Skip to main content
Log in

Characterization of endocrine disruptors from a complex matrix using estrogen receptor affinity columns and high performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry

  • Ecotoxicology and Environmental Toxicology : new concepts, new tools
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Complex mixtures of contaminants with potential adverse effects on human health and wildlife are found in the environment and in the food chain. These mixtures include numerous anthropogenic compounds of various origins and structures, which may behave as endocrine disruptors. Mixture’s complexity is further enhanced by biotic and abiotic transformations. It is therefore necessary to develop new strategies allowing the identification of the structure of known, as well as unknown, nuclear receptor (NR) ligands present in complex matrices. We explored the possibility to use NR-based affinity columns to characterize the presence of bioactive molecules in environmental complex mixtures. Estrogen receptor α (ERα)-based affinity columns were used to trap and purify estrogenic substances present in surface sediment samples collected in a French river under mixed anthropogenic pressure. We combined biological, biochemical and analytical approaches to characterize the structure of ligands retained on columns and demonstrate the presence of known active molecules such as bisphenol A and octylphenol, but also of unexpected ERα ligands (n-butylparaben, hydroxyl-methyl-benzofuranone). High resolution mass spectrometry results demonstrate that ERα affinity columns can be used for the isolation, purification and identification of known as well as unknown estrogenic contaminants present in complex matrices.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aerni HR, Kobler B, Rutishauser BV, Wettstein FE, Fischer R, Giger W, Hungerbuhler A, Marazuela MD, Peter A, Schonenberger R, Vogeli AC, Suter MJ, Eggen RI (2004) Combined biological and chemical assessment of estrogenic activities in wastewater treatment plant effluents. Anal Bioanal Chem 378:688–696

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Akingbemi BT, Sottas CM, Koulova AI, Klinefelter GR, Hardy MP (2004) Inhibition of testicular steroidogenesis by the xenoestrogen bisphenol A is associated with reduced pituitary luteinizing hormone secretion and decreased steroidogenic enzyme gene expression in rat Leydig cells. Endocrinology 145:592–603

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alonso-Magdalena P, Ropero AB, Soriano S, Garcia-Arevalo M, Ripoll C, Fuentes E, Quesada I, Nadal A (2012) Bisphenol-A acts as a potent estrogen via non-classical estrogen triggered pathways. Mol Cell Endocrinol 355:201–207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balaguer P, Francois F, Comunale F, Fenet H, Boussioux AM, Pons M, Nicolas JC, Casellas C (1999) Reporter cell lines to study the estrogenic effects of xenoestrogens. Sci Total Environ 233:47–56

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balaguer P, Boussioux AM, Demirpence E, Nicolas JC (2001) Reporter cell lines are useful tools for monitoring biological activity of nuclear receptor ligands. Luminescence 16:153–158

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bateman KP, Kellmann M, Muenster H, Papp R, Taylor L (2009) Quantitative-qualitative data acquisition using a benchtop Orbitrap mass spectrometer. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 20:1441–1450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernhard M, Muller J, Knepper TP (2006) Biodegradation of persistent polar pollutants in wastewater: comparison of an optimised lab-scale membrane bioreactor and activated sludge treatment. Water Res 40:3419–3428

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blair RM, Fang H, Branham WS, Hass BS, Dial SL, Moland CL, Tong W, Shi L, Perkins R, Sheehan DM (2000) The estrogen receptor relative binding affinities of 188 natural and xenochemicals: structural diversity of ligands. Toxicol Sci 54:138–153

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brack W (2003) Effect-directed analysis: a promising tool for the identification of organic toxicants in complex mixtures? Anal Bioanal Chem 377:397–407

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Byford JR, Shaw LE, Drew MG, Pope GS, Sauer MJ, Darbre PD (2002) Oestrogenic activity of parabens in MCF7 human breast cancer cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 80:49–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Celiz MD, Tso J, Aga DS (2009) Pharmaceutical metabolites in the environment: analytical challenges and ecological risks. Environ Toxicol Chem 28:2473–2484

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colborn T (1995) Pesticides—how research has succeeded and failed to translate science into policy: endocrinological effects on wildlife. Environ Health Perspect 103(Suppl 6):81–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colborn T, vom Saal FS, Soto AM (1993) Developmental effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in wildlife and humans. Environ Health Perspect 101:378–384

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Creusot N, Budzinski H, Balaguer P, Kinani S, Porcher JM, Aït-Aïssa S (2013) Effect-directed analysis of endocrine disrupting compounds in multi-contaminated sediment: identification of novel ligands of estrogen and pregnane X receptors. Anal Bioanal Chem. doi:10.1007/s00216-013-6708-5 (in press)

