Publication Abstract

Identification of oestrogenic chemicals in STW effluent I: Chemical fractionation and screening

C. Desbrow, E.J. Routledge, G.C. Brighty, J.P. Sumpter and M.J. Waldock

A fractionation system, combined with an in vitro assay for detecting estrogenic activity, was developed in order to isolate and identify the major estrogenic chemicals present in seven sewage-treatment works effluents, receiving primarily domestic effluent, discharging into British rivers. Three sterols were isolated from estrogenic fractions of sewage extracts; these were the natural hormones 17 beta-estradiol and estrone, and the synthetic hormone 17 alpha- ethynyl estradiol. 17 beta-estradiol and estrone were present in all the effluents at measured concentrations ranging from 1 ng/1 to almost 50 ng/1 and 80 ng/l, respectively. 17 alpha-ethynyl estradiol was generally present at concentrations below the limit of detection, but was positively identified in three of the effluent samples at concentrations ranging from 0.2 ng/l to 7 ng/l. These data suggest that natural and synthetic hormones are primarily responsible for the observed induction of vitellogenin synthesis in male fish placed downstream of effluent discharges

Reference:

C. Desbrow, E.J. Routledge, G.C. Brighty, J.P. Sumpter and M.J. Waldock, 1998.Identification of oestrogenic chemicals in STW effluent I: Chemical fractionation and screening. Environmental Science and Technology, 32: 1549-1558