Download or read book Assessment of Streams and Aquatic Organisms in the Vicinity of Birmingham Alabama for the Presence and Biological Activity of Endocrine disrupting Chemicals written by Bryan S. Arwood and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 98 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Freshwater ecosystems play a central role in the environment. Through various processes such as nutrient recycling, groundwater recharging, and the attenuation of many pollutants these biological systems help to maintain environmental health. Unfortunately, many recent studies have identified emerging threats to these special environments and the life they sustain. One source of mounting concern is a group of compounds that interact with the endocrine systems of humans and wildlife. Known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), these natural and synthetic chemicals may mimic or interfere with the action of natural hormones--thus disrupting the endocrine system. Multiple studies have reported negative effects associated with EDCs on both the health of humans and wildlife; however more information is needed on the reproductive effects that EDCs may pose to wildlife, in particular fish inhabiting these freshwater ecosystems. Fish serve as a useful indicator of the health of an aquatic ecosystem. To this end, the scope of the current investigation provides an integrated approach in assessing the streams and aquatic organisms in the vicinity of Birmingham, Alabama for the presence and biological activity of EDCs. It follows a preliminary study conducted at several sites along the Cahaba River in which a yeast estrogen screen (YES) detected sufficient estrogenicity in water samples to imply the possible feminization of fish. Repeated samples were collected between 2012 and 2013 providing an assessment to the extent of seasonal and annual variation in estrogenic activity. Using the same YES assay as employed previously, it was determined that water samples collected at several wastewater treatment plant (WWTPs) outfalls contained estrogenic components in concentrations sufficient to cause endocrine disruption in aquatic organisms. Water samples were further analyzed using tandem liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometry and the predominant estrogenic components identified. At WWTPs where habitats were suitable, specimens of largescale stoneroller ( Campostoma oligolepis ) were collected and biomarkers of endocrine disruption evaluated. Such biomarkers included the presence of intersex, reduced gonad size in males and/or females, and reduced secondary sex characteristics within males. In each study described within this dissertation, chemical and biological evidence suggests that environmental estrogens were present at low-level concentrations during the sampling window represented here. Environmental estrogens detected in water samples from the WWTPs investigated illustrated non-significant seasonal influence of environmental concentration. Neither LC/MS nor the YES assay detected significant estrogen loading into receiving bodies of water via wastewater effluent. Additionally, biomarkers for endocrine disruption evaluated within C. oligolepis failed to detect significant differences in either histology or morphology between WWTP present and WWTP absent sites. We conclude that the WWTPs assessed in this study are not currently contributing environmental estrogens to the receiving waters in concentrations sufficient to produce discernible effects upon the fish populations within Jefferson County, Alabama; this is primarily due to their presence at low-level concentrations and intermittent persistence within receiving bodies of water.
Download or read book Scientific Investigations Report written by Sharon E. Kroening and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Assessing the TMDL Approach to Water Quality Management written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-07-24 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the last 30 years, water quality management in the United States has been driven by the control of point sources of pollution and the use of effluent-based water quality standards. Under this paradigm, the quality of the nation's lakes, rivers, reservoirs, groundwater, and coastal waters has generally improved as wastewater treatment plants and industrial dischargers (point sources) have responded to regulations promulgated under authority of the 1972 Clean Water Act. These regulations have required dischargers to comply with effluent-based standards for criteria pollutants, as specified in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits issued by the states and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Although successful, the NPDES program has not achieved the nation's water quality goals of "fishable and swimmable" waters largely because discharges from other unregulated nonpoint sources of pollution have not been as successfully controlled. Today, pollutants such as nutrients and sediment, which are often associated with nonpoint sources and were not considered criteria pollutants in the Clean Water Act, are jeopardizing water quality, as are habitat destruction, changes in flow regimes, and introduction of exotic species. This array of challenges has shifted the focus of water quality management from effluent-based to ambient- based water quality standards. Given the most recent lists of impaired waters submitted to EPA, there are about 21,000 polluted river segments, lakes, and estuaries making up over 300,000 river and shore miles and 5 million lake acres. The number of TMDLs required for these impaired waters is greater than 40,000. Under the 1992 EPA guidance or the terms of lawsuit settlements, most states are required to meet an 8- to 13-year deadline for completion of TMDLs. Budget requirements for the program are staggering as well, with most states claiming that they do not have the personnel and financial resources necessary to assess the condition of their waters, to list waters on 303d, and to develop TMDLs. A March 2000 report of the General Accounting Office (GAO) highlighted the pervasive lack of data at the state level available to set water quality standards, to determine what waters are impaired, and to develop TMDLs. This report represents the consensus opinion of the eight-member NRC committee assembled to complete this task. The committee met three times during a three-month period and heard the testimony of over 40 interested organizations and stakeholder groups. The NRC committee feels that the data and science have progressed sufficiently over the past 35 years to support the nation's return to ambient-based water quality management. Given reasonable expectations for data availability and the inevitable limits on our conceptual understanding of complex systems, statements about the science behind water quality management must be made with acknowledgment of uncertainties. This report explains that there are creative ways to accommodate this uncertainty while moving forward in addressing the nation's water quality challenges.
