title: Analysis of aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands in kraft mill effluents by a combination of yeast bioassays and CG-MS chemical determinations.
abstract: Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) ligands also known as dioxin-like compounds, constitute a substantial part of the total toxicity from many pollution sources, including pulp mill effluents. The aim of this article was to evaluate dioxin-like activity in different kraft mill effluents by a combination of yeast bioassays and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) chemical analysis. The study includes kraft mill effluents from three sources of raw material: Pinus radiata, Eucalyptus globulus and a combination of both (50% each). The Recombinant Yeast Assay (RYA) showed an effective concentration of AhR ligands more than 30-fold higher in Eucalyptus globulus than in Pinus radiata effluents. Our results suggest that specific ligands, rather than the total amount of extractive material, determined the observed activity. Analysis of extract composition by GC-MS indicated that moderately hydrophobic aromatic compounds were likely responsible for the observed dioxin-like activity. In particular, benzaldehyde derivatives appeared as candidates for eliciting the observed dioxin-like activity in pulp mill effluents, giving their structural properties and their high concentration in AhR ligand-rich samples.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Science Center EULA-Chile, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Soledad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chamorro
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monsalvez
authors.forename: Benjamín
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Piña
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olivares
authors.forename: Víctor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Becerra
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vidal
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005052:Eucalyptus; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis; D008024:Ligands; D028223:Pinus; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008024:Ligands; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical