic matter than environmental estrogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Gong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Yong-Shun Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Can-Yuan Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qiang Li
- School of life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006,China
| | - Chong Han
- School of life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006,China
| | - Ke-Xin Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ying Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wei-Quan Lin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Analytical and Testing Center of Guangzhou University, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006,China
| | - Cui-Qin Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shu-Han Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jia-Yu Huang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Analytical and Testing Center of Guangzhou University, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006,China
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Neale PA, Escher BI, de Baat ML, Enault J, Leusch FDL. Effect-Based Trigger Values Are Essential for the Uptake of Effect-Based Methods in Water Safety Planning. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:714-726. [PMID: 36524849 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Effect-based methods (EBMs) using in vitro bioassays and well plate-based in vivo assays are recommended for water quality monitoring because they can capture the mixture effects of the many chemicals present in water. Many in vitro bioassays are highly sensitive, so an effect in a bioassay does not necessarily indicate poor chemical water quality. Consequently, effect-based trigger values (EBTs) have been introduced to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable chemical water quality and are required for the wider acceptance of EBMs by the water sector and regulatory bodies. These EBTs have been derived for both drinking water and surface water to protect human and ecological health, respectively, and are available for assays indicative of specific receptor-mediated effects, as well as assays indicative of adaptive stress responses, apical effects, and receptor-mediated effects triggered by many chemicals. An overview of currently available EBTs is provided, and a simple approach is proposed to predict interim EBTs for assays currently without an EBT based on the effect concentration of the assay reference compound. There was good agreement between EBTs predicted using this simplistic approach and EBTs from the literature derived using more robust methods. Finally, an interpretation framework that outlines the steps to take if the effect of a sample exceeds the EBT was developed to help facilitate the uptake of EBMs in routine water quality monitoring and water safety planning for drinking water production. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:714-726. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
| | - Beate I Escher
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Milo L de Baat
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | | | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
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Tue NM, Matsukami H, Tuyen LH, Suzuki G, Viet PH, Sudaryanto A, Subramanian A, Tanabe S, Kunisue T. Estrogenic, androgenic, and glucocorticoid activities and major causative compounds in river waters from three Asian countries. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:20765-20774. [PMID: 36255587 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23674-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen, androgen, and glucocorticoid receptors (ER, AR, and GR) agonist activities in river water samples from Chennai and Bangalore (India), Jakarta (Indonesia), and Hanoi (Vietnam) were evaluated using a panel of chemical-activated luciferase gene expression (CALUX) assays and were detected mainly in the dissolved phase. The ER agonist activity levels were 0.011-55 ng estradiol (E2)-equivalent/l, higher than the proposed effect-based trigger (EBT) value of 0.5 ng/l in most of the samples. The AR agonist activity levels were < 2.1-110 ng dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-equivalent/l, and all levels above the limit of quantification exceeded the EBT value of 3.4 ng/l. GR agonist activities were detected in only Bangalore and Hanoi samples at dexamethasone (Dex)-equivalent levels of < 16-150 ng/l and exceeded the EBT value of 100 ng/l in only two Bangalore samples. Major compounds contributing to the ER, AR, and GR agonist activities were identified for water samples from Bangalore and Hanoi, which had substantially higher activities in all assays, by using a combination of fractionation, CALUX measurement, and non-target and target chemical analysis. The results for pooled samples showed that the major ER agonists were the endogenous estrogens E2 and estriol, and the major GR agonists were the synthetic glucocorticoids Dex and clobetasol propionate. The only AR agonist identified in major androgenic water extract fractions was DHT, but several unidentified compounds with the same molecular formulae as endogenous androgens were also found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Minh Tue
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology for Environmental Quality and Food Safety Control (KLATEFOS), VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Hidenori Matsukami
- Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Le Huu Tuyen
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology for Environmental Quality and Food Safety Control (KLATEFOS), VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Go Suzuki
- Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Pham Hung Viet
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Technology for Environmental Quality and Food Safety Control (KLATEFOS), VNU University of Science, Vietnam National University, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Agus Sudaryanto
- National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jl. M.H. Thamrin 8, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Annamalai Subramanian
- Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, Parangipettai, 608 502, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Shinsuke Tanabe
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Kunisue
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan.
