Field survey of environmental estrogen pollution in the coastal area of Tokyo Bay and Nagasaki City using the Japanese common goby Acanthogobius flavimanus

Abstract

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are common pollutants in coastal waters. To investigate the estrogen risk of EDCs in the coastal areas of Japan, the Japanese common goby, which is a commonly observed species in these waters, was used as the target fish. Plasma 17β-estradiol (E2) and vitellogenin (VTG) levels were analyzed and the gonads of fish collected from the Taira River (northern Nagasaki, reference site), Nagasaki Port, and two sites in Tokyo Bay were observed. Abnormal levels (>150 ng/mL, p < 0.05) of plasma VTG and high levels of plasma E2 were detected in the fish from Nagasaki Port and Tokyo Bay, whereas the levels of both were low in the fish from the Taira River. The target EDCs, including natural estrogen [estrone (E1), and E2] and alkylphenols [4-t-octylphenol (4-t-OP), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), and bisphenol-A (BPA)] in water samples were quantified using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS), respectively. It was observed that the E2-equivalent (EEQ) in Nagasaki Port and Tokyo Bay, which was calculated from the actual EDC measurement value, were almost 20- and 150-fold higher, respectively, than that at the reference site (Taira River, 0.021 ng/L). The EEQs mostly comprised natural estrogen in the sampling sites, although there was some influence of alkylphenols. There was an association between the EEQ and the E2 in environmental water, suggesting a high estrogen risk in Japan coastal waters. Moreover, the results indicated that abnormal VTG synthesis was induced by environmental estrogen (EE) pollution in Nagasaki Port and Tokyo Bay.