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Pilot study of global endocrine disrupting activity in Iowa public drinking water utilities using cell-based assays.

ABSTRACT: Some anthropogenic substances in drinking water are known or suspected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), but EDCs are not routinely measured. We conducted a pilot study of 10 public drinking water utilities in Iowa, where common contaminants (e.g., pesticides) are suspected EDCs. Raw (untreated) and finished (treated) drinking water samples were collected in spring and fall and concentrated using solid phase extraction. We assessed multiple endocrine disrupting activities using novel mammalian cell-based assays that express nuclear steroid receptors (aryl hydrocarbon [AhR], androgenic [AR], thyroid [TR], estrogenic [ER] and glucocorticoid [GR]). We quantified each receptor's activation relative to negative controls and compared activity by season and utility/sample characteristics. Among 62 samples, 69% had AhR, 52% AR, 3% TR, 2% ER, and 0% GR activity. AhR and AR activities were detected more frequently in spring (p =0 .002 and < 0.001, respectively). AR activity was more common in samples of raw water (p =0 .02) and from surface water utilities (p =0 .05), especially in fall (p =0 .03). Multivariable analyses suggested spring season, surface water, and nitrate and disinfection byproduct concentrations as determinants of bioactivity. Our results demonstrate that AR and AhR activities are commonly found in Iowa drinking water, and that their detection varies by season and utility/sample characteristics. Screening EDCs with cell-based bioassays holds promise for characterizing population exposure to diverse EDCs mixtures.

SUBMITTER: Jones RR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8459208 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Pilot study of global endocrine disrupting activity in Iowa public drinking water utilities using cell-based assays.

Jones Rena R RR Stavreva Diana A DA Weyer Peter J PJ Varticovski Lyuba L Inoue-Choi Maki M Medgyesi Danielle N DN Chavis Nicole N Graubard Barry I BI Cain Terence T Wichman Michael M Beane Freeman Laura E LE Hager Gordon L GL Ward Mary H MH

The Science of the total environment 20191226

Some anthropogenic substances in drinking water are known or suspected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), but EDCs are not routinely measured. We conducted a pilot study of 10 public drinking water utilities in Iowa, where common contaminants (e.g., pesticides) are suspected EDCs. Raw (untreated) and finished (treated) drinking water samples were collected in spring and fall and concentrated using solid phase extraction. We assessed multiple endocrine disrupting activities using novel mammal ...[more]

PMID: 32018941

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Dataset Information

Pilot study of global endocrine disrupting activity in Iowa public drinking water utilities using cell-based assays.

Publications

Pilot study of global endocrine disrupting activity in Iowa public drinking water utilities using cell-based assays.

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