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Behnisch P, Besselink H, Suzuki G, Buchinger S, Reifferscheid G, Lukas M, Wollenweber M, Wollenweber S, Hollert H, Kunisue T, Tue NM, Alijagic A, Larsson M, Engwall M, Ohno K, Brouwer A. Results of an international interlaboratory study on dioxin-like activities in drinking-, river surface- and wastewater using DR CALUX bioassay. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 920:170759. [PMID: 38336065 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170759] [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: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Aquatic animals and consumers of aquatic animals are exposed to increasingly complex mixtures of known and as-yet-unknown chemicals with dioxin-like toxicities in the water cycle. Effect- and cell-based bioanalysis can cover known and yet unknown dioxin and dioxin-like compounds as well as complex mixtures thereof but need to be standardized and integrated into international guidelines for environmental testing. In an international laboratory testing (ILT) following ISO/CD 24295 as standard procedure for rat cell-based DR CALUX un-spiked and spiked extracts of drinking-, surface-, and wastewater were validated to generate precision data for the development of the full ISO-standard. We found acceptable repeatability and reproducibility ranges below 36 % by DR CALUX bioassay for the tested un-spiked and spiked water of different origins. The presence of 17 PCDD/Fs and 12 dioxin-like PCBs was also confirmed by congener-specific GC-HRMS analysis. We compared the sum of dioxin-like activity levels measured by DR CALUX bioassay (expressed in 2,3,7,8-TCDD Bioanalytical Equivalents, BEQ; ISO 23196, 2022) with the obtained GC-HRMS chemical analysis results converted to toxic equivalents (TEQ; van den Berg et al., 2013).
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Behnisch
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), Science Park 406, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Harrie Besselink
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), Science Park 406, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Go Suzuki
- Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Sebastian Buchinger
- Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Georg Reifferscheid
- Bundesanstalt für Gewässerkunde (BfG), Am Mainzer Tor 1, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Marcus Lukas
- Wastewater Analysis, Monitoring Methods, German Environment Agency (UBA), Berlin, Germany
| | - Marc Wollenweber
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main (GU), Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Simone Wollenweber
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main (GU), Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main (GU), Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Department Environmental Media Related Ecotoxicology, Auf dem Aberg 1, 57392 Schmallenberg, Germany
| | - Tatsuya Kunisue
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
| | - Nguyen Minh Tue
- Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan
| | - Andi Alijagic
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University (ORU), SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Maria Larsson
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University (ORU), SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Magnus Engwall
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University (ORU), SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden
| | - Kayo Ohno
- Center of International Cooperation and Environmental Technologies of the Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry (JEMAI), 3-1, Uchisaiwaicho 1-chome Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Abraham Brouwer
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), Science Park 406, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands; VU University Amsterdam (VU), Faculty of Sciences, Department of Animal Ecology, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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2
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Oldenkamp R, Hamers T, Wilkinson J, Slootweg J, Posthuma L. Regulatory Risk Assessment of Pharmaceuticals in the Environment: Current Practice and Future Priorities. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:611-622. [PMID: 36484757 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5535] [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: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
How can data on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the environment and the quality of ecosystems exposed to PPCPs be used to determine whether current regulatory risk assessment schemes are effective? This is one of 20 "big questions" concerning PPCPs in the environment posed in a landmark review paper in 2012. Ten years later, we review the developments around this question, focusing on the first P in PPCPs, that is, pharmaceuticals, or more specifically the active ingredients included in them (active pharmaceutical ingredients, APIs). We illustrate how extensive data on both the occurrence of APIs and the ecotoxicological sensitivity of aquatic species to them can be used in a retrospective risk assessment. In the Netherlands, current regulatory risk assessment schemes offer insufficient protection against direct ecotoxicological effects from APIs: the toxic pressure exerted by the 39 APIs included in our study exceeds the policy-related protective threshold of 0.05 (the "95%-protection level") in at least 13% of sampled surface waters. In general, anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products (e.g., diclofenac, ibuprofen) contributed most to the overall toxic pressure, followed by sex hormones and modulators of the genital system (e.g., ethinylestradiol) and psychoanaleptics (e.g., caffeine). We formulated three open questions for future research. The first relates to improving the availability and accessibility of good-quality ecotoxicity data on pharmaceuticals for the global scientific, regulatory, and general public. The second relates to the adaptation of regulatory risk assessment frameworks for developing regions of the world. The third relates to the integration of effect-based and ecological approaches into regulatory risk assessment practice. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:611-622. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rik Oldenkamp
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Timo Hamers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - John Wilkinson
- Environment and Geography Department, University of York, York, UK
| | - Jaap Slootweg
- RIVM, Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Leo Posthuma
- RIVM, Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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3
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Leusch FDL, Allen H, De Silva NAL, Hodson R, Johnson M, Neale PA, Stewart M, Tremblay LA, Wilde T, Northcott GL. Effect-based monitoring of two rivers under urban and agricultural influence reveals a range of biological activities in sediment and water extracts. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119692. [PMID: 38039589 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119692] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Chemical contaminants, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals and industrial compounds are ubiquitous in surface water and sediment in areas subject to human activity. While targeted chemical analysis is typically used for water and sediment quality monitoring, there is growing interest in applying effect-based methods with in vitro bioassays to capture the effects of all active contaminants in a sample. The current study evaluated the biological effects in surface water and sediment from two contrasting catchments in Aotearoa New Zealand, the highly urbanised Whau River catchment in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and the urban and mixed agricultural Koreti (New River) Estuary catchment. Two complementary passive sampling devices, Chemcatcher for polar chemicals and polyethylene (PED) for non-polar chemicals, were applied to capture a wide range of contaminants in water, while composite sediment samples were collected at each sampling site. Bioassays indicative of induction of xenobiotic metabolism, receptor-mediated effects, genotoxicity, cytotoxicity and apical effects were applied to the water and sediment extracts. Most sediment extracts induced moderate to strong estrogenic and aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) activity, along with moderate toxicity to bacteria. The water extracts showed similar patterns to the sediment extracts, but with lower activity. Generally, the polar Chemcatcher extracts showed greater estrogenic activity, photosynthesis inhibition and algal growth inhibition than the non-polar PED extracts, though the PED extracts showed greater AhR activity. The observed effects in the water extracts were compared to available ecological effect-based trigger values (EBT) to evaluate the potential risk. For the polar extracts, most sites in both catchments exceeded the EBT for estrogenicity, with many sites exceeding the EBTs for AhR activity and photosynthesis inhibition. Of the wide range of endpoints considered, estrogenic activity, AhR activity and herbicidal activity appear to be the primary risk drivers in both the Whau and Koreti Estuary catchments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia.
| | - Hamish Allen
- Research and Evaluation Unit, Auckland Council, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | | | - Roger Hodson
- Environment Southland Regional Council, Invercargill, 9810, New Zealand; Riverscape Enhancement Consulting, Invercargill, 9840, New Zealand
| | - Matthew Johnson
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | - Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia
| | | | - Louis A Tremblay
- Cawthron Institute, Nelson, 7010, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Taylor Wilde
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, 4222, Australia
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Schuijt LM, van Smeden J, van Drimmelen CKE, Buijse LL, Wu D, Boerwinkel MC, Belgers DJM, Matser AM, Roessink I, Heikamp-de Jong I, Beentjes KK, Trimbos KB, Smidt H, Van den Brink PJ. Effects of antidepressant exposure on aquatic communities assessed by a combination of morphological identification, functional measurements, environmental DNA metabarcoding and bioassays. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:140706. [PMID: 37992907 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140706] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
The antidepressant fluoxetine is frequently detected in aquatic ecosystems, yet the effects on aquatic communities and ecosystems are still largely unknown. Therefore the aim of this study is to assess the effects of the long-term application of fluoxetine on key components of aquatic ecosystems including macroinvertebrate-, zooplankton-, phytoplankton- and microbial communities and organic matter decomposition by using traditional and non-traditional assessment methods. For this, we exposed 18 outdoor mesocosms (water volume of 1530 L and 10 cm of sediment) to five different concentrations of fluoxetine (0.2, 2, 20 and 200 μg/L) for eight weeks, followed by an eight-week recovery period. We quantified population and community effects by morphological identification, environmental DNA metabarcoding, in vitro and in vivo bioassays and measured organic matter decomposition as a measure of ecosystem functioning. We found effects of fluoxetine on bacterial, algal, zooplankton and macroinvertebrate communities and decomposition rates, mainly for the highest (200 μg/L) treatment. Treatment-related decreases in abundances were found for damselfly larvae (NOEC of 0.2 μg/L) and Sphaeriidae bivalves (NOEC of 20 μg/L), whereas Asellus aquaticus increased in abundance (NOEC <0.2 μg/L). Fluoxetine decreased photosynthetic activity and primary production of the suspended algae community. eDNA assessment provided additional insights by revealing that the algae belonging to the class Cryptophyceae and certain cyanobacteria taxa were the most negatively responding taxa to fluoxetine. Our results, together with results of others, suggest that fluoxetine can alter community structure and ecosystem functioning and that some impacts of fluoxetine on certain taxa can already be observed at environmentally realistic concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara M Schuijt
- Aquatic Ecology and Water quality management group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jasper van Smeden
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Chantal K E van Drimmelen
- Aquatic Ecology and Water quality management group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Laura L Buijse
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dailing Wu
- Aquatic Ecology and Water quality management group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marie-Claire Boerwinkel
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dick J M Belgers
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Arrienne M Matser
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ivo Roessink
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ineke Heikamp-de Jong
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Krijn B Trimbos
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Hauke Smidt
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Paul J Van den Brink
- Aquatic Ecology and Water quality management group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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5
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Choi Y, Seo CD, Lee W, Son H, Lee Y. Assessment of bioactive chemicals in wastewater effluents and surface waters using in vitro bioassays in the Nakdong River basin, Korea. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 347:140621. [PMID: 37956933 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140621] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Organic micropollutants present in effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can negatively affect the quality of receiving waters or drinking water sources. The present work monitored the concentration of bioactive chemicals using a battery of in vitro bioassays in 14 WWTP effluents, 2 effluent-dominant streams, and 5 river waters in the Nakdong River basin, Korea, for a two-year period. The WWTP effluents showed AR/ERα/TRβ (androgen/estrogen/thyroid hormone) activities at a few to tens ng/L, PAH/PPARγ/p53 (polycyclic-aromatic-hydrocarbon/lipid metabolism/genotoxicity) activities at hundreds ng/L, and PXR/Nrf2 (xenobiotic metabolism/oxidative stress) activities at tens to hundreds μg/L as bioanalytical equivalent concentrations. The concentration level and type of bioactivities were statistically not affected by the source, season, or treatment processes of WWTPs for most endpoints. The effluent-dominant streams showed similar levels of AR/ERα/PAH/PXR/Nrf2 activities compared to the upstream WWTP effluents. The river waters showed lower levels of AR/ERα activities (by factors of 6 or 7) but had only slightly lower PAH/PXR/Nrf2 activities (within factors of 2) than the WWTP effluents when compared based on median concentration. Cytotoxicity was below the quantification limit (0.3 μg/L) in most effluent and river samples. For ERα/PAH/PXR/Nrf2, the median bioactivity levels of the river waters were higher than at least one of the effect-based trigger (EBT) values proposed in the literature. Further monitoring work and reliable/realistic EBT derivation are needed to determine possible ecological risks posed by the observed bioactivities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yegyun Choi
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Dong Seo
- Water Quality Institute Busan Water Authority, Republic of Korea
| | - Woorim Lee
- Environment & Energy Research Laboratory, Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (RIST), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Heejong Son
- Water Quality Institute Busan Water Authority, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yunho Lee
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea.
