Figure 4
From: Removal of ecotoxicity of 17α-ethinylestradiol using TAML/peroxide water treatment
Average EE2 concentration and estrogenic activity in treated and untreated waters with plasma vitellogenin in male fish exposed to the treatments for 21 days.
EE2 concentration (ng/l, ppt; dark grey bar, 1st Y-axis) was measured by LC-MS/MS, estrogenic activity (EE2 equivalent ng/l, ppt; light grey bar, 1st Y-axis) was measured via in vitro Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES). Plasma vitellogenin (ng/ml or ppb; grey cross X, 2nd Y-axis log scale) concentration in male fathead minnows were measured via a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). EE2 chemical analysis results reported as <0.03 ppt EE2 (i.e. lower than detection limit (LOD)) were treated as having half LOD (i.e. 0.015 ppt EE2) for use in calculations of averages, standard error and statistical analysis. EE2 and estrogenic activity are average measured concentrations sampled over the 21 day exposure. Plasma VTG was measured prior to exposure (baseline) and after 21 days exposure. The treatment regime consisted of; Control (water only), 2/H2O2 + EE2, H2O2 + EE2 and EE2-only. All error bars represent standard error of the mean in all cases.
