Time evolution of estrogen contamination in the Scheldt estuary

Yuwei Jia; Xiao Jian; Wei Gao; Guanlei Li; Martine Leermakers; Marc Elskens; Willy Baeyens; Yue Gao

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177432

Time evolution of estrogen contamination in the Scheldt estuary

Yuwei Jia, Xiao Jian, Wei Gao, Guanlei Li, Martine Leermakers, Marc Elskens, Willy Baeyens, Yue Gao

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Abstract

Estrogens are contaminants in the Scheldt estuary due to a dense population and intense industrial and anthropogenic activities, but their levels and evolution in this estuary are not well studied. Here we investigated estrogenic activity (EA) in the dissolved, particulate and sediment compartments of the estuary using the Estrogen Receptor (ER)-Chemical Activated Luciferase Gene Expression (CALUX) bioassay, in recent and historical samples. EA ranges between 7–168, 2.16–22.5 and 1.8–38.2 pg E2-equivalents/g in the dissolved, particulate and sediment phases of the Scheldt, respectively. The partitioning coefficient (Kd) between the particulate and dissolved phases is about 2000 L/kg. EA levels in the estuarine sediments decreased during the last 40 years, but the strongest decrease, from 112 to 28 pg E2-equivalents/g, is observed in the upper estuary. The mass
loadings of dissolved and particulate estrogens discharged into the North Sea amount to 7.5 and 1.6 μg /s, respectively. Future monitoring of the estrogen levels in various compartments of the Scheldt is necessary considering its strong environmental impact on living organisms and human beings.

Original language	English
Article number	177432
Pages (from-to)	1-9
Number of pages	9
Journal	Science of the Total Environment
Volume	957
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177432
Publication status	Published - 20 Dec 2024

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
FWO and NSFC are thanked for awarding the mobility project (VS03323N) to W. Guo and Y. Gao. We would like to thank Chinese Scholar Council (CSC) Scholarship for Yuwei Jia (No. 202006750030) and Guanlei Li (No. 202207650057).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

Time evolution of estrogen activity
Estrogen Receptor - Chemical Activated Luciferase Gene Expression bioassay
Scheldt estuary
Dissolved and particulate estrogen levels
Mass load

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10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177432

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title = "Time evolution of estrogen contamination in the Scheldt estuary",

abstract = "Estrogens are contaminants in the Scheldt estuary due to a dense population and intense industrial and anthropogenic activities, but their levels and evolution in this estuary are not well studied. Here we investigated estrogenic activity (EA) in the dissolved, particulate and sediment compartments of the estuary using the Estrogen Receptor (ER)-Chemical Activated Luciferase Gene Expression (CALUX) bioassay, in recent and historical samples. EA ranges between 7–168, 2.16–22.5 and 1.8–38.2 pg E2-equivalents/g in the dissolved, particulate and sediment phases of the Scheldt, respectively. The partitioning coefficient (Kd) between the particulate and dissolved phases is about 2000 L/kg. EA levels in the estuarine sediments decreased during the last 40 years, but the strongest decrease, from 112 to 28 pg E2-equivalents/g, is observed in the upper estuary. The massloadings of dissolved and particulate estrogens discharged into the North Sea amount to 7.5 and 1.6 μg /s, respectively. Future monitoring of the estrogen levels in various compartments of the Scheldt is necessary considering its strong environmental impact on living organisms and human beings.",

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note = "Funding Information: FWO and NSFC are thanked for awarding the mobility project (VS03323N) to W. Guo and Y. Gao. We would like to thank Chinese Scholar Council (CSC) Scholarship for Yuwei Jia (No. 202006750030) and Guanlei Li (No. 202207650057). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 Elsevier B.V.",

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AU - Leermakers, Martine

AU - Elskens, Marc

AU - Baeyens, Willy

AU - Gao, Yue

N1 - Funding Information: FWO and NSFC are thanked for awarding the mobility project (VS03323N) to W. Guo and Y. Gao. We would like to thank Chinese Scholar Council (CSC) Scholarship for Yuwei Jia (No. 202006750030) and Guanlei Li (No. 202207650057). Publisher Copyright: © 2024 Elsevier B.V.

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Y1 - 2024/12/20

N2 - Estrogens are contaminants in the Scheldt estuary due to a dense population and intense industrial and anthropogenic activities, but their levels and evolution in this estuary are not well studied. Here we investigated estrogenic activity (EA) in the dissolved, particulate and sediment compartments of the estuary using the Estrogen Receptor (ER)-Chemical Activated Luciferase Gene Expression (CALUX) bioassay, in recent and historical samples. EA ranges between 7–168, 2.16–22.5 and 1.8–38.2 pg E2-equivalents/g in the dissolved, particulate and sediment phases of the Scheldt, respectively. The partitioning coefficient (Kd) between the particulate and dissolved phases is about 2000 L/kg. EA levels in the estuarine sediments decreased during the last 40 years, but the strongest decrease, from 112 to 28 pg E2-equivalents/g, is observed in the upper estuary. The massloadings of dissolved and particulate estrogens discharged into the North Sea amount to 7.5 and 1.6 μg /s, respectively. Future monitoring of the estrogen levels in various compartments of the Scheldt is necessary considering its strong environmental impact on living organisms and human beings.

AB - Estrogens are contaminants in the Scheldt estuary due to a dense population and intense industrial and anthropogenic activities, but their levels and evolution in this estuary are not well studied. Here we investigated estrogenic activity (EA) in the dissolved, particulate and sediment compartments of the estuary using the Estrogen Receptor (ER)-Chemical Activated Luciferase Gene Expression (CALUX) bioassay, in recent and historical samples. EA ranges between 7–168, 2.16–22.5 and 1.8–38.2 pg E2-equivalents/g in the dissolved, particulate and sediment phases of the Scheldt, respectively. The partitioning coefficient (Kd) between the particulate and dissolved phases is about 2000 L/kg. EA levels in the estuarine sediments decreased during the last 40 years, but the strongest decrease, from 112 to 28 pg E2-equivalents/g, is observed in the upper estuary. The massloadings of dissolved and particulate estrogens discharged into the North Sea amount to 7.5 and 1.6 μg /s, respectively. Future monitoring of the estrogen levels in various compartments of the Scheldt is necessary considering its strong environmental impact on living organisms and human beings.

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Time evolution of estrogen contamination in the Scheldt estuary

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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