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Measuring Endocrine-active Chemicals at ng/L Concentrations in Water
Citation:
DURHAN, E. J., E. A. MAKYNEN, J. E. CAVALLIN, L. C. WEHMAS, AND G. T. ANKLEY. Measuring Endocrine-active Chemicals at ng/L Concentrations in Water. Presented at 30th Annual Meeting of SETAC North America, New Orleans, LA, November 19 - 23, 2009.
Impact/Purpose:
This poster will present aspects of our research with these three potent EDCs with an emphasis on analytical methods.
Description:
Analytical chemistry challenges for supporting aquatic toxicity research and risk assessment are many: need for low detection limits, complex sample matrices, small sample size, and equipment limitations to name a few. Certain types of potent endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can be problematic relative to these challenges, in particular achieving low, biologically relevant detection limits. Natural and synthetic steroids that act as EDCs are often found in agricultural and municipal wastewater discharges. The presence of very small amounts of these compounds in surface water can pose risks to the reproductive systems of aquatic life. To support research and regulation there is a need to be able to measure these chemicals in complex matrices at biologically significant levels (e.g., = 10 ng/L). For example, animal waste from animal feeding operations have the potential to introduce endocrine-active materials, such as the androgenic growth promoter, 17â-trenbolone (Tb) into surface and ground waters. We have developed a method for the analysis of Tb in surface waters and in biological testing water using liquid chromatography/mass selective detector (LC/MSD) without the use of derivatization, combined with solid phase extraction and concentration for complex water samples. The detection limit for this method is about 5 ng/L for the direct sample analysis of clean water samples. We have also worked to optimize detection limits for steroidal estrogens in environmental samples. The synthetic estrogen 17á-ethynyl estradiol (EE2), a component of birth control pills, has been found in municipal wastewater effluents at levels that could affect reproductive function in fish. We have developed a method, again using LC/MSD (with a photoionization source) along with solid phase extraction to detect EE2 at biologically relevant levels (=1 ng/L). We have also conducted research with the non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor fadrozole, used in the treatment of advanced breast cancer, to determine its effect on fish reproduction. In this work direct analysis of test water samples for fadrozole at levels as low as 30 ng/L was possible using LC/MSD. This poster will present aspects of our research with these three potent EDCs with an emphasis on analytical methods.