University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC) and Environmental Chemical Pollution and Health (ECPH) Research Unit, Pretoria, South Africa.
School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 Apr;27(12):13939-13948. doi: 10.1007/s11356-020-07966-3. Epub 2020 Feb 8.
The contribution of veterinary growth promoters (VGP) to the environmental burden of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is largely unknown. At cattle feedlots, the excrement of cattle may contain VGPs, which can contaminate aquatic systems and pose reproductive health risks. The study identifies VGPs used at cattle feedlots in South Africa and confirms associated estrogenic activity in feedlot runoff water. Using a rat model, we investigate the potential reproductive health effects and thyroid function of an environmentally relevant mixture of VGPs. Collected water samples had low levels of selected VGPs, and estrogenic activity was detected in the T47D-KBluc bioassay. Rats exposed to VGP had significant adverse effects on male reproductive health, including shortened anogenital distance, lowered sperm counts, disorganized seminiferous tubules, and thyroid parameters. In conclusion, VGP can contribute to complex environmental EDC mixtures and may adversely affect the reproductive and thyroid health of both humans and wildlife. The varied topography of individual cattle feedlots will govern the rate and extent of effluent runoff, thus continuous monitoring of VGPs in aquatic systems surrounding cattle feedlots is necessary.
兽用生长促进剂（VGP）对环境内分泌干扰物（EDCs）负担的贡献在很大程度上尚不清楚。在牛饲养场，牛的粪便可能含有 VGPs，这可能会污染水生系统并对生殖健康构成风险。本研究确定了南非牛饲养场使用的 VGPs，并证实了饲养场径流水中存在相关的雌激素活性。使用大鼠模型，我们研究了环境相关 VGP 混合物对生殖健康和甲状腺功能的潜在影响。采集的水样中含有低水平的选定 VGPs，并且在 T47D-KBluc 生物测定中检测到雌激素活性。接触 VGP 的大鼠对雄性生殖健康产生了重大不利影响，包括缩短肛殖距、降低精子计数、曲细精管紊乱和甲状腺参数。总之，VGP 可能会促成复杂的环境 EDC 混合物，并可能对人类和野生动物的生殖和甲状腺健康产生不利影响。各个牛饲养场的地形差异将决定废水径流的速度和范围，因此需要对牛饲养场周围的水生系统中 VGP 进行持续监测。