Download or read book Evaluating Endocrine Disruption in Receiving Waters written by P. V. Cline and published by IWA Publishing. This book was released on 2003-01-01 with total page 277 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent years, concerns have been raised that low concentrations of chemicals may alter the normal functions of the endocrine system, resulting in potentially significant adverse effects on growth, reproduction, and/or development. For domestic wastewater discharges to surface water bodies, estrogenic activity of effluents has been suggested by chemical analysis, biomarkers, and /or in vitro assays. Chemical Measurements. Using sensitive analytical techniques, natural or synthetic hormones and chemicals that mimic estrogen, have been detected in some domestic wastewater effluents and associated watersheds at low concentrations. Biomarkers. Several studies have demonstrated physiological changes in fish that may be attributed to exposure to estrogenic compounds. These include the presence of vitellogenin protein in male fish and/or intersex conditions. In vitro assays. The Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES) has been used to characterize estrogenicity of effluents, influents, biosolids and surface waters. This two-year WERF project explored approaches to evaluate the potential for biomarker formation as a result of effluent exposures, and the subsequent relevance of the emerging assays and physiological measurements on potential adverse impacts to individuals or populations of fish in the receiving streams. The endocrine system is complex, and many factors can influence the physiological measurements, including methods, sex, age, reproductive status, seasonal and circadian rhythms, diet, temperature, etc. and produce transient changes in physiology but no significant effect on the individual.
Download or read book Measuring and Addressing the Presence and Impact of Endocrine Disrupting Compounds From Anthropogenic Sources in Waterways written by Kathryn Hayden and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Similarly, detections of dexamethasone in influent coincided with increasing rates of hospitalized COVID-19 patients on ventilators. For the Penn State influent samples, detection of pharmaceuticals mostly aligned with periods of time when students were on campus. Considering the effluent, pain/fever reducers were well removed (>80% average removal efficiency) from both WWTPs. UAJA was typically better at removing antibiotics, but both WWTPs were poor in removing sulfamethoxazole (-55 to -84%), with effluent concentrations typically higher than influent concentrations. Acute risks of the pharmaceuticals on fish, daphnia, and algae were typically low, though trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole and naproxen occasionally posed high acute risks. Minimal chronic aquatic risks were observed. Risks were typically highest in February when students returned from remote learning. Overall, results from this study highlight the value/utility of wastewater surveillance during a health crisis to assess community health as well as ecological health. In general, results of the research presented in this dissertation demonstrate the importance of monitoring EDCs from households/personal care products and pharmaceuticals in waterways and the potential for citizen science to address some domestic sources of EDCs. From the increased detection of compounds from household/personal care products in surface water samples collected from 2018 to 2021, to the increased detection of select pharmaceuticals in wastewater during the COVID-19 pandemic, this research demonstrates the importance of monitoring and communicating the presence of EDCs in surface water and wastewater to stakeholders/the community. Communicating these results can help bring awareness to the presence of EDCs and shed light on potential impacts to the aquatic environment. From engaging citizen scientists in monitoring EDCs from households/personal care products and sharing information on ways to reduce EDC footprints, participants reported an increased awareness of EDCs and interest in taking actions to reduce their EDC footprint. While citizen science campaigns in this research were focused on the SRB, future studies can utilize these campaigns in other watersheds to increase awareness for and potentially help address water quality issues like EDCs in other areas. Overall, results of this dissertation highlight the presence, potential sources, and impacts of EDCs in the aquatic environment, as well as the potential for citizen science to address some of these sources to enhance water quality and protect the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Download or read book Assessment of Water Samples from the Cahaba River and Buck Creek for the Presence of Estrogenic Compounds written by Patricia Jackson and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 37 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Population Level Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals on Organisms in the Aquatic