In vivo activity of the estrogenic potential of water sample for human consumption produced by water treatmeant plant of São Paulo

• Grant number: 12/21274-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: November 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: João Lauro Viana de Camargo
• Grantee: Carolina Vaccari
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FMB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Endocrine disruptors (ED) are individual agents or mixtures, which can affect hormone function, such as regulation of steroids, which determine the phenotypical and functional characteristics, and sexual behavior of different species. Environmental substances with estrogenic activity (xenoestrogens) are the best-known endocrine disruptors and have been widely disseminated in the environment, either by overuse of synthetic chemicals, lack of proper treatment of water, or release of human sewage into fresh rivers and lakes. Many are the evidence of its effects, especially in aquatic populations, and there have been reports of decreases in hatching eggs of birds, fish, and turtles, feminization of male fish and reproductive system problems in fish, reptiles, and birds. Therefore, it is clear the importance of studies on the presence of IE in sources like water, because it is a real risk to which the population is exposed daily. The safe levels of ED in drinking water are still unknown, and it is recommended that these substances be investigated to enable preventive measures to minimize the sources and levels of exposure. Therefore, the first step is to check if the water treated by cloroamination and distributed to the population exerts estrogenic effects in more complex systems, as are mammals. In order to do this, extract of water sample treated by a specific Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in the state of São Paulo will be investigated as an estrogenic potential in prepubertal rats, following uterotrophic assay, proposed by the OECD, 2007.(AU)