Grantee Research Project Results
2010 Progress Report: An Integrated Approach to Developing a Total Facility Estrogen Budget at a Swine Farrowing CAFO
EPA Grant Number: R833420Title: An Integrated Approach to Developing a Total Facility Estrogen Budget at a Swine Farrowing CAFO
Investigators: Kullman, Seth W. , Linden, Karl G. , Reckhow, Kenneth H. , Meyer, M. T.
Current Investigators: Kullman, Seth W. , Meyer, M. T. , Reckhow, Kenneth H.
Institution: North Carolina State University , Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory , Pratt School of Engineering
Current Institution: North Carolina State University , Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences , Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2013 (Extended to January 31, 2014)
Project Period Covered by this Report: February 1, 2010 through January 31,2011
Project Amount: $663,532
RFA: Fate and Effects of Hormones in Waste from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOS) (2006) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , Human Health , Safer Chemicals
Objective:
Little information is available regarding the concentration, release, fate and transport of estrogenic compounds in animal waste treatment and storage facilities. Naturally occurring estrogens in animal wastes present an emerging risk to terrestrial and aquatic environments through their potential release and action as endocrine disruptors. Given the trend in agriculture toward concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and the extensive volume of waste generated, the potential for environmental impact “cannot be overstated." Large data gaps include: operation specific generation, and concentrations and fate of these hormones and their conjugates and metabolites throughout CAFO facilities. Specifically, little data has been generated evaluating estrogen loads from differing swine operations such as farrowing and finishing facilities. We must develop quantitative information regarding: reproductive status and estrogen excretion by individual animals, the stability of estrogens in open pit holding lagoons, and mobility of estrogens to surface waters following spray field application of swine waste as fertilizer. To address these data gaps, we are focusing on a swine farrowing CAFO based on its operational units. By creating a hierarchical structure, assessments of estrogen fate will be “parameterized” and used for input into a Bayesian network model.
Progress Summary:
Two primary aims were described in our original proposal.
The objective of Aim 1 is to establish “total facility estrogen budget” based upon composite measurements of natural estrogenic compounds throughout a swine farrowing (CAFO). This aim is comprised of three tasks:
The objective of Task A is to determine total animal estrogen output from differing operational phases within the swine CAFO. In the first year of our project, we collected urine from individual gilts and sows at various stages of reproduction in the CAFO facility, and analyzed them for estrogen content using LC/MS-MS. To date, LC/MS-MS analysis has been focused primarily on the parent estrogens: estrone (E1), 17α-estradiol (E2α), 17β-estradiol (E2β), and estriol (E3). E1 was found to be the most ubiquitous form of estrogen in both the urine and the feces, as it was detected in the vast majority of samples. An overall pattern of increased estrogen output was observed over the course of pregnancy and farrowing.
The objective of Task B is to thoroughly characterize the stability and fate of estrogens in the holding lagoons. In June 2009 and April 2010, we conducted extensive sampling of the waste lagoon. Extensive sampling of the waste lagoon has been conducted. Trends in lagoon estrogen concentrations were found to be very similar across sample sets and demonstrate that estrogen concentrations are relatively homogeneous throughout the lagoon slurry, with no trends observable with depth or across horizontal distance. Partitioning of estrogens to the solids in the lagoon was evident in both the lagoon slurry and sludge, as was expected based on the moderately lipophilic nature of these compounds (log Kow = 2.6 to 4). Estrogen concentrations in lagoon solids were consistently several hundred fold greater than concentrations in the liquid fraction of these samples. As a result of this partitioning of estrogens to solids, the lagoon sludge (which has a high volume of solids) acts as a reservoir for estrogens in the lagoon, with concentrations per volume averaging approximately an order of magnitude greater in sludge than in slurry.
Lagoon samples also were analyzed for total suspended solids, PO4, NH4, total dissolved N, and dissolved organic C, all of which were found to be uniform throughout the lagoon. %C was measured in all lagoon solids, and was found to be higher in the slurry solids (avg. %C = 40.54) than in the sludge solids (avg. %C = 24.31). Additionally, measurements taken in the lagoon at the time of sampling showed temperature, pH, salinity, and conductivity to be relatively static throughout the lagoon, whereas dissolved oxygen decreased with depth. All of these parameters were found to be similar in June and April, with the exception of temperature, which was 27.3°C in June and 20.0°C in April.
The objective of Task C is to measure estrogen concentration and stability of estrogens in field plots receiving lagoon waste as fertilizer.
LC/MS-MS and T47D-KBluc results indicate the E1 is the only natural animal estrogen that is present at detectable levels in the crop field soil following land application. Overall, temporal trend evaluating estrogen concentrations indicates that estrogen is retained fairly well in the top 6” of soil, with little downward migration to the soil below. Levels of E1 in the soil attenuated fairly rapidly, dropping to 25% of their initial concentration by 7 days post-application. However, E1 is still detectable 2 months post-application, indicating that it is capable of persisting in the soil for substantial lengths of time.
The objective of Aim 2 is to develop an Integrated Bayesian Network for Predicting the Fate and Transport of Swine Born Estrogens. Over the past 3 years, we have been developing a Bayesian network (BN) model to explore and predict the behavior of estrogens throughout swine farrowing facilities. Because there is limited scientific understanding regarding the concentration, fate, and transport of the estrogenic compounds from swine facilities, the construction of a BN model has emphasized the characterization of the causal relationships reflecting estrogen fate and transport from animal barns, to the waste lagoon, to spray fields, and ultimately to adjacent waterway through runoff. The developed total estrogen budget model consists of three major systems: 1) the object-oriented BN models to assess the total estrogen budgets in confined animal housing facilities, 2) the mass balance and regression embedded BN models to predict the fate of the estrogen in anaerobic lagoons, and 3) the dynamic BN models to characterize the estrogen transport from agricultural spray fields into waterways via surface runoff and soil erosion. All models focus on three forms of natural animal estrogen that were found to occur at appreciable levels in the CAFO waste: estrone (E1), 17β-estradiol (E2β), and estriol (E3).
Future Activities:
In the upcoming months, we plan to continue with the processing and analysis of all samples that were collected in 2011. This includes the third round of urine, feces, lagoon, and barn flush samples, as well as all soil collected in spring 2011. All liquids (urine, lagoon liquids, barn flush liquids) from this round of samples already have been extracted, and await analysis. All solids (feces, lagoon solids, barn flush solids, soil) have not yet been extracted, and currently are being stored at ‐20°C.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 28 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
CAFO, estrogens, fate and transport, mass balanceProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.
Project Research Results
- Final Report
- 2012 Progress Report
- 2011 Progress Report
- 2009 Progress Report
- 2008 Progress Report
- Original Abstract
8 journal articles for this project