  • Creusot N, Kinani S, Balaguer P, Tapie N, LeMenach K, Maillot-Marechal E, Porcher JM, Budzinski H, Ait-Aissa S (2010) Evaluation of an hPXR reporter gene assay for the detection of aquatic emerging pollutants: screening of chemicals and application to water samples. Anal Bioanal Chem 396:569–583

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dagnino S, Gomez E, Picot B, Cavailles V, Casellas C, Balaguer P, Fenet H (2012) Estrogenic and AhR activities in dissolved phase and suspended solids from wastewater treatment plants. Sci Total Environ 408:2608–2615

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darbre PD, Aljarrah A, Miller WR, Coldham NG, Sauer MJ, Pope GS (2004) Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumours. J Appl Toxicol 24:5–13

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Datta S, Loyo-Rosales JE, Rice CP (2002) A simple method for the determination of trace levels of alkylphenolic compounds in fish tissue using pressurized fluid extraction, solid phase cleanup, and high-performance liquid chromatography fluorescence detection. J Agric Food Chem 50:1350–1354

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Diamanti-Kandarakis E, Bourguignon JP, Giudice LC, Hauser R, Prins GS, Soto AM, Zoeller RT, Gore AC (2009) Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocr Rev 30:293–342

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eggen RI, Segner H (2003) The potential of mechanism-based bioanalytical tools in ecotoxicological exposure and effect assessment. Anal Bioanal Chem 377:386–396

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Elder RL (1984) The cosmetic ingredient review—a safety evaluation program. J Am Acad Dermatol 11:1168–1174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez E, Pillon A, Fenet H, Rosain D, Duchesne MJ, Nicolas JC, Balaguer P, Casellas C (2005) Estrogenic activity of cosmetic components in reporter cell lines: parabens, UV screens, and musks. J Toxicol Environ Health A 68:239–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hájková K, Pulkrabová J, Schůrek J, Hajšlová J, Poustka J, Nápravníková M, Kocourek V (2007) Novel approaches to the analysis of steroid estrogens in river sediments. Anal Bioanal Chem 387:1351–1363

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hemming JM, Waller WT, Chow MC, Denslow ND, Venables B (2001) Assessment of the estrogenicity and toxicity of a domestic wastewater effluent flowing through a constructed wetland system using biomarkers in male fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas rafinesque, 1820). Environ Toxicol Chem 20:2268–2275

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hernandez F, Sancho JV, Pozo OJ (2005) Critical review of the application of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to the determination of pesticide residues in biological samples. Anal Bioanal Chem 382:934–946

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Houtman CJ, Leonards PE, Kapiteijn W, Bakker JF, Brouwer A, Lamoree MH, Legler J, Klamer HJ (2007) Sample preparation method for the ER-CALUX bioassay screening of (xeno-)estrogenic activity in sediment extracts. Sci Total Environ 386:134–144

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jobling S, Beresford N, Nolan M, Rodgers-Gray T, Brighty GC, Sumpter JP, Tyler CR (2002) Altered sexual maturation and gamete production in wild roach (Rutilus rutilus) living in rivers that receive treated sewage effluents. Biol Reprod 66:272–281

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jouannet P, Wang C, Eustache F, Kold-Jensen T, Auger J (2001) Semen quality and male reproductive health: the controversy about human sperm concentration decline. APMIS 109:333–344

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufmann A, Butcher P, Maden K, Walker S, Widmer M (2010) Comprehensive comparison of liquid chromatography selectivity as provided by two types of liquid chromatography detectors (high resolution mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry): “where is the crossover point?”. Anal Chim Acta 673:60–72

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kern S, Fenner K, Singer HP, Schwarzenbach RP, Hollender J (2009) Identification of transformation products of organic contaminants in natural waters by computer-aided prediction and high-resolution mass spectrometry. Environ Sci Technol 43:7039–7046

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kinani S, Bouchonnet S, Bourcier S, Creusot N, Porcher JM, Ait-Aissa S (2008) Extraction and purification procedures for simultaneous quantification of phenolic xenoestrogens and steroid estrogens in river sediment by gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 22:3651–3661

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kinani S, Bouchonnet S, Creusot N, Bourcier S, Balaguer P, Porcher JM, Ait-Aissa S (2010) Bioanalytical characterisation of multiple endocrine- and dioxin-like activities in sediments from reference and impacted small rivers. Environ Pollut 158:74–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kind T, Fiehn O (2010) Advances in structure elucidation of small molecules using mass spectrometry. Bioanal Rev 2:23–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koh CH, Khim JS, Villeneuve DL, Kannan K, Giesy JP (2006) Characterization of trace organic contaminants in marine sediment from Yeongil Bay, Korea: 1. Instrumental analyses. Environ Pollut 142:39–47