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Malev O, Babić S, Sima Cota A, Stipaničev D, Repec S, Drnić M, Lovrić M, Bojanić K, Radić Brkanac S, Čož-Rakovac R, Klobučar G. Combining short-term bioassays using fish and crustacean model organisms with ToxCast in vitro data and broad-spectrum chemical analysis for environmental risk assessment of the river water (Sava, Croatia). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 292:118440. [PMID: 34740738 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study focused on the short-term whole organism bioassays (WOBs) on fish (Danio rerio) and crustaceans (Gammarus fossarum and Daphnia magna) to assess the negative biological effects of water from the major European River Sava and the comparison of the obtained results with in vitro toxicity data (ToxCast database) and Risk Quotient (RQ) methodology. Pollution profiles of five sampling sites along the River Sava were assessed by simultaneous chemical analysis of 562 organic contaminants (OCs) of which 476 were detected. At each sampling site, pharmaceuticals/illicit drugs category was mostly represented by their cumulative concentration, followed by categories industrial chemicals, pesticides and hormones. An exposure-activity ratio (EAR) approach based on ToxCast data highlighted steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, antiepileptics/neuroleptics, industrial chemicals and hormones as compounds with the highest biological potential. Summed EAR-based prediction of toxicity showed a good correlation with the estimated toxicity of assessed sampling sites using WOBs. WOBs did not exhibit increased mortality but caused various sub-lethal biological responses that were dependant relative to the sampling site pollution intensity as well as species sensitivity. Exposure of G. fossarum and D. magna to river water-induced lower feeding rates increased GST activity and TBARS levels. Zebrafish D. rerio embryo exhibited a significant decrease in heartbeat rate, failure in pigmentation formation, as well as inhibition of ABC transporters. Nuclear receptor activation was indicated as the biological target of greatest concern based on the EAR approach. A combined approach of short-term WOBs, with a special emphasis on sub-lethal endpoints, and chemical characterization of water samples compared against in vitro toxicity data from the ToxCast database and RQs can provide a comprehensive insight into the negative effect of pollutants on aquatic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Malev
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sanja Babić
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, Zagreb, Croatia; Centre of Excellence for Marine Bioprospecting-BioProCro, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Anja Sima Cota
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Draženka Stipaničev
- Croatian Waters, Central Water Management Laboratory, Ulica grada Vukovara 220, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Siniša Repec
- Croatian Waters, Central Water Management Laboratory, Ulica grada Vukovara 220, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Martina Drnić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mario Lovrić
- Know-Center, Inffeldgasse 13, 8010, Graz, Austria; Centre for Applied Bioanthropology, Institute for Anthropological Research, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Krunoslav Bojanić
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, Zagreb, Croatia; Centre of Excellence for Marine Bioprospecting-BioProCro, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sandra Radić Brkanac
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Rozelindra Čož-Rakovac
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, Zagreb, Croatia; Centre of Excellence for Marine Bioprospecting-BioProCro, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Göran Klobučar
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb, Croatia.
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Yusuf A, O'Flynn D, White B, Holland L, Parle-McDermott A, Lawler J, McCloughlin T, Harold D, Huerta B, Regan F. Monitoring of emerging contaminants of concern in the aquatic environment: a review of studies showing the application of effect-based measures. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2021; 13:5120-5143. [PMID: 34726207 DOI: 10.1039/d1ay01184g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Water scarcity is increasingly a global cause of concern mainly due to widespread changes in climate conditions and increased consumptive water use driven by the exponential increase in population growth. In addition, increased pollution of fresh water sources due to rising production and consumption of pharmaceuticals and organic chemicals will further exacerbate this concern. Although surface water contamination by individual chemicals is often at very low concentration, pharmaceuticals for instance are designed to be efficacious at low concentrations, creating genuine concern for their presence in freshwater sources. Furthermore, the additive impact of multiple compounds may result in toxic or other biological effects that otherwise will not be induced by individual chemicals. Globally, different legislative frameworks have led to pre-emptive efforts which aim to ensure good water ecological status. Reports detailing the use and types of effect-based measures covering specific bioassay batteries that can identify specific mode of actions of chemical pollutants in the aquatic ecosystem to evaluate the real threat of pollutants to aquatic lives and ultimately human lives have recently emerged from monitoring networks such as the NORMAN network. In this review, we critically evaluate some studies within the last decade that have implemented effect-based monitoring of pharmaceuticals and organic chemicals in aquatic fauna, evaluating the occurrence of different chemical pollutants and the impact of these pollutants on aquatic fauna with special focus on pollutants that are contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in urban wastewater. A critical discussion on studies that have used effect-based measures to assess biological impact of pharmaceutical/organic compound in the aquatic ecosystem and the endpoints measurements employed is presented. The application of effect-based monitoring of chemicals other than assessment of water quality status is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azeez Yusuf
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland.
