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

(P533) Estrogenic Potency of Effluents from Petrochemical Facilities and a Petroleum Refinery in Ontario.

Sherry, Jim^*,1, Trepanier, Tanya², Tinson, Cheryl¹, Moran, Tim³, Kierstead, Ted³, Munro, Scott², ¹ National Water Research Institute, Burlington, Ontario² Sarnia Lambton Environmental Association, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada³ Pollutech EnviroQuatics, Point Edward, Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT- A previous study demonstrated that wastewater from an Ontario Refinery could induce vitellogenin (Vg), a biomarker of exposure to estrogenic chemicals, in juvenile rainbow trout. Our objective was to reassess the estrogenic potency of the wastewater from that refinery and to also assess the estrogenicity of wastewater from three petrochemical facilities. The effluents were tested in a 21-day static renewal test in which the effluent was fully replaced daily. A competitive binding ELISA was used to detect induced Vg. A replicated tank design was used to allow statistical testing for tank effects. St. Clair River water from upstream of the industrial facilities was used as a negative reference. Waterborne 17-estradiol served as the positive control treatment. The results show that the wastewater from the petroleum refinery induced Vg in the treated fish. The wastewater from the petrochemical effluents did not induce detectable levels of Vg in the treated fish. We shall discuss the data with respect to the industrial process at each facility and, in the case of the refinery, the potential for possible responses in feral fish.

Key words: vitellogenin, petrochemical, effluent, endocrine