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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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de Schepper JKH, van Oorschot Y, Jaspers RJ, Hamers T, Lamoree MH, Behnisch P, Besselink H, Houtman CJ. The contribution of PFAS to thyroid hormone-displacing activity in Dutch waters: A comparison between two in vitro bioassays with chemical analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 181:108256. [PMID: 37862862 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108256] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of xenobiotics that are widely distributed throughout the aquatic environment. Many PFAS are possible thyroid hormone (TH) system disrupting compounds, because they have the capacity to -amongst other- inhibit the TH thyroxine (T4) from binding to its transport protein transthyretin (TTR). This study investigated the occurrence of TH-displacing activity in the Dutch water cycle, and more specifically, the contribution of PFAS to this effect. Over one year of monitoring data of 29 PFAS (linear and branched) showed the continuous presence of PFAS in drinking waters and their surface water sources. Secondly, the FITC-T4 and TTR-TRβ-CALUX bioassays were mutually compared using positive (HPLC-grade water spiked with PFOA) and negative control samples (HPLC-grade water), as well as relative potency factors (RPFs) of up to 20 PFAS congeners. Both assays were found to be suitable for measuring TH-displacing activity in water samples. As a third aim, a field study was performed in the Dutch water cycle that was comprised of samples from drinking water, surface water, PFAS contaminated sites, and 2 wastewater treatment plants. All samples were analyzed with 1. chemical analysis for 29 PFAS, 2. the FITC-T4 bioassay, and 3. the TTR-TRβ-CALUX bioassay. The bioassays mutually showed good correlation (R2 0.85). Bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQ) based on chemically-determined concentrations and RPFs (BEQchem) revealed that analyzed PFAS only explained ≤4.1 % of their activity in water extracts measured by both bioassays (BEQbio). This indicated that as yet unknown compounds contribute to the majority of the measured TH-displacing activity. Moreover, water treatment processes (e.g. DW production from SW) showed a larger contribution of target PFAS to the BEQbio. This could be a first lead to identify unknown compounds that contribute to this activity, and as such, enable the assessment of possible risks associated by the occurrence of TH-displacing activity in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K H de Schepper
- The Water Laboratory, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | | | - R J Jaspers
- The Water Laboratory, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - T Hamers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M H Lamoree
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P Behnisch
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - H Besselink
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - C J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment (A-LIFE), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Smutná M, Javůrek J, Sehnal L, Toušová Z, Javůrková B, Sychrová E, Lepšová-Skácelová O, Hilscherová K. Potential risk of estrogenic compounds produced by water blooms to aquatic environment. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 341:140015. [PMID: 37657694 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Some freshwater phytoplankton species have been suggested to produce estrogenic compounds in concentrations which could cause adverse effects to aquatic biota, while other studies showed no estrogenic effects after exposure to phytoplankton extracts or pointed out possible sources of the overestimation of the estrogenic activity. This study aimed to clarify these research inconsistencies by investigating estrogenicity of biomass extracts from both environmental freshwater blooms and laboratory cyanobacterial and algae cultures by in vitro reporter bioassay. Biomasses of 8 cyanobacterial and 3 algal species from 7 taxonomic orders were extracted and tested. Next to this, samples of environmental water blooms collected from 8 independent water bodies dominated by phytoplankton species previously assessed as laboratory cultures were tested. The results showed undetectable or low estrogenicity of both freshwater blooms and laboratory cultures with E2 equivalent concentration (EEQ) in a range from LOQ up to 4.5 ng EEQ/g of dry mass. Moreover, the co-exposure of biomass extracts with environmentally relevant concentration of model estrogen (steroid hormone 17β-estradiol; E2), commonly occurring in surface waters, showed simple additive interaction. However, some of the biomass extracts elicited partially anti-estrogenic effects in co-exposure with higher E2 concentration. In conclusion, our study documents undetectable or relatively low estrogenic potential of biomass extracts from both environmental freshwater blooms and studied laboratory cultured cyanobacterial and algae species. Nevertheless, in case of very high-density water blooms, even this low estrogenicity (detected for two cyanobacterial species) could lead to EEQ content in biomass reaching effect-based trigger values indicating potential risk, if recalculated per water volume at field sites. However, these levels would not occur in water under realistic environmental scenarios and the potential estrogenic effects would be most probably minor compared to other toxic effects caused by massive freshwater blooms of such high densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Smutná
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Javůrek
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Luděk Sehnal
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Toušová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Javůrková
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eliška Sychrová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Lepšová-Skácelová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Na Zlaté stoce 1, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Klára Hilscherová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
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van Gijn K, van Dam MRHP, de Wilt HA, de Wilde V, Rijnaarts HHM, Langenhoff AAM. Removal of micropollutants and ecotoxicity during combined biological activated carbon and ozone (BO 3) treatment. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 242:120179. [PMID: 37302178 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120179] [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: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Ozonation is a viable option to improve the removal of micropollutants (MPs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Nevertheless, the application of ozonation is hindered by its high energy requirements and by the uncertainties regarding the formation of toxic transformation products in the process. Energy requirements of ozonation can be reduced with a pre-ozone treatment, such as a biological activated carbon (BAC) filter, that removes part of the effluent organic matter before ozonation. This study investigated a combination of BAC filtration followed by ozonation (the BO3 process) to remove MPs at low ozone doses and low energy input, and focused on the formation of toxic organic and inorganic products during ozonation. Effluent from a WWTP was collected, spiked with MPs (approximately 1 µg/L) and treated with the BO3 process. Different flowrates (0.25-4 L/h) and specific ozone doses (0.2-0.6 g O3/g TOC) were tested and MPs, ecotoxicity and bromate were analyzed. For ecotoxicity assessment, three in vivo (daphnia, algae and bacteria) and six in vitro CALUX assays (Era, GR, PAH, P53, PR, andNrf2 CALUX) were used. Results show that the combination of BAC filtration and ozonation has higher MP removal and higher ecotoxicity removal than only BAC filtration and only ozonation. The in vivo assays show a low ecotoxicity in the initial WWTP effluent samples and no clear trend with increasing ozone doses, while most of the in vitro assays show a decrease in ecotoxicity with increasing ozone dose. This suggests that for the tested bioassays, feed water and ozone doses, the overall ecotoxicity of the formed transformation products during ozonation was lower than the overall ecotoxicity of the parent compounds. In the experiments with bromide spiking, relevant formation of bromate was observed above specific ozone doses of approximately 0.4 O3/g TOC and more bromate was formed for the samples with BAC pre-treatment. This indirectly indicates the effectivity of the pre-treatment in removing organic matter and making ozone more available to react with other compounds (such as MPs, but also bromide), but also underlines the importance of controlling the ozone dose to be below the threshold to avoid formation of bromate. It was concluded that treatment of the tested WWTP effluent in the BO3 process at a specific ozone dose of 0.2 g O3/g TOC, results in high MP removal at limited energy input while no increase in ecotoxicity, nor formation of bromate was observed under this condition. This indicates that the hybrid BO3 process can be implemented to remove MPs and improve the ecological quality of this WWTP effluent with a lower energy demand than conventional MP removal processes such as standalone ozonation.
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Affiliation(s)
- K van Gijn
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - M R H P van Dam
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - H A de Wilt
- Royal HaskoningDHV, 3800 BC Amersfoort, the Netherlands
| | - V de Wilde
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - H H M Rijnaarts
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - A A M Langenhoff
- Department of Environmental Technology, Wageningen University & Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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10
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Šauer P, Vrana B, Escher BI, Grabic R, Toušová Z, Krauss M, von der Ohe PC, König M, Grabicová K, Mikušová P, Prokeš R, Sobotka J, Fialová P, Novák J, Brack W, Hilscherová K. Bioanalytical and chemical characterization of organic micropollutant mixtures in long-term exposed passive samplers from the Joint Danube Survey 4: Setting a baseline for water quality monitoring. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:107957. [PMID: 37406370 PMCID: PMC10445204 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107957] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring methodologies reflecting the long-term quality and contamination of surface waters are needed to obtain a representative picture of pollution and identify risk drivers. This study sets a baseline for characterizing chemical pollution in the Danube River using an innovative approach, combining continuous three-months use of passive sampling technology with comprehensive chemical (747 chemicals) and bioanalytical (seven in vitro bioassays) assessment during the Joint Danube Survey (JDS4). This is one of the world's largest investigative surface-water monitoring efforts in the longest river in the European Union, which water after riverbank filtration is broadly used for drinking water production. Two types of passive samplers, silicone rubber (SR) sheets for hydrophobic compounds and AttractSPETM HLB disks for hydrophilic compounds, were deployed at nine sites for approximately 100 days. The Danube River pollution was dominated by industrial compounds in SR samplers and by industrial compounds together with pharmaceuticals and personal care products in HLB samplers. Comparison of the Estimated Environmental Concentrations with Predicted No-Effect Concentrations revealed that at the studied sites, at least one (SR) and 4-7 (HLB) compound(s) exceeded the risk quotient of 1. We also detected AhR-mediated activity, oxidative stress response, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-mediated activity, estrogenic, androgenic, and anti-androgenic activities using in vitro bioassays. A significant portion of the AhR-mediated and estrogenic activities could be explained by detected analytes at several sites, while for the other bioassays and other sites, much of the activity remained unexplained. The effect-based trigger values for estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities were exceeded at some sites. The identified drivers of mixture in vitro effects deserve further attention in ecotoxicological and environmental pollution research. This novel approach using long-term passive sampling provides a representative benchmark of pollution and effect potentials of chemical mixtures for future water quality monitoring of the Danube River and other large water bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Šauer
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Branislav Vrana
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Beate I Escher
- UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Cell Toxicology, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Roman Grabic
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Toušová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Krauss
- UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Peter C von der Ohe
- UBA - German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), Wörlitzer Platz 1, D-06844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Maria König
- UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Cell Toxicology, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kateřina Grabicová
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Mikušová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Prokeš
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic; Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Belidla 986/4a, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jaromír Sobotka
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavla Fialová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Novák
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Werner Brack
- UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, 04318 Leipzig, Germany; Goethe University Frankfurt, Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Klára Hilscherová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 61137 Brno, Czech Republic.
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11
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Jonkers TJH, Houtman CJ, van Oorschot Y, Lamoree MH, Hamers T. Identification of antimicrobial and glucocorticoid compounds in wastewater effluents with effect-directed analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 231:116117. [PMID: 37178748 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals, such as glucocorticoids and antibiotics, are inadequately removed from wastewater and may cause unwanted toxic effects in the receiving environment. This study aimed to identify contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater effluent with antimicrobial or glucocorticoid activity by applying effect-directed analysis (EDA). Effluent samples from six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the Netherlands were collected and analyzed with unfractionated and fractionated bioassay testing. Per sample, 80 fractions were collected and in parallel high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data were recorded for suspect and nontarget screening. The antimicrobial activity of the effluents was determined with an antibiotics assay and ranged from 298 to 711 ng azithromycin equivalents·L-1. Macrolide antibiotics were identified in each effluent and found to significantly contribute to the antimicrobial activity of each sample. Agonistic glucocorticoid activity determined with the GR-CALUX assay ranged from 98.1 to 286 ng dexamethasone equivalents·L-1. Bioassay testing of several tentatively identified compounds to confirm their activity revealed inactivity in the assay or the incorrect identification of a feature. Effluent concentrations of glucocorticoid active compounds were estimated from the fractionated GR-CALUX bioassay response. Subsequently, the biological and chemical detection limits were compared and a sensitivity gap between the two monitoring approaches was identified. Overall, these results emphasize that combining sensitive effect-based testing with chemical analysis can more accurately reflect environmental exposure and risk than chemical analysis alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim J H Jonkers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE, Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | | | - Marja H Lamoree
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Timo Hamers
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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12
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Neale PA, Escher BI, de Baat ML, Dechesne M, Dingemans MML, Enault J, Pronk GJ, Smeets PWMH, Leusch FDL. Application of Effect-Based Methods to Water Quality Monitoring: Answering Frequently Asked Questions by Water Quality Managers, Regulators, and Policy Makers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:6023-6032. [PMID: 37026997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Effect-based methods (EBM) have great potential for water quality monitoring as they can detect the mixture effects of all active known and unknown chemicals in a sample, which cannot be addressed by chemical analysis alone. To date, EBM have primarily been applied in a research context, with a lower level of uptake by the water sector and regulators. This is partly due to concerns regarding the reliability and interpretation of EBM. Using evidence from the peer-reviewed literature, this work aims to answer frequently asked questions about EBM. The questions were identified through consultation with the water industry and regulators and cover topics related to the basis for using EBM, practical considerations regarding reliability, sampling for EBM and quality control, and what to do with the information provided by EBM. The information provided in this work aims to give confidence to regulators and the water sector to stimulate the application of EBM 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
| | - Beate I Escher
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
- Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Milo L de Baat
- KWR Water Research Institute, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Magali Dechesne
- Veolia Research & Innovation,765 rue Henri Becquerel, 34965 Montpellier, France
| | - Milou M L Dingemans
- KWR Water Research Institute, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jérôme Enault
- SUEZ CIRSEE, 38 rue du President Wilson, 78230 Le Pecq, France
| | - Geertje J Pronk
- KWR Water Research Institute, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | | | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
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13
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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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14
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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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15
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Choi Y, Jung EY, Lee W, Choi S, Son H, Lee Y. In vitro bioanalytical assessment of the occurrence and removal of bioactive chemicals in municipal wastewater treatment plants in Korea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159724. [PMID: 36306847 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159724] [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: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Effluents of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contain various organic micropollutants, some of which can exert negative effects on the quality of receiving waters or drinking water sources. This study monitored two full-scale WWTPs in Korea for the occurrence and removal of bioactive chemicals for a one-year period using a battery of in vitro bioassays as a complementary approach to chemical analysis. Bioassays covering different endpoints were employed, such as hormone receptor activation (AR and ERα), xenobiotic metabolism (PAH and PXR), oxidative stress response (Nrf2), and cytotoxicity. The WWTP influents showed AR, ERα, and PAH activities at ng/L - μg/L and PXR and Nrf2 activities at μg/L - mg/L as bioanalytical equivalent concentrations of a reference compound for each bioassay. These bioactivities decreased along with the WWTP treatment train, with significant removals achieved by the secondary biological treatment processes. Cytotoxicity was observed only for some municipal wastewater (M-WWTP) influents but was below the limit of quantification for most cases. The influent and effluent bioactivities observed in this study were mostly comparable to those reported in other WWTPs in the literature. Comparison of the bioactivities with the effect-based trigger (EBT) values indicates that the impact of WWTP effluents on receiving water quality was low for most endpoints. For Nrf2, however, further investigation is required to evaluate the observed high bioactivities compared with the current EBT. The observed ERα activity could partly be explained by the presence of some steroid estrogens. Overall, our results contribute to an important database for the concentrations and removal efficiencies of bioactive chemicals in WWTPs and demonstrate bioassays as a useful tool for urban water quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yegyun Choi
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Young Jung
- Water Quality Institute, Busan Water Authority, Kimhae 50804, Republic of Korea
| | - Woorim Lee
- Water Quality Institute, Busan Water Authority, Kimhae 50804, Republic of Korea; Environment & Energy Research Laboratory, Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (RIST), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangki Choi
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Heejong Son
- Water Quality Institute, Busan Water Authority, Kimhae 50804, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yunho Lee
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea.
