Abstract
In order to investigate the sensitivity of Potamopyrgus antipodarum to anti-androgenic compounds, three spiked sediment tests were performed. The substances benzanthrone (7H-benz[de]anthracen-7-one), traseolide (ATII) and androstenone (5α-Androst-16-en-3-one) were previously identified in an effect-directed analysis study of the river Schijn in the north of Belgium. Although, in previous studies, all of the three compounds exhibited anti-androgenic activities in vitro, only the oxy-PAH benzanthrone had significant stimulating effects on the snails’ reproduction. The reproduction of P. antipodarum was significantly stimulated, following a sigmoidal dose response curve, whereby an EC50 of 10 ng/g dry sediment was calculated. Mortality was significantly increased at the highest concentration (69 ng/g dry sediment). The results indicate different relative potencies for the in vivo test with P. antipodarum and the in vitro anti-AR-CALUX assay, performed in a previous study. This highlights the importance of combined in vitro and in vivo assays for the effect assessment of field sediments.
Acknowledgments
This study was performed within the project MODELKEY (Contract No 511237-GOCE). We gratefully acknowledge the financial support granted by the European Commission.