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(18-14) Estrogens and xeno-estrogens in the Dutch aquatic environment (LOES): I. Occurrence. Schrap, S. Marca*,1, Rijs, Gerard1, Vethaak, Dick2, Gerritsen, Anton1, van den Bergs, Jappie3, Versteegh, Ans4, Lahr, Joost5, Ruiter, Hans1, 1 Institute for Inland Water Management and Waste Water Treatment, Lelystad, The Netherlands2 Institute for Coastal and Marine Management, Kamperland, The Netherlands3 Wetterskip Fryslan, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands4 National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands5 Aquasense, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ABSTRACT- In the Netherlands a national investigation on estrogenic compounds in the aquatic environment (LOES project) has been carried out. Samples from different types of marine and fresh surface waters (30 different locations; 3 seasons) were chemically analyzed for the presence of estrogenic hormones and five groups of xeno-estrogenic chemicals (bisphenol-A, alkylphenol(ethoxylate)s, phthalates, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenylethers). Particulate matter, sediments and biota (fish and mussels) from these waters were sampled and analyzed for the same compounds. Samples from influents and effluents of municipal and industrial waste water treatment works (15 locations) were investigated and compared. Untreated waste water contained high concentrations of most compounds analyzed. Biological treatment, however, seems to be rather effective, although effluents may still contain detectable levels of most compounds. Consequently, most measured compounds were detected in the aquatic environment. Because levels in rain water were negligible or very low, municipal and/or industrial effluents seem to be the most important route of emission into the aquatic environment for these chemicals. In surface waters the steroid estrone, bisphenol-A and low levels of phthalates, with DEPH being the most abundant phthalate, were found. Nonylphenol(ethoxylates), phthalates and polybrominated diphenylethers were measured in sediments and suspended matter. Bisphenol-A, polybrominated diphenylethers, and some of the phthalates and nonylphenol(ethoxylates) were found in fish and mussels. For individual phthalates and polybrominated diphenylethers the patterns of occurrence in biota did not match the occurrence in sediments. Key words: estrogenic compounds, hormones, alkylphenol(ethoxylate)s, phthalates |