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16
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Wang J, Smit MGD, Verhaegen Y, Nolte TM, Redman AD, Hendriks AJ, Hjort M. Petroleum refinery effluent contribution to chemical mixture toxic pressure in the environment. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 311:137127. [PMID: 36334744 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137127] [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: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Petroleum refinery effluents (PRE) are wastewaters from industries associated with oil refining. Within Europe, PREs are regulated through local discharge permits and receive substantial treatment before emission. After treatment, PREs can still contain low levels of various pollutants potentially toxic to organisms. Earlier work, including whole-effluent toxicity assessments, has shown that the toxicity of permitted PREs is often limited. However, the extent to which PREs contribute to chemical pollution already present in the receiving environment is unknown. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the contribution of PREs to mixture toxic pressure in the environment, using the multi-substance potentially affected fraction of species (msPAF) as an indicator. Based on measured chemical concentrations, compiled species sensitivity distributions (SSD) and a mechanistic solubility model, msPAF levels were estimated for undiluted effluents at discharge points and diluted effluents downstream in receiving waters. Median msPAF-chronic and msPAF-acute levels of PREs at discharge points were 74% (P50) and 40% (P95), respectively. The calculated msPAF levels were reduced substantially to <5% downstream for most effluents (82%), indicating low to negligible toxicity of PREs in receiving environments beyond the initial mixing zone. Regardless of differences in endpoints and locations, hydrocarbons (mainly total petroleum hydrocarbons) and inorganics (mainly ammonia) explained at least 85% of the mixture toxic pressure. The msPAF levels of PREs were on average 2.5-4.5 orders of magnitude lower than msPAF levels derived from background pollution levels, suggesting that PREs were minor contributors to the toxic pressure in the environment. This study presents a generic methodology for quantifying the potential toxic pressure of PREs in the environment, identifying hotspots where more effective wastewater treatment could be needed. We explicitly discuss the uncertainties for further refinement and development of the method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Wang
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mathijs G D Smit
- Shell Global Solutions International BV, The Hague, the Netherlands; Concawe, Boulevard du Souverain 165, 1160, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yves Verhaegen
- Concawe, Boulevard du Souverain 165, 1160, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Tom M Nolte
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Aaron D Redman
- Concawe, Boulevard du Souverain 165, 1160, Brussels, Belgium; ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Inc, Annandale, NJ, United States
| | - A Jan Hendriks
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Markus Hjort
- Concawe, Boulevard du Souverain 165, 1160, Brussels, Belgium.
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17
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Toušová Z, Priebojová J, Javůrek J, Večerková J, Lepšová-Skácelová O, Sychrová E, Smutná M, Hilscherová K. Estrogenic and retinoid-like activity in stagnant waters with mass occurrence of water blooms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158257. [PMID: 36037903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158257] [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: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Stagnant freshwaters can be affected by anthropogenic pollution and eutrophication that leads to massive growth of cyanobacteria and microalgae forming complex water blooms. These can produce various types of bioactive compounds, some of which may cause embryotoxicity, teratogenicity, endocrine disruption and impair animal or human health. This study focused on potential co-occurrence of estrogenic and retinoid-like activities in diverse stagnant freshwaters affected by phytoplankton blooms with varying taxonomic composition. Samples of phytoplankton bloom biomass and its surrounding water were collected from 17 independent stagnant water bodies in the Czech Republic and Hungary. Total estrogenic equivalents (EEQ) of the most potent samples reached up to 4.9 ng·g-1 dry mass (dm) of biomass extract and 2.99 ng·L-1 in surrounding water. Retinoic acid equivalent (REQ) measured by in vitro assay reached up to 3043 ng·g-1 dm in phytoplankton biomass and 1202 ng·L-1in surrounding water. Retinoid-like and estrogenic activities at some sites exceeded their PNEC and effect-based trigger values, respectively. The observed effects were not associated with any particular species of cyanobacteria or algae dominating the water blooms nor related to phytoplankton density. We found that taxonomically diverse phytoplankton communities can produce and release retinoid-like compounds to surrounding water, while estrogenic potency is likely related to estrogens of anthropogenic origin adsorbed to phytoplankton biomass. Retinoids occurring in water blooms are ubiquitous signalling molecules, which can affect development and neurogenesis. Selected water bloom samples (both water and biomass extracts) with retinoid-like activity caused effects on neurodifferentiation in vitro corresponding to those of equivalent all-trans-retinoic acid concentrations. Co-occurrence of estrogenic and retinoid-like activities in stagnant water bodies as well as the potential of compounds produced by water blooms to interfere with neural differentiation should be considered in the assessment of risks associated with water blooms, which can comprise complex mixtures of natural and anthropogenic bioactive compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Toušová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Priebojová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Javůrek
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslava Večerková
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Olga Lepšová-Skácelová
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Na Zlaté stoce 1, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Eliška Sychrová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Smutná
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Klára Hilscherová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
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18
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Bertanza G, Steimberg N, Pedrazzani R, Boniotti J, Ceretti E, Mazzoleni G, Menghini M, Urani C, Zerbini I, Feretti D. Wastewater toxicity removal: Integrated chemical and effect-based monitoring of full-scale conventional activated sludge and membrane bioreactor plants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158071. [PMID: 35988629 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The literature is currently lacking effect-based monitoring studies targeted at evaluating the performance of full-scale membrane bioreactor plants. In this research, a monitoring campaign was performed at a full-scale wastewater treatment facility with two parallel lines (traditional activated sludge and membrane bioreactor). Beside the standard parameters (COD, nitrogen, phosphorus, and metals), 6 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, 29 insecticides, 2 herbicides, and 3 endocrine disrupting compounds were measured. A multi-tiered battery of bioassays complemented the investigation, targeting different toxic modes of action and employing various biological systems (uni/multicellular, prokaryotes/eukaryotes, trophic level occupation). A traffic light scoring approach was proposed to quickly visualize the impact of treatment on overall toxicity that occurred after the exposure to raw and concentrated wastewater. Analysis of the effluents of the CAS and MBR lines show very good performance of the two systems for removal of organic micropollutants and metals. The most noticeable differences between CAS and MBR occurred in the concentration of suspended solids; chemical analyses did not show major differences. On the other hand, bioassays demonstrated better performance for the MBR. Both treatment lines complied with the Italian law's "ecotoxicity standard for effluent discharge in surface water". Yet, residual biological activity was still detected, demonstrating the adequacy and sensitivity of the toxicological tools, which, by their inherent nature, allow the overall effects of complex mixtures to be taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Bertanza
- DICATAM-Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze 43, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Nathalie Steimberg
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DSCS-Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Roberta Pedrazzani
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DIMI-Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Jennifer Boniotti
- DSCS-Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Ceretti
- DSMC-Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Mazzoleni
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DSCS-Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Michele Menghini
- DIMI-Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Chiara Urani
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DISAT-Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milan-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, I-20126 Milano, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Zerbini
- DSMC-Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Donatella Feretti
- MISTRAAL Interdepartmental Research Center - MISTRAL - Inter-University Research Center "Integrated Models for Prevention and Protection in Environmental and Occupational Health", DSCS, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; DSMC-Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
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19
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Neale PA, Escher BI, de Baat ML, Dechesne M, Deere DA, Enault J, Kools SAE, Loret JF, Smeets PWMH, Leusch FDL. Effect-based monitoring to integrate the mixture hazards of chemicals into water safety plans. JOURNAL OF WATER AND HEALTH 2022; 20:1721-1732. [PMID: 36573675 DOI: 10.2166/wh.2022.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Water safety plans (WSPs) are intended to assure safe drinking water (DW). WSPs involve assessing and managing risks associated with microbial, chemical, physical and radiological hazards from the catchment to the consumer. Currently, chemical hazards in WSPs are assessed by targeted chemical analysis, but this approach fails to account for the mixture effects of the many chemicals potentially present in water supplies and omits the possible effects of non-targeted chemicals. Consequently, effect-based monitoring (EBM) using in vitro bioassays and well plate-based in vivo assays are proposed as a complementary tool to targeted chemical analysis to support risk analysis, risk management and water quality verification within the WSP framework. EBM is frequently applied to DW and surface water and can be utilised in all defined monitoring categories within the WSP framework (including 'system assessment', 'validation', 'operational' and 'verification'). Examples of how EBM can be applied within the different WSP modules are provided, along with guidance on where to apply EBM and how frequently. Since this is a new area, guidance documents, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and decision-making frameworks are required for both bioassay operators and WSP teams to facilitate the integration of EBM into WSPs, with these resources being developed currently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia E-mail:
| | - Beate I Escher
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia E-mail: ; Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig 04318, Germany; Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Milo L de Baat
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Magali Dechesne
- Veolia Research & Innovation, 765 rue Henri Becquerel, Montpellier 34965, France
| | | | - Jérôme Enault
- SUEZ CIRSEE, 38 rue du President Wilson, Le Pecq 78230, France
| | | | | | | | - Frederic D L Leusch
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia E-mail:
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20
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Finckh S, Buchinger S, Escher BI, Hollert H, König M, Krauss M, Leekitratanapisan W, Schiwy S, Schlichting R, Shuliakevich A, Brack W. Endocrine disrupting chemicals entering European rivers: Occurrence and adverse mixture effects in treated wastewater. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 170:107608. [PMID: 36343551 PMCID: PMC9720157 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In the present study on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in treated wastewater, we used chemical and effect-based tools to analyse 56 wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents from 15 European countries. The main objectives were (i) to compare three different receptor-based estrogenicity assays (ERα-GeneBLAzer, p-YES, ERα-CALUX®), and (ii) to investigate a combined approach of chemical target analysis and receptor-based testing for estrogenicity, glucocorticogenic activity, androgenicity and progestagenic activity (ERα-, GR-, AR- and PR-GeneBLAzer assays, respectively) in treated wastewater. A total of 56 steroids and phenols were detected at concentrations ranging from 25 pg/L (estriol, E3) up to 2.4 μg/L (cortisone). WWTP effluents, which passed an advanced treatment via ozonation or via activated carbon, were found to be less contaminated, in terms of lower or no detection of steroids and phenols, as well as hormone receptor-mediated effects. This result was confirmed by the effect screening, including the three ERα-bioassays. In the GeneBLAzer assays, ERα-activity was detected in 82 %, and GR-activity in 73 % of the samples, while AR- and PR-activity were only measured in 14 % and 21 % of the samples, respectively. 17β-estradiol was confirmed as the estrogen dominating the observed estrogenic mixture effect and triamcinolone acetonide was the dominant driver of glucocorticogenic activity. The comparison of bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQ) predicted from the detected concentrations and the relative effect potency (BEQchem) with measured BEQ (BEQbio) demonstrated good correlations of chemical target analysis and receptor-based testing results with deviations mostly within a factor of 10. Bioassay-specific effect-based trigger values (EBTs) from the literature, but also newly calculated EBTs based on previously proposed derivation options, were applied and allowed a preliminary assessment of the water quality of the tested WWTP effluent samples. Overall, this study demonstrates the high potential of linking chemical with effect-based analysis in water quality assessment with regard to EDC contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Finckh
