Characterization of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in lake sturgeon serum and gametes

Jo A Banda; Dan Gefell; Viktoriya An; Amber Bellamy; Zy Biesinger; James Boase; Justin Chiotti; Dimitry Gorsky; Timothy Robinson; Scott Schlueter; Jonah Withers; Stephanie L Hummel

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115051

Characterization of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in lake sturgeon serum and gametes

Environ Pollut. 2020 Nov;266(Pt 1):115051. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115051. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4625 Morse Road, Suite 104, Columbus, OH, 43230, USA.
² U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 3817 Luker Road, Cortland, NY, 13045, USA.
³ Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071-3332, USA.
⁴ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN, 55437, USA.
⁵ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, New York, 14013, USA.
⁶ Alpena Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office-Detroit River Substation, John D Dingell Visitor Center, 5437 West Jefferson Ave., Trenton, MI, 48183, USA.
⁷ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Fishery Center, P.O. Box 75, Lamar, PA, 16848, USA.
⁸ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN, 55437, USA. Electronic address: stephanie_hummel@fws.gov.

PMID: 32640408
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115051

Abstract

Recent research suggests contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are widespread and environmentally relevant concentrations can impact fishes. However, little is known about impacts of CECs to long-lived or rare species. The objective of this study was to characterize CEC concentrations in lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) serum and gametes. Blood serum was collected non-lethally from lake sturgeon at four lower Great Lakes basin sites: Detroit, upper Niagara, lower Niagara, and St. Lawrence rivers; additionally, gametes were collected from lake sturgeon in the St. Lawrence River. Samples were analyzed for pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Overall, 44 different PPCPs were identified in serum and gamete samples across sites, with 22 PPCPs identified in at least 25% of serum samples and three PPCPs identified in 25% of gamete samples. PPCP concentrations in serum and gametes ranged from 0.00208 to 130 ppb and 0.00538-190 ppb, respectively. NMDS ordination revealed differences in the presence and concentrations of PPCPs in lake sturgeon serum across sites, however, N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), hydrocortisone, benztropine, and amitriptyline were detected in at least one serum sample at all sites. Additionally, DEET, 10-hydroxy-amitriptyline, and sertraline were detected in ≥25% of gamete samples collected from the St. Lawrence River. Twenty-six PBDE congeners were identified in 25% of serum samples and 24 were identified in 25% of gamete samples. PBDEs in serum were present across all sites and in gametes of St. Lawrence River lake sturgeon, and total PBDE concentrations in serum and gametes ranged from 0.184 to 12.7 ppb and 0.0826-0.44 ppb, respectively. Managers of lake sturgeon populations may need to consider the impacts of CECs if reproductive, developmental, behavioral, growth effects, or mortality are observed in the Great Lakes basin or other areas that are impacted by increased exposures to PPCPs and PBDEs.

Keywords: Contaminants of emerging concern; Lake sturgeon; PBDE; Personal care products; Pharmaceuticals.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cosmetics*
Environmental Monitoring
Fishes
Germ Cells
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / analysis
Lakes
Serum / chemistry
Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

Cosmetics
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers
Water Pollutants, Chemical