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ARE TISSUES OF CHANNEL CATFISH MORE ESTROGENIC IN AREAS WITH HIGH DENSITIES OF COMBINED SEWAGE OVERFLOWS?

Lenzner, Diana Elizabeth (2007) ARE TISSUES OF CHANNEL CATFISH MORE ESTROGENIC IN AREAS WITH HIGH DENSITIES OF COMBINED SEWAGE OVERFLOWS? Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The Three Rivers area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has more combined sewer overflow (CSO) release points than any other city in the United States. CSOs and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) release untreated waste directly into receiving water during wet weather events such as rain or snow. A wide range of estrogenic agents is contained in municipal wastewater, including pharmaceutical estrogens, plastic additives, pesticides and detergent breakdown products such as nonyl-phenol.The goal of this analysis was to examine estrogenicity of channel catfish fillet tissue in areas significantly impaired by CSO/SSOs compared to store-bought catfish and catfish from up-river areas on the Allegheny River that are less impacted. Estrogenicity was based on the ability of catfish fillet tissue to proliferate MCF7 human breast cancer cells. Cell proliferation was quantified using a serial dilution assay. Replicate values for each fish at each dilution were analyzed using a random intercept model. Area effects were quantified in terms of absolute and relative differences, controlling for background. In this study, cell proliferation is higher for catfish sampled from the most contaminated CSO/SSO sites than for catfish sampled from areas on the Allegheny with fewer CSOs/SSOs.The risk information concerning cumulative estrogenicity in channel catfish, in this study may provide a linkage between the ecological compounds contained in wastewaters and human health. Estradiol equivalents could be constructed from the estrogenicity index developed in this paper. These findings are significant to public health because they could help to estimate the risk of estrogenic exposure posed to those who consume channel catfish from the Three Rivers Area of Pittsburgh. The findings could also help describe the impact of estrogenic exposure in wildlife.


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Details

Item Type: University of Pittsburgh ETD
Status: Unpublished
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Lenzner, Diana Elizabethdel9@pitt.edu; dlenzner@hotmail.comDEL9
ETD Committee:
TitleMemberEmail AddressPitt UsernameORCID
Committee ChairStone, Roslynroslyn@pitt.eduROSLYN
Committee MemberVolz, Conrad (Dan)sierrakellydan@msn.com
Committee MemberWilson, Johnwilson@nsabp.pitt.eduJWW
Date: 27 September 2007
Date Type: Completion
Defense Date: 3 August 2007
Approval Date: 27 September 2007
Submission Date: 1 August 2007
Access Restriction: No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately.
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs: School of Public Health > Biostatistics
Degree: MS - Master of Science
Thesis Type: Master's Thesis
Refereed: Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords: bioindicator; channel catfish; estrogen; regression; sewage overflow
Other ID: http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-08012007-213014/, etd-08012007-213014
Date Deposited: 10 Nov 2011 19:55
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2016 13:47
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/8794

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