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Buchinger
- Department of Biochemistry and Ecotoxicology, Federal Institute for Hydrology - BfG, Koblenz, Germany
| | - Beate I Escher
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany; Environmental Toxicology, Department of Geosciences, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maria König
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Krauss
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Warich Leekitratanapisan
- Environmental Toxicology Unit - GhEnToxLab, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sabrina Schiwy
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Rita Schlichting
- Department of Cell Toxicology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Aliaksandra Shuliakevich
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Werner Brack
- Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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21
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Simon E, Riegraf C, Schifferli A, Olbrich D, Bucher T, Vermeirssen ELM. Evaluation of Three ISO Estrogen Receptor Transactivation Assays Applied to 52 Domestic Effluent Samples. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:2512-2526. [PMID: 35876436 PMCID: PMC9826432 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Estrogens are released to the aquatic environment by wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and can affect wildlife. In the last three decades, many in vitro assay platforms have been developed to detect and quantify estrogenicity in water. In 2018, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standardized protocols became available for three types of in vitro estrogen receptor transactivation assays (ERTAs) detecting estrogenicity in 96-well plates (ISO19040 1-3). Two ERTAs-lyticase Yeast Estrogen Screen (L-YES) and Arxula YES (A-YES)-use genetically modified yeast strains, whereas the third utilizes stably transfected human cells. One human cell based assay is ERα-CALUX, which is based on a genetically modified human bone osteosarcoma cell line. In the present study, we characterized the performance, comparability, and effectiveness of these three ERTAs, including an evaluation involving proposed water quality thresholds (effect-based trigger values [EBTs]). For a robust evaluation, we collected 52 effluent samples over three sampling campaigns at 15 different WWTPs in Switzerland. Estrogen receptor transactivation assay results were correlated and compared with results from chemical analysis targeting known estrogens. The three ERTAs showed comparable data over all campaigns. However, the selection of EBTs plays a significant role in the interpretation and comparison of bioassay results to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable water quality. Applying a fixed cross-assay EBT for effluent of 4 ng L-1 resulted in varying numbers of threshold exceedances ranging between zero and four samples depending on the ERTA used. Using assay-specific EBTs showed exceedances in eight samples (ERα-CALUX) and in one sample (A-YES), respectively. Thus, proposed EBTs do not produce similar risk profiles across samples and further refinement of assay-specific EBTs is needed to account for assay-specific differences and to enable the application of ERTAs as effect-based methods in environmental monitoring. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2512-2526. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Simon
- Swiss Centre for Applied EcotoxicologyDübendorfSwitzerland
- Air Pollution Control and Chemicals Division, Industrial Chemicals SectionFederal Office for the EnvironmentBernSwitzerland
| | | | | | - Daniel Olbrich
- Swiss Centre for Applied EcotoxicologyDübendorfSwitzerland
| | - Thomas Bucher
- Swiss Centre for Applied EcotoxicologyDübendorfSwitzerland
- Current affiliation: ETH ZurichLehrlabor BiologieZürichSwitzerland
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22
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Timmers PHA, Slootweg T, Knezev A, van der Schans M, Zandvliet L, Reus A, Vughs D, Heijnen L, Knol T, El Majjaoui J, van der Wielen P, Stuyfzand PJ, Lekkerkerker-Teunissen K. Improved drinking water quality after adding advanced oxidation for organic micropollutant removal to pretreatment of river water undergoing dune infiltration near The Hague, Netherlands. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 429:128346. [PMID: 35236037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Peer H A Timmers
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.
| | - T Slootweg
- The Water Laboratory N.V., J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - A Knezev
- The Water Laboratory N.V., J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - M van der Schans
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - L Zandvliet
- The Water Laboratory N.V., J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - A Reus
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - D Vughs
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - L Heijnen
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - T Knol
- Dunea, Utility for drinking water and nature conservancy, Plein van de Verenigde Naties 11-15, 2719 EG Zoetermeer, the Netherlands
| | - J El Majjaoui
- Dunea, Utility for drinking water and nature conservancy, Plein van de Verenigde Naties 11-15, 2719 EG Zoetermeer, the Netherlands
| | - P van der Wielen
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
| | - P J Stuyfzand
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Stuyfzand Hydroconsult+, Brederodestraat 138, 2042BL Zandvoort, the Netherlands
| | - K Lekkerkerker-Teunissen
- Dunea, Utility for drinking water and nature conservancy, Plein van de Verenigde Naties 11-15, 2719 EG Zoetermeer, the Netherlands
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23
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Robitaille J, Denslow ND, Escher BI, Kurita-Oyamada HG, Marlatt V, Martyniuk CJ, Navarro-Martín L, Prosser R, Sanderson T, Yargeau V, Langlois VS. Towards regulation of Endocrine Disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in water resources using bioassays - A guide to developing a testing strategy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 205:112483. [PMID: 34863984 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are found in every environmental medium and are chemically diverse. Their presence in water resources can negatively impact the health of both human and wildlife. Currently, there are no mandatory screening mandates or regulations for EDC levels in complex water samples globally. Bioassays, which allow quantifying in vivo or in vitro biological effects of chemicals are used commonly to assess acute toxicity in water. The existing OECD framework to identify single-compound EDCs offers a set of bioassays that are validated for the Estrogen-, Androgen-, and Thyroid hormones, and for Steroidogenesis pathways (EATS). In this review, we discussed bioassays that could be potentially used to screen EDCs in water resources, including in vivo and in vitro bioassays using invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and/or mammalians species. Strengths and weaknesses of samples preparation for complex water samples are discussed. We also review how to calculate the Effect-Based Trigger values, which could serve as thresholds to determine if a given water sample poses a risk based on existing quality standards. This work aims to assist governments and regulatory agencies in developing a testing strategy towards regulation of EDCs in water resources worldwide. The main recommendations include 1) opting for internationally validated cell reporter in vitro bioassays to reduce animal use & cost; 2) testing for cell viability (a critical parameter) when using in vitro bioassays; and 3) evaluating the recovery of the water sample preparation method selected. This review also highlights future research avenues for the EDC screening revolution (e.g., 3D tissue culture, transgenic animals, OMICs, and Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs)).
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Robitaille
- Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de La Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | | | - Beate I Escher
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany; Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Vicki Marlatt
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Laia Navarro-Martín
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Thomas Sanderson
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, INRS, Laval, QC, Canada
| | | | - Valerie S Langlois
- Centre Eau Terre Environnement, Institut National de La Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Quebec City, QC, Canada.
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24
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Johann S, Weichert FG, Schröer L, Stratemann L, Kämpfer C, Seiler TB, Heger S, Töpel A, Sassmann T, Pich A, Jakob F, Schwaneberg U, Stoffels P, Philipp M, Terfrüchte M, Loeschcke A, Schipper K, Feldbrügge M, Ihling N, Büchs J, Bator I, Tiso T, Blank LM, Roß-Nickoll M, Hollert H. A plea for the integration of Green Toxicology in sustainable bioeconomy strategies - Biosurfactants and microgel-based pesticide release systems as examples. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 426:127800. [PMID: 34865895 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127800] [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: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A key aspect of the transformation of the economic sector towards a sustainable bioeconomy is the development of environmentally friendly alternatives for hitherto used chemicals, which have negative impacts on environmental health. However, the implementation of an ecotoxicological hazard assessment at early steps of product development to elaborate the most promising candidates of lowest harm is scarce in industry practice. The present article introduces the interdisciplinary proof-of-concept project GreenToxiConomy, which shows the successful application of a Green Toxicology strategy for biosurfactants and a novel microgel-based pesticide release system. Both groups are promising candidates for industrial and agricultural applications and the ecotoxicological characterization is yet missing important information. An iterative substance- and application-oriented bioassay battery for acute and mechanism-specific toxicity within aquatic and terrestrial model species is introduced for both potentially hazardous materials getting into contact with humans and ending up in the environment. By applying in silico QSAR-based models on genotoxicity, endocrine disruption, skin sensitization and acute toxicity to algae, daphnids and fish, individual biosurfactants resulted in deviating toxicity, suggesting a pre-ranking of the compounds. Experimental toxicity assessment will further complement the predicted toxicity to elaborate the most promising candidates in an efficient pre-screening of new substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Johann
- Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Fabian G Weichert
- Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Lukas Schröer
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Lucas Stratemann
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Christoph Kämpfer
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas-Benjamin Seiler
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Hygiene-Institut des Ruhrgebiets, Rotthauser Str. 21, 45879 Gelsenkirchen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Heger
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Alexander Töpel
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1-2, 52074 Aachen, Germany; DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Tim Sassmann
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1-2, 52074 Aachen, Germany; DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Andrij Pich
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1-2, 52074 Aachen, Germany; DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Aachen Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials, Maastricht University, Urmonderbaan 22, 6167 RD Geleen, The Netherlands
| | - Felix Jakob
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schwaneberg
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials, Forckenbeckstr. 50, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Peter Stoffels
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute for Microbiology, Department Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Magnus Philipp
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute for Microbiology, Department Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marius Terfrüchte
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute for Microbiology, Department Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Anita Loeschcke
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Molecular Enzyme Technology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Stetternicher Forst, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schipper
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute for Microbiology, Department Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Feldbrügge
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute for Microbiology, Department Biology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nina Ihling
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Aachener Verfahrenstechnik - Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstr. 51, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jochen Büchs
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Aachener Verfahrenstechnik - Biochemical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Forckenbeckstr. 51, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Isabel Bator
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Applied Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Till Tiso
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Applied Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Lars M Blank
- Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany; Institute of Applied Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Martina Roß-Nickoll
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Henner Hollert
- Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Bioeconomy Science Center (BioSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Str., 52425 Jülich, Germany.
