Occurrence and Fate of Natural Estrogens in Swiss Cattle and Pig Slurry

Abstract

Natural estrogens act as endocrine disruptors. However, the fate of livestock farming derived natural estrogens (17αestradiol, 17β-estradiol, estrone, and estriol) in slurry is not well understood. In this study, we assessed the effects of on farm-storage on natural estrogen concentrations in slurry. Furthermore, we monitored pig and cattle slurry pits from major agricultural areas in Switzerland and determined natural estrogen concentrations therein. They were relatively stable over time, and mean concentrations ranged from 138 to 861 and 54 to 244 ng/L for cattle and pig slurries, respectively. 17α-Estradiol and estriol were the most prevalent estrogens in cattle and pig slurries, respectively. Based on livestock numbers, agricultural area, and estrogen concentrations in slurry, the estimated annual load of total natural estrogens applied on agricultural area amounted to 36 mg/ha. Our results indicate that slurry application is a relevant source of natural estrogens in the environment.

Ecotoxicological investigations of milking cow slurry and changes of oestrogenic compounds in the solid and liquid phase

“…E3 was below the detection limit in all samples (Wei et al 2011). In the Swiss study of (Rechsteiner et al 2020) the mean concentrations of cattle slurry were: 861 ± 367, 138 ± 126, 160 ± 205, and 397 ± 411 ng/L for 17 a-E2, 17 b-E2, E3 and E1, respectively.…”

Natural estrogens in surface waters of a catchment with intensive livestock farming in Switzerland

“…2.3.4 Natural estrogens: derivatization and analysis. Target analytes in passive sampler and surface water extracts were derivatized with dansyl chloride and analysed with liquid chromatography coupled to a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer as described in Rechsteiner et al 36 Internal standard calibration was used to quantify natural estrogens. Data processing was conducted with Agilent MassHunter QQQ Quantitative Analysis program version B.09.00.…”

“…Values for c slurry were determined in a previously conducted monitoring campaign (Table S9 †). 36 The emitted estrogen fraction (E F ) was dened as natural estrogen loads recovered in drainage water of a tile-drained agricultural test eld divided by the natural estrogen loads applied on an agricultural test eld (Rechsteiner et al, submitted, see Table S10 †). 44 Values for V slurry and A slurry were obtained from Richner et al 45 A statistical distribution was attributed to all parameters which entailed uncertainties (Table S11 †…”

Biodegradation and Metabolic Pathway of 17β-Estradiol by Rhodococcus sp. ED55

“…Moreover, during treatment, deconjugation of lower estrogenic sulfate, glucuronide or sulfoglucuronide forms, results in increased estrogenic activity of the wastewater effluents [ 2 ]. Another source of contamination is livestock wastes [ 3 , 4 ]. Besides the natural and synthetic hormones, another important contaminant is the xenoestrogen bisphenol-A (BPA), one of the most abundant industrial synthetic chemicals produced globally, used to manufacture consumer products, such as water bottles, water pipes, and food cans [ 5 ].…”