In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of Aqueously Extractable Estrogens in Poultry Manure after Pilot‐scale Composting

• Published in: Journal of environmental quality Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 614 - 622
• Main Authors: Hammett, Kirsten M., Mullin, Elizabeth J., Aga, Diana S., Felton, Gary K., Fisher, Daniel J., Yonkos, Lance T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Animals; Composting; Cyprinidae - metabolism; Estradiol; Estrogens - pharmacology; Male; Manure; Poultry; Vitellogenins; Water Pollutants, Chemical - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0047-2425; 1537-2537
• DOI: 10.2134/jeq2017.01.0012

Poultry manure contains free and conjugated forms of the natural estrogens 17β‐estradiol and estrone, which can be transported to receiving waters via runoff when land‐applied. Previous studies have demonstrated estrogens in runoff from poultry manure–amended fields but have not tracked changes in estrogenicity within this water over time. Microbial conversion of conjugated estrogens (a major portion of water‐extractable estrogens) to parent forms may result in temporary increases in estrogenicity in natural water bodies. The present study created 80‐L batches of simulated poultry manure runoff, which were investigated over 10 d for estrogenicity by bioluminescent yeast estrogen screen assay and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) vitellogenin induction model. The efficacy of different compost conditions (in‐vessel aeration ± turning, and piling) on reduction/elimination of aqueously extractable estrogens in poultry manure was also investigated. Results indicate 3‐ to 10‐fold increases in estrogenicity in various poultry manure mixtures during 10‐d observations. Estrogenicity returned to low levels in postcompost treatments but remained elevated in the precompost treatment. Aerated compost resulted in >75% reductions in initial, peak, and 10‐d mean estrogenicity in aqueous mixtures (0.3, 0.8, and 0.5 ng 17β‐estradiol equivalents [EEQ] L−1, respectively) compared with the precompost mixture (1.4, 4.8, and 2.1 ng EEQ L−1, respectively). Estrogenicity was significantly higher in the aqueous extract from the piled treatment than the aerated treatment, and 10‐d exposure of male fish to the piled treatment resulted in statistically significant vitellogenin induction. Collectively, our results suggest a need to investigate estrogenicity in surface waters for several days after receiving manure‐influenced runoff. Core Ideas Aqueously extractable estrogens were studied in pre‐ and postcompost poultry manure. Estrogenic activity increased in aqueous poultry manure mixtures over several days. Initial estrogenicity in aqueous manure extracts did not predict later activity. Microbial deconjugation likely liberates estrogen conjugates to active free forms. Composting poultry manure with aeration reduces aqueously extractable estrogenicity.