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kosjek T, Heath E, Kompare B (2007) Removal of pharmaceutical residues in a pilot wastewater treatment plant. Anal Bioanal Chem 387:1379–1387

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krauss M, Singer H, Hollender J (2010) LC-high resolution MS in environmental analysis: from target screening to the identification of unknowns. Anal Bioanal Chem 397:943–951

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuiper GG, Lemmen JG, Carlsson B, Corton JC, Safe SH, van der Saag PT, van der Burg B, Gustafsson JA (1998) Interaction of estrogenic chemicals and phytoestrogens with estrogen receptor beta. Endocrinology 139:4252–4263

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemaire G, Mnif W, Pascussi JM, Pillon A, Rabenoelina F, Fenet H, Gomez E, Casellas C, Nicolas JC, Cavailles V, Duchesne MJ, Balaguer P (2006) Identification of new human pregnane X receptor ligands among pesticides using a stable reporter cell system. Toxicol Sci 91:501–509

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liao W, Draper WM, Perera SK (2008) Identification of unknowns in atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry using a mass to structure search engine. Anal Chem 80:7765–7777

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lim HK, Chen J, Sensenhauser C, Cook K, Subrahmanyam V (2007) Metabolite identification by data-dependent accurate mass spectrometric analysis at resolving power of 60,000 in external calibration mode using an LTQ/Orbitrap. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 21:1821–1832

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Makarov A, Denisov E, Kholomeev A, Balschun W, Lange O, Strupat K, Horning S (2006a) Performance evaluation of a hybrid linear ion trap/orbitrap mass spectrometer. Anal Chem 78:2113–2120

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Makarov A, Denisov E, Lange O, Horning S (2006b) Dynamic range of mass accuracy in LTQ Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 17:977–982

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mueller GC, Kim UH (1978) Displacement of estradiol from estrogen receptors by simple alkyl phenols. Endocrinology 102:1429–1435

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray TJ, Maffini MV, Ucci AA, Sonnenschein C, Soto AM (2007) Induction of mammary gland ductal hyperplasias and carcinoma in situ following fetal bisphenol A exposure. Reprod Toxicol 23:383–390

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nimrod AC, Benson WH (1996) Environmental estrogenic effects of alkylphenol ethoxylates. Crit Rev Toxicol 26:335–364

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Okubo T, Yokoyama Y, Kano K, Kano I (2001) ER-dependent estrogenic activity of parabens assessed by proliferation of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells and expression of ERalpha and PR. Food Chem Toxicol 39:1225–1232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peethambaram PP, Ingle JN, Suman VJ, Hartmann LC, Loprinzi CL (1999) Randomized trial of diethylstilbestrol vs. tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer. An updated analysis. Breast Cancer Res Treat 54:117–122

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perez P, Pulgar R, Olea-Serrano F, Villalobos M, Rivas A, Metzler M, Pedraza V, Olea N (1998) The estrogenicity of bisphenol A-related diphenylalkanes with various substituents at the central carbon and the hydroxy groups. Environ Health Perspect 106:167–174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petrovic M, Barcelo D (2006) Application of liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QqTOF-MS) in the environmental analysis. J Mass Spectrom 41:1259–1267

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pillon A, Boussioux AM, Escande A, Ait-Aissa S, Gomez E, Fenet H, Ruff M, Moras D, Vignon F, Duchesne MJ, Casellas C, Nicolas JC, Balaguer P (2005) Binding of estrogenic compounds to recombinant estrogen receptor-alpha: application to environmental analysis. Environ Health Perspect 113:278–284

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rastogi SC, Schouten A, de Kruijf N, Weijland JW (1995) Contents of methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl- and benzylparaben in cosmetic products. Contact Dermatitis 32:28–30

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riu A, Balaguer P, Perdu E, Pandelova M, Piccinelli R, Gustafsson JA, Leclercq C, Schramm KW, Dagnino S, Debrauwer L, Cravedi JP, Zalko D (2008) Characterisation of bioactive compounds in infant formulas using immobilised recombinant estrogen receptor-alpha affinity columns. Food Chem Toxicol 46:3268–3278

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Routledge EJ, Sumpter JP (1997) Structural features of alkylphenolic chemicals associated with estrogenic activity. J Biol Chem 272:3280–3288

