Activities and identification of aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists in sediments from the Danube river.
This study is a consequence of a distinct fish decline in the Danube river since the beginning of the 1990s. In contrast to the decline of fish population, former studies have repeatedly documented that the water quality along the Danube river is improving. However, the conclusion of a pilot study in 2002 was that a high hazard potential is associated with local sediments. The present study documents that sediment samples from the Danube river showed comparatively high aryl hydrocarbon receptor mediated activity in biotests, using the cell lines GPC.2D.Luc, H4IIE (DR-CALUX) and RTL-W1. The combination of chemical analysis, fractionation techniques and different in vitro tests revealed that priority pollutants could not explain the main induction, even though the concentrations of priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were very high (maximum in the tributary Schwarzach, sum of 16 EPA PAHs 26 mug/g). In conclusion, this investigation shows that nonpriority pollutants mainly mediate the high induction rates. Nevertheless, owing to the effects of PAHs towards fish and the connection between dioxin-like activity and carcinogenicity, the link between contamination and the fish population decline cannot be ruled out.
Keiter
Steffen
S
Aquatic Ecology and Toxicology Section, Department of Zoology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany. s.keiter@zoo.uni-heidelberg.de
Grund
Stefanie
S
van Bavel
Bert
B
Hagberg
Jessika
J
Engwall
Magnus
M
Kammann
Ulrike
U
Klempt
Martin
M
Manz
Werner
W
Olsman
Helena
H
Braunbeck
Thomas
T
Hollert
Henner
H
D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D002460:Cell Line; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 / Q000187:drug effects; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D005858:Germany; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D017686:Oncorhynchus mykiss; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000032:analysis; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000819:agonists*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D045483:Rivers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D019363:Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1