Pollution by oestrogenic endocrine disruptors and beta-sitosterol in a south-western European river (Mira, Portugal)

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

rocha, mj (Author) ICBAS; Cruzeiro, C (Author) Other; Reis, M (Author) Other; Pardal, MA (Author) Other; rocha, e (Author) ICBAS

Journal

Title: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment

Vol. 188 No. 10

ISSN: 0167-6369

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 15 Citations

Scopus - 18 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-AFK

DOI: 10.1007/s10661-016-5236-0

Abstract (EN): The Mira River is a Portuguese water body widely known for its wilderness and is advertised as one of the less polluted European rivers. On this presumption, the levels of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) in Mira waters were never measured. However, because environmentalists have claimed that the Mira could be moderately polluted, a range of 17 EDCs were measured not only at the estuary but also along the river. The targeted EDCs included natural and pharmaceutical oestrogens (17 beta-oestradiol, oestrone and 17 alpha-cthynylestradiol), industrial/household pollutants (octylphenols, nonylphenols and their monoethoxylates and diethoxylates and bisphenol A), phytoestrogens (formononetin, biochanin A, daidzein, genistein) and the phytosterol sitosterol (SITO). For this propose, waters from six sampling sites were taken every 2 months, over a 1 -year period (2011), and analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Unexpectedly high levels of oestrogens and of industrial/household pollutants were measured at all sampling sites, including those located inside natural protected areas. Indeed, the annual average sum of EDCs was approximate to 57 ng/L for oestrogens and approximate to 1.3 mu g/L for industrial/household chemicals. In contrast, the global average levels of phytoestrogens (approximate to 140 ng/L) and of SITO (approximate to 295 ng/L) were lower than those reported worldwide, The EDC concentrations were normalised for ethynylestradiol equivalents (EE2eq). In view of these, the oestrogenic load of the Mira River attained approximate to 47 ng/L EE2eq. In addition, phosphates were above legal limits at both spring and summer (>1 mg/L). Overall, data show EDCs at toxicant relevant levels in the Mira and stress the need to monitor rivers that are allegedly less polluted.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15