Journal
CHEMOSPHERE
Volume 63, Issue 9, Pages 1583-1590Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.08.063
Keywords
17 alpha-ethinylestradiol; estrone; 17 beta-estradiol; mestranol; estrogenic chemicals; sunlight; photodegradation; seawater
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
17 alpha-Ethinylestradiol (EE2), a major constituent of common contraceptive pills, and three other estrogenic hormones, estrone (El), 17 beta-estradiol (E2) and mestranol (MeEE2) have been determined in Acushnet River Estuary sea-water using a GC-MS technique. Among three estrogenic compounds detected, EE2 has the highest concentration, up to 4.7 ng/l, at which EE2 may affect lobster and other fish abundance in the coastal seawater due to its high biological activity on fish feminization. Two natural estrogenic hormones, El and E2 have also been found in the estuary at concentrations up to 1.2 ng/l and 0.83 ng/l, respectively. Although EE2 is persistent to microbial degradation, it can undergo a rapid photodegradation in estuarine seawater under natural sunlight irradiation, with a half-life of less than 1.5 days in spring sunny days. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available