Widespread endocrine activity in river sediments in Hesse, Germany, assessed by a combination of in vitro and in vivo bioassays

Abstract

Purpose There is a growing concern regarding the effects of endocrine disrupting compounds on humans and wildlife. Since some of them have the ability to bind to particulate matter, high concentrations can be reached in sediments of surface waters. The objective of this study was an assessment of 50 sediment samples from predominantly small rivers in the German federal state of Hesse with emphasis on endocrine activity. Materials and methods The freshwater mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum was exposed to whole sediments for 28 days with a subsequent evaluation of embryo production. Additionally, in vitro screens with sediment eluates for the detection of estrogenic (yeast estrogen screen, YES) and androgenic (yeast androgen screen, YAS) activities were conducted. Biotest results were compared with chemical analytical data (metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, organotin compounds), which were available for about half of the studied sites. Results and discussion Seventy-eight percent of the sediments caused a significantly increased reproduction in the Potamopyrgus test, 66% were active in YES, and 68% were active in YAS. More than half of the sediments caused an increased reproduction in vivo and concurrently showed an estrogenic activity in vitro. No significant correlations could be established between biotest results and chemical analytical data. ConclusionsThe results indicate that sediment contamination with endocrine active compounds is widespread, plays an important role in aquatic ecosystems, and should be the subject of further ecotoxicological investigation.

Are In Vitro Methods for the Detection of Endocrine Potentials in the Aquatic Environment Predictive for In Vivo Effects? Outcomes of the Projects SchussenAktiv and SchussenAktivplus in the Lake Constance Area, Germany

“…Galluba & Oehlmann [24] applied the in vivo reproduction test with P. antipodarum and the yeast estrogen screen (YES) as an in vitro assay in parallel for 50 sediments from smaller rivers and creeks. It was shown that 54% of the sediments exhibited a promoting effect on snail reproduction and also showed an estrogenic activity in the YES while 82% of the samples which were active in the YES caused an increased snail reproduction.…”

“…Galluba & Oehlmann [24] also discussed the possibility that lower embryo numbers in the artificial control sediment may reflect sub-optimal conditions for the development and reproduction of the snails. However, if embryo numbers in the tested field sediments are not compared to the artificial control sediment but to a natural reference sediment with no measurable estrogenic activity in the YES, an identical number of sediments turned out to exhibit significantly more embryos.…”

Evaluation of estrogenic activity in the Pearl River by using effect-directed analysis

“…2). Estrogenic activity has also been reported in sediments of other countries such as Korea (Koh et al 2006) and Germany (Galluba and Oehlmann 2011).…”

Characterization of estrogenic receptor agonists and evaluation of estrogenic activity in the sediments of Liaohe River protected areas

“…EDCs, including natural chemicals and synthetic chemicals, have significant impacts on organisms even at a low dose (Froehner et al, 2012;Galluba and Oehlmann, 2012). In particular, estrogenic EDCs have high binding affinity to estrogen receptors and can act as estrogenic receptor (ER) agonists.…”

“…However, chemical analysis lacks the information of potential adverse effects to the organisms. In vivo and in vitro bioassays that can reflect the biological effects in complex environmental mixtures are used to study estrogenic activity (Jeffries et al, 2011;Galluba and Oehlmann, 2012). Especially, in vitro bioassays have been proved as a quite useful method to screen and quantify the estrogenic potency, due to its high sensitivity and low requirements to equipment (Svobodová et al, 2009;Kinani et al, 2010).…”