PARENT SESSION
PT2 - Endocrine Disruption
Tuesday, 19 November 2002
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM
Exhibit Hall

(P583) Alkylphenols, estrogenicity and androgenicity in the Miramichi River, New Brunswick.

Bennie, Donald^*,1, Burnison, B. Kent¹, Sullivan, Cheryl¹, Fairchild, Wayne², Brown, Scott¹, ¹ National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON, Canada² Gulf Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Moncton, NB, Canada

ABSTRACT- Declining Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) catches in Atlantic Canada prompted studies into contributing factors. It has been hypothesized that the historical use of the endocrine disrupting substance 4-nonylphenol as a solvent in the formulation of Matacil® 1.8D used to control spruce budworm infestations may have negatively affected the smolt stage and subsequent catch of returning adults. In this study, we investigated if current inputs to the river are capable of causing similar effects in the Miramichi River. From 1999 to 2001, we conducted sampling programs on the river and at major industrial and municipal sources. Concentrations of 4-nonylphenol in riverine samples are insufficient to implicate alkylphenols as a current problem. Levels found in the effluent samples were also below the estimated no-effects value (ENEV) for NP, NP1EO, NP2EO, NP1EC, NP2EC, OP1EC and OP2EC when a dilution factor of 10:1 is taken into consideration. Results of analysis for numerous chlorophenols, trace metals and PAHs were also completed. Only Al, Cr and Cu concentrations in water were consistently higher than Environment Canada guidelines. In sediments, values above Canadian Sediment Quality Guidelines were consistently found for As, Cr and Cu. Yeast screen assays indicated that the pulp mill effluent, municipal wastewater effluent and some river water samples were estrogenic. Androgenicity was also evident in effluents and some river water samples.

Key words: alkylphenols, effluents, estrogenicity, androgenicity