Feminisation of fish

Table 5.2.
Concentrations of natural and synthetic estrogens in surface water.

 

Country

Compound

Conc. (ng/l)

LOD (ng/l)

Method

Comments

Ref.

Denmark

17b-estradiol
estrone
ethinylestradiol

< LOD – 0.8
0.2 – 3.0
< LOD – 1.5

0.4
0.4
0.5

GC-MS/MS

Concentrations in two lakes and three streams which receive no or little sewage effluent.
Little non-treated effluent might come from sparse settlements.

(2)

England

17b-estradiol
estrone
estriol
ethinylestradiol

<LOD – 7.1
0.2 – 17
< LOD – 3.1
< LOD

-
-
-
-

GC-MS

Six sites on the river Thames sampled once.
Low levels of estrogens were also found at a relatively unpolluted stretch of the Thames.

(139)

England

17b-estradiol
estrone
ethinylestradiol

< o.4 – 8.76
< o.4 – 12.22
< 0.5 – 4.6

0.4 - 1
0.4 - 1
0.5 - 1

GC-MS/MS

River Nene and Lea sampled for 28 and 14 consecutive days, respectively

(35)

Netherlands

17b-estradiol
estrone
ethinylestradiol

< 0.3 – 5.5 ( < LOD)
< 0.1- 3.4 (0.3)
< 0.1- 4.3 (< LOD)

0.3 – 0.6
0.2 – 0.3
0.1 – 0.2

GC-MS/MS

Water samples from 11 coastal /estuarine and freshwater locations (n=3 for each). Highest concentrations detected at the freshwater locations River Rhine and Meuse.
E2, E1 and EE2 detected in 4,7 and 3 of the sites, respectively.

(145)

Netherlands

17b-estradiol
estrone
ethinylestradiol

< 0.8 – 1.0
< 0.3 – 7.2
< 0.3 – 0.4

0.8 – 1.5
0.3 – 0.6
0.3 – 0.6

GC-MS/MS

Surface water from numerous streams, rivers, lakes, canals and marine areas (n = 97). E1 detected in 40-50 % of all samples. E2 and EE2 only detected above detection limit at each one site.

(6)

Germany

17b-estradiol
estrone
ethinylestradiol

< LOD
< LOD – 1.6
< LOD

0.5
0.5
0.5

GC-MS/MS

15 German rivers and streams
Only E1 detected (in 3 of 15 samples)

(144)

Germany

17b-estradiol
estrone
ethinylestradiol

0.15 – 3.6 (0.30)
0.10 – 4.1 (0.40)
0.10 – 5.1 (0.40)

0.15
0.1
0.1

HRGC-(NCI)-MS

31 water samples were analysed from the River Donau, and the Creeks Nau and Blau approximately 1 km downstream of STP effluent sites and from River Iller and three creeks. E2 , E1 and EE2 were detected above the LOD in 14, 29 and 15 of the 31 samples.

(138)

Germany

17b-estradiol
estrone
estriol
ethinylestradiol

< LOD
< LOD
< LOD
< LOD - 4

1
1
1
1

GC-MS

Five rivers. EE2 detected in 4 of 5 rivers.

(143)

Italy

17b-estradiol
estrone
estriol
ethinylestradiol

0.11
1.5
0.33
0.04

0.02
0.008
00.2
0.03

LC-ESI-MS/MS

Measured in the Tiber River downstream of small towns whose sewages are treated by perculating filter STPs or directly into the river. No estrogens were detected in the river downstream of the city of Rome despite outlets of sewage from a number of STPs.

(146)

USA

17b-estradiol
ethinylestradiol

< LOD – 2.67
< LOD - 0.52

0.1 07
0.053

RIA

Water samples from 8 locations on Detroit river and 5 on Lake Mead, Michigan
E2 detected in 10 and EE2 in 4 of 13 locations

(147)

USA

17b-estradiol
ethinylestradiol

0.08 – 0.80
< LOD

0.05
0.05

ELISA

Sacramento Delta and Colorado river

(148)

E1: estrone, E2: 17ß-estradiol, EE2: ethinylestradiol
LOD: limit of detection.
1 The figure in parentheses is the median concentration
P.E.: population equivalents
GC-MS: Gas Chromatography- Mass Spectrometry
LC.MS: Liquid Chromatography ElectroSpray - Mass Spectrometry
LC-ESI-MS/MS: Liquid Chromatography ElectroSpray Ion tandem Mass Spectrometry
HRGC-(NCI)-MS: High Resolution Gas Chromatography with Negative Chemical Ionisation Mass Spectrometric detection
RIA: radioimmuno assay
ELISA: Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay
In some cases there are discrepancies between the LOD of the analysis and the actual lowest assessed concentration.
This probably exist because some runs allow a lower LOD than the most commonly used LOD.