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Shuliakevich A, Schroeder K, Nagengast L, Wolf Y, Brückner I, Muz M, Behnisch PA, Hollert H, Schiwy S. Extensive rain events have a more substantial impact than advanced effluent treatment on the endocrine-disrupting activity in an effluent-dominated small river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 807:150887. [PMID: 34634343 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150887] [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: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) remain an important primary source of emission for endocrine-disrupting compounds in the environment. As an advanced wastewater treatment process, ozonation is known to reduce endocrine-disrupting activity. However, it remains unclear to which extend improved wastewater treatment may reduce the endocrine-disrupting activity in the receiving water body. The present study investigated possible factors for the endocrine-disrupting activity in a small receiving water body, the Wurm River (North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany), up- and downstream of a local WWTP. The cell-based reporter gene CALUX® assay was applied to identify the endocrine-disrupting activity in the water, sediment, and suspended particulate matter. The water phase and the effluent sampling were primarily driven by applying the full-scale effluent ozonation (sampling campaigns in June 2017 and March 2019). In contrast, the sediment sampling aimed to compare the particle-bound endocrine-disrupting activity during dry (June 2017) and rainy summer (June 2018) seasons. The water phase showed low to moderate estrogenic/antiandrogenic activity. Advanced effluent treatment by ozonation led to a complete reduction of the endocrine-disrupting activity according to the limit of detection of the CALUX® assays. The suspended particulate matter originated from the water phase of the second sampling campaign revealed antiandrogenic activity only. Sediments at the sampling sites along the local WWTP revealed higher estrogenic and antiandrogenic activity after extensive rain events and were not affected by the ozonated effluent. Fluctuation patterns of the endocrine-disrupting activity in sediments were in line with fluctuated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Rainwater overflow basin release was suggested as a vector for particle-bound and dissolved endocrine-disrupting activity in the receiving water body. The present study underlined the necessity for monitoring both water and sediment phases to achieve reliable profiling of the endocrine-disrupting activity. The receptor-mediated CALUX® assays were proven to be suitable for investigating the endocrine-disrupting activity distribution in different river compartments and WWTP effluents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliaksandra Shuliakevich
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Katja Schroeder
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Biology V, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Laura Nagengast
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Biology V, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Yvonne Wolf
- RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Biology V, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ira Brückner
- Eifel-Rur Waterboard (WVER), Eisenbahnstr. 5, 52354 Düren, Germany
| | - Melis Muz
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Department of Effect-Directed Analysis, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Peter A Behnisch
- BioDetection Systems B.V. (BDS), Science Park 406, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Henner Hollert
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
| | - Sabrina Schiwy
- Goethe University Frankfurt/Main, Department Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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26
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Hilton M, Walsh JC, Liddell E, Cook CN. Lessons from other disciplines for setting management thresholds for biodiversity conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13865. [PMID: 34811813 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Successful, state-dependent management, in which the goal of management is to maintain a system in a desired state, involves defining the boundaries between different states. Once these boundaries have been defined, managers require a strategic action plan with thresholds that initiate management interventions to either maintain or return the system to a desired state. This approach to management is widely used across diverse industries from agriculture, to medicine, to information technology, but it has only been adopted in conservation management relatively recently. Conservation practitioners have expressed a willingness to integrate this structured approach in their management systems, but they have also voiced concerns, including lack of a robust process for doing so. Given the widespread use of state-dependent management in other fields, we conducted an extensive review of the literature on threshold-based management to gain insight into how and where it is applied and identify potential lessons for conservation management. We identified 22 industries using 75 different methods for setting management thresholds in 843 studies. Methods spanned six broad approaches, including expert driven, statistical, predictive, optimization, experimental, and artificial intelligence methods. The objectives of each of these studies influenced the approaches used, including the methods for setting thresholds and selecting actions, and the number of thresholds set. The role of value judgments in setting thresholds was clear; studies across all industries frequently involved experts in setting thresholds, often accompanied by computational tools to simulate the consequences of proposed thresholds under different conditions. Of the 30 conservation studies examined, two-thirds used expert-driven methods, consistent with prior evidence that experience-based information often drives conservation management decisions. The methods we identified from other disciplines could help conservation decision makers set thresholds for management interventions in different contexts, linking monitoring to management actions and ensuring that conservation interventions are timely and effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mairi Hilton
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jessica C Walsh
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Erin Liddell
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carly N Cook
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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27
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Simon E, Duffek A, Stahl C, Frey M, Scheurer M, Tuerk J, Gehrmann L, Könemann S, Swart K, Behnisch P, Olbrich D, Brion F, Aït-Aïssa S, Pasanen-Kase R, Werner I, Vermeirssen ELM. Biological effect and chemical monitoring of Watch List substances in European surface waters: Steroidal estrogens and diclofenac - Effect-based methods for monitoring frameworks. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 159:107033. [PMID: 34979407 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Three steroidal estrogens, 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), 17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), diclofenac have been included in the first Watch List of the Water Framework Directive (WFD, EU Directive 2000/60/EC, EU Implementing Decision 2015/495). This triggered the need for more EU-wide surface water monitoring data on these micropollutants, before they can be considered for inclusion in the list of priority substances regularly monitored in aquatic ecosystems. The revision of the priority substance list of the WFD offers the opportunity to incorporate more holistic bioanalytical approaches, such as effect-based monitoring, alongside single substance chemical monitoring. Effect-based methods (EBMs) are able to measure total biological activities (e.g., estrogenic activity or cyxlooxygenase [COX]-inhibition) of specific group of substances (such as estrogens and NSAIDs) in the aquatic environment at low concentrations (pg/L). This makes them potential tools for a cost-effective and ecotoxicologically comprehensive water quality assessment. In parallel, the use of such methods could build a bridge from chemical status assessments towards ecological status assessments by adressing mixture effects for relevant modes of action. Our study aimed to assess the suitability of implementing EBMs in the WFD, by conducting a large-scale sampling and analysis campaign of more than 70 surface waters across Europe. This resulted in the generation of high-quality chemical and effect-based monitoring data for the selected Watch List substances. Overall, water samples contained low estrogenicity (0.01-1.3 ng E2-Equivalent/L) and a range of COX-inhibition activity similar to previously reported levels (12-1600 ng Diclofenac-Equivalent/L). Comparison between effect-based and conventional analytical chemical methods showed that the chemical analytical approach for steroidal estrogens resulted in more (76%) non-quantifiable data, i.e., concentrations were below detection limits, compared to the EBMs (28%). These results demonstrate the excellent and sensitive screening capability of EBMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Simon
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Anja Duffek
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Berlin, Germany
| | - Cordula Stahl
- Steinbeis-Innovationszentrum Zellkulturtechnik, c/o University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Germany
| | - Manfred Frey
- Steinbeis-Innovationszentrum Zellkulturtechnik, c/o University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marco Scheurer
- TZW: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser (German Water Centre), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jochen Tuerk
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Duisburg, Germany
| | - Linda Gehrmann
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Duisburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Könemann
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kees Swart
- BioDetection Systems B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Behnisch
- National Institute of Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS), UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | - Daniel Olbrich
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Franҫois Brion
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Labour Directorate Section Chemicals and Work, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Selim Aït-Aïssa
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Labour Directorate Section Chemicals and Work, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert Pasanen-Kase
- State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Labour Directorate Section Chemicals and Work, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Inge Werner
- Swiss Centre for Applied Ecotoxicology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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28
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Landi C, Liberatori G, Cotugno P, Sturba L, Vannuccini ML, Massari F, Miniero DV, Tursi A, Shaba E, Behnisch PA, Carleo A, Di Giuseppe F, Angelucci S, Bini L, Corsi I. First Attempt to Couple Proteomics with the AhR Reporter Gene Bioassay in Soil Pollution Monitoring and Assessment. TOXICS 2021; 10:toxics10010009. [PMID: 35051051 PMCID: PMC8779689 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A topsoil sample obtained from a highly industrialized area (Taranto, Italy) was tested on the DR-CALUX® cell line and the exposed cells processed with proteomic and bioinformatics analyses. The presence of polyhalogenated compounds in the topsoil extracts was confirmed by GC-MS/MS analysis. Proteomic analysis of the cells exposed to the topsoil extracts identified 43 differential proteins. Enrichment analysis highlighted biological processes, such as the cellular response to a chemical stimulus, stress, and inorganic substances; regulation of translation; regulation of apoptotic process; and the response to organonitrogen compounds in light of particular drugs and compounds, extrapolated by bioinformatics all linked to the identified protein modifications. Our results confirm and reflect the complex epidemiological situation occurring among Taranto inhabitants and underline the need to further investigate the presence and sources of inferred chemicals in soils. The combination of bioassays and proteomics reveals a more complex scenario of chemicals able to affect cellular pathways and leading to toxicities rather than those identified by only bioassays and related chemical analysis. This combined approach turns out to be a promising tool for soil risk assessment and deserves further investigation and developments for soil monitoring and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Landi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (C.L.); (E.S.)
| | - Giulia Liberatori
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.L.); (L.S.); (M.L.V.)
| | - Pietro Cotugno
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy; (P.C.); (F.M.); (D.V.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Lucrezia Sturba
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.L.); (L.S.); (M.L.V.)
| | - Maria Luisa Vannuccini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.L.); (L.S.); (M.L.V.)
| | - Federica Massari
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy; (P.C.); (F.M.); (D.V.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Daniela Valeria Miniero
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy; (P.C.); (F.M.); (D.V.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Angelo Tursi
- Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy; (P.C.); (F.M.); (D.V.M.); (A.T.)
| | - Enxhi Shaba
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (C.L.); (E.S.)
| | - Peter A. Behnisch
- BioDetection System BV (BDS) Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Alfonso Carleo
- Department of Pulmonology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Fabrizio Di Giuseppe
- Department of Medical, Oral & Biotechnological Sciences, Dentistry and Biotechnology and Proteomics Unit, Centre of Advanced Studies and Technology, “G. D’Annunzio”, University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (F.D.G.); (S.A.)
| | - Stefania Angelucci
- Department of Medical, Oral & Biotechnological Sciences, Dentistry and Biotechnology and Proteomics Unit, Centre of Advanced Studies and Technology, “G. D’Annunzio”, University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; (F.D.G.); (S.A.)
| | - Luca Bini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (C.L.); (E.S.)
- Correspondence: (L.B.); (I.C.); Tel.: +39-0577-234938 (L.B.); +39-0577-232169 (I.C.)
| | - Ilaria Corsi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (G.L.); (L.S.); (M.L.V.)
- Correspondence: (L.B.); (I.C.); Tel.: +39-0577-234938 (L.B.); +39-0577-232169 (I.C.)
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29
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Schuijt LM, Peng FJ, van den Berg SJP, Dingemans MML, Van den Brink PJ. (Eco)toxicological tests for assessing impacts of chemical stress to aquatic ecosystems: Facts, challenges, and future. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148776. [PMID: 34328937 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of chemicals in the aquatic environment by chemical analysis alone cannot completely assess and predict the effects of chemicals on aquatic species and ecosystems. This is primarily because of the increasing number of (unknown) chemical stressors and mixture effects present in the environment. In addition, the ability of ecological indices to identify underlying stressors causing negative ecological effects is limited. Therefore, additional complementary methods are needed that can address the biological effects in a direct manner and provide a link to chemical exposure, i.e. (eco)toxicological tests. (Eco)toxicological tests are defined as test systems that expose biological components (cells, individuals, populations, communities) to (environmental mixtures of) chemicals to register biological effects. These tests measure responses at the sub-organismal (biomarkers and in vitro bioassays), whole-organismal, population, or community level. We performed a literature search to obtain a state-of-the-art overview of ecotoxicological tests available for assessing impacts of chemicals to aquatic biota and to reveal datagaps. In total, we included 509 biomarkers, 207 in vitro bioassays, 422 tests measuring biological effects at the whole-organismal level, and 78 tests at the population- community- and ecosystem-level. Tests at the whole-organismal level and biomarkers were most abundant for invertebrates and fish, whilst in vitro bioassays are mostly based on mammalian cell lines. Tests at the community- and ecosystem-level were almost missing for organisms other than microorganisms and algae. In addition, we provide an overview of the various extrapolation challenges faced in using data from these tests and suggest some forward looking perspectives. Although extrapolating the measured responses to relevant protection goals remains challenging, the combination of ecotoxicological experiments and models is key for a more comprehensive assessment of the effects of chemical stressors to aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara M Schuijt
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Feng-Jiao Peng
- Wageningen Environmental Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Human Biomonitoring Research Unit, Department of Population Health, Luxembourg Institute of Health, 1 A-B rue Thomas Edison, 1445 Strassen, Luxembourg
| | - Sanne J P van den Berg
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen Environmental Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Milou M L Dingemans
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Paul J Van den Brink
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen Environmental Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
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30
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Cavallin JE, Beihoffer J, Blackwell BR, Cole AR, Ekman DR, Hofer R, Jastrow A, Kinsey J, Keteles K, Maloney EM, Parman J, Winkelman DL, Villeneuve DL. Effects-based monitoring of bioactive compounds associated with municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent discharge to the South Platte River, Colorado, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 289:117928. [PMID: 34426200 PMCID: PMC9169558 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have detected numerous organic contaminants and in vitro bioactivities in surface water from the South Platte River near Denver, Colorado, USA. To evaluate the temporal and spatial distribution of selected contaminants of emerging concern, water samples were collected throughout 2018 and 2019 at 11 sites within the S. Platte River and surrounding tributaries with varying proximities to a major wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Water samples were analyzed for pharmaceuticals, pesticides, steroid hormones, and wastewater indicators and screened for in vitro biological activities. Multiplexed, in vitro assays that simultaneously screen for agonistic activity against 24 human nuclear receptors detected estrogen receptor (ER), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ), and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) bioactivities in water samples near the WWTP outflow. Targeted in vitro bioassays assessing ER, GR, and PPARγ agonism corroborated bioactivities for ER (up to 55 ± 9.7 ng/L 17β-estradiol equivalents) and GR (up to 156 ± 28 ng/L dexamethasone equivalents), while PPARγ activity was not confirmed. To evaluate the potential in vivo significance of the bioactive contaminants, sexually-mature fathead minnows were caged at six locations upstream and downstream of the WWTP for 5 days after which targeted gene expression analyses were performed. Significant up-regulation of male hepatic vitellogenin was observed at sites with corresponding in vitro ER activity. No site-related differences in GR-related transcript abundance were detected in female adipose or male livers, suggesting observed environmental concentrations of GR-active contaminants do not induce a detectable in vivo response. In line with the lack of detectable targeted in vitro PPARɣ activity, there were no significant effects on PPARɣ-related gene expression. Although the chemicals responsible for GR and PPAR-mediated bioactivities are unknown, results from the present study provide insights into the significance (or lack thereof) of these bioactivities relative to short-term in situ fish exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Cavallin
- US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA.
