Determination of seventeen endocrine disruptor compounds and their spatial and seasonal distribution in Ria Formosa Lagoon (Portugal)

Abstract

In spite of its outstanding ecological and touristic importance the Ria Formosa Lagoon shows signs of anthropogenic pollution. Nonetheless, until the present survey no studies had ever documented the measurement of natural and pharmaceutical estrogens (17β-estradiol, estrone, and 17α-ethynylestradiol), xenoestrogenic industrial pollutants (4-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, and their mono and diethoxylates and bisphenol A), phytoestrogens (formononetin, biochanin A, daidzein, genistein), and sitosterol in this area. The 17 compounds measured herein are known as endocrine disrupters (EDCs) and act over the endocrine system even in few amounts (ng L ), mainly in summer, suggesting that the increase of the local number of inhabitants (tourists), the rise of the water temperature (up to 26°C), and the blooming of local flora may interfere with the water quality parameters. This makes the lagoon a potential model to study. Taking into account the data, it was concluded that there are conditions for the occurrence of endocrine disruption in aquatic animals, even in areas included in the natural park of the Formosa. Besides, both the high amounts of un-ionized ammonia (up to 0.3 mg L −1) and phosphates (up to 1.6 mg L −1 ) my pose risks for local fauna and humans.

Toxicological relevance of endocrine disruptors in the Tagus River estuary (Lisbon, Portugal)

“…Levels of salinity and pH were similar amongst sampling sites and identical to others measured in closely related aquatic systems Rocha et al 2013b;Rocha et al 2013c;Rocha et al 2013d). Concerning DO levels and with the exception of S 4 where these were extremely low, i.e.…”

“…SITO was identified in the past as an important component of seeds and vascular plants (Benassayag et al 2002). Comparing the levels of SITO measured in this study with those found in other Portuguese coastal waters, we concluded that its levels were similar or even slightly higher in Tagus estuary than in other aquatic coastal environments measured in other Portuguese coastal waters Rocha et al 2013b;Rocha et al 2013c;Rocha et al 2013d); however, further studies are needed to investigate the impact of the observed levels on Tagus estuary fauna.…”

“…However, recent studies demonstrated that these EDCs are still being used/leached, not only in Portugal but in other countries too (Zoller et al 2004;Zoller 2006;Micić and Hofmann 2009;Rocha et al 2013b;Rocha et al 2013c). This study provides recent/ exclusive data about current amounts of APEOs and their metabolites, the APs, in the Tagus River estuary.…”

Characterization and gene expression of heat shock protein 90 in marine crab <i>Charybdis japonica</i> following bisphenol A and 4-nonylphenol exposures

“…Bisphenol A (BPA) and 4-nonylphenol (NP) are also known EDCs ubiquitous in the aquatic environment [20]. The distribution of these EDCs has been found in coastal species as well as in the marine environment [21,22,23]. BPA is produced high volume from the manufactures used in a wide variety of consumer products [21,24].…”

Πειραματική Προσομοίωση Της Τύχης Των Οργανικών Μικρορυπαντών Κατά Την Απολύμανση Των Λυμάτων Και Κατά Την Διάθεσή Τους Στο Υδάτινο Περιβάλλον

“…Πιο συγκεκριμένα, κατά τη διάρκεια των θερινών μηνών παρατηρήθηκε αύξηση στις μετρούμενες συγκεντρώσεις των ουσιών λόγω της μείωσης των κατακρημνισμάτων αλλά και λόγω αύξησης της χρήσης και κατ' επέκταση της απόρριψής τους μέσω των ΕΕΛ π.χ. εξαιτίας πληθυσμιακών διακυμάνσεων λόγω τουρισμού (Rocha et al, 2013, Nam et al, 2014.…”