CONTAMINANT SOURCE-TRACKING USING ENVIRONMENTAL ESTROGEN

Pharmaceutically-active compounds, PhACs, refer to substances or a mixture of substances that are manufactured and consumed by humans. These substances include chemicals such as estrogen (estrone (E1), 17a-estradiol (E2), 17b-estradiol (E2) and 17a-ethinylestradiol (EE2). These compounds are known to be endocrine disrupting compounds in aquatic environments. They tend to accumulate in water and stream sediments. In recent years, a plethora of PhACs have been found in public waterways and have been linked to aquatic and human health issues. A considerable quantity of these hormones is excreted by humans and livestock. Unlike the other estrogen compounds that can naturally be released into the environment, the presence of EE2 in streams can be an indicator of waste contamination. EE2 is a synthetic hormone found in female birth control pills and released into the environment through human excreta. In this study17b-estradiol (E2), and EE2 were used to verify results from a molecular source-tracking study conducted on a local creek, (Fishing Creek) in Milledgeville, GA. Preliminary results from this study indicate some level of wastewater contamination in this creek. Further analyses are being conducted on both soil and water samples from Fishing Creek and surrounding water bodies.