Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Differences in MCF-7 response to endocrine disruptors in waste, superficial, and treated water from Southern Brazil

  • Research
  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of possible endocrine disruptors in surface and wastewater using a cell proliferation assay in an estrogen-responsive cell line (MCF-7). This study was conducted in the Sinos River (Brazil). The residual water was collected from a Pilot Treatment Plant (using Typha domingensis) and surface waters of the Luis Rau stream, the Sinos River, and the Water Treatment Station (WTS). After exposures (24–120 h), a Sulforhodamine B assay was performed to determine the proliferation rate. The higher increase in proliferation rate was observed with the Luiz Rau stream and the sewage treated by macrophytes in a flotation filter. The results from WTS water remained with a proliferation rate similar to the negative control at all times, suggesting that the conventional treatment is partially effective for the withdrawal of endocrine-disrupting agents. The study demonstrated the efficiency of the MCF-7 line in assessing endocrine disruption caused by wastewater and surface water samples. Our results indicate that conventional water treatment can partially remove the polluting load of endocrine disruptors, minimizing their environmental and public health impacts. Besides, it demonstrates the need to expand sanitary services to improve the population’s quality of life.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References 

  • Almazrouei, B., Islayem, D., Alskafi, F., Catacutan, M. K., Amna, R., Nasrat, S., Sizirici, B., & Yildiz, I. (2023). Steroid hormones in wastewater: Sources, treatments, environmental risks, and regulations. Emerging Contaminants, 9(2), 100210.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • APHA. (2005). Standard methods of water and wastewater (21st ed., pp. 2–61). Washington, DC.: American Public Health Association.

  • Argolo, A. S., Gomes, G., & Bila, D. M. (2023). (Anti)estrogenic activity impacted by complex environmental matrices: A DOM and multiphase distribution approach. Chemosphere, 310, 136917.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bergmann, A. J., Simon, E., Schifferli, A., Schönborn, A., & Vermeirssen, E. L. M. (2020). Estrogenic activity of food contact materials—evaluation of 20 chemicals using a yeast estrogen screen on HPTLC or 96-well plates. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 412, 4527–4536.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernardelli, J. K. B., Liz, M. V., Belli, T. J., Lobo-Recio, M. A., Lapolli, F. R. (2015). Removal of estrogens by activated sludge under different conditions using batch experiments. Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 32, 421–432.

  • Bianchi, E., Lessing, G., Brina, K. R., Angeli, L., Andriguetti, N. B., Peruzzo, J. R. S., Nascimento, C. A., Spilki, F. R., Ziulkosi, A. L., & Silva, L. B. (2017). Monitoring the genotoxic and cytotoxic potential and the presence of pesticides and hydrocarbons in water of the Sinos River Basin, Southern Brazil. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 72, 321–334.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cho, H., Ryu, C. S., Lee, S., Adeli, Z., Meupea, B., Kim, Y., Kim, Y. J. (2022). Endocrine-disrupting potential and toxicological effect of para-phenylphenol on Daphnia magna. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 243, 113965.

  • Coello-Garcia, T., Curtis, T. P., Mrozik, W., & Davenport, R. J. (2019). Enhanced estrogen removal in activated sludge processes through the optimization of the hydraulic flow pattern. Water Research, 164, 114905.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Conselho Estadual do Meio Ambiente–CONSEMA. (2006). Conselho Estudal. Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente, Resolução Conseman, n. 128.

  • El-Bassyouni, G., Eldera, S. S., Kenawy, S. H., & Hamzawy, E. M. A. (2020). Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles derived from mussel shells for in vitro cytotoxicity test and cell viability. Heliyon, 6(6), e04085.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Etteieb, S., Kawachi, A., Han, J., Tarhouni, J., Isoda, H. (2015). Bioanalytical tests for assessing cytotoxicity and estrogenicity effects of treated wastewater on mammalian cell lines. Energy Procedia, 74, 874–885.

