Androgenic and estrogenic activity in water bodies receiving cattle feedlot effluent in Eastern Nebraska, USA.

Abstract

Studies reveal that surface waters worldwide are contaminated with hormonally active agents, many released from sewage treatment plants. Another potential source of aquatic hormonal contamination is livestock feedlot effluent. In this study, we assessed whether feedlot effluent contaminates watercourses by measuring a) total androgenic [methyltrienolone (R1881) equivalents] and estrogenic (17β-estradiol equivalents) activity using the A-SCREEN and E-SCREEN bioassays and b) concentrations of anabolic agents via gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy and enzyme-based immunoassays. Water samples were collected over 3 years from up to six sites [all confluent with the Elkhorn River, Nebraska, USA: a feedlot retention pond (site 1), a site downstream from site 1 (site 2), a stream with intermediate livestock impact (site 3), and three sites with no observable livestock impact (sites 4-6)] and two sources of tap water. In 1999, samples from site 1 contained 9.6 pM R1881 equivalents and 1.7 pM 17β-estradiol equivalents. Site 2 samples had estrogen levels similar to those in site 1 samples but lower androgen levels (3.8 pM R1881 equivalents). Androgen levels in site 3 samples were similar to those in site 2 samples, whereas estrogen levels decreased to 0.7 pM 17β-estradiol equivalents. At site 6, androgen levels were approximately half those found at site 3, and estrogen levels were comparable with those at site 3. Sampling in later years was limited to fewer sites because of drought and lack of permission to access one site. Instrumental analysis revealed estrone but no significant levels of resorcylic acid lactones or trenbolone metabolites. Tap water was devoid of hormonal activity. We conclude that feedlot effluents contain sufficient levels of hormonally active agents to warrant further investigation of possible effects on aquatic ecosystem health. Key words: agricultural runoff, anabolic steroid hormones, aquatic ecosystem health, A-SCREEN, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), environmental androgens, environmental estrogens, E-SCREEN, personal care products, pharmaceuticals.

Biomarker responses in wild three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) as a useful tool for freshwater biomonitoring: A multiparametric approach

“…For example, the HSI increase observed, could be linked to implication of liver in VTG synthesis at REV, ESC and RHO and/or to the role of this organ in detoxification process. In a same manner, GSI could be increased follow the exposure to contaminant able to disturb reproductive cycle as previously reported in fish exposed to a variety of endocrinemodulating substances (Orlando et al, 2004). For example, estrogens could be implicated at REV where VTG was induced, however, but other compounds could explain the increase in GSI noticed at VIL where endocrine disruption biomarker were not present.…”

“…The increases of spiggin content in fish from ESC and RHO suggested that these fish were exposed to androgenic compounds. Surface water contamination by this class of endocrine disrupters is very little documented (Blankvoort et al, 2005;Soto et al, 2004) with the exception of pulp mill effluents that have an well-known masculinising effect (Cody and Bortone, 1997;Denton et al, 1985;Howell and Denton, 1989). Recently, Blankvoort et al (2005) reported contamination of European rivers by many androgens including testosterone and its metabolites, 17α-methyltestosterone or trenbolone, that were probably released in aquatic ecosystems by sewage treatment plants and industrial activities, and that could induce spiggin in female sticklebacks.…”

Screening of multiple hormonal activities in surface water and sediment from the Pearl River system, South China, using effect‐directed in vitro bioassays

“…This is consistent with the general water quality classification of the three rivers. The estrogenic activities detected in surface water and sediment of the Shijing River were approximately one to two orders of magnitude higher than those reported in Korea [32], Portugal [33], the United Kingdom [34], and the United States [35], where the estrogenic activities ranged from below the limit of detection to 4.01 ng EEQ/L in surface water and from below the limit of detection to 12.1 ng EEQ/g in sediment. The estrogenic activities in the rivers of other regions clearly fall in the range for the Liuxi and Zhujiang rivers.…”

Monitoring of selected estrogenic compounds and estrogenic activity in surface water and sediment of the Yellow River in China using combined chemical and biological tools

“…This suggests that some unknown chemicals might contribute to the estrogenicity of the samples (Sarmah et al, 2006;Soto et al, 2004;Viganò et al, 2008).…”