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dylan O'Flynn
- School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Blanaid White
- School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Linda Holland
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland.
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anne Parle-McDermott
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland.
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jenny Lawler
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland.
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
- Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Thomas McCloughlin
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland.
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Denise Harold
- School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Belinda Huerta
- School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fiona Regan
- School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Dublin, Ireland
- Water Institute, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
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10
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Glucocorticoids in Freshwaters: Degradation by Solar Light and Environmental Toxicity of the Photoproducts. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17238717. [PMID: 33255235 PMCID: PMC7727706 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17238717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The photodegradation process of seven glucocorticoids (GCs), cortisone (CORT), hydrocortisone (HCORT), betamethasone (BETA), dexamethasone (DEXA), prednisone (PRED), prednisolone (PREDLO) and triamcinolone (TRIAM) was studied in tap and river water at a concentration close to the environmental ones. All drugs underwent sunlight degradation according to a pseudo-first-order decay. The kinetic constants ranged from 0.00082 min−1 for CORT to 0.024 min−1 for PRED and PREDLO. The photo-generated products were identified by high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The main steps of the degradation pathways were the oxidative cleavage of the chain 17 for CORT, HCORT and the rearrangement of the cyclohexadiene moiety for the other GCs. The acute and chronic toxicity of GCs and of their photoproducts was assessed by the V. fischeri and P.subcapitata inhibition assays. The bioassays revealed no significant differences in toxicity between the parent compounds and their photoproducts, but the two organisms showed different responses. All samples produced a moderate acute toxic effect on V. fisheri and no one in the chronic tests. On the contrary, evident hormesis or eutrophic effect was produced on the algae, especially for long-term contact.
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11
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Neale PA, Grimaldi M, Boulahtouf A, Leusch FDL, Balaguer P. Assessing species-specific differences for nuclear receptor activation for environmental water extracts. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 185:116247. [PMID: 32758789 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In vitro bioassays are increasingly applied to detect endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in environmental waters. Most studies use human nuclear receptor assays, but this raises questions about their relevance for evaluating ecosystem health. The current study aimed to assess species-specific differences in the activation or inhibition of a range of human and zebrafish nuclear receptors by different water extracts. Wastewater and surface water extracts were run in transactivation assays indicative of the estrogen receptor (ER), androgen receptor (AR), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), progesterone receptor (PR), mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), pregnane X receptor (PXR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). The transactivation assays were complemented with competitive binding assays for human AR, GR, PR and MR. In most cases, both human and zebrafish nuclear receptor activity were detected in the water extracts. Only some species-specific differences in potency and activity were observed. Water extracts were more active in zebrafish PXR compared to human PXR whereas the opposite was observed for PPARγ. Further, all water extracts inhibited zebrafish PR, while only one extract showed weak anti-progestagenic activity for human PR. Due to these observed differences, zebrafish nuclear receptor assays may be preferable over human nuclear receptor assays to assess the potential risks of EDCs to aquatic organisms. However, recognizing issues with availability of zebrafish nuclear receptor assays and the relatively small differences in responsiveness for many of the human and zebrafish nuclear receptors, including the widely studied ER, the current study supports the continued use of human nuclear receptor assays for water quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Qld, 4222, Australia.