  • Ferraz, M., Bauer, A. L., Valiati, V. H., & Schulz, U. H. (2020). Microplastic concentrations in raw and drinking water in the Sinos River. Southern Brazil. Water, 12(11), 3115.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Furtado, C. M., & von Mühlen, C. (2015). Endocrine disruptors in water filters used in the Rio dos Sinos Basin region, Southern Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 75, 85–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giulivo, M., Alda, M. L., Capri, E., & Barceló, D. (2016). Human exposure to endocrine disrupting compounds: Their role in reproductive systems, metabolic syndrome and breast cancer. A Review. Environmental Research, 151, 251–264.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldoni, A., Golfeto, C., Teixeira, J. B., Blumm, G., Wihelm, C. M., Telöken, F., Bianchi, E., Schmitt, J. L., Gehlen, G., Rodrigues, M. A. S., & Silva, L. B. (2014). Cytotoxic and genotoxic evaluation and chemical characterization of sewage treated using activated sludge and a floating emergent-macrophyte filter in a municipal wastewater treatment plant: A case study in Southern Brazil. Environmental Earth Sciences, 72, 1503–1509.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gomes, G., Argolo, A. S., Felix, L. C., & Bila, D. M. (2023). Interferences in the yeast estrogen screen (YES) assay for evaluation of estrogenicity in environmental samples, chemical mixtures, and individual substances. Toxicology in Vitro, 88, 105551.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, C., Bai, Y., Li, J., Sun, B., & Chen, L. (2023). Endocrine disruption and reproductive impairment of methylparaben in adult zebrafish. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 171, 113545.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ismanto, A., Hadibarata, T., Kristanti, R. A., Maslukah, L., Safinatunnajah, N., & Kusumastuti, W. (2022). Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in environmental matrices: Occurrence, fate, health impact, physio-chemical and bioremediation technology. Environmental Pollution, 302, 119061.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kabir, E. R., Rahman, M. S., & Rahman, I. (2015). A review on endocrine disruptors and their possible impacts on human health. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 40(1), 241–258.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Körner, W., Spengler, P., Bolz, U., Schuller, W., Hanf, V., & Metzger, J. W. (2001). Substances with estrogenic activity in effluents of sewage treatment plants in southwestern Germany. 2. Biological Analysis. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 20, 2142–2151.

  • Lei, B., Peng, W., Li, W., Yu, Y., & Wang, Y. (2016). Diethylstilbestrol at environmental levels affects the development of early life stage and target gene expression in Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes). Ecotoxicology, 25, 563–573.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leusch, F. D., Khan, S. J., Gagnon, M. M., Quayle, P. Trinh, T., Coleman, H., Rawson, C., Chapman, H. F., Blair, P., Nice, H., Reitsema, T. (2014). Assessment of wastewater and recycled water quality: a comparison of lines of evidence from in vitro, in vivo and chemical analyses. Water Research, 50, 420–431.

  • Lu, Y. S., Yang, S. L., Gou, C. L., Wang, X. L., Wen, X., He, X., Guo, X., Yu, J., & Qian, Y. (2022). Integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis reveals new biomarkers and mechanistic insights on atrazine exposures in MCF-7 cells. Exotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 232, 113244.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Machado, A. B., Rodrigues, G. Z. P., Souza, F. G., Linden, R., Osorio, D. M. (2018). Environmental assessment of a stream located in Novo Hamburgo, RS. Geama, 4(2),31–35.

