Differential BPA levels in sewage wastewater effluents from metro Detroit communities

Abstract

The endocrine disruptor Bisphenol A (BPA) is ubiquitous in both aquatic and surface sediment environments because it is continuously released into sewage wastewater effluent. The measurement of BPA at wastewater treatment plants is rarely performed even though the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that current levels of environmental BPA could be a threat to aquatic organisms. Therefore, the aims of this study were to measure BPA levels in sewage wastewater at different collection points over a 1-year period and to compare the levels of BPA to 8-isoprostane, a human derived fatty acid, found in sewage wastewater. We analyzed pre-treated sewage samples collected from three source points located in different communities in the metropolitan Detroit area provided by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. Human urine samples were also used in the study. BPA and 8-isoprostane were measured using ELISA kits from Detroit R&D, Inc. BPA levels from the same collection point oscillated more than 10-fold over 1 year. Also, BPA levels fluctuated differentially at each collection point. Highly fluctuating BPA values were confirmed by LC/MS/MS. The concentration of BPA in sewage wastewater was ~100-fold higher than the concentration of 8-isoprostane, while urinary concentration was ~20-fold higher. Thus, BPA levels discharged into the sewage network vary among communities, and differences are also observed within communities over time. The difference in BPA and 8-isoprostane levels suggest that most of the BPA discharged to sewage wastewater might be derived from industries rather than from human urine. Therefore, the continuous monitoring of BPA could account for a better regulation of BPA release into a sewage network.

Impact of bisphenol-A on the spliceosome and meiosis of sperm in the testis of adolescent mice

“…Further, BPA has been detected in landfill leachates, surface water in rivers [8][9][10][11], raw milk [12], infusion film bags [13], water bottle [14], canned beer and plastic bottled liquor [15]. Also, BPA was reported to be present in human body fluid samples such as blood, urine [16][17][18], newborn jaundice [19], saliva, amniotic fluid, and breast milk [20].…”

Differential activity of BPA, BPAF and BPC on zebrafish estrogen receptors in vitro and in vivo

“…Food, indoor air, indoor dust, wastewater and dermal absorption are all important sources of human exposure to BPA (Vandenberg et al, 2007;Zalko et al, 2011). In addition, BPA is commonly found as a contaminant in wastewater, and may as such have deleterious effects on wildlife (Santos et al, 2016;Xu et al, 2016).…”

A circular toxicity approach to isoprostanes: From markers of oxidative stress, to epidemiological warning systems and agents of aquatic toxicity

“…Taking into account the flow rate and population, they concluded that the levels of IsoPs were community-dependent and remained constant over a period of two months. The same team (Santos et al, 2016) also quantified the levels of IsoPs in wastewater from Michigan over a period of one year between April of 2014 and May of 2015 using three different collection points, and reported IsoPs concentrations up to 20 ng L À1 .…”