Maternal and fetal tissue accumulation of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) following exposure to sewage sludge-treated pastures before or after conception

S. M. Rhind; C. E. Kyle; C. Mackie; L. McDonald; Z. Zhang; E. I. Duff; M. Bellingham; M. R. Amezaga; B. Mandon-Pepin; B. Loup; C. Cotinot; N. P. Evans; R. M. Sharpe; P. A. Fowler

doi:10.1039/C0EM00009D

Maternal and fetal tissue accumulation of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) following exposure to sewage sludge-treated pastures before or after conception

S. M. Rhind,*^a C. E. Kyle,^a C. Mackie,^a L. McDonald,^a Z. Zhang,^a E. I. Duff,^b M. Bellingham,^c M. R. Amezaga,^d B. Mandon-Pepin,^e B. Loup,^e C. Cotinot,^e N. P. Evans,^c R. M. Sharpe^f and P. A. Fowler^d

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* Corresponding authors

^a Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, UK
E-mail: s.rhind@macaulay.ac.uk
Fax: +44 (0) 1224 395010
Tel: +44 (0) 1224 395228

^b Biomathematics and Statistics, Scotland, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

^c Division of Cell Sciences, Institute of Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Veterinary School, Glasgow, UK

^d Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Medical Sciences, CLSM, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK

^e INRA, UMR 1198, Biologie du Developpement et de la Reproduction, Jouy-en-Josas, France

^f MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, UK

Abstract

Liver concentrations of selected pollutant classes were determined in groups of sheep fetuses and their dams, at 55 (Experiment 1) and 110 (Experiment 2) days of gestation (term = 145 d) following exposure, throughout their breeding lives and after mating, to pasture treated with either inorganic fertiliser (control, CC) or with sewage sludge (treated, TT). In a unique study designed to separate the respective contributions of environmental sources and mobilised tissue to the available EDC burden, in additional groups of animals, pollutant burdens at 110 days gestation were assessed following exposure to the respective treatments, either throughout their breeding lives until mating, but not thereafter (TC), or only between mating and slaughter (CT) (Experiment 3). With very few exceptions, maternal and fetal liver concentrations of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were not significantly affected by sludge exposure in any group. In some cases, maternal and fetal tissue EDC concentrations were different but the differences were not consistent, and maternal and fetal concentrations of none of the classes of chemical were significantly correlated. It was not possible to identify a single chemical, or class of chemical, that may be responsible for previously observed physiological effects of exposure to sludge-treated pastures. It is concluded that exposure of sheep to pastures fertilised with sewage sludge was not associated with increased liver concentrations of EDCs, irrespective of the stage of development at which they were measured and of maternal tissue mobilisation and EDC release during gestation. Thus, retrospective measurements of EDC tissue burdens could not be used to accurately assess earlier fetal EDC insults.

Journal of Environmental Monitoring

Maternal and fetal tissue accumulation of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) following exposure to sewage sludge-treated pastures before or after conception

Abstract

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Maternal and fetal tissue accumulation of selected endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) following exposure to sewage sludge-treated pastures before or after conception

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