title: Bioassay of estrogenicity and chemical analyses of estrogens in streams across the United States associated with livestock operations.
abstract: Animal manures, used as a nitrogen source for crop production, are often associated with negative impacts on nutrient levels in surface water. The concentrations of estrogens in streams from these manures also are of concern due to potential endocrine disruption in aquatic species. Streams associated with livestock operations were sampled by discrete samples (n = 38) or by time-integrated polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS, n = 19). Samples were analyzed for estrogens by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS(2)) and estrogenic activity was assessed by three bioassays: Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES), T47D-KBluc Assay, MCF-7 Estrogenicity Screen (E-Screen). Samples were collected from 19 streams within small (≈ 1-30 km(2)) watersheds in 12 U.S. states representing a range of hydrogeologic conditions, dominated by: dairy (3), grazing beef (3), feedlot cattle (1); swine (5); poultry (3); and 4 areas where no livestock were raised or manure was applied. Water samples were consistently below the United Kingdom proposed Lowest Observable Effect Concentration for 17β-estradiol in fish (10 ng/L) in all watersheds, regardless of land use. Estrogenic activity was often higher in samples during runoff conditions following a period of manure application. Estrone was the most commonly detected estrogen (13 of 38 water samples, mean 1.9, maximum 8.3 ng/L). Because of the T47D-KBluc assay's sensitivity towards estrone (1.4 times 17β-estradiol) it was the most sensitive method for detecting estrogens, followed by the E-Screen, GC-MS(2), and YES. POCIS resulted in more frequent detections of estrogens than discrete water samples across all sites, even when applying the less-sensitive YES bioassay to the POCIS extracts.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, 4200 New Haven Road, Columbia, MO 65201, USA. dalvarez@usgs.gov
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Shappell
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Billey
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bermudez
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kolpin
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Foreman
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shipitalo
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D002417:Cattle; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000032:analysis; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000235:genetics; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D004970:Estrone / Q000032:analysis; D005399:Fishes; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock; D008372:Manure; D011200:Poultry; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013552:Swine; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C506487:ESR1 protein, human; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D004967:Estrogens; D008372:Manure; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D004970:Estrone; D004958:Estradiol