State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University , Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
Environ Sci Technol. 2013 Sep 17;47(18):10591-600. doi: 10.1021/es401464p. Epub 2013 Aug 28.
The increased incidences of disorders of male reproductive tract as well as testicular and prostate cancers have been attributed to androgenic pollutants in the environment. Drinking water is one pathway of exposure through which humans can be exposed. In this study, both potencies of androgen receptor (AR) agonists and antagonists were determined in organic extracts of raw source water as well as finished water from waterworks, tap water, boiled water, and poured boiled water in eastern China. Ten of 13 samples of source water exhibited detectable AR antagonistic potencies with AR antagonist equivalents (Ant-AR-EQs) ranging from <15.3 (detection limit) to 140 μg flutamide/L. However, no AR agonistic activity was detected in any source water. All finished water from waterworks, tap water, boiled water, and poured boiled water exhibited neither AR agonistic nor antagonistic activity. Although potential risks are posed by source water, water treatment processes effectively removed AR antagonists. Boiling and pouring of water further removed these pollutants. Phthalate esters (PAEs) including diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) were identified as major contributors to AR antagonistic potencies in source waters. Metabolites of PAEs exhibited no AR antagonistic activity and did not increase potencies of PAEs when they coexist.
环境中的雄激素污染物被认为是导致男性生殖道疾病以及睾丸和前列腺癌发病率上升的原因。饮用水是人类暴露于其中的一种途径。在这项研究中，我们测定了中国东部水源水的有机提取物以及自来水厂处理水、自来水、煮沸水和煮开后再倒出的水中雄激素受体（AR）激动剂和拮抗剂的两种活性。13 个水源水样中有 10 个表现出可检测的 AR 拮抗活性，其 AR 拮抗剂当量（Ant-AR-EQs）范围从<15.3（检测限）到 140μg 氟他胺/L。然而，在任何水源水中均未检测到 AR 激动活性。所有来自自来水厂的处理水、自来水、煮沸水和煮开后再倒出的水均未表现出 AR 激动或拮抗活性。尽管水源水带来了潜在风险，但水处理过程有效地去除了 AR 拮抗剂。煮沸和倒水进一步去除了这些污染物。邻苯二甲酸酯（PAEs），包括邻苯二甲酸二异丁酯（DIBP）和邻苯二甲酸二丁酯（DBP），被鉴定为水源水中 AR 拮抗活性的主要贡献物。PAEs 的代谢物没有 AR 拮抗活性，当它们共存时也不会增加 PAEs 的活性。
