Use of Sterol and Bile Acid Biomarkers to Identify Domesticated Animal Sources of Fecal Pollution

Abstract

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the use of chemical biomarkers (fecal sterols and bile acids) to identify selected sources of fecal pollution in the environment. Fecal sterols and bile acids were determined for pig, horse, cow, and chicken feces. Ten to twenty-six fresh fecal samples were collected for each animal, and the concentrations of fecal sterols (coprostanol, epicoprostanol, cholesterol, cholestanol, stigmastanol, and stigmasterol) and bile acids (lithocholic acid, deoxycholic acid, cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid) were determined using a gas chromatography and mass spectrometer (GC-MS) technique. Correlation study was performed among sterol and bile acid variables for selected animals, and a ratio (cholesterol + epicoprostanol)/(deoxycholic acid + chenodeoxycholic acid + hyodeoxycholic acid) has been proposed as an indicator for assessing fecal input. The levels of (cholesterol + epicoprostanol)/(deoxycholic acid + chenodeoxycholic acid + hyodeoxycholic acid) in horse, cow, chicken and pig were observed 3.258±1.191, 1.921±1.006, 1.013± 0.726, and 0.205±0.119 respectively and the ratio of horse: cow: chicken: pig was 16: 9: 5: 1. This ratio suggests the potential of sterol and bile acid biomarkers in identifying sources and occurrence of fecal matter. While additional work using polluted water (as opposed to fresh fecal samples) as well as multiple pollution sources are needed to investigate the transport of these biomarkers into water bodies.

Evolution of pastoralism in Southern Greenland during the last two millennia reconstructed from bile acids and coprophilous fungal spores in lacustrine sediments

“…DOC and other bile acids have been lar gely st udied in wat er , sewage and sur ficial est uar ine sediment s t o evaluat e faecal pollut ion and det er mine it s sour ce (Elhmmali et al, 1997;Bull et al, 2002;Tyagi et al, 2008). They have also been st udied in ant hr opogenic and past ur e soils (Zocat elli et al, 2012).…”

“…Assignment of bile acids was based on r et ent ion t imes and mass spect r a in lit er at ur e dat a (Elhmmali et al, 1997;Tyagi et al, 2008). The concent r at ions ar e nor malized to t ot al or ganic car bon and t r ansfor med to fluxes (ng/cm 2 /yr) using sediment at ion r at e and dr y densit y.…”

“…Recent st udies have pr oposed new biomar ker s for r econst r uct ing t he hist or y of agr icult ur e (Oldfield et al, 2003;Jacob et al, 2008;L avr ieux et al, 2013. Concer ning past or alism, copr ophilous fungal spor es in sediment s at t est t o gr azing pr essur e in t he cat chment (Van Geel et al, 2003;Gaut hier et al, 2010 (Bull et al, 2002;Elhmmali et al, 1997;Jar dé et al, 2007;Tyagi et al, 2008). H owever , t hey have r ar ely been applied t o sediment ar y lacust r ine r ecor ds spanning sever al millennia (D'Anjou et al, 2012).…”

Sterols as Indicators of Fecal Pollution in Sediments from Shellfish Farming Areas (Yeoja Bay and Gangjin Bay) of Korea

“…(Hatcher and McGilliary, 1979;Fattore et al, 1996 G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10 G11 G12 G13 G14 G15 G16 G17 G18 G19 G20 Concentration (ng/g-dry) (Chalaux et al, 1995). Stigmastanol , coprostanol (Tyagi et al, 2008) (Volkman et al, 1986). , (Volkman et al, 1998;Froehner et al, 2009 .…”

Preservation of an ancient grassland biomarker signature in a forest soil from the French Massif Central

“…Accordingly, different steroid ratios have been proposed to assess faecal pollution (e.g. Jardé et al, 2007;Tyagi et al, 2008). The faecal marker contribution to Aydat soils was estimated from the following ratio (Lavrieux, 2011):…”