Environmental Health: Pharmaceuticals and other

Emerging Contaminants in the Water

Paige NovakCivil Engineering

University of Minnesota

June 12, 2010National Caucus of Environmental Legislators

3rd Annual Mississippi River States Environmental Forum

How does water become contaminated?

Industrial Chemicals

Pharmaceuticals(birth control, antidepressants,

caffeine)Lawn Chemicals

Surfactants

PesticidesHerbicidesHormones

Partial removal

What is the problem?Endocrine disruptors, phytoestrogens, estrogenic compounds, and other pharmaceuticals have been observed in streams and wastewater treatment plant discharges throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia e.g., Jobling et al., 1998; Ternes et al., 1999; Holbrook et al., 2002; Kolpin et al., 2002; Joss et al., 2004; Pojana et al., 2004; Lundgren and Novak, 2009

What compounds are present? DEET Triclosan Bisphenol A Caffeine Phytoestrogens OTC medications

(acetaminophen) Antibiotics (trimethoprim,

sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin) Estrogens (estradiol, estriol,

estrone)

USGS measured concentration of 95 Organic Wastewater Contaminants (OWCs)in water samples from a network of 139 streams across 30 states during 1999 and 2000

Kolpin et al., 2002. ES&T, 36:1202-1211.

What is the problem?A recent study that looked at 19 drinking water utilities found OWC as well; commonly found: Carbamazapine

(anticonvulsant) Estrone (estrogen) Gemfibrozil (antilipodemic) Sulfamethoxazole &

trimethoprim (antibiotics) TCEP (flame retardant)

Benotti et al., 2009, ES&T

What are some effects?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Upstream Downstream

18-Jun-04

Sex,

in P

erce

nt

Female Male

Fish feminization

Intersex 0% 19% Vajda et al., 2008

What are some effects? A recent paper showed

intersex fish across the country (Hinck et al., 2009)

73% of the smallmouth bass caught at Lake City, MN were intersex

From Hinck et al., 2009

0.000

0.200

0.400

0.600

0.800

1.000

FLX NFLX SER NSER PRX CIT FLV BUP VEN DLXAntidepressant

FMC 4*FMC4 (n=17)FishWater

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

FLX NFLX SER NSER PRX CIT FLV BUP VEN DLXAntidepressant

FMC 2FMC2 (n=20)WaterFish

Fourmile Creek, IA

At WWTP outfall

8 km below outfallSchultz et al., 2010

210 ng/L

40 ng/L

3 ng/g

0.6 ng/g

102 ng/L

20 ng/L

1.8 ng/g

1.2 ng/g

What are some other effects?

Triclosan alters tadpole development at environmentally-relevant concentrations

Triclosan reacts with sunlight to form several dioxins Estrogens and wastewater treatment plant effluent

changes the behavior and reproductive efficacy of fathead minnows

Prozac (fluoxetine) and its metabolite (norfluoxetine) induce spawning in freshwater mussels

Ethynylestradiol (in birthcontrol pills) was shown to cause near-extinction of fathead minnows at environmentally-relevant concentrations

Genistein exposure in-utero has been shown to lead to obesity later in life in rats

Chemical signals pass through the blood and bind to cells in the target organ; initiates physiochemical response

Crucial for reproductive function, development, also immune function, adult diseases (obesity, diabetes)

Secreting cell Target cell

Receptor

Natural hormone

Physiochemicalresponse

Hormones

Secreting cell Target cell

Receptor

External chemical

Physiochemicalresponse

Chemical signals pass through the blood and bind to cells in the target organ; initiates physiochemical response

Crucial for reproductive function, development, also immune function, adult diseases (obesity, diabetes)

Hormones

Target cell

Receptor

External hormone or estrogen mimic

UnintendedPhysiochemical

response

Chemical signals pass through the blood and bind to cells in the target organ; initiates physiochemical response

Crucial for reproductive function, development, also immune function, adult diseases (obesity, diabetes)

Hormones

What are we seeing in humans?

Aksglaede et al. Pediatrics 2009

The effect could not be explained by change in BMI

Slide from H. Patisaul and D. Kriebel

Slide from D. Kriebel

Swan et al. Env. Health Perspectives 2000

What are we seeing in humans?

Slide from D. Kriebel

WHY? Diet? Psychosocial stress? Chemicals, including environmental

contaminants?

What are the exposure routes for humans?

Drinking water is a possibility, but exposure through product use and foods is likely to be much greater

What can we do?1. Improve treatment

Support research on improving treatment Support water/wastewater treatment upgrades

2. Stop discharge/use Understand economics/behavioral science (why

do people use various products and what are they willing to pay to remove them from our water?)

Limit use or accessibility (ban?) of various products (triclosan, bisphenol A, flame retardants)

Support drug take-back programs

How much is the Mississippi River ecosystem and water

quality worth?