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Dioxin-like activity in sediments from Tai Lake, China determined by use of the H4IIE-luc bioassay and quantification of individual AhR agonists

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Abstract

Deterioration of the general ecosystem and specifically quality of the water in Tai Lake (Ch: Taihu), the third largest freshwater in China, is of great concern. However, knowledge on status and trends of dioxin-like compounds in Tai Lake was limited. This study investigated AhR-mediated potency and quantified potential aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists in sediments from four regions (Meiliang Bay, Zhushan Lake, Lake Center, Corner of Zhushan Lake, and Meiliang Bay) of Tai Lake by use of the in vitro H4IIE-luc, cell-based, transactivation, reporter gene assay, and instrumental analysis. Concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (Bio-TEQs) in sediments ranged from less than the limit of detection to 114.5 pg/g, dry weight, which indicated that organic extracts of sediments exhibited significant AhR-mediated potencies. Results of the potency balance analysis demonstrated that acid-labile, dioxin-like compounds represented a greater proportion of concentrations of Bio-TEQs in sediments from Tai Lake. Concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents calculated as the sum of the product of concentrations of individual congeners and their respective relative potencies (Chem-TEQs) based on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polychlorinated biphenyls represented no more than 10 % of the total concentrations of Bio-TEQs.

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Acknowledgments

The research was supported by the Environmental Protection Public Welfare Scientific Research Project, State Environmental Protection Administration People’s Republic of China (grant no. 201209016), Jiangsu Provincial Key Technology R&D Program (#BE2011776). Prof. Giesy was supported by the program of 2012 "High Level Foreign Experts" (#GDW20123200120) funded by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, China as well as the Canada Research Chair program, an at large Chair Professorship at the Department of Biology and Chemistry and State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, the Einstein Professor Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Prof. Zhang was supported by a Program of the Ministry of Education of China for New Century Excellent Talents in Universities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210089, China

    Jie Xia, Guanyong Su, Xiaowei Zhang, Wei Shi, John P. Giesy & Hongxia Yu

  2. Department of Biomedical Veterinary Sciences and Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B3, Canada

    John P. Giesy

  3. Department of Biology & Chemistry, State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    John P. Giesy

  4. School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    John P. Giesy

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  1. Jie Xia
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  2. Guanyong Su
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  3. Xiaowei Zhang
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  4. Wei Shi
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  5. John P. Giesy
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Correspondence to Xiaowei Zhang or Hongxia Yu.

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Responsible editor: Henner Hollert

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Xia, J., Su, G., Zhang, X. et al. Dioxin-like activity in sediments from Tai Lake, China determined by use of the H4IIE-luc bioassay and quantification of individual AhR agonists. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 1480–1488 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-2018-x

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