Disruption of the Prostaglandin Metabolome and Characterization of the Pharmaceutical Exposome in Fish Exposed to Wastewater Treatment Works Effluent As Revealed by Nanoflow-Nanospray Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b04365
• Publication Date: 2016-12-01T21:09:54Z
• Authors: Arthur David; Anke Lange; Alaa Abdul-Sada; Charles R. Tyler; Elizabeth M. Hill
• Keywords: Metabolome; Exposome; Eicosanoid metabolism

Fish can be exposed to a complex mixture of chemical contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, present in discharges wastewater treatment works (WwTWs) effluents. There is little information on the effects effluent exposure fish metabolism, especially small molecule signaling compounds which are biological target many pharmaceuticals. We applied newly developed sensitive nanoflow-nanospray mass spectrometry nontargeted profiling technique identify changes exposome and metabolome roach (Rutilus rutilus) final WwTWs for 15 days. Effluent resulted widespread reduction (between 50% 90%) prostaglandin (PG) profiles tissues plasma with disruptions also tryptophan/serotonin, bile acid lipid metabolism. Metabolite were not explained by altered expression genes associated PG or tryptophan Of 31 pharmaceutical metabolites that detected fish, 6 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs but concentrations too low disrupt biosynthesis. PGs, acids, important mediators regulating diverse array physiological systems identity contaminants disrupting their metabolism warrants further investigation health.