title: Pollution by oestrogenic endocrine disruptors and β-sitosterol in a south-western European river (Mira, Portugal).
abstract: The Mira River is a Portuguese water body widely known for its wilderness and is advertised as one of the less polluted European rivers. On this presumption, the levels of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) in Mira waters were never measured. However, because environmentalists have claimed that the Mira could be moderately polluted, a range of 17 EDCs were measured not only at the estuary but also along the river. The targeted EDCs included natural and pharmaceutical oestrogens (17β-oestradiol, oestrone and 17α-ethynylestradiol), industrial/household pollutants (octylphenols, nonylphenols and their monoethoxylates and diethoxylates and bisphenol A), phytoestrogens (formononetin, biochanin A, daidzein, genistein) and the phytosterol sitosterol (SITO). For this propose, waters from six sampling sites were taken every 2 months, over a 1-year period (2011), and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Unexpectedly high levels of oestrogens and of industrial/household pollutants were measured at all sampling sites, including those located inside natural protected areas. Indeed, the annual average sum of EDCs was ≈57 ng/L for oestrogens and ≈1.3 μg/L for industrial/household chemicals. In contrast, the global average levels of phytoestrogens (≈140 ng/L) and of SITO (≈295 ng/L) were lower than those reported worldwide. The EDC concentrations were normalised for ethynylestradiol equivalents (EE2eq). In view of these, the oestrogenic load of the Mira River attained ≈47 ng/L EE2eq. In addition, phosphates were above legal limits at both spring and summer (>1 mg/L). Overall, data show EDCs at toxicant relevant levels in the Mira and stress the need to monitor rivers that are allegedly less polluted.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), UPorto, Portugal. mjrocha@icbas.up.pt.|Histomorphology, Physiopathology and Applied Toxicology Group, Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), CIMAR Associate Laboratory (CIMAR LA), University of Porto (UPorto), UPorto, Portugal. mjrocha@icbas.up.pt.
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), UPorto, Portugal.|Histomorphology, Physiopathology and Applied Toxicology Group, Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), CIMAR Associate Laboratory (CIMAR LA), University of Porto (UPorto), UPorto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cruzeiro
authors.affiliation: CFE-Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Apartado 3046, 3001-401, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mário
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: CFE-Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Apartado 3046, 3001-401, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Miguel Ângelo
authors.initials: MÂ
authors.lastname: Pardal
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Department of Microscopy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), UPorto, Portugal.|Histomorphology, Physiopathology and Applied Toxicology Group, Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), CIMAR Associate Laboratory (CIMAR LA), University of Porto (UPorto), UPorto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis; D004970:Estrone / Q000032:analysis; D063366:Estuaries; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D019833:Genistein / Q000032:analysis; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D011174:Portugal; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012621:Seasons; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000032:analysis*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004967:Estrogens; D004970:Estrone; D019833:Genistein; D010636:Phenols; D012855:Sitosterols; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C474055:octylphenol; C025473:gamma-sitosterol; C025256:nonylphenol; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds; C004541:biochanin A
keywords: Alkylphenol ethoxylates; Alkylphenols; Oestrogens; Phytoestrogens; Sitosterol