Mark Hewitt Environment Canada

1
Endocrine Disrupting Substance (EDS) Overview
and Research Update

• Mark Hewitt (Environment Canada)
• and
• Brian OConnor (Paprican)

2
What Is an Endocrine Disrupting Substance (EDS)?

• In organisms, hormones are responsible for
• Controlling growth, development, reproduction and
  behavior
• Endocrine disrupting substances (EDSs)
• Interfere with synthesis, secretion, transport,
  binding, action and/or elimination of hormones
• Lead to adverse effects on organisms and their
  offspring

3
Background of EDS and the Forest Sector

• Changes in fish reproduction associated with pulp
  mill effluents for gt 25 years
• Industry has undergone major changes during this
  period
• Resulted in significant improvements
• Effects still reported
• Evaluation of EEM studies smaller gonads

4
What Are the Effects in Wild Fish Exposed to Pulp
Mill Effluent?

• ?Gonad size (GSI)
• ?liver size (LSI)
• ? condition
• ?steroid levels
• ?eggs
• ?steroid metabolism
• ?age to maturity
• ?detoxification enzymes
• (MFOs)
• etc.

5
Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 National Means
C2
Age
C3
C2
Weight at Age
C3
C2
Gonad
C3
C2
Liver
C3
C2
Condition
C3
-
0.4
-
0.3
-
0.2
-
0.1
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
Effect Size (Hedges d)
6
Pulp Mill EffluentsReproductive Effects in Fish

• Sources, mechanisms and chemicals involved not
  definitively established, despite gt15 years
  research
• Why?
• Complexity of responses
• Complexity of reproductive endocrine system
• Complexity of effluents
• Difficulties comparing responses between wild and
  laboratory fish

Huge Challenge
7
Environment Canada/Paprican/University
Initiative on Fish Reproduction Effects

• 2005 SmartReg Initiative
• Smaller gonads identified as priority issue
• SmartReg Recommendations
• Collaborative effort to find causes and solutions
• Combined resources, experience and expertise
  necessary to address EDS issue

8
National Investigation of Cause ProjectSolutions
for Endocrine Disruption
9
Research Goals

• Establish a well-focused, collaborative and
  multidisciplinary research effort
• Select/develop practical and biologically
  relevant diagnostic tools for
• Investigation of Cause (IOC)
• Investigation of Solution (IOS)
• Evaluate in-mill and/or end-of-pipe treatment
  options that can be employed by the pulp and
  paper industry

10
National IOC Objectives

• Activity 1 Background document EEM database
  review
• Activity 2 Tool development and validation
• Activity 3 Tool application
• Activity 4 Evaluation of mitigation options
• Activity 5 Validation of implementation
  solution(s)

?
5 years, parallel
11
Key Research Questions

• Which test(s) of fish reproduction should be used
  for ?
• Investigation of Cause (IOC)
• Investigation of Solutions (IOS)
• Can effect be removed by secondary treatment ?

12
Activity 2 Evaluate
Practicality for use in IOC/IOS
Ecological relevance Increased Time
13
Evaluation of Diagnostic Tests
Mummichog
Field work
Zebrafish
Stickleback

• Fathead minnow tests
• Life-cycle (6 mo)
• Adult reproduction (2 mo)
• Shortened adult test (10 d)
• Multiple endpoints

Shorter duration multiple endpoints
14
Activity 2 Tool development(Proposed 3-year
Workplan)

• Detailed evaluation of all tests
• Mill 1 BKME (La Tuque QC)
• Mill 2 BKME (Terrace Bay ON?)
• Mill 3 TMP (To be determined)
• Examine effect of biotreatment with selected
  tests (Mills 1-3 above 2 others)

15
Activity 2 Progress

• Fall 2005
• Development of criteria for IOC, invitations to
  19 mills
• Jan 2006
• Meeting with qualifying mills with Cycle 4
  pending
• May 2006 MoAs finalized
• 8 mills on board for IOC in Cycle 4
• 2 Smurfit-Stone, 2 Cascades, 3 Abicon, AV
  Nackawic
• June 2006-Jan 2007 Research completed at Mill 1

16
La Tuque PQ, Work Completed in 2006
17
LaTuque Mill EffluentEgg Production Statistics
Lifecycle Test
18
Effluent Chemistry
19
In 6 Months We Have

• Completed an unprecedented volume of work on one
  effluent
• A wild fish evaluation
• Lifecycle and shorter exposure tests with 4
  species
• Extensive chemical monitoring
• Extensive biochemical analyses of reproductive
  endpoints

20
Conclusions after Mill 1

• Wild fish evaluations and Cycle 4 field data show
  that La Tuque effluent did not cause reduced
  gonad size
• Laboratory tests were consistent with wild fish
  findings (minimal responses)
• Some endpoints were affected at high effluent
  concentrations, illustrating potential value of
  these tests
• Egg production bioassays show potential for
  assessing an effluents ability to affect
  reproduction (3 species)
• Modified 10 d fathead minnow test has potential
  for IOC/IOS work

21
Path Forward

• Proceed with workplan
• Winter 2006 La Tuque report completed
• Spring 2007 Begin testing potent BKME and TMP
  effluents (Mills 2, 3)
• 2008 Test 5 effluents before/after biotreatment
• Continue refinement of tests and include androgen
  bioassays

22
Resource Issues to Consider

• Activity 2 requires 1.2M to complete
• Industry involvement, via transfer of resources
  from Cycle 5 EEM, is critical to success of
  initiatives
• Will it be enough for Activity 2 ?
• Future of remaining Activities 3-5 ?

23
Unprecedented Collaborative Effort Underway