HORTIN, SM*; SOMLEY, BL; JOHNSON, JC; PROOPER, CR; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University; Northern Arizona University: Reclaimed Wastewater Does Not Induce Androgenic Effects in a Bioassay Using Gambusia affinis as an in vivo Model

Wastewater has been demonstrated to contain several endocrine disrupting compounds in samples taken downstream from production plants in many parts of the United States. We tested the hypothesis that wastewater from a rural metropolitan area has androgenic potential. The anal fin of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) is exquisitely sensitive to elongation upon exposure to androgens and has been used to test water systems for androgenic compounds in the past. Forty female mosquitofish in breeding condition were lightly anesthetized and then weighed, measured (snout-tailfin) for length and photographing for anal analysis of individual fin rays. We then exposed fish to either aerated reclaimed wastewater or conditioned (salt concentrations similar to wastewater) control water (N=20/treatment) for 30 days. On day 29 animals were tested for sexual attractivity. On day 30, all animals were killed by immersion in MS-222 and they were re-weighed, measured for length, and photographed for anal fin measurement analysis. Animals were fixed for later thyroid follicle analysis. Measurements of post- and pre-treatment anal fin ray length and thickness, and fish total mass/length (condition factor) of the fish were analyzed utilizing unpaired t-tests. Animals did not differ in any of the morphological parameters measured. These findings suggest that this reclaimed water may not contain high concentrations of androgenic compounds.