Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 May 25;8(5):e09534.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09534. eCollection 2022 May.

Bioanalytical and chemical-specific screening of contaminants of concern in three California (USA) watersheds

Keith A Maruya  1 , Wenjian Lao  1 , Darcy R Vandervort  1 , Richard Fadness  2 , Michael Lyons  3 , Alvine C Mehinto  1
Affiliations

Bioanalytical and chemical-specific screening of contaminants of concern in three California (USA) watersheds

Keith A Maruya et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

To broaden the scope of contaminants monitored in human-impacted riverine systems, water, sediment, and treated wastewater effluent were analyzed using receptor-based cell assays that provide an integrated response to chemicals based on their mode of biological activity. Samples were collected from three California (USA) watersheds with varying degrees of urbanization and discharge from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). To complement cell assay results, samples were also analyzed for a suite of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) using gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC- and LC-MS/MS). For most water and sediment samples, bioassay equivalent concentrations for estrogen and glucocorticoid receptor assays (ER- and GR-BEQs, respectively) were near or below reporting limits. Measured CEC concentrations compared to monitoring trigger values established by a science advisory panel indicated minimal to moderate concern in water but suggested that select pesticides (pyrethroids and fipronil) had accumulated to levels of greater concern in river sediments. Integrating robust, standardized bioanalytical tools such as the ER and GR assays utilized in this study into existing chemical-specific monitoring and assessment efforts will enhance future CEC monitoring efforts in impacted riverine systems and coastal watersheds.

Keywords: Aquatic ecosystems; Bioanalytical screening; Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs); Estrogen receptor; Glucocorticoid receptor; Water quality.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of CECs detected in water, sediment and treated wastewater effluent samples from the Russian River watershed. Study stations are abbreviated as: Clo – Cloverdale effluent; Uki – Ukiah effluent; Mon – Monte Rio, Mir – Mirabel, Pin – Piner Creek; Lyt – Lytton Springs Creek; SRos – Santa Rosa Creek; Air – Airport; ERob – El Roble; Pul – Pull Out.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of CECs detected in water and sediment samples from the Los Angeles River and San Gabriel River watersheds.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Bai X, et al. Occurrence, distribution, and seasonality of emerging contaminants in urban watersheds. Chemosphere. 2018;200:133–142. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Brack W., Altenburger R., Schüürmann G., Krauss M., López Herráez D., van Gils J., Slobodnik J., Munthe J., Gawlik B.M., van Wezel A., Schriks M., Hollender J., Tollefsen K.E., Mekenyan O., Dimitrov S., Bunke D., Cousins I., Posthuma L., van den Brink P.J., López de Alda M., Barceló D., Faust M., Kortenkamp A., Scrimshaw M., Ignatova S., Engelen G., Massmann G., Lemkine G., Teodorovic I., Walz K.H., Dulio V., Jonker M.T., Jäger F., Chipman K., Falciani F., Liska I., Rooke D., Zhang X., Hollert H., Vrana B., Hilscherova K., Kramer K., Neumann S., Hammerbacher R., Backhaus T., Mack J., Segner H., Escher B., de Aragão Umbuzeiro G. The SOLUTIONS project: challenges and responses for present and future emerging pollutants in land and water resources management. Sci. Total Environ. 2015;503–504:22–31. - PubMed
    1. Bradley P, et al. Expanded Target-Chemical Analysis Reveals Extensive Mixed- Organic-Contaminant Exposure in U.S. Streams. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2017;51:4792–4802. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Conley J, et al. Occurrence and in vitro bioactivity of estrogen, androgen, and glucocorticoid compounds in a nationwide screen of United States stream waters. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2017;51:4781–4791. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Crago J., Xu E.G., Kupsco A., Jia F., Mehinto A.C., Lao W., Maruya K.A., Gan J., Schlenk D. In vitro bioassessment of trophic transfer and comparisons with field monitoring of residues and effects of DDTs in sediments and male hornyhead turbot (Pleuronichthys verticalis) of Palos Verdes, CA (USA) Environ. Pollut. 2016;213:940–948. - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources