Dairy Wastewater, Aquaculture, and Spawning Fish as Sources of Steroid Hormones in the Aquatic Environment

Abstract

A suite of androgens, estrogens, and progestins were measured in samples from dairy farms, aquaculture facilities, and surface waters with actively spawning fish using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/ MS) to assess the potential importance of these sources of steroid hormones to surface waters. In a dairywaste lagoon, the endogenous estrogens 17beta-estradiol and estrone and the androgens testosterone and androstenedione were detected at concentrations as high as 650 ng/L. Samples from nearby groundwater monitoring wells demonstrated removal of steroid hormones in the subsurface. Samples from nearby surface waters and tile drains likely impacted by animal wastes demonstrated the sporadic presence of the steroids 17beta-estradiol, estrone, testosterone, and medroxyprogesterone, usually at concentrations near or below 1 ng/L. The endogenous steroids estrone,testosterone, and androstenedione were detected in the raceways and effluents of three fish hatcheries at concentrations near 1 ng/L. Similar concentrations were detected in a river containing spawning adult Chinook salmon. These results indicate that dairy wastewater, aquaculture effluents, and even spawning fish can lead to detectable concentrations of steroid hormones in surface waters and that the concentrations of these compounds exhibit considerable temporal and spatial variation.

Emerging organic contaminants in groundwater: A review of sources, fate and occurrence

“…Two other veterinary antibiotics reported in groundwater include monensin and tylosin (Watanabe et al, 2008; Bartel-Hunt et al., 2011). Waste lagoons are also potential sources of hormones and steroids, however, these appear to be largely attenuated in groundwater conditions (Kolodziej et al, 2004). While the practice of meat production on CAFOs is perhaps more prevalent in the USA compared to Europe, there has been a significant concentration of animal production in Europe over recent decades (Thorne, 2007), and this continues to pose a potential threat to groundwater resources.…”

“…A significant proportion of the antibiotic given (and degradates) passes through the livestock and is excreted and stored in waste lagoons and so poses a potential threat to groundwater sources through leakage from the lagoons or when the waste is spread on the land. In dairy waste lagoons, the endogenous oestrogens E2 and oestrone and the androgens testosterone and androstenedione have been detected at concentrations as high as 650 ng/L (Kolodziej et al, 2004).…”

Review of risk from potential emerging contaminants in UK groundwater

“…The use of veterinary antibiotics in concentrated animal feeding operations is an important source of environmental contamination in the USA and parts of Europe and Asia (BarteltHunt et al, 2010). Veterinary antibiotics have been investigated in various environmental compartments including waste lagoons, groundwater below lagoons, as well as shallow groundwater from areas where animal waste had been applied to fields (Bartelt-Hunt et al, 2010;Hu et al, 2010;Kim et al, 2011;Kolodziej et al, 2004;Sarmah et al, 2006;Watanabe et al, 2010;Watanabe et al, 2008).…”

Emerging Organic Contaminants in Groundwater

“…Veterinary antibiotics have been investigated in waste lagoons, groundwater below lagoons, as well as shallow groundwater from areas where animal waste had been applied to fields [97][98][137][138][139][140][141].…”