Identification, test and comparison of analysis methods of
urban wastewaters estrogenic activity
Julie BLAVIER (FRIA), Spiros AGATHOS, Frédéric DEBASTE
Transfers, Interfaces et Processes (TIPs), U.L.B.
[email protected], [email protected]
Micropollutants are
• anthropogenic molecules found in urban
wastewaters at low concentrations (μg/l, ng/l)
• ubiquitous in everyday products
• not efficiently removed by wastewater
treatments plants (WWTP)
Bisphenol A
Estradiol
Triclosan
Nonylphenol
• Most of micropollutants are estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (e-EDCs):
They mimick, disturb or block female sexual hormone activity, therefore disrupting hormonal balance of
organisms.
General objective : Develop and scale up a wastewaters treatment process based on enzymatic
degradation of estrogenic micropollutants.
Specific objective : To evaluate the real efficiency of WWTP and search for improvement solutions: Need
to optimise ANALYSIS TECHNOLOGIES of e-EDCs concentrations in WWTP effluents
Focus on overall estrogenic activity of effluents
Several methods in literature for
evaluating estrogenic activity but no
consensus between authors :
Metabolic response of
living organisms
« Smart sensors »
(fluorescent tadpoles,
zebrafish)
• No information on
molecules involved
• Intensity of
estrogenic activity
Reaction of target
cells in culture
• Information on
molecules involved
• Estrogenic activity
to be calculated
Interaction of proteins
(receptor/hormone)
outside their cells
Yeast Estrogen Screen Assay
(YES)
Recombinant yeast strains
expressing human estrogen
receptor along with a βgalactosidase reporter gene.
J. Blavier and F. Debaste acknowledge financial support from the F. N.R.S., Belgium.
Poster Presentation – ENVITAM-GEPROC PhD Student day - 8 February 2012
Enzyme-linked receptor assay
(ELRA)