HR: 0830h
AN: H51C-1067    [PDF]
TI: The Geochemical Behavior and Transport Characteristics of Xenoestrogens
AU: * Wallace, T C
EM: tcwallace@mail.utexas.edu
AF: Tania C. Wallace, University of Texas at Austin, Department of Geological Sciences, Austin, TX 78705 United States
AU: Bennett, P C
EM: pbennett@mail.utexas.edu
AF: Tania C. Wallace, University of Texas at Austin, Department of Geological Sciences, Austin, TX 78705 United States
AB: Xenoestrogens are estrogenic active synthetic chemicals that mimic the actions of female sex hormones. Xenoestrogens can be produced synthetically and naturally, and exposure can occur from a variety of sources- food additives, plastics, pesticides, or pharmaceuticals. These environmental chemicals are also known as endocrine disruptors because exposure to low doses (ng/L) have been linked to adverse effects in the reproductive and developmental stages in aquatic species (i.e. reproductive anomalies, feminization, infertility, alterations in growth during life cycles, and changes in community structures). Determining the exposure risks of these toxicological compounds, however, requires a better understanding of the geochemical behavior and transport of synthetic estrogens it is discharged to. Estrogen and its metabolites are also useful tracers because of their specific medical usage (sources from birth control pills, estrogen replacement therapy, and livestock farming), slow degradation before excretion, and unique physiochemical properties (low volatility, hydrophobicity, and high Kow). Estradiol concentrations analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) show that $<$2-55 ng/L are discharged to Walnut Creek, a stream that also connects to the Colorado River(TX). The bioavailability of these compounds is affected by sorption processes, where xenoestrogens become associated with solid phases. A series of batch sorption experiments using sediment collected from Walnut Creek downstream of an Austin waste water treatment plant and synthetic estrogen standards (Simga@ Estrone, 17B-Estradiol, and Estriol), examined the distribution of estrogen between solid and aqueous phases. Analysis of the concentrations sorbed to sediment result in Freundlich sorption isotherms using HPLC/UV techniques (High Performance Liquid Chromatography with UV detectors- 220 and 280nm). Sorption occurs rapidly with 98% of 17B-Estradiol sorbed within 30 minutes (Estriol=80%, Estrone=95%), which is compared to photolysis degradation rates under UV and a broader spectrum sun lamp. Ultraviolet/Visible (UV/VIS) spectroscopy of the estrogen standards with dilute fulvic acid may indicate complexing with organic material. The hydrophobic nature of estrogen molecules due to a phenolic group seem to play a large role in the sorption rate. This sorption may alter direct photolysis decay rates, thereby acting as both a `sunscreen' and a carrier by increasing the exposure distance and bioavailability of xenoestrogens in the aquatic environment.
DE: 1055 Organic geochemistry
DE: 1899 General or miscellaneous
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting