Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Bioassay of estrogenicity and chemical analyses of estrogens in streams across the United States associated with livestock operations

September 18, 2013

Animal manures, used as a nitrogen source for crop production, are often associated with negative impacts on nutrient levels in surface water. The concentrations of estrogens in streams from these manures also are of concern due to potential endocrine disruption in aquatic species. Streams associated with livestock operations were sampled by discrete samples (n = 38) or by time-integrated polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS,n = 19). Samples were analyzed for estrogens by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MSM2) and estrogenic activity was assessed by three bioassays: Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES), T47D-KBluc Assay, MCF-7 Estrogenicity Screen (E-Screen). Samples were collected from 19 streams within small (∼1-30 km2) watersheds in 12 U.S. states representing a range of hydrogeologic conditions, dominated by: dairy (3), grazing beef (3), feedlot cattle (1); swine (5); poultry (3); and 4 areas where no livestock were raised or manure was applied. Water samples were consistently below the United Kingdom proposed Lowest Observable Effect Concentration for 17b-estradiol in fish (10 ng/L) in all watersheds, regardless of land use. Estrogenic activity was often higher in samples during runoff conditions following a period of manure application. Estrone was the most commonly detected estrogen (13 of 38 water samples, mean 1.9, maximum 8.3 ng/L). Because of the T47D-KBluc assay’s sensitivity towards estrone (1.4 times 17β-estradiol) it was the most sensitive method for detecting estrogens, followed by the E-Screen, GC-MS2, and YES. POCIS resulted in more frequent detections of estrogens than discrete water samples across all sites, even when applying the less-sensitive YES bioassay to the POCIS extracts.

Publication Year 2013
Title Bioassay of estrogenicity and chemical analyses of estrogens in streams across the United States associated with livestock operations
DOI 10.1016/j.watres.2013.03.028
Authors David A. Alvarez, Nancy W. Shappell, L.O. Billey, Dietrich S. Bermudez, Vickie S. Wilson, Dana W. Kolpin, Stephanie D. Perkins, Nicola Evans, William T. Foreman, James L. Gray, J.M. Shipitalo, Michael T. Meyer
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Water Research
Index ID 70048234
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Columbia Environmental Research Center; National Water Quality Laboratory