| | - Marina Grimaldi
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Université Montpellier 1, Institut régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), 34290 Montpellier, France
| | - Abdelhay Boulahtouf
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Université Montpellier 1, Institut régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), 34290 Montpellier, France
| | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Qld, 4222, Australia
| | - Patrick Balaguer
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), Inserm U1194, Université Montpellier 1, Institut régional du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM), 34290 Montpellier, France
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12
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Jones RR, Stavreva DA, Weyer PJ, Varticovski L, Inoue-Choi M, Medgyesi DN, Chavis N, Graubard BI, Cain T, Wichman M, Beane Freeman LE, Hager GL, Ward MH. Pilot study of global endocrine disrupting activity in Iowa public drinking water utilities using cell-based assays. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 714:136317. [PMID: 32018941 PMCID: PMC8459208 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Some anthropogenic substances in drinking water are known or suspected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), but EDCs are not routinely measured. We conducted a pilot study of 10 public drinking water utilities in Iowa, where common contaminants (e.g., pesticides) are suspected EDCs. Raw (untreated) and finished (treated) drinking water samples were collected in spring and fall and concentrated using solid phase extraction. We assessed multiple endocrine disrupting activities using novel mammalian cell-based assays that express nuclear steroid receptors (aryl hydrocarbon [AhR], androgenic [AR], thyroid [TR], estrogenic [ER] and glucocorticoid [GR]). We quantified each receptor's activation relative to negative controls and compared activity by season and utility/sample characteristics. Among 62 samples, 69% had AhR, 52% AR, 3% TR, 2% ER, and 0% GR activity. AhR and AR activities were detected more frequently in spring (p =0 .002 and < 0.001, respectively). AR activity was more common in samples of raw water (p =0 .02) and from surface water utilities (p =0 .05), especially in fall (p =0 .03). Multivariable analyses suggested spring season, surface water, and nitrate and disinfection byproduct concentrations as determinants of bioactivity. Our results demonstrate that AR and AhR activities are commonly found in Iowa drinking water, and that their detection varies by season and utility/sample characteristics. Screening EDCs with cell-based bioassays holds promise for characterizing population exposure to diverse EDCs mixtures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena R Jones
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| | - Diana A Stavreva
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Peter J Weyer
- Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Lyuba Varticovski
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Maki Inoue-Choi
- Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Danielle N Medgyesi
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Nicole Chavis
- Milken Institute of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Barry I Graubard
- Biostatistics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Terence Cain
- State Hygienic Laboratory, University of Iowa, Coralville, IA, United States
| | - Michael Wichman
- State Hygienic Laboratory, University of Iowa, Coralville, IA, United States
| | - Laura E Beane Freeman
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Gordon L Hager
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Mary H Ward
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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13
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Lin C, Gong J, Zhou Y, Chen D, Chen Y, Yang J, Li Q, Wu C, Tang H. Spatiotemporal distribution, source apportionment, and ecological risk of corticosteroids in the urbanized river system of Guangzhou, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 706:135693. [PMID: 31791762 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the occurrence and distribution of 24 selected corticosteroids (CSs) in the surface water of the Zhujiang River (ZR) system in Guangzhou, a highly urbanized river system receiving both treated and untreated municipal wastewater effluents. Twenty-two and sixteen CSs were detected in the tributaries and the main stream of the ZR system, and their concentrations ranged from less than the method quantification limit (fluticasone propionate) to 94 ng/L (clobetasone butyrate) and from 0.24 ng/L (cortisol) to 7.2 ng/L (clobetasone butyrate), respectively. We observed higher total CSs (∑CSs) concentrations in the tributaries (11-396 ng/L) relative to the main stream (5.5-33 ng/L) due to their proximity to densely populated residential areas. ∑CSs concentrations in the dry season were generally higher than those in the wet season due to low dilution from decreased river discharge. Principal component analysis and multiple linear regression analysis identified untreated domestic sewage to be the dominant source of CSs (t2, contribution rate: 42.7%) in the urban rivers. Additional source contributions were from naturally attenuated treated and/or raw sewage (t1, 21.5%) and effluents from wastewater treatment plants (t3, 26.7%). CSs contribution was dominated by t2 in the dry season, and the contributions from t1, t2, and t3 showed no significant difference in the wet season. Risk assessment inferred that the ZR system is at medium to high ecological risk from CSs and is therefore a potential threat to the health of aquatic ecosystems. To prevent CSs pollution, our results demonstrate the need to develop effective control strategies to minimize the discharge of untreated waste to nearby rivers and to improve the capacity of wastewater treatment plants in Guangzhou. Further, we demonstrate that the concentrations of cortisone and fludrocortisone acetate are effective chemical indicators to estimate the level of natural and synthetic CSs contamination in urban rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Canyuan Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jian Gong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Yongshun Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Diyun Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yongheng Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Institute of Environmental Remediation and Human Health, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China.