| | - Jon Beihoffer
- US EPA, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Brett R Blackwell
- US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Alexander R Cole
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Drew R Ekman
- US EPA, Ecosystem Processes Division, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Rachel Hofer
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, US EPA, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Kristen Keteles
- US EPA, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Erin M Maloney
- University of Minnesota, Cooperative Training Agreement, US EPA, Duluth, MN, USA
| | - Jordan Parman
- Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Dana L Winkelman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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31
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Houtman CJ, Brewster K, Ten Broek R, Duijve B, van Oorschot Y, Rosielle M, Lamoree MH, Steen RJCA. Characterisation of (anti-)progestogenic and (anti-)androgenic activities in surface and wastewater using high resolution effectdirected analysis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 153:106536. [PMID: 33812044 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The quality of surface waters is threatened by pollution with low concentrations of bioactive chemicals, among which those interfering with steroid hormone systems. Induced by reports of anti-progestogenic activity in surface waters, a two-year four-weekly survey of (anti-)progestogenic activity was performed at three surface water locations in the Netherlands that serve as abstraction points for the production of drinking water. As certain endogenous and synthetic progestogenic compounds are also potent (anti-)androgens, these activities were also investigated. Anti-progestogenic and anti-androgenic activities were detected in the majority of the monitoring samples, sometimes in concentrations exceeding effect-based trigger values, indicating the need for further research. To characterize the compounds responsible for the activities, a high resolution Effect-Directed Analysis (hr-EDA) panel was combined with PR and AR CALUX bioassays, performed in agonistic and antagonistic modes. The influent and effluent of a domestic wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) were included as effluent is a possible emission source of active compounds. As drivers for androgenic and progestogenic activities several native and synthetic steroid hormones were identified in the WWTP samples, namely androstenedione, testosterone, DHT, levonorgestrel and cyproterone acetate. The pesticides metolachlor and cyazofamid were identified as contributors to both the anti-progestogenic and anti-androgenic activities in surface water. In addition, epiconazole contributed to the anti-progestogenic activities in the rivers Rhine and Enclosed Meuse. This study showed the strength of hr-EDA for the identification of bioactive compounds in environmental samples and shed light on the drivers of (anti-)progestogenic and (anti-)androgenic activities in the aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Kevin Brewster
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Rob Ten Broek
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Bente Duijve
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | | | - Martine Rosielle
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Marja H Lamoree
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Ruud J C A Steen
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
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Blondet A, Martin G, Paulic L, Perrard MH, Durand P. An in vitro bioassay to assess the potential global toxicity of waters on spermatogenesis: a pilot study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:26606-26616. [PMID: 33495953 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12480-1] [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: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Many toxicants are present in water as a mixture. Male infertility is one of the environmental impacts in developed countries. Using our rat seminiferous tubule culture model, we evaluated the effects of waters of different origins, on several parameters of the seminiferous epithelium. Concentrated culture medium was diluted with the waters to be tested (final concentrations of the tested waters were between 8 and 80%). The integrity of the blood-testis barrier was assessed by the trans-epithelial electric resistance (TEER). The levels of mRNAs specific of Sertoli cells, of cellular junctions, of each population of germ cells, of androgen receptor, of estrogen receptor α, and of aromatase were also studied. We report, here, the results obtained with ten waters, some of them possessing a negative effect on spermatogenesis. The results showed that, according to the tested waters, their effects on the parameters studied might be quite different indicating many different mechanisms of toxicity, including some endocrine-disrupting effects. It has been reported that men with impaired semen parameters have an increased mortality rate suggesting semen quality may provide a fundamental biomarker of overall male health. Hence, we have developed a relevant in vitro bioassay allowing the evaluation of the potential toxicity of different types of waters on male fertility and to assess some aspects of their mechanism of action. In addition to the TEER measure, the number and/or the identity of the studied mRNAs can be largely increased and/or modified, thus enhancing the possibility of using this model as a "warning system."
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonine Blondet
- Kallistem, Vétagrosup, 1 Avenue Bourgelat, 69280, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
| | - Guillaume Martin
- Kallistem, Vétagrosup, 1 Avenue Bourgelat, 69280, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
| | - Laurent Paulic
- Tame-Water, 3 Rue Jean Jaurès, 85000, La Roche sur Yon, France
| | - Marie-Hélène Perrard
- INSERM U 1208, Institut Cellule Souche et Cerveau, 18 Avenue du Doyen Lépine, 69500, Bron, France
| | - Philippe Durand
- Kallistem, Vétagrosup, 1 Avenue Bourgelat, 69280, Marcy-l'Etoile, France.
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Rodrigues S, Pinto I, Martins F, Formigo N, Antunes SC. Can biochemical endpoints improve the sensitivity of the biomonitoring strategy using bioassays with standard species, for water quality evaluation? ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 215:112151. [PMID: 33743402 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) was adopted in 2000 and is a common framework for water policy, management and protection in Europe. The WFD assesses specific parameters; however, it ignores indicators of ecosystem functioning and sub-individual performance. Reservoirs are strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities that promote their imbalance. Bioassays and biomarkers are useful tools to link the chemical, ecological and toxicological assessments in water quality assessments. These approaches can be complementary to WFD methodologies, allowing the detection of impacts on the ecosystem. This study evaluated if the biochemical parameters can improve the sensitivity of the biomonitoring strategy using bioassays with the standard species Daphnia magna, in the assessment of the ecological quality of water reservoirs. To this end, water samples of Portuguese reservoirs were analysed in three sampling periods (Autumn 2018 and Spring, Autumn 2019). In parallel, a physicochemical characterization of waters was performed. D. magna feeding rate assays were performed for 24 h. After exposure, metabolism, oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation biomarkers were evaluated. Feeding rate assays showed sensitivity to different reservoirs. Biomarkers showed a higher sensitivity and can therefore improve the sensitivity of the biomonitoring strategy using bioassays. Bioassays and biomarkers approach allowed to highlight potential sources of stress, more related to the quality of the seston than to chemical contamination. This work highlights the complementarity between bioassays and biomarkers to identify ecotoxicological effects of surface waters, and can be extremely useful, especially in cases where the biotic indices are difficult to establish, such as reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Rodrigues
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal.
| | - I Pinto
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - F Martins
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - N Formigo
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - S C Antunes
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal; CIMAR/CIIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal
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Been F, Pronk T, Louisse J, Houtman C, van der Velden-Slootweg T, van der Oost R, Dingemans MML. Development of a framework to derive effect-based trigger values to interpret CALUX data for drinking water quality. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 193:116859. [PMID: 33540341 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.116859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bioassays are increasingly being implemented for water quality monitoring as targeted chemical analyses are not always sufficient for the detection of all emerging chemicals or transformation products. However, the interpretation of bioassay results remains challenging, in particular because a positive response does not necessarily indicate that there may be an increased risk. For this purpose, effect-based trigger (EBT) values have been introduced as thresholds above which action needs to be undertaken to determine the cause of the response. The goals of this study were to (i) evaluate various approaches used to determine EBT values and (ii) based on the findings, derive human health EBT values for Chemical Activated LUciferase gene eXpression (CALUX) in vitro bioassays used for routine monitoring of water quality in the Netherlands. Finally, (iii) an uncertainty analysis was carried out to determine the protective power of the derived EBT values and the chance that potentially harmful substances might not be detected. EBT values that can be implemented in routine monitoring could be determined for four of eight selected bioassays. These EBT were compared to bioassay results from routine water quality monitoring carried out in the Netherlands. Furthermore, a framework for the calculation and evaluation of derived EBT values for routine application to monitor drinking water and its sources is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Been
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433BB Nieuwegein, Netherlands.
| | - Tessa Pronk
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433BB Nieuwegein, Netherlands
| | - Jochem Louisse
- Wageningen Food Safety Research, Akkermaalsbos 2, 6708WB Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Corine Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003RS Haarlem, Netherlands
| | | | - Ron van der Oost
- Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Milou M L Dingemans
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433BB Nieuwegein, Netherlands; Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Bain PA, Gregg A, Pandey AK, Mudiam MKR, Neale PA, Kumar A. Using bioanalytical tools to detect and track organic micropollutants in the Ganga River near two major cities. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 404:124135. [PMID: 33049624 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124135] [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: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Major rivers in India are subject to ongoing impacts from urban drain discharges, most of which contain high levels of domestic and industrial wastewater and stormwater. The aim of the present study was to determine the levels of bioactive organic micropollutants at the discharge points of major urban drains in comparison to upstream and downstream sites. To achieve this, we employed a panel of in vitro bioanalytical tools to quantify estrogenic, androgenic, progestogenic, glucocorticoid and peroxisome proliferator-like activity in water extracts collected from two Indian cities in the Ganga Basin. Cytotoxicity of the water extracts in a human-derived cell line and the potential to cause oxidative stress in a fish cell line were also investigated. We found high levels of activity for all endpoints in samples directly receiving urban drain discharge and low levels at sites upstream from drain discharges. Estrogenicity was detected at levels equivalent to 10 ng/L 17β-estradiol, representing a high likelihood of biomarker effects in fish. Sites located downstream from drain discharges exhibited low to intermediate activity in all assays. This study demonstrates the importance of managing urban drain discharges and the utility of applying bioanalytical tools to assess water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Bain
- CSIRO Land and Water, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond 5062, South Australia, Australia
| | - Adrienne Gregg
- CSIRO Land and Water, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond 5062, South Australia, Australia
| | - Alok K Pandey
- Nanomaterial Toxicology Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Vishvigyan Bhavan, 31, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India
| | - Mohana Krishna Reddy Mudiam
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Analytical & Structural Chemistry Department, Uppal Road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007, India
| | - Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport 4222, Queensland, Australia
| | - Anu Kumar
- CSIRO Land and Water, Locked Bag 2, Glen Osmond 5062, South Australia, Australia.