Environment written by Joanne Johnston and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Toxicological Profile for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons written by and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Biogeochemistry of Wetlands written by K. Ramesh Reddy and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2022-09-10 with total page 926 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The globally important nature of wetland ecosystems has led to their increased protection and restoration as well as their use in engineered systems. Underpinning the beneficial functions of wetlands are a unique suite of physical, chemical, and biological processes that regulate elemental cycling in soils and the water column. This book provides an in-depth coverage of these wetland biogeochemical processes related to the cycling of macroelements including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, secondary and trace elements, and toxic organic compounds. In this synthesis, the authors combine more than 100 years of experience studying wetlands and biogeochemistry to look inside the black box of elemental transformations in wetland ecosystems. This new edition is updated throughout to include more topics and provide an integrated view of the coupled nature of biogeochemical cycles in wetland systems. The influence of the elemental cycles is discussed at a range of scales in the context of environmental change including climate, sea level rise, and water quality. Frequent examples of key methods and major case studies are also included to help the reader extend the basic theories for application in their own system. Some of the major topics discussed are: Flooded soil and sediment characteristics Aerobic-anaerobic interfaces Redox chemistry in flooded soil and sediment systems Anaerobic microbial metabolism Plant adaptations to reducing conditions Regulators of organic matter decomposition and accretion Major nutrient sources and sinks Greenhouse gas production and emission Elemental flux processes Remediation of contaminated soils and sediments Coupled C-N-P-S processes Consequences of environmental change in wetlands# The book provides the foundation for a basic understanding of key biogeochemical processes and its applications to solve real world problems. It is detailed, but also assists the reader with box inserts, artfully designed diagrams, and summary tables all supported by numerous current references. This book is an excellent resource for senior undergraduates and graduate students studying ecosystem biogeochemistry with a focus in wetlands and aquatic systems.
Download or read book Toxicological Profile for Tin and Compounds written by and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Handbook of Ecotoxicology Second Edition written by David J. Hoffman and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2002-11-13 with total page 1312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Handbook of Ecotoxicology, Second Edition focuses on toxic substances and how they affect ecosystems worldwide. It presents methods for quantifying and measuring ecotoxicological effects in the field and in the lab, as well as methods for estimating, predicting, and modeling in ecotoxicology studies. Completely revised and updated with 18 new chapters, this second edition includes contributions from over 75 international experts. Also, a Technical Review Board reviewed all manuscripts for accuracy and currency. This authoritative work is the definitive reference for students, researchers, consultants, and other professionals in the environmental sciences, toxicology, chemistry, biology, and ecology - in academia, industry, and government.
Download or read book Toxicological Profile for 1 3 butadiene written by and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Toxicological Profile for Copper written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Oral Health in America written by and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 32 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Toxicological Profile for Xylene written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reducing Lead in Drinking Water written by Ronnie Levin and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reptile Biodiversity written by Roy W. McDiarmid and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2012-01-10 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Authoritative and comprehensive—provides an up-to-date description of the tool box of methods for inventorying and monitoring the diverse spectrum of reptiles. All biodiversity scientists will want to have it during project planning and as study progresses. A must for field biologists, conservation planners, and biodiversity managers.”—Jay M. Savage, San Diego State University “Kudos to the editors and contributors to this book. From the perspective of a non-ecologist such as myself, who only occasionally needs to intensively sample a particular site or habitat, the quality and clarity of this book has been well worth the wait.”—Jack W. Sites, Jr.