| | - Qiang Li
- School of life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Cuiqin Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hongmei Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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14
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Medlock Kakaley EK, Blackwell BR, Cardon MC, Conley JM, Evans N, Feifarek DJ, Furlong ET, Glassmeyer ST, Gray LE, Hartig PC, Kolpin DW, Mills MA, Rosenblum L, Villeneuve DL, Wilson VS. De Facto Water Reuse: Bioassay suite approach delivers depth and breadth in endocrine active compound detection. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 699:134297. [PMID: 31683213 PMCID: PMC9136853 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Although endocrine disrupting compounds have been detected in wastewater and surface waters worldwide using a variety of in vitro effects-based screening tools, e.g. bioassays, few have examined potential attenuation of environmental contaminants by both natural (sorption, degradation, etc.) and anthropogenic (water treatment practices) processes. This study used several bioassays and quantitative chemical analyses to assess residence-time weighted samples at six sites along a river in the northeastern United States beginning upstream from a wastewater treatment plant outfall and proceeding downstream along the stream reach to a drinking water treatment plant. Known steroidal estrogens were quantified and changes in signaling pathway molecular initiating events (activation of estrogen, androgen, glucocorticoid, peroxisome proliferator-activated, pregnane X receptor, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling networks) were identified in water extracts. In initial multi-endpoint assays geographic and receptor-specific endocrine activity patterns in transcription factor signatures and nuclear receptor activation were discovered. In subsequent single endpoint receptor-specific bioassays, estrogen (16 of 18 samples; 0.01 to 28 ng estradiol equivalents [E2Eqs]/L) glucocorticoid (3 of 18 samples; 1.8 to 21 ng dexamethasone equivalents [DexEqs]/L), and androgen (2 of 18 samples; 0.95 to 2.1 ng dihydrotestosterone equivalents [DHTEqs]/L) receptor transcriptional activation occurred above respective assay method detection limits (0.04 ng E2Eqs/L, 1.2 ng DexEqs/L, and 0.77 ng DHTEqs/L) in multiple sampling events. Estrogen activity, the most often detected, correlated well with measured concentrations of known steroidal estrogens (r2 = 0.890). Overall, activity indicative of multiple types of endocrine active compounds was highest in wastewater effluent samples, while activity downstream was progressively lower, and negligible in unfinished treated drinking water. Not only was estrogenic and glucocorticoid activity confirmed in the effluent by utilizing multiple methods concurrently, but other activated signaling networks that historically received less attention (i.e. peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) were also detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K Medlock Kakaley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America
| | - Brett R Blackwell
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, United States of America
| | - Mary C Cardon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Justin M Conley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - David J Feifarek
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, United States of America
| | - Edward T Furlong
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Water Quality Laboratory, Denver, CO, United States of America
| | - Susan T Glassmeyer
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - L Earl Gray
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Phillip C Hartig
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America
| | - Dana W Kolpin
- U.S Geological Survey, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Iowa City, IA, United States of America
| | - Marc A Mills
- U.S Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | | | - Daniel L Villeneuve
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mid-Continent Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, United States of America
| | - Vickie S Wilson
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States of America.
