Environmental Pollution and Climate Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait.
Environmental Pollution and Climate Program, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2018 Apr 15;150:280-288. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.12.035. Epub 2018 Jan 4.
The pollution of coastal regions worldwide has been of a great concern due to the presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These chemicals find their way to the marine environment via the sewage treatment plants (STPs). Hence, this study was designed to investigate the status and sources of EDCs and their effect on fish in Kuwait's coastal areas, from the chemical and biological perspectives. The assessment of three STPs indicated the presence of significant levels of phthalates (19 and 31µg/l), alkylphenols (85 and 159ng/l), and estrogens (30 and 368ng/l) in both inflow and outflow samples. The analysis of samples from field exposure sites revealed significant levels of EDCs in seawater (phthalates: 2.1-4.6µg/l; alkylphenols: 1.2-16.4ng/l; estrogens: 0-36.2ng/l) and sediment (phthalates: 2.1-15.7mg/kg dry wt; alkyphenols: 2.5-15.1µg/kg dry wt.; estrogens: 4.1-214.2µg/kg dry wt.) samples. The biological perspective investigated through the exposure of fish to sewage outlets at five sites. The hepatosomatic index (HSI) revealed a higher level in winter samples 0.48-0.79%) in comparison to summer samples 1-1.5%). Histological observation of hepatic tissue of fish exposed during winter months in all sites, showed much less necrotic changes and hepatic vacuolation in the hepatic tissue of summer exposed fish. Imunnohistochemistry evidences revealed a significant level of positive signals and Vtg localization in the hepatic tissue as the results support the histopathological alterations observed. Results of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed no significant difference between the plasma protein content of winter and summer samples. Overall, the study suggest that there is possible local source or a chronic input of untreated and/or partially treated water due to the significant levels of phthalates, alkyphenols, and estrogens detected in the Kuwait Bay. These levels were enough to initiate alteration in the hepatic tissue of fish exposed to the sewage outlets in Kuwait for two weeks.
由于存在内分泌干扰化学物质 (EDCs)，全球沿海地区的污染一直是一个令人关注的问题。这些化学物质通过污水处理厂 (STP) 进入海洋环境。因此，本研究从化学和生物学角度出发，旨在调查科威特沿海地区 EDC 的状况和来源及其对鱼类的影响。对三个 STP 的评估表明，流入和流出样品中均存在大量邻苯二甲酸酯 (19 和 31µg/l)、烷基酚 (85 和 159ng/l) 和雌激素 (30 和 368ng/l)。对野外暴露点样品的分析显示，海水中 EDC 含量显著（邻苯二甲酸酯：2.1-4.6µg/l；烷基酚：1.2-16.4ng/l；雌激素：0-36.2ng/l），沉积物中 EDC 含量也显著（邻苯二甲酸酯：2.1-15.7mg/kg 干重；烷基酚：2.5-15.1µg/kg 干重；雌激素：4.1-214.2µg/kg 干重）。通过在五个地点将鱼类暴露于污水出口来研究生物学角度。在冬季样本中，肝体比指数（HSI）为 0.48-0.79%，高于夏季样本的 1-1.5%。对冬季暴露于所有地点污水出口的鱼类的肝组织进行组织学观察，结果表明，冬季暴露于污水出口的鱼类肝组织的坏死变化和肝空泡形成明显少于夏季暴露于污水出口的鱼类。免疫组织化学证据显示，肝组织中存在大量阳性信号和 Vtg 定位，这一结果支持了观察到的组织病理学变化。酶联免疫吸附试验 (ELISA) 的结果显示，冬季和夏季样本的血浆蛋白含量无显著差异。总的来说，研究表明，科威特湾中检测到的邻苯二甲酸酯、烷基酚和雌激素的水平足以引起鱼类肝组织发生变化，表明可能存在未经处理或部分处理的水的局部来源或慢性输入。这些水平足以引起在科威特污水出口暴露两周的鱼类肝组织发生变化。
