Publication Abstract

An assessment of in vitro androgenic activity and the identification of environmental androgens in United Kingdom estuaries

K. V. Thomas, M. R. Hurst, P. Matthiessen, M. Mchugh, A. Smith, and M. J. Waldock

Environmental androgens are a group of compounds that have received very little attention. In this study a yeast androgen screen (YAS) was used to determine the level of in vitro androgenic activity in seven United Kingdom (UK) estuaries. Surface water, sediment pore water and sediment particulate material solvent extracts collected from Southampton Water, the Thames, Mersey, Tees, Tyne, Clyde and Forth were tested for in vitro androgenic activity. Eleven of the forty-one surface samples collected displayed androgenic activity > 2 ng dihydrotestosterone (DHT) equivalents l^-1 (3 - 9 ng DHT l^-1), whilst eight of the thirty-nine sediment pore waters collected showed activity > 45 ng DHT l^-1 (51 - 187 ng DHT l^-1). High levels of androgenic activity were determined in the solvent extracts of sediment particulate material, with ten from thirty-nine samples exhibiting a level of androgenic activity > 454 ng DHT Kg^-1 (1,020 - 15,300 ng DHT Kg^-1). In vitro YAS testing of five selected sewage treatment works (STW) effluents entering these estuaries showed that elevated levels (34 - 635 ng DHT l ^-1) of androgenic activity were observed in those receiving only primary treatment (Howdon STW and Irvine Valley Sewer) at the time of the survey. A toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) study of Irvine Valley Sewer effluent using the YAS assay identified the natural steroids/steroid metabolites dehydrotestosterone, androstenedione, androstanedione, 5ß-androstane-3a,11ß-diol-17-one, androsterone, and epi-androsterone as responsible for 99 % of the in vitro activity determined in the effluent.

Reference:

K. V. Thomas, M. R. Hurst, P. Matthiessen, M. Mchugh, A. Smith and  M.J. Waldock (2002) An assessment of in vitro androgenic activity and the identification of environmental androgens in United Kingdom estuaries. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 21(7): 1456-1461