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36
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Nguyen MT, De Baat ML, Van Der Oost R, Van Den Berg W, De Voogt P. Comparative field study on bioassay responses and micropollutant uptake of POCIS, Speedisk and SorbiCell polar passive samplers. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2021; 82:103549. [PMID: 33246138 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103549] [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: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Routine water quality monitoring is generally performed with chemical analyses of grab samples, which has major limitations. First, snapshot samples will not give a good representation of the water quality. Second, it is not sufficient to analyze only a limited number of (priority) pollutants. These limitations can be circumvented by an alternative environmental risk assessment that combines time-integrated passive sampling (PS) with effect-based methods. This study aimed to select which of three polar PS devices was best suited for effect-based monitoring strategies. In the first part of this study, Speedisk, SorbiCell and POCIS polar PS devices were compared by simultaneous deployment at five sites. Chemical analyses of 108 moderately polar compounds (-1.82 < log D < 6.28) revealed that highest number of compounds, with the widest range of log KOW, log D and pKa, were detected in extracts of POCIS, followed by Speedisk. SorbiCell samplers accumulated the lowest numbers and concentrations of compounds, so they were not further investigated. In a follow-up study, bioassay responses were compared in extracts of POCIS and Speedisk devices deployed at eight sites. The passive sampler extracts were subjected to bioassays for non-specific toxicity, endocrine disruption, and antibiotics activities. More frequent and higher responses were induced by POCIS extracts, leading to more exceedances of effect-based trigger values for environmental risks. As POCIS outperformed Speedisk, it is better suited as PS device targeting polar compounds for semi-quantitative effect-based water quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Thao Nguyen
- Waterproef Laboratory, Department of Research & Validation, Edam, the Netherlands.
| | - Milo L De Baat
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ron Van Der Oost
- Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Department of Technology, Research and Engineering, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Willie Van Den Berg
- Waterproef Laboratory, Department of Research & Validation, Edam, the Netherlands
| | - Pim De Voogt
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
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37
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Escher BI, Neale PA. Effect-Based Trigger Values for Mixtures of Chemicals in Surface Water Detected with In Vitro Bioassays. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:487-499. [PMID: 33252775 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Effect-based trigger (EBT) values for in vitro bioassays are important for surface water quality monitoring because they define the threshold between acceptable and poor water quality. They have been derived for highly specific bioassays, such as hormone-receptor activation in reporter gene bioassays, by reading across from existing chemical guideline values. This read-across method is not easily applicable to bioassays indicative of adaptive stress responses, which are triggered by many different chemicals, and activation of nuclear receptors for xenobiotic metabolism, to which many chemicals bind with rather low specificity. We propose an alternative approach to define the EBT from the distribution of specificity ratios of all active chemicals. The specificity ratio is the ratio between the predicted baseline toxicity of a chemical in a given bioassay and its measured specific endpoint. Unlike many previous read-across methods to derive EBTs, the proposed method accounts for mixture effects and includes all chemicals, not only high-potency chemicals. The EBTs were derived from a cytotoxicity EBT that was defined as equivalent to 1% of cytotoxicity in a native surface water sample. The cytotoxicity EBT was scaled by the median of the log-normal distribution of specificity ratios to derive the EBT for effects specific for each bioassay. We illustrate the new approach using the example of the AREc32 assay, indicative of the oxidative stress response, and 2 nuclear receptor assays targeting the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and the arylhydrocarbon receptor. The EBTs were less conservative than previously proposed but were able to differentiate untreated and insufficiently treated wastewater from wastewater treatment plant effluent with secondary or tertiary treatment and surface water. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:487-499. © 2020 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate I Escher
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Applied Geoscience, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peta A Neale
- Australian Rivers Institute, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, Queensland, Australia
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38
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Cavallin JE, Battaglin WA, Beihoffer J, Blackwell BR, Bradley PM, Cole AR, Ekman DR, Hofer RN, Kinsey J, Keteles K, Weissinger R, Winkelman DL, Villeneuve DL. Effects-Based Monitoring of Bioactive Chemicals Discharged to the Colorado River before and after a Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:974-984. [PMID: 33373525 PMCID: PMC8135223 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c05269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of the Colorado River near the Moab, Utah, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outflow has detected pharmaceuticals, hormones, and estrogen-receptor (ER)-, glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ)-mediated biological activities. The aim of the present multi-year study was to assess effects of a WWTP replacement on bioactive chemical (BC) concentrations. Water samples were collected bimonthly, pre- and post-replacement, at 11 sites along the Colorado River upstream and downstream of the WWTP and analyzed for in vitro bioactivities (e.g., agonism of ER, GR, and PPARγ) and BC concentrations; fathead minnows were cage deployed pre- and post-replacement at sites with varying proximities to the WWTP. Before the WWTP replacement, in vitro ER (24 ng 17β-estradiol equivalents/L)-, GR (60 ng dexamethasone equivalents/L)-, and PPARγ-mediated activities were detected at the WWTP outflow but diminished downstream. In March 2018, the WWTP effluent was acutely toxic to the fish, likely due to elevated ammonia concentrations. Following the WWTP replacement, ER, GR, and PPARγ bioactivities were reduced by approximately 60-79%, no toxicity was observed in caged fish, and there were marked decreases in concentrations of many BCs. Results suggest that replacement of the Moab WWTP achieved a significant reduction in BC concentrations to the Colorado River.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E. Cavallin
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
- Corresponding author: Jenna E. Cavallin, US Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Blvd., Duluth, MN 55804, , 218-529-5246
| | | | - Jon Beihoffer
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Region 8, Denver, CO
| | - Brett R. Blackwell
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
| | - Paul M. Bradley
- U.S. Geological Survey, South Atlantic Water Science Center, Columbia, SC
| | - Alex R. Cole
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORISE Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
| | - Drew R. Ekman
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ecosystem Processes Division, Athens, GA
| | - Rachel N. Hofer
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORISE Participant, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
| | - Julie Kinsey
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, Denver, CO
| | - Kristen Keteles
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Enforcement Investigations Center, Region 8, Denver, CO
| | | | - Dana L. Winkelman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Daniel L. Villeneuve
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division, Duluth, MN
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D'Agostini F, La Maestra S. Micronuclei in Fish Erythrocytes as Genotoxic Biomarkers of Water Pollution: An Overview. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2021; 258:195-240. [PMID: 34611757 DOI: 10.1007/398_2021_76] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater and marine water bodies receive chemical contaminants from industrial, agricultural, urban, and domestic wastes. Eco-genotoxicity assays are useful tools to assess the cumulative genotoxicity of these pollutants. Fish are suitable indicators for biomonitoring of mutagenic and carcinogenic pollution.In this review, we present a complete overview of the studies performed so far using the micronucleus test in peripheral erythrocytes of fish exposed to polluted water. We have listed all the species of fish used and the geographical distribution of the investigations. We have analyzed and discussed all technical aspects of using this test in fish, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the different experimental protocols. We have reported the results of all studies. This assay has become, for years, one of the simplest, fastest, and most cost-effective for assessing genotoxic risk in aquatic environments. However, there are still several factors influencing the variability of the results. Therefore, we have given indications and suggestions to achieve a standardization of experimental procedures and ensure uniformity of future investigations.
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40
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Houtman CJ, Ten Broek R, van Oorschot Y, Kloes D, van der Oost R, Rosielle M, Lamoree MH. High resolution effect-directed analysis of steroid hormone (ant)agonists in surface and wastewater quality monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2020; 80:103460. [PMID: 32738293 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103460] [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: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring of chemical water quality is extremely challenging due to the large variety of compounds and the presence of biologically active compounds with unknown chemical identity. Previously, we developed a high resolution Effect-Directed Analysis (EDA) platform that combines liquid chromatography with high resolution mass spectrometry and parallel bioassay detection. In this study, the platform is combined with CALUX bioassays for (anti)androgenic, estrogenic and glucocorticoid activities, and the performance of the platform is evaluated. It appeared to render very repeatable results, with high recoveries of spiked compounds and high consistency between the mass spectrometric and bioassay results. Application of the platform to wastewater treatment plant effluent and surface water samples led to the identification of several compounds contributing to the measured activities. Eventually, a workflow is proposed for the application of the platform in a routine monitoring context. The workflow divides the platform into four phases, of which one to all can be performed depending on the research question and the results obtained. This allows one to make a balance between the effort put into the platform and the certainty and depth by which active compounds will be identified. The EDA platform is a valuable tool to identify unknown bioactive compounds, both in an academic setting as in the context of legislative, governmental or routine monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands.
| | - R Ten Broek
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Y van Oorschot
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - D Kloes
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - R van der Oost
- Department of Technology, Research and Engineering, Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - M Rosielle
- The Water Laboratory, P.O. Box 734, 2003 RS Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - M H Lamoree
- Department Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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41
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He X, Qi Z, Gao J, Huang K, Li M, Springael D, Zhang XX. Nonylphenol ethoxylates biodegradation increases estrogenicity of textile wastewater in biological treatment systems. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 184:116137. [PMID: 32750586 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The formation of estrogenic intermediates, i.e. nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), and nonylphenol (NP), following nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) biodegradation in textile wastewater raises concerns about its endocrine disruptive activity, but the estrogenicity changes of textile wastewater throughout biological treatment processes remain unknown. In the present study, the estrogenicity of textile wastewater sampled from 10 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were investigated using the reporter gene-based T47D-KBluc bioassay. Results showed that the estrogenicity of the textile wastewater significantly increased after either anaerobic or aerobic treatment in all WWTPs, with an average fold change of 3.21, although traditional pollutants were effectively removed. The estradiol equivalents of the effluent (ranging from 1.50 to 4.12 ng-E2/L) were generally higher than published effect based trigger values, indicating an increased risk for the receiving waters. Removal efficiency was high (84.46%) for NPEOs, but was low for NP2EO and NP1EO in the biological treatment processes. Nevertheless, NP had increased concentrations after the treatment. Bioanalytical equivalent concentration of the textile wastewater and that of NP2EO, NP1EO, and NP showed a good linear correlation, of which NP alone contributed more than 70% to the observed estrogenicity. Extending hydraulic retention time was found effective in reducing the estrogenicity as it allows relatively complete degradation of NP, which was further confirmed by running lab-scale A/O reactors fed with NP10EO. The results may extend our knowledge regarding the estrogenicity of textile wastewater and its reduction technologies used in WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiwei He
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Zhaodong Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Kailong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control (AEMPC), School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China
| | - Mei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Dirk Springael
- Division of Soil and Water Management, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Xu-Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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De Baat ML, Van der Oost R, Van der Lee GH, Wieringa N, Hamers T, Verdonschot PFM, De Voogt P, Kraak MHS. Advancements in effect-based surface water quality assessment. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 183:116017. [PMID: 32673894 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Legally-prescribed chemical monitoring is unfit for determining the pollution status of surface waters, and there is a need for improved assessment methods that consider the aggregated risk of all bioavailable micropollutants present in the aquatic environment. Therefore, the present study aimed to advance effect-based water quality assessment by implementing methodological improvements and to gain insight into contamination source-specific bioanalytical responses. Passive sampling of non-polar and polar organic compounds and metals was applied at 14 surface water locations that were characterized by two major anthropogenic contamination sources, agriculture and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, as well as reference locations with a low expected impact from micropollutants. Departing from the experience gained in previous studies, a battery of 20 in vivo and in vitro bioassays was composed and subsequently exposed to the passive sampler extracts. Next, the bioanalytical responses were divided by their respective effect-based trigger values to obtain effect-based risk quotients, which were summed per location. These cumulative ecotoxicological risks were lowest for reference locations (4.3-10.9), followed by agriculture locations (11.3-27.2) and the highest for WWTP locations (12.8-47.7), and were mainly driven by polar organic contaminants. The bioanalytical assessment of the joint risks of metals and (non-)polar organic compounds resulted in the successful identification of pollution source-specific ecotoxicological risk profiles: none of the bioassays were significantly associated with reference locations nor with multiple location types, while horticulture locations were significantly characterized by anti-AR and anti-PR activity and cytotoxicity, and WWTP sites by ERα activity and toxicity in the in vivo bioassays. It is concluded that the presently employed advanced effect-based methods can readily be applied in surface water quality assessment and that the integration of chemical- and effect-based monitoring approaches will foster future-proof water quality assessment strategies on the road to a non-toxic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L De Baat
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - R Van der Oost
- Department of Technology, Research and Engineering, Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - G H Van der Lee
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - N Wieringa
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - T Hamers
- Department of Environment & Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - P F M Verdonschot
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen, UR, the Netherlands
| | - P De Voogt
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M H S Kraak
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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43
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Jonkers TJH, Steenhuis M, Schalkwijk L, Luirink J, Bald D, Houtman CJ, Kool J, Lamoree MH, Hamers T. Development of a high-throughput bioassay for screening of antibiotics in aquatic environmental samples. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 729:139028. [PMID: 32498177 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The goal of the present study was to select a Gram-positive (Gram+) and Gram-negative (Gram-) strain to measure antimicrobial activity in environmental samples, allowing high-throughput environmental screening. The sensitivity of eight pre-selected bacterial strains were tested to a training set of ten antibiotics, i.e. three Gram+ Bacillus subtilis strains with different read-outs, and five Gram- strains. The latter group consisted of a bioluminescent Allivibrio fischeri strain and four Escherichia coli strains, i.e. a wild type (WT) and three strains with a modified cell envelope to increase their sensitivity. The WT B. subtilis and an E. coli strain newly developed in this study, were most sensitive to the training set. This E. coli strain carries an open variant of an outer membrane protein combined with an inactivated multidrug efflux transport system. The assay conditions of these two strains were optimized and validated by exposure to a validation set of thirteen antibiotics with clinical and environmental relevance. The assay sensitivity ranged from the ng/mL to μg/mL range. The applicability of the assays for toxicological characterization of aquatic environmental samples was demonstrated for hospital effluent extract. A future application includes effect-directed analysis to identify yet unknown antibiotic contaminants or their transformation products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim J H Jonkers
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Maurice Steenhuis
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Louis Schalkwijk
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joen Luirink
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dirk Bald
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Corine J Houtman
- The Water Laboratory, J.W. Lucasweg 2, 2031 BE Haarlem, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Kool
- Biomolecular Analysis Group, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marja H Lamoree
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands; KWR Watercycle Research Institute, P.O. Box 1072, 3430 BB Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Timo Hamers
- Department of Environment & Health, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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44
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Serra H, Brion F, Chardon C, Budzinski H, Schulze T, Brack W, Aït-Aïssa S. Estrogenic activity of surface waters using zebrafish- and human-based in vitro assays: The Danube as a case-study. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2020; 78:103401. [PMID: 32417722 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2020.103401] [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: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Most in vitro reporter gene assays used to assess estrogenic contamination are based on human estrogen receptor α (hERα) activation. However, fish bioassays can have distinct response to estrogenic chemicals and mixtures, questioning the relevance of human-based bioassays for assessing risk to this species. In this study, zebrafish liver cells stably expressing zebrafish ERβ2 (ZELHβ2) and human breast cancer cells expressing hERα (MELN) were used to quantify the estrogenic activity of 25 surface water samples of the Danube River, for which chemicals have been previously quantified. Most samples had a low estrogenic activity below 0.1 ng/L 17β-estradiol-equivalents that was more often detected by MELN cells, while ZELHβ2 response tend to be lower than predicted based on the chemicals identified. Nevertheless, both bioassays quantified well a higher estrogenic activity at two sites, which was confirmed in vivo using a transgenic zebrafish assay. The results are discussed considering the effect-based trigger values proposed for water quality monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Serra
- Unité Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France; UMR-CNRS EPOC/LPTC, Université de Bordeaux, Talence, France
| | - François Brion
- Unité Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | - Clémence Chardon
- Unité Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France
| | | | - Tobias Schulze
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Werner Brack
- UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany; RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Selim Aït-Aïssa
- Unité Ecotoxicologie in vitro et in vivo, UMR-I 02 SEBIO, Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Verneuil-en-Halatte, France.