  • Matin, O., Scholze, M., Ermeler, S., McPhie, J., Bopp, S. K., Kienzler, A., Parissis, N., & Kortenkamp, A. (2021). Ten years of research on synergisms and antagonisms in chemical mixtures: A systematic review and quantitative reappraisal of mixture studies. Environment International, 146, 106206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe, C. D., Bayen, S., Desrosiers, M., Muñoz, G., Suavé, S., & Yargeau, V. (2022). An introduction to the sources, fate, occurrence and effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals released into the environment. Environmental Research, 207, 112658.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mlynarcikova, A., Havranek, T., & Fickova, M. (2013). Effects of endocrine disruptors bisphenol A and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in a combination with 17β-estradiol on apoptosis-related genes in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Toxicology Letters, 221, S106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, M., Deoraj, A., Felty, Q., & Roy, D. (2017). Environmental estrogen-like endocrine disrupting chemicals and breast cancer. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 457, 89–102.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naime, R., & Garcia, A. C. (2005). Aplicação de enraizadas no tratamento de efluentes agroindustriais. Revista Tecnologia e Tendências, 1(2), 10–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Norman, M. A., Feng, W., Zhu, G., Hossain, M. B., Chen, Y., Zhang, H., & Sun, J. (2022). Bioaccumulation and potential human health risks of metals in commercially important fishes and shellfishes from Hangzhou Bay China. Scientific Reports, 12, 4634.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orellana, E. A., & Kasinski, A. L. (2016). Sulforhodamine B (SRB) Assay in cell culture to investigate cell proliferation. Bio-protocol, 6(21), e1984.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, S. U., & Choi, J. (2007). Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and ecotoxicity assay using human cell and environmental species for the screening of the risk from pollutant exposure. Environment International, 33(6), 817–822.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pauwels, B., Korst, A. E. C., de Pooter, C. M. J., et al. (2003). Comparison of the sulforhodamine B assay and the clonogenic assay for in vitro chemoradiation studies. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 51, 221–226.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peteffi, G. P., Fleck, J. D., Kael, I. M., Rosa, D. C., Antunes, M. V., & Linden, R. (2018). Ecotoxicological risk assessment due to the presence of bisphenol A and caffeine in surface waters in the Sinos River Basin-Rio Grande do Sul-Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 79, 712–712.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Picinini, J., Oliveira, R. F., Garcia, A. L. H., DA Silva, G. N., Sebben, V. C., De Souza, G. M. S., Dias, J.F., Corrêa, D.S., Da Silva, J. (2022). In vitro genotoxic and mutagenic effects of water samples from Sapucaia and Esteio streams (Brazil) under the influence of different anthropogenic activities. Mutation Research/Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 878, 503484.

  • Rio Grande Do Sul. Resolução No 149, de 1 de julho de 2014. [Aprova o enquadramento das águas superficiais da Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio dos Sinos]. Diário Oficial [do] estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Poder Executivo, Porto Alegre, RS, ano 72, No 125, p 89, 7 de jul. 2014

  • Rodrigues, G. Z. P., Finkler, M., Garcia, A. L. H., & Gehlen, G. (2020). Evaluation of transgenerational effects caused by metals as environmental pollutants in Daphnia magna. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192, 755.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues, G. Z. P., Machado, A. B., Finkler, M., Berleze, D. B., & Gehlen, G. (2020). Environmental assessment of Luiz Rau stream (Brazil) utilizing Allium cepa test. Ciência e Natura, 42(e76), 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues, G. Z. P., Staudt, L. B. M., Moreira, M. G., Santos, T. G., Souza, M. S., Lúcio, C. J., Panizzon, J., Kayser, A. L., Bonan, C. D., Oliveira, D. L., & Gehlen, G. (2020). Histopathological, genotoxic, and behavioral damages induced by manganese (II) in adult zebrafish. Chemosphere, 244, 125550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simões, L. A. R., Dalzochio, T., Goldoni, A., Souza, M. S., Rodrigues, G. Z. P., Petry, I. E., Gehlen, G., & Silva, L. B. (2019). Micronucleus test in fish for in situ evaluation of the Sinos River water quality, in Brazil. Ciência e Natura, 41, e38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skehan, P., Storeng, R., Scudiero, D., Monks, A., McMahon, J., Vistica, D., Warren, J. T., Bokesch, H., Kenney, S., & Boyd, M. R. (1990). New colorimetric cytotoxicity assay for anticancer-drug screening. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 82(13), 1107–1112.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, Y., Yin, M., Yang, W., Zhong, Y., Mo, L., Liang, Y., Ma, X., & Sun, X. (2019). Emerging pollutants in water environment: Occurrence, monitoring, fate, and risk assessment. Water Environment Research, 91(10), 984–991.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tao, Y., Li, Z., Yang, Y., Jiao, Y., Qu, J., Wang, Y., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Effects of common environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals on zebrafish behavior. Water Research, 208, 117826.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trintinaglia, L., Bianchi, E., Silva, L. B., Nascimento, C. A., Spilki, F. R., & Ziulkoski, A. L. (2015). Cytotoxicity assays as tools to assess water quality in the Sinos river basin. Brazilian Journal of Biology, 75(2), S75–S80.

