17aEthynylestradiol EE2

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17a-Ethynylestradiol (EE2)
Synthetic estrogen used in human contraceptives

• Detected in aquatic environment at biologically
  active levels.
• Highly persistent and potent in fish.
• Capable of causing reproductive effects, e.g.,
  altered sex development, gonadal abnormalities,
  impaired fertility, altered sexual behavior.
• Reproductive effects caused by EE2 can have
  large-scale impacts on wild fish populations

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Selective Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors

• Detected in aquatic environment and fish tissues
• Water-soluble
• Increase availability of serotonin in the brain
• Serotonin is involved in vertebrate development,
  reproduction, digestion
• Low dose effects may alter the development of
  brain circuitry and have long-term or permanent
  effects on behavior.

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Objective of this study
To determine if juvenile bull sharks inhabiting
wastewater-impacted Florida rivers are exposed to
potentially hazardous human pharmaceuticals.
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Water sampling Polar Organic Chemical
Integrative Sampler (POCIS)

• Capable of sequestering polar contaminants
• Has been used to examine concentrations of
  steroids and pharmaceuticals in wastewater
  influent, effluent, river water, etc.
• Can provide a time-weighted average
  concentration if the uptake rate (sampling rate)
  of a chemical is known

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Shark sampling

• Sharks collected via long-line
• Size, sex recorded
• 5-mL blood samples obtained
• Tagged with nylon dart tags
• Released live
• Blood centrifuged for plasma
• Plasma stored frozen until analysis

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Water Quality ResultsGrab samples
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Water Quality ResultsPOCIS
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17a-Ethynylestradiol (EE2)
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Current and future work

• Continue screening for SSRIs and additional
  drugs (e.g., lipid-lowering drugs, impotence
  drugs).

• Develop/use biomarker approach to detect
  pollutant effects in populations

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Acknowledgements

• Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
• National Science Foundation
• National Shark Research Consortium
• Mote Marine Laboratory
• Ft. Myers Central WWTP
• University of Florida