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 Endocrine Disruption in the Marine
EnvironmentMike Waldock Cefas Weymouth
LaboratoryBarrack Road WeymouthDorset. UK
DT48UBmike.waldock_at_cefas.co.uk
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Background to EDC

• First identified from eggs and sperm in the same
  tissue intersex fish in UK rivers

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Background to EDC
Measurements of Yolk protein in male fish blood
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Identification of causative substances
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Testing the effects on fish
Vitellogenin in male trout exposed to oestrone
and 17ß oestradiol
100000000

10000000

1000000
Initial
100000
Final
10000
1000
100
10
C
6.25
12.5
25
50
100
25
25/25
E2
oes/E2
oestrone (ng/l)
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Testing the effects on fish
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Testing the effects on fish
Vitellogenin in Male Trout Exposed to
Octylphenol and 17 ß oestradiol

100000000

10000000

1000000
Initial
100000
Final
10000
1000
100
10
C
MC
1
10
100
1
10
100
E2 ng/l
OP µg/l
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List of compounds
Compounds Ethyl estradiol (the pill) natural
female hormones, industrial chemicals non-ionic
surfactants, phthalates, bis phenol A, pesticides
and biocides (metabolites DDE)
Effects Estrogens male to female. Androgens
female- to male. Anti-androgens, anti-estrogens.

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Could there be a problem in the open sea?

• Flounder work showing decreasing trends

• Sewage related decreasing problem

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TBT

• Antifouling on yachts 60s- 80s and on ships to
  date

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TBT

• Good example of endocrine disruption before we
  called it ED.

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TBT
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TBT levels are decreasing and effects reducing
Shetlands monitoring by FRS
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ICES Workshop and Cod

• Cod placed in cages

At 500m from platforms 5 fold increase in VTG
in male cod At 2000m background levels
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Produced water discharges

• Largest wastewater stream in offshore oil gas
  production ( 340 x 106 m3 yr-1).
• Complex composition
• small amounts of dispersed oil
• dissolved organic compounds (including h/c)
• organic acids
• phenols
• production chemicals
• inorganic compounds

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ER agonists identified in PW

• Isomeric mixture of C1 to C5 and C9 alkyl
  substituted phenols (APs).

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Is it enough to affect cod?

• Cod work trends with age

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VTG in the plasma of male cod
VTG µg/ml
Scott and
Thain
CEFAS (unpublished data)
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Results to Present

• Widespread induction in large cod
• Lower but significant induction in prey fish
  dab
• Next steps to identify the causes (TIE)

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Conclusions

• Endocrine Disruption is present in the open sea
  at low levels.
• TBT related specifically to antifouling paint use
  on shipping and is being controlled
• Effects on fish are unlikely to be from sewage
  discharges of hormones because dilution would be
  too great
• Inputs from produced water seem to be only weakly
  estrogenic
• The relationship with the size of the fish
  suggests that the effect is due to compounds
  bioaccumulating up the food chain