Concentrations of alkyphenol polyethoxylates entering UK estuaries

Concentrations of the weakly oestrogenic degradation products of alkylpheno l polyethoxylate (APE) surfactants (nonylphenol, octylphenol, nonylphenol m ono-ethoxylate and nonylphenol diethoxylate) were measured in water and sed iments from British rivers and estuaries collected during 1994 and 1995, In addition, a series of samples of tissues of wild fish from the River Aire, and from a laboratory dosing experiment were analysed for alkylphenols, to assess the degree of bioaccumulation of these compounds. Measurable concen trations of APE residues were recorded in the River Aire (15-76 mu g/l tota l extractable alkylphenols), the River Mersey (6-11 mu g/l) and the Tees es tuary (up to 76 mu g/l), These levels exceed, or are close to, the no obser ved effect concentration for the induction of vitellogenesis in caged trout (5-20 mu g/l total extractable alkylphenols), and may be sufficient to exe rt an oestrogenic effect on fish populations in these areas. A sediment sam ple from Bingley on the River Aire contained 15 mu g/g (dry weight) nonylph enol, and concentrations in sediments from the Tees and Mersey estuaries ex ceeded 1 mu g/g. These rivers receive a variety of trade waters via sewage treatment works (STW) effluents containing significant concentrations of AP E. Elsewhere, concentrations in water and sediments were near or below limi ts of detection and biological effects are unlikely, suggesting that any oe strogenic effects observed in sewage outfalls and rivers not directly impac ted by APE-containing trade-waters may be caused by other chemicals. Analys is of samples of trout muscle taken from a tank dosed at 65 mu g/l nonylphe nol indicated a bioaccumulation factor of between 90 and 125 after 3 weeks exposure. Samples of wild fish from the River Aire contained up to 0.8 mu g /g nonylphenol in the muscle, a tissue bioaccumulation factor of approximat ely 50 relative to measured concentrations in water samples. A series of fi sh samples taken from offshore for food quality assurance purposes containe d no detectable levels of APE residues (0.05-0.1 mu g/g nonylphenol), (C) 1 999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.