Functional estrogenic activity in rivers, water supply, and rainwater

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Toxicology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (eEDCs) pose significant risks to human and ecological health due to widespread water contamination.
• Current methods for assessing EDC contamination are limited, focusing only on targeted compounds, leaving the true extent of risk unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a novel in vitro transcription (IVT)-based reporter gene assay for detecting estrogenic activity in diverse water sources.
• To assess the sensitivity and applicability of the developed assay for environmental monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Development of an in vitro transcription (IVT)-based reporter gene assay.
• Testing the assay's sensitivity using estradiol (E2)-spiked water samples.
• Application of the assay to analyze estrogenic activity in natural, drinking, tank, rain, and bottled water.

Main Results:

• The IVT-based assay demonstrated high sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.0 pg/mL for estradiol (E2).
• Estrogenic activity was detected in most of the tested water sources, including natural, drinking, tank, rain, and bottled water.
• The findings highlight the presence of estrogenic effects from complex EDC mixtures in various water types.

Conclusions:

• The developed IVT-based reporter gene assay is a sensitive tool for detecting estrogenic activity in water.
• Improved monitoring tools are necessary to comprehensively assess the risks posed by complex mixtures of eEDCs.
• This assay provides a more complete understanding of water contamination, revealing broader human and environmental risks.