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(18-67) Detection of estrogens and antiestrogens in effluents from oil production activities - A TiE approach. Tollefsen, K.E.*,1,2, Byberg, A.L.3, Kelley, A.4, Grung, M.1, Utvik, T.I.R.5, Goksøyr, A.2,3, 1 Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway2 Biosense Laboratories AS, Bergen, Norway3 University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway4 Aquateam-Norwegian Water Technology Centre, Oslo, Norway5 Norsk Hydro, E&P Operations, Bergen, Norway ABSTRACT- It has previously been reported that effluents from oil production activities contain chemicals that are able to disrupt normal endocrine function by mimicking the action of endogenous estrogens (estrogen mimics). In this study, we aim to detect the biologically active compounds in these effluents by a combination of solid phase extraction and test of the extracts in a fish bioassay using the in vitro induction of vitellogenin (Vtg) synthesis as an estrogenic biomarker. The results show that effluents from both land-based (refinery) and offshore related oil production activities contain estrogen mimics. Further separation of the raw extracts and subsequent test in the bioassay reveal that a major part of the observed estrogenicity is found in two fractions with moderate water solubility (log KOW = 3-6). Interestingly, the studies also revealed that the effluents contain a simultaneous presence of antiestrogenic chemicals. These chemicals are predominantly found in fractions that are both more water soluble (log KOW < 3) and less water soluble (log KOW > 6) than the estrogenic fractions. Chemical analysis of the fractions will be performed in order to identify the estrogenic and antiestrogenic compounds present in the effluents. Key words: endocrine disrupters, oil production, TiE, fish |
