In vitro thyroid disrupting effects of organic extracts from WWTPs in Beijing

• Published in: Journal of environmental sciences (China) Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 671 - 675
• Main Authors: Li, Na, Ma, Mei, Rao, Kaifeng, Wang, Zijian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-01-2011; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100085, China
• Subjects: Biological Assay; Chemicals; China; Complex Mixtures - toxicity; effluents; Endocrine Disruptors - toxicity; endocrine-disrupting chemicals; growth and development; Humans; Organic Chemicals - toxicity; Receptors, Thyroid Hormone - agonists; Receptors, Thyroid Hormone - antagonists & inhibitors; recombinant yeast assay; sewage; Thyroid Gland - drug effects; thyroid receptor; two hybrid system techniques; Waste Disposal, Fluid; wastewater; wastewater treatment; Water Purification; 内分泌干扰物; 干扰效应; 废水处理厂; 有机提取物; 污水处理厂; 甲状腺激素受体; China; China, People's Rep., Beijing; thyroid receptor; recombinant yeast assay; wastewater
• ISSN: 1001-0742; 1878-7320
• DOI: 10.1016/S1001-0742(10)60461-5

It is generally known that there are many endocrine disrupting compounds （EDCs） in the effluents from wastewater treatment plants （WWTPs）. Most research has focused on the occurrence of estrogenic or androgenic activities, while ignoring that there are environmental chemicals disrupting thyroid system, which is essential for growth and development in both humans and animals. In the present work, a two-hybrid yeast assay was conducted to evaluate the removal efficiencies of agonistic or antagonistic thyroid receptor （TR） mediated effects in different treatment processes of three WWTPs located in Beijing. We found no TR agonistic, but TR antagonistic activities in all processes from the WWTPs. The TR antagonistic activities in organic extracts of water samples were then calibrated regarding to a known TR-inhibitor, amiodarone hydrochloride （AH）. The observed concentration of TR disrupting substances ranged from 2.35 × 10 8 to 6.19 × 10 7 mol/L AH in Gaobeidian WWTP, 3.76 × 10 8 to 8.75 × 10 8 mol/L AH in Lugouqiao WWTP, and 4.80 × 10 9 to 2.55 × 10 8 mol/L AH in Beixiaohe WWTP. Of the three WWTPs, the removal rates were 92.7%, 42.2%, and 23.1% respectively. Industrial sewage may contain more TR disrupting substances compared with domestic sewage. The recipient waters were found to contain considerable concentrations of TR disrupting substances that may cause adverse effects on the exposed organisms.