  • Vajrabhaya, L. O., & Korsuwannawong, S. (2018). Cytotoxicity evaluation of a Thai herb using tetrazolium (MTT) and sulforhodamine B (SRB) assays. J Anal Sci Technol, 9, 15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vázquez-Tapia, I., Salazar-Martínez, T., Acosta-Castro, M., Meléndez-Castolo, K.A., Mahlknecht, J., Cervantes-Avilés, P., Capparelli, M.V., Mora, A. (2022). Occurrence of emerging organic contaminants and endocrine disruptors in different water compartments in Mexico – a review. Chemosphere, 136285.

  • Viganó, L., Benfenati, E., Cauwenberge, A., Eidem, J. K., Erratico, C., Goksoyr, A., Maggioni, S., Kloas, W., Mandich, A., & Urbatzka, R. (2008). Estrogenicity profile and estrogenic compounds determined in river sediments by chemical analysis, ELISA and yeast assays. Chemosphere, 73, 1078–1089.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Villalobos, M., Olea, N., Brotons, J. A., Olea-Serrano, M. F., Ruiz de Almodovar, J. M., & Pedraza, V. (1995). The E-screen assay: a comparison of different MCF7 cell stocks. Environmental Health Perspectives, 103(9), 844–850.

  • Wang, S., Wang, Z., Wang, X., Qu, J., Li, F., Ji, C., & Wu, H. (2023). Histopathological and transcriptomic analyses reveal the reproductive endocrine-disrupting effects of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Science of the Total Environment, 862, 160724.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, G., Nowsheen, S., Aziz, K., & Georgakilas, A. G. (2013). Toxicity and adverse effects of Tamoxifen and other anti-estrogen drugs. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 139(3), 392–404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, H., Yang, X., Zhang, H., Li, X., Zhang, Z., Hou, L., Wang, Z., Niu, Q., & Wang, T. (2018). Neurotrophins and cholinergic enzyme regulated by calpain-2: New insights into neuronal apoptosis induced by polybrominated diphenyl ether-153. Toxicology Letters, 291, 29–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) and Feevale University. The study received financial support from CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) and CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cytotoxicity Laboratory, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil

    Marina Griebeler Moreira, Gabriela Zimmermann Prado Rodrigues, Diego Araújo da Silva, Eloisa Bianchi & Ana Luiza Ziulkoski

  2. Comparative Histology Laboratory, Feevale University, Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil

    Gabriela Zimmermann Prado Rodrigues & Günther Gehlen

Authors
  1. Marina Griebeler Moreira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gabriela Zimmermann Prado Rodrigues
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Diego Araújo da Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eloisa Bianchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Günther Gehlen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ana Luiza Ziulkoski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Marina Griebeler Moreira and Gabriela Zimmermann Prado Rodrigues participated in the study methodology, but also in the preparation and editing of the main text. Diego Araújo da Silva and Eloisa Bianchi assisted in all methodological processes. Günther Gehlen and Ana Luiz Ziulkoski conducted the entire study and participated in the final revision of the text.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriela Zimmermann Prado Rodrigues.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

All authors have read, understood, and complied as applicable with the statement on the “Ethical responsibilities of Authors” as found in the Instructions for Authors.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Moreira, M.G., Rodrigues, G.Z.P., da Silva, D.A. et al. Differences in MCF-7 response to endocrine disruptors in waste, superficial, and treated water from Southern Brazil. Environ Monit Assess 195, 1539 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-12109-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-12109-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation