%0 Generic %D 2015 %T Biological activity conferred by endocrine disrupting chemicals in hospital effluent and river water from the Brussels Region, Belgium %A Van Langenhove, K. %A Tim Reyns %A Vandermarken,T. %A Servais, P. %A Denison, M. %A Joris Van Loco %A Elskens, M. %K Biological activity %K Brussels %K endocrine disrupting chemicals %X

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are gaining in worldwide attention due to their omnipresence, wide range in chemical properties and possible effects on wildlife populations. Problems surrounding these EDCs are their continuous  release into  the environment  through industrial, domestic and  hospital effluents  and inefficient  removal  by  wastewater  treatment  plants  (WWTPs).  For  this  reason,  the  Water  Framework Directive (WFD, amended in  2013/39/EU) established a priority list of 33 new  and 8 previously regulated chemical pollutants, some of which have shown to exhibit endocrine disrupting potential (octyl-, nonylphenol, DEHP, …). Additionally, 15 compounds were also placed onto a watch list containing estrogen compounds (estradiol, ethinylestradiol).   Rather  than  looking  solely  for  concentrations  of  targeted  and  well-known  EDCs,  this  project  strives  to combine bio-analytical and chemo-analytical data on the Zenne river crossing Brussels and hospital effluents (a potential major source for EDCs due to high consumption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products) for the first time. Bioassays allow scientists to use in vitro receptor models to assess endocrine activity by comparing  the  mixture  or  cocktail  effect  originating  from  the  sample  extract.  Added  value  is  that  this technique picks up effects from compounds that are  not routinely monitored in  targeted chemo-analytical methods and can detect them at low amounts (pg/L EEQ, Estrogen EQuivalence).  The bioassay used in this study is the CALUX (Chemically activated luciferase gene expression) bioassay using a luciferase reporter gene as part of BG1luc4E2 cells (human ovarian adenocarcinoma). Responses are time, dose, and ligand specific using 17β-estradiol (the natural female hormone) as reference compound. Water samples were taken as grab samples over various locations upstream and downstream of the Zenne River and in a hospital nearby; 24h composite samples were collected in Brussels WWTP South (in- and effluent). Samples were filtered and extracted using Oasis HLB SPE columns.   Values ranged from 0.77 to 1.85ng EEQ/L for the Zenne river water, 98ng EEQ/L for hospital effluent and, respectively, 52.3 and 1.2ng EEQ/L for WWTP influent and effluent. For comparison reasons, commercial drinking waters amount to 0.004-0.070 ng EEQ/L. These results indicate that effluent values are high post-discharge  of human  activities,  EDCs are  only  partially  removed by  processes in  WWTPs,  and that  the effluents contribute significantly to EDC loads in the Zenne river.

Biological activity conferred by endocrine disrupting chemicals in hospital effluent and river water from the Brussels Region, Belgium (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/293415392_Biological_activity_conferred_by_endocrine_disrupting_chemicals_in_hospital_effluent_and_river_water_from_the_Brussels_Region_Belgium [accessed Nov 13 2017].

%B ICCE 2015 - 15th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment %I ICCE 2015 - 15th EuCheMS International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment %C Leipzign, Germany %V 15 %8 2015 sept %G eng %U https://www.researchgate.net/publication/293415392_Biological_activity_conferred_by_endocrine_disrupting_chemicals_in_hospital_effluent_and_river_water_from_the_Brussels_Region_Belgium