PARENT SESSION
1D Bioassays for specific hazards (estrogenic effects, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, ...)
9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Tuesday, 08 May 2001

(T/EH067) The XEHOGAMM-project - how to determine the effects of endocrine disruptors on crustacean populations.

Jungmann, Dirk¹, Koehler, Heinz², Ladewig, Vanessa¹, Ludwichiwski, Kai¹, Metag, Nicole¹, Preuss, Thomas², Triebskorn, Rita³, Woitschella, Astrid², Nagel, Roland¹, ^{1 2 3}

ABSTRACT- The endocrine disrupting potency of environmental chemicals in the water environment has gained attention in recent years. Effects like feminisation, inter- and imposex-phenomena in vertebrates or invertebrates have been described. While the knowledge of effects of endocrine disruptors on crustaceans is insufficient even though they are important members in the aquatic food web we have chosen gammarids for an exposure and effect monitoring in two streams, located near Dresden and Tuebingen (Germany). Effluents from municipal sewage treatment plants are possible sources of endocrine disruptors, therefore, we investigated the structure of gammarid populations upstream and downstream of an effluent. Besides physico-chemical variables in stream water and effluents were analysed for potential endocrine disruptors by GC/MSD, respectively. The impact of endocrine disruptors on gammarids was moreover investigated concerning the histology of gonads and hsp90 as biomarkers. Hence, we will be able to correlate effects on the different levels and to assess consequences for the population. The next step after field investigations is a realisation of laboratory experiments in artificial indoor streams. In these experiments, one or several test substances with endocrine disrupting potency will be tested in order to determine effect concentrations for ecotoxicological endpoint relevant for the population. Thus for the first time investigations on different levels in the field are made and will be compared with laboratory experiments. The integrated approach of the XEHOGAMM project will be introduced and results were presented also by Woitschella et al., Preuss et al. and Ladewig et al., respectively, as poster presentations. The project is funded by the Umweltbundesamt, FKZ 29965221/05.

Key words: Endocrine disruption, Gammarus fossarum, population, exposure- and effect monitoring