Combining passive samplers and biomonitors to evaluate endocrine disrupting compounds in a wastewater treatment plant by LC/MS/MS and bioassay analyses

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 157; no. 10; pp. 2716 - 2721
• Main Authors: Liscio, C., Magi, E., Di Carro, M., Suter, M.J.-F., Vermeirssen, E.L.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Applied sciences; Bioassay; bioassays; Biological Assay - methods; Biomonitor; Bivalvia - chemistry; Chemical analysis; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Disrupting; Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs); Endocrine Disruptors - analysis; endocrine-disrupting chemicals; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Estrogens; Exact sciences and technology; indicator species; Influents; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; Mussels; Other wastewaters; Passive sampler; Pollution; Samplers; Sampling; Sewage - analysis; Tandem Mass Spectrometry - methods; Unio pictorum; Wastewater; Wastewater treatment; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; water pollution; Water treatment and pollution; Italy; Europe; Liguria; Italy, Genoa; Passive sampler; Biomonitor; Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs); Wastewater; Mussels; Ethinylestradiol; 17β-Estradiol; Biological monitoring; Passive detection; Bivalvia; Urban waste water; Sampling; Xenobiotic; Organic compounds; Liquid chromatography; Endocrine disruptor; Biological activity; Sewage treatment plant; Persistence; Bisphenol A; Mass spectrometry MS/MS; Phenols; Estrone; Invertebrata; Mollusca; Waste water purification; Sex steroid hormone; Performance
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2009.04.034

Two types of integrative sampling approaches (passive samplers and biomonitors) were tested for their sampling characteristics of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Chemical analyses (LC/MS/MS) were used to determine the amounts of five EDCs (nonylphenol, bisphenol A, estrone, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethinylestradiol) in polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and freshwater mussels ( Unio pictorum); both had been deployed in the influent and effluent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Genoa, Italy. Estrogenicity of the POCIS samples was assessed using the yeast estrogen screen (YES). Estradiol equivalent values derived from the bioassay showed a positive correlation with estradiol equivalents calculated from chemical analyses data. As expected, the amount of estrogens and EEQ values in the effluent were lower than those in the influent. Passive sampling proved to be the preferred method for assessing the presence of these compounds since employing mussels had several disadvantages both in sampling efficiency and sample analyses. Passive sampling and biomonitoring were used to determine the amounts of endocrine disrupting compounds in wastewaters.