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45
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Johann S, Goßen M, Behnisch PA, Hollert H, Seiler TB. Combining Different In Vitro Bioassays to Evaluate Genotoxicity of Water-Accommodated Fractions from Petroleum Products. TOXICS 2020; 8:toxics8020045. [PMID: 32604793 PMCID: PMC7355774 DOI: 10.3390/toxics8020045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Genotoxicity assessment is of high relevance for crude and refined petroleum products, since oil compounds are known to cause DNA damage with severe consequences for aquatic biota as demonstrated in long-term monitoring studies. This study aimed at the optimization and evaluation of small-scale higher-throughput assays (Ames fluctuation, micronucleus, Nrf2-CALUX®) covering different mechanistic endpoints as first screening tools for genotoxicity assessment of oils. Cells were exposed to native and chemically dispersed water-accommodated fractions (WAFs) of three oil types varying in their processing degree. Independent of an exogenous metabolic activation system, WAF compounds induced neither base exchange nor frame shift mutations in bacterial strains. However, significantly increased chromosomal aberrations in zebrafish liver (ZF-L) cells were observed. Oxidative stress was indicated for some treatments and was not correlated with observed DNA damage. Application of a chemical dispersant increased the genotoxic potential rather by the increased bioavailability of dissolved and particulate oil compounds. Nonetheless, the dispersant induced a clear oxidative stress response, indicating a relevance for general toxic stress. Results showed that the combination of different in vitro assays is important for a reliable genotoxicity assessment. Especially, the ZF-L capable of active metabolism and DNA repair seems to be a promising model for WAF testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Johann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (M.G.); (H.H.)
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Correspondence: (S.J.); (T.-B.S.)
| | - Mira Goßen
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (M.G.); (H.H.)
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Peter A. Behnisch
- BioDetection Systems b.v., Science Park 406, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
| | - Henner Hollert
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Environmental Toxicology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (M.G.); (H.H.)
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas-Benjamin Seiler
- Department of Ecosystem Analysis, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Correspondence: (S.J.); (T.-B.S.)
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46
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Fang W, Peng Y, Yan L, Xia P, Zhang X. A Tiered Approach for Screening and Assessment of Environmental Mixtures by Omics and In Vitro Assays. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:7430-7439. [PMID: 32401503 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
New methodology approaches with a broad coverage of the biological effects are urgently needed to evaluate the safety of the universe of environmentally relevant chemicals. Here, we propose a tiered approach incorporating transcriptomics and in vitro bioassays to assess environmental mixtures. The mixture samples and the perturbed biological pathways are prioritized by concentration-dependent transcriptome (CDT) and then used to guide the selection of in vitro bioassays for toxicant identification. To evaluate omics' screening capability, we first applied a CDT technique to test mixture samples by HepG2 and MCF7 cells. The effect recoveries of large-volume solid-phase extraction on the overall bioactivity of the mixture were 48.9% in HepG2 and 58.3% in MCF7. The overall bioactivity potencies obtained by transcriptomics were positively correlated with the panel of 8 bioassays among 14 mixture samples combined with the previous data. Transcriptomics could predict their activation status (AUC = 0.783) and the relative potency (p < 0.05) of bioassays for four of the eight receptors (AhR, ER, AR, and Nrf2). Furthermore, the CDT identified other biological pathways perturbated by mixture samples, such as the pathway related to TP53, CAR, FXR, HIF, THRA, etc. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of concentration-dependent omics for effect-based water quality assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendi Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China, 210023
| | - Ying Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China, 210023
| | - Lu Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China, 210023
| | - Pu Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China, 210023
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, P. R. China, 210023
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47
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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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48
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Itzel F, Baetz N, Hohrenk LL, Gehrmann L, Antakyali D, Schmidt TC, Tuerk J. Evaluation of a biological post-treatment after full-scale ozonation at a municipal wastewater treatment plant. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 170:115316. [PMID: 31785561 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
To reduce the discharge of trace organic compounds into water bodies associated with potential toxic effects such as endocrine disruption, new advanced treatment methods are being investigated at several wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). One of the most studied and already implemented technologies is ozonation. However, ozonation only partially oxidizes trace organic compounds (TrOC) and as a result, transformation products (TPs) with unknown properties can be formed. In order to minimise the risk of releasing unknown and potentially toxic TPs into surface water, it is recommended to install a biological post-treatment after ozonation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a moving bed reactor following ozonation in a full-scale plant. Different ozone dosages (zspec. = 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 mg O3/mgDOC) were investigated. To assess the biological activity of the post-treatment, the assimilable organic carbon (AOC) was determined in addition to the formed biomass. Furthermore, selected TrOC were analysed in parallel to monitor the ozonation efficiency at different ozone doses. In addition, estrogenic, androgenic as well as corresponding antagonistic effects were investigated after each treatment step using the A-YES and A-YAS assay. A non-target screening was performed to evaluate a trend analysis of formed TPs as well as their removal by the post-treatment procedure. The results proved the successful design of the biological post-treatment reactor by a constant biofilm development and reduction of the AOC. Endocrine effects were removed below the limit of detection (LOD) of 10 pg EEQ/L already after ozonation for all applied ozone doses. Antagonistic effects were not significantly reduced during ozonation and subsequent biological post-treatment. For this reason, further research is needed to evaluate different post-treatment technologies. The trend analysis from non-target screening data showed a reduction of about 95% of the number of formed TPs by the biological post-treatment. Consequently, an assessment of the biological activity and the elimination capacity of a certain biological post-treatment technique is thus possible by applying the AOC in combination with a non-target screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Itzel
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Str. 58-60, 47229, Duisburg, Germany; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Nicolai Baetz
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Str. 58-60, 47229, Duisburg, Germany; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Lotta L Hohrenk
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Linda Gehrmann
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Str. 58-60, 47229, Duisburg, Germany
| | | | - Torsten C Schmidt
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry (IAC), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany; IWW Zentrum Wasser, Moritzstr. 26, 45476, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Jochen Tuerk
- Institut für Energie- und Umwelttechnik e. V. (IUTA, Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology), Bliersheimer Str. 58-60, 47229, Duisburg, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141, Essen, Germany.
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49
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Brunner AM, Bertelkamp C, Dingemans MML, Kolkman A, Wols B, Harmsen D, Siegers W, Martijn BJ, Oorthuizen WA, Ter Laak TL. Integration of target analyses, non-target screening and effect-based monitoring to assess OMP related water quality changes in drinking water treatment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 705:135779. [PMID: 31818566 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The ever-increasing production and use of chemicals lead to the occurrence of organic micro-pollutants (OMPs) in drinking water sources, and consequently the need for their removal during drinking water treatment. Due to the sheer number of OMPs, monitoring using targeted chemical analyses alone is not sufficient to assess drinking water quality as well as changes thereof during treatment. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) based non-target screening (NTS) as well as effect-based monitoring using bioassays are promising monitoring tools for a more complete assessment of water quality and treatment performance. Here, we developed a strategy that integrates data from chemical target analyses, NTS and bioassays. We applied it to the assessment of OMP related water quality changes at three drinking water treatment pilot installations. These installations included advanced oxidation processes, ultrafiltration in combination with reverse osmosis, and granular activated carbon filtration. OMPs relevant for the drinking water sector were spiked into the water treated in these installations. Target analyses, NTS and bioassays were performed on samples from all three installations. The NTS data was screened for predicted and known transformation products of the spike-in compounds. In parallel, trend profiles of NTS features were evaluated using multivariate analysis methods. Through integration of the chemical data with the biological effect-based results potential toxicity was accounted for during prioritization. Together, the synergy of the three analytical methods allowed the monitoring of OMPs and transformation products, as well as the integrative biological effects of the mixture of chemicals. Through efficient analysis, visualization and interpretation of complex data, the developed strategy enabled to assess water quality and the impact of water treatment from multiple perspectives. Such information could not be obtained by any of the three methods alone. The developed strategy thereby provides drinking water companies with an integrative tool for comprehensive water quality assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Bas Wols
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Danny Harmsen
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Wolter Siegers
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Thomas L Ter Laak
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; Univerisity of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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50
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van der Oost R, McKenzie DJ, Verweij F, Satumalay C, van der Molen N, Winter MJ, Chipman JK. Identifying adverse outcome pathways (AOP) for Amsterdam city fish by integrated field monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2020; 74:103301. [PMID: 31794920 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2019.103301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The European City Fish project aimed to develop a generic methodology for ecological risk assessment for urban rivers. Since traditional methods only consider a small fraction of substances present in the water cycle, biological effect monitoring is required for a more reliable assessment of the pollution status. A major challenge for environmental risk assessment (ERA) is the application of adverse outcome pathways (AOP), i.e. the linking of pollutant exposure via early molecular and biochemical changes to physiological effects and, ultimately, effects on populations and ecosystems. We investigated the linkage between responses at these different levels. Many AOP aspects were investigated, from external and internal exposure to different classes of micropollutants, via molecular key events (MKE) the impacts on organs and organisms (fish physiology), to changes in the population dynamics of fish. Risk assessment procedures were evaluated by comparing environmental quality standards, bioassay responses, biomarkers in caged and feral fish, and the impact on fish populations. Although no complete AOP was observed, indirect relationships linking pollutant exposure via MKE to impaired locomotion were demonstrated at the most polluted site near a landfill for chemical waste. The pathway indicated that several upstream key events requiring energy for stress responses and toxic defence are likely to converge at a single common MKE: increased metabolic demands. Both fish biomarkers and the bioanalytical SIMONI strategy are valuable indicators for micropollutant risks to fish communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ron van der Oost
- Technology, Research & Engineering, Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - David J McKenzie
- UMR Marbec (CNRS-IRD-Ifremer-Université Montpellier), Montpellier, France
| | - Frank Verweij
- Technology, Research & Engineering, Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Carl Satumalay
- Technology, Research & Engineering, Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Natascha van der Molen
- Technology, Research & Engineering, Waternet Institute for the Urban Water Cycle, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Matthew J Winter
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
| | - J Kevin Chipman
- Biosciences, University of Birmingham, B15 2TT, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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