You are here:
EFFECTS OF ETHYNYL ESTRADIOL EXPOSURE ON REPRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS IN AN ESTUARINE FISH
Citation:
Mills, L J., R E. GutjahrGobell, D B. Horowitz, AND G Zaroogian. EFFECTS OF ETHYNYL ESTRADIOL EXPOSURE ON REPRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS IN AN ESTUARINE FISH. Presented at Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, March 25-29, 2001.
Description:
This study investigated the impact of ethynyl estradiol (EE2) on reproductive success of cunner, Tautogolabrus adspersus. EE2 is the estrogen used in human contraceptives and is released into the aquatic environment in sewage treatment effluent. Reproductively active male and female fish were exposed in the laboratory by implanting EE2 subcutaneously in a slow-release matrix. Four tanks with three females and two males were utilized for each treatment. Treatments were control (implanted with matrix only) and three concentrations of EE2 (0.05, 0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg in a slow-release matrix). Before and after exposures began, daily egg productivity, egg viability and egg fertility were determined. In the week prior to exposure, daily egg production per female averaged 3248 (sd ?922), with a mean viability of 19% and mean fertility of 25% over all tanks. During the two
week post-exposure period, daily egg production per female averaged 3759 (sd ?1197) in control, 4182 (sd ?1130) in low EE2, 3180 (sd ?865) in medium EE2, and 2034 (sd ?869) in high EE2 treatment. Mean daily egg production in the high EE2 treatment was significantly lower than control. Neither mean percent viability nor mean percent fertility was significantly different in any treatment. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) in females treated with the high concentration ofEE2 averaged 25% lower than control females, while mean GSI in males from the high EE2 treatment exhibited a 45% reduction compared to control males.
males. Plasma vitellogenin was found in males treated with EE2. These results show that exposure to EE2 can affect reproductive success in cunner in the laboratory and suggest that the reproductive health of fish populations near sewage treatment outfalls needs to be investigated.