TY - JOUR
T1 - Phthalate ester leachates in aquatic mesocosms
T2 - Implications for ecotoxicity studies of endocrine disrupting compounds
AU - Weir, Scott M.
AU - Wooten, Kimberly J.
AU - Smith, Philip N.
AU - Salice, Christopher J.
N1 - Funding Information:
SMW and KJW would like to thank the Helen Jones Foundation and SMW would like to thank the Texas Tech University Office of the Provost for financial support. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Aquatic mesocosm experiments have become common throughout the fields of ecology and ecotoxicology. Mesocosm containers are often composed of plastic materials as these are lighter and cheaper than steel cattle tanks. Plastics may contain phthalate esters which may leach from containers, potentially confounding experiments via toxicity or endocrine disruption. The objective of this experiment was to determine