title: Revealing ecological risks of priority endocrine disrupting chemicals in four marine protected areas in Hong Kong through an integrative approach.
abstract: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Hong Kong are situated in close proximity to urbanized areas, and inevitably influenced by wastewater discharges and antifouling biocides leached from vessels. Hence, marine organisms inhabiting these MPAs are probably at risk. Here an integrative approach was employed to comprehensively assess ecological risks of eight priority endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in four MPAs of Hong Kong. We quantified their concentrations in environmental and biota samples collected in different seasons during 2013-2014, while mussels (Septifer virgatus) and semi-permeable membrane devices were deployed to determine the extent of accumulation of the EDCs. Extracts from the environmental samples were subjected to the yeast estrogen screen and a novel human cell-based catechol-O-methyltransferase ELISA to evaluate their estrogenic activities. The results indicated ecological risks of EDCs in the Cape d'Aguilar Marine Reserve. This integrated approach can effectively evaluate ecological risks of EDCs through linking their concentrations to biological effects.
authors.affiliation: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Elvis Genbo
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Philip Wing-Lok
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Zero
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Leong
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: kmyleung@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Kenneth Mei Yee
authors.initials: KMY
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000737:chemistry; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015194:Diffusion Chambers, Culture; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D015003:Yeasts / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004967:Estrogens; D014873:Water Pollutants; C588010:COMT protein, human; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase
keywords: COMT assay; Ecological risk assessment; Endocrine disrupting chemicals; Marine protected areas; Yeast estrogen screen