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Routledge EJ, Parker J, Odum J, Ashby J, Sumpter JP (1998) Some alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (parabens) are estrogenic. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 153:12–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seifert M, Brenner-Weiss G, Haindl S, Nusser M, Obst U, Hock B (1999) A new concept for the bioeffects-related analysis of xenoestrogens: hyphenation of receptor assays with LC-MS. Fresenius J Anal Chem 363:767–770

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Silva E, Rajapakse N, Kortenkamp A (2002) Something from “nothing”—eight weak estrogenic chemicals combined at concentrations below NOECs produce significant mixture effects. Environ Sci Technol 36:1751–1756

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Skakkebaek NE (1998) Trends in male reproductive health. Environmental aspects. Adv Exp Med Biol 444:1–2, discussion 3–4

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Skakkebaek NE, Rajpert-De Meyts E, Main KM (2001) Testicular dysgenesis syndrome: an increasingly common developmental disorder with environmental aspects. Hum Reprod 16:972–978

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith DC, Redman BG, Flaherty LE, Li L, Strawderman M, Pienta KJ (1998) A phase II trial of oral diethylstilbesterol as a second-line hormonal agent in advanced prostate cancer. Urology 52:257–260

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sole M, Lopez de Alda MJ, Castillo M, Porte C, Ladegaard-Pedersen K, Barcelo D (2000) Estrogenicity determination in sewage treatment plants and surface waters from the catalonian area (NE Spain). Environ Sci Technol 34:5076–5083

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sonnenschein C, Soto AM (1998) An updated review of environmental estrogen and androgen mimics and antagonists. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 65:143–150

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soto AM, Justicia H, Wray JW, Sonnenschein C (1991) p-Nonyl-phenol: an estrogenic xenobiotic released from “modified” polystyrene. Environ Health Perspect 92:167–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soto AM, Fernandez MF, Luizzi MF, Oles Karasko AS, Sonnenschein C (1997) Developing a marker of exposure to xenoestrogen mixtures in human serum. Environ Health Perspect 105(Suppl 3):647–654

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sumner L et al (2007) Proposed minimum reporting standards for chemical analysis. Metabolomics 3:211–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas P, Dong J (2006) Binding and activation of the seven-transmembrane estrogen receptor GPR30 by environmental estrogens: a potential novel mechanism of endocrine disruption. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 102:175–179

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tollefsen KE (2002) Interaction of estrogen mimics, singly and in combination, with plasma sex steroid-binding proteins in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Aquat Toxicol 56:215–225

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tyler CR, Jobling S, Sumpter JP (1998) Endocrine disruption in wildlife: a critical review of the evidence. Crit Rev Toxicol 28:319–361

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vandenberg LN, Colborn T, Hayes TB, Heindel JJ, Jacobs DR Jr, Lee DH, Shioda T, Soto AM, Vom Saal FS, Welshons WV, Zoeller RT, Myers JP (2012) Hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals: low-dose effects and nonmonotonic dose responses. Endocr Rev 33:378–455

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss JM, Simon E, Stroomberg GJ, de Boer R, de Boer J, van der Linden SC, Leonards PE, Lamoree MH (2011) Identification strategy for unknown pollutants using high-resolution mass spectrometry: androgen-disrupting compounds identified through effect-directed analysis. Anal Bioanal Chem 400:3141–3149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weller MG (2012) A unifying review of bioassay-guided fractionation, effect-directed analysis and related techniques. Sensors 12:9181–9209

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • White R, Jobling S, Hoare SA, Sumpter JP, Parker MG (1994) Environmentally persistent alkylphenolic compounds are estrogenic. Endocrinology 135:175–182

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zalko D, Costagliola R, Dorio C, Rathahao E, Cravedi JP (2003) In vivo metabolic fate of the xeno-estrogen 4-n-nonylphenol in Wistar rats. Drug Metab Dispos 31:168–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Gao Y, Li Q, Li G, Guo Q, Yan C (2011) Estrogenic compounds and estrogenicity in surface water, sediments, and organisms from Yundang Lagoon in Xiamen, China. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 61:93–100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the «Ministère de l'Environnement, du Développement Durable et de la Mer» (MEDDM), « ECOPI » project, Grant P189. The authors want to thank Dr M. Tremblay-Franco for her help regarding statistical analyses and the reviewers for improving the quality of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Zalko.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jondeau-Cabaton, A., Soucasse, A., Jamin, E.L. et al. Characterization of endocrine disruptors from a complex matrix using estrogen receptor affinity columns and high performance liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 2705–2720 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1458-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1458-z

Keywords

Navigation