Purification and dilution reduce risk of fish being injured by hormone-disrupting compounds

December 21, 2006

In a dissertation at the Department of Applied Environmental Science (ITM), Stockholm University, Maria Pettersson has examined whether purified wastewater from municipal purification plants and cellulose factories in Sweden contains hormone-disrupting compounds in such amounts that they are affecting fish. She has also studied how the levels of these compounds can be reduced in wastewater.

"The results indicate that the problem of hormone-disruption in fish is not as widespread in Sweden as in many other European countries. This is probably due to the fact that Swedish purification plants use purification techniques that reduce the amount of hormone-disrupting compounds, or that dilution of wastewater in recipient containers is greater than in many other countries. However, this is not to say that Swedish water is entirely free of the problem. We have seen hormone-disrupting effects occur locally in recipient containers with low-level dilution and the emission of insufficiently purified wastewater," says Maria Pettersson.

The estrogen ethinylestradiol in contraceptive pills that women secrete via urine and feces is not always degraded in purification plants and can leak into ambient water with purified wastewater. Since there are many similarities between the hormone systems in humans and other vertebrates, fish, for example, can be affected by the estrogens that humans secrete. Moreover there are industrial chemicals that have been shown to impact the hormone system of fish, such as nonylphenol and bisphenol A. Emissions from cellulose factories have also been shown to contain compounds that can affect the hormone system of fish.

"We have been able to show that male fish that are exposed to municipal wastewater in certain cases begin to produce an egg yoke substance that normally only occurs in sexually mature females. We have also managed to detect the natural estrogens, the contraceptive pill estrogen ethinylestradiol, and the estrogen-like chemicals nonylphenol and bisphenol A in purified wastewater. The same estrogen substances were also found in gall fluid from fish that had been exposed to wastewater, which shows that fish take up the substances from water," says Maria Pettersson.

By comparing various types of municipal purification plants, Maria Pettersson and her colleagues were able to determine that the amount of time spent in the biological purification stages is a key factor when it comes to reducing the amount of estrogen compounds in wastewater and that a sand filter contributes to a further reduction.

To investigate the occurrence of hormonal disturbances in wild fish, Maria Pettersson and her colleagues carried out a field study along the coast of the Baltic Sea. No clear hormonal effects could be observed in fish in the recipient containers studied, neither outside municipal purification works or outside cellulose factories.

"It's probably a result of good dilution of the wastewater in the recipient containers. But the problems cannot be dismissed entirely since hormone-disrupting effects can still occur locally in recipient containers with a low level of dilution and emissions of insufficiently purified wastewater," says Maria Pettersson.

Source: Swedish Research Council


Rank 3 /5 (1 vote)
Tags

Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

Study finds that anti-diabetic medication can prevent the long-term effects of maternal obesity

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that show that short therapy with the anti-diabetic medication ...

Medicine & Health / Health

created 14 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 1

Steroid injections prove effective in treatment of lumbar disc herniations

The use of epidural steroid injections may be a more efficient treatment option for lumbar disc herniations, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day in ...

Medicine & Health / Health

created 14 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Amateur football players not always keen on returning to play after ACL injuries

Despite the known success rates of reconstructive Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery, the number of high school and collegiate football players returning to play may not be as high as anticipated, say researchers presenting ...

Medicine & Health / Health

created 14 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Study finds elevated levels of cell-free DNA in first trimester do not predict preeclampsia

In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that indicate that elevated levels of cell-free DNA in ...

Medicine & Health / Other

created 14 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

PRP treatment aids healing of elbow injuries say researchers

As elbow injuries continue to rise, especially in pitchers, procedures to help treat and get players back in the game quickly have been difficult to come by. However, a newer treatment called platelet rich plasma (PRP) may ...

Medicine & Health / Other

created 14 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0


Walney offshore wind farm is world's biggest (for now)

(PhysOrg.com) -- The Walney wind farm on the Irish Sea--characterized by high tides, waves and windy weather--officially opened this week. The farm is treated in the press as a very big deal as the Walney ...

GPS court ruling leaves US phone tracking unclear

A US Supreme Court decision requiring a warrant to place a GPS device on the car of a criminal suspect leaves unresolved the bigger issue of police tracking using mobile phones, legal experts say.

Europeans protest controversial Internet pact

Tens of thousands of people marched in protests in more than a dozen European cities Saturday against a controversial anti-online piracy pact that critics say could curtail Internet freedom.

Europe stakes billion-dollar bet on new rocket

A pencil-slim rocket is scheduled to lift into space from South America on Monday, carrying a billion-dollar bet that Europe can grab a juicy slice of the market to place satellites in low orbit.

Netflix settlement trims 14 pct off 4Q earnings

(AP) -- Netflix pressed the rewind button on its fourth-quarter earnings after settling allegations that the video subscription service violated a consumer-privacy law.

Elbow position not a predictor of injury

Elbow position alone appeared to not affect injury rates and performance in college-level, male pitchers say researchers presenting at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day in San Francisco, ...