Rapid Detection of Selected Steroid Hormones from Sewage Effluents using an ELISA in the Kuils River Water Catchment Area, South Africa

Swart, Nelius; Pool, Edmund John

doi:10.1080/15321810701603799

Cited by 39 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…This is due to the ubiquitous usage of synthetic oestrogens as contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by a large percentage of the population. These hormones were shown to originate from human excretions and improper disposal of pharmaceuticals into sewage (Swart and Pool, 2007;Manickum et al, 2011;Swart et al, 2011;Manickum and John, 2014). However, it is increasingly becoming known that several types of PPCPs are also accumulating in water systems to the same extent as contraceptive medications.…”

Section: Pharmaceuticals and Steroid Hormones Detected In South Africmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: <i>Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) as endocrine disrupting contaminants (EDCs) in South African surface waters</i>

Archer

Wolfaardt

Wyk

2017

WSA

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Globally, water resources are under constant threat of being polluted by a diverse range of man-made chemicals, and South Africa is no exception. These contaminants can have detrimental effects on both human and wildlife health. It is increasingly evident that several chemicals may modulate endocrine system pathways in vertebrate species, and these are collectively referred to as endocrine disrupting contaminants (EDCs). Although the endocrine-disrupting effect of water pollutants has been mainly linked to agricultural pesticides and industrial effluents, other pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are largely unnoticed, but also pose a potentially significant threat. Here we present for the first time in a South African context, a summarised list of PPCPs and other EDCs detected to date within South African water systems, as well as their possible endocrine-disrupting effect in-vitro and in-vivo. This review addresses other factors which should be investigated in future studies, including endocrine disruption, PPCP metabolites, environmental toxicology, and antibiotic resistance. The challenges of removing EDCs and other pollutants at South African wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) are also highlighted. The need for focused research involving both in-vitro and in-vivo studies to detect PPCPs in water systems, and to delineate adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) of priority PPCPs to aid in environmental impact assessment (EIA), are discussed.

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Section: Pharmaceuticals and Steroid Hormones Detected In South Africmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: <i>Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) as endocrine disrupting contaminants (EDCs) in South African surface waters</i>

Archer

Wolfaardt

Wyk

2017

WSA

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“…Similar studies have now commenced on other pollutants such as endocrinedisrupting compounds, though these are more recent, with much less temporal extent (e.g. Swart & Pool 2007). In terrestrial systems, the likely significance of nutrient loading, and other forms of pollution from aerial sources, has frequently been noted, but the number of studies of effects on diversity is low (van Tienhoven & Scholes 2004;Wilson et al 2009b).…”

Section: Pollutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal biodiversity change in transformed landscapes: a southern African perspective

Chown

2010

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Landscape transformation by humans is virtually ubiquitous, with several suggestions being made that the world's biomes should now be classified according to the extent and nature of this transformation. Even those areas that are thought to have a relatively limited human footprint have experienced substantial biodiversity change. This is true of both marine and terrestrial systems of southern Africa, a region of high biodiversity and including several large conservation areas. Global change drivers have had substantial effects across many levels of the biological hierarchy as is demonstrated in this review, which focuses on terrestrial systems. Interactions among drivers, such as between climate change and invasion, and between changing fire regimes and invasion, are complicating attribution of change effects and management thereof. Likewise CO 2 fertilization is having a much larger impact on terrestrial systems than perhaps commonly acknowledged. Temporal changes in biodiversity, and the seeming failure of institutional attempts to address them, underline a growing polarization of world views, which is hampering efforts to address urgent conservation needs.

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“…To date, the only report on the estrogen levels in treated sewage effluent in South Africa was by Swart and Pool [32], in the Kuils River Water Catchment Area. Their results are listed in Table 1, under "South Africa".…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determination of selected steroid estrogens in treated sewage effluent in the Umsunduzi (Duzi) River water catchment area

W¹

2011

Hydrol Current Res

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Steroid hormones, naturally synthesized by human and animals, as well as synthetic/plant-derived ones usually in contraception, may be eventually released into the environment, especially in excreta. Levels of these hormones have been detected in significant concentration in sewage effluent around the world. These compounds have the ability, at very low concentrations, to alter normal functioning of the endocrine system, which is responsible for growth and development in vertebrate systems. Their eventual discharge into water bodies can affect reproduction and development in wildlife. Recycling of waste water for human domestic consumption necessitates the need to monitor the water quality of the effluent, as well as a check for these estrogens. Treated sewage effluent from the Darvill Waste Water Works (DWWW) is discharged into the Umsunduzi River; re-use options are being investigated. Samples were collected and assayed for estrone and 17-ß-estradiol (estradiol) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The steroid hormone concentrations detected were similar to those reported for sewage effluent in Britain, Italy, Germany, Canada and The Netherlands. Preliminary removal efficiencies were noted to be comparable to those reported.

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Rapid Detection of Selected Steroid Hormones from Sewage Effluents using an ELISA in the Kuils River Water Catchment Area, South Africa

Cited by 39 publications

References 26 publications

Review: <i>Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) as endocrine disrupting contaminants (EDCs) in South African surface waters</i>

Review: <i>Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) as endocrine disrupting contaminants (EDCs) in South African surface waters</i>

Temporal biodiversity change in transformed landscapes: a southern African perspective

Determination of selected steroid estrogens in treated sewage effluent in the Umsunduzi (Duzi) River water catchment area

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