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15
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Gong J, Lin C, Xiong X, Chen D, Chen Y, Zhou Y, Wu C, Du Y. Occurrence, distribution, and potential risks of environmental corticosteroids in surface waters from the Pearl River Delta, South China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 251:102-109. [PMID: 31071626 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.04.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution, and potential risks of 21 glucocorticoids (GCs) and 3 mineralocorticoids (MCs) in four rivers were studied by investigating the surface waters from the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China. These environmental corticosteroids (ECs) were commonly present in the river surface waters with average concentrations varying from <0.17 ng/L for fluticasone propionate to 5.6 ng/L for clobetasone butyrate; and cortisone had the highest concentration, 32.9 ng/L. The total ECs ranged in concentration from undetectable to 83.3 ng/L, with a mean and median of 8.1 ng/L and 4.8 ng/L, respectively. Spatially the total EC concentration levels in the Pearl River system occurred in the following order: Zhujiang River (ZR) > Dongjiang River (DR) > Shiziyang waterway (SW) > Beijiang River (BR). These levels generally demonstrated a trend of increasing from upstream to midstream or downstream then attenuating toward the estuary. Considerable seasonal variations in the ECs differed among rivers. Higher ECs concentrations in winter were mostly found in the ZR, whereas lower levels were found in the DR. Moreover, the temporal variations of the ECs were marginal in the BR and SW. These spatiotemporal distributions of the ECs might have been simultaneously influenced by pollution sources derived from anthropogenic activities and river hydrologic conditions. Correlation analyses indicated that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) could play a key role in the occurrence and distribution of ECs in an aquatic environment. Risk assessment demonstrated that the occurrence of ECs might have posed medium to high risk to aquatic organisms in the Pearl River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Gong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Canyuan Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xiaoping Xiong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Diyun Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yongheng Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yongshun Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Cuiqin Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Radionuclides Pollution Control and Resources, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Yongming Du
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
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16
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Ma XY, Wang Y, Dong K, Wang XC, Zheng K, Hao L, Ngo HH. The treatability of trace organic pollutants in WWTP effluent and associated biotoxicity reduction by advanced treatment processes for effluent quality improvement. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 159:423-433. [PMID: 31121410 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
As increasing attention is paid to surface water protection, there has been demand for improvements of domestic wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. This has led to the application of many different advanced treatment processes (ATPs). In this study, the treatability of trace organic pollutants in secondary effluent (SE) and associated biotoxicity reduction by four types of ATPs, including coagulation, granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption, ultraviolet (UV) photolysis and photocatalysis, and ozonation, were investigated at the bench-scale. The ATPs showed different removal capacity for the 48 chemicals, which were classified into seven categories. EDCs, herbicides, bactericides and pharmaceuticals were readily degraded, and insecticides, flame retardants, and UV filters were relatively resistant to removal. During these processes, the efficiency of the ATPs in reducing four biological effects were investigated. Of the four biological effects, the estrogenic activity from SE was not detected using the yeast estrogen screen. In contrast with genotoxicity and photosynthesis inhibition, bacterial cytotoxicity posed by SE was the most difficult biological effect to reduce with these ATPs. GAC adsorption and ozonation were the most robust treatment processes for reducing the three detected biotoxicities. UV photolysis and photocatalysis showed comparable efficiencies for the reduction of genotoxicity and photosynthesis inhibition. However, coagulation only performed well in genotoxicity reduction. The effect-based trigger values for the four bioassays, that were derived from the existing environmental quality standards and from HC5 (hazardous concentration for 5% of aquatic organisms), were all used to select and optimize these ATPs for ecological safety. Conducting ATPs in more appropriate ways could eliminate the negative effects of WWTP effluent on receiving water bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Y Ma
- International Science & Technology Cooperation Center for Urban Alternative Water Resources Development, Key Lab of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE; Engineering Technology Research Center for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, Shaanxi Province, PR China.
| | - Yongkun Wang
- International Science & Technology Cooperation Center for Urban Alternative Water Resources Development, Key Lab of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE; Engineering Technology Research Center for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, Shaanxi Province, PR China
| | - Ke Dong
- International Science & Technology Cooperation Center for Urban Alternative Water Resources Development, Key Lab of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE; Engineering Technology Research Center for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, Shaanxi Province, PR China
| | - Xiaochang C Wang
- International Science & Technology Cooperation Center for Urban Alternative Water Resources Development, Key Lab of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE; Engineering Technology Research Center for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, Shaanxi Province, PR China.
| | - Kai Zheng
- International Science & Technology Cooperation Center for Urban Alternative Water Resources Development, Key Lab of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE; Engineering Technology Research Center for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, Shaanxi Province, PR China
| | - Liwei Hao
- International Science & Technology Cooperation Center for Urban Alternative Water Resources Development, Key Lab of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE; Engineering Technology Research Center for Wastewater Treatment and Reuse, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, Shaanxi Province, PR China
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, 2007, Australia
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17
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Völker J, Stapf M, Miehe U, Wagner M. Systematic Review of Toxicity Removal by Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technologies via Ozonation and Activated Carbon. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:7215-7233. [PMID: 31120742 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b00570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Völker
- Department of Biology , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim 7491 , Norway
| | - Michael Stapf
- Berlin Centre of Competence for Water (KWB) , Berlin 10709 , Germany
| | - Ulf Miehe
- Berlin Centre of Competence for Water (KWB) , Berlin 10709 , Germany
| | - Martin Wagner
- Department of Biology , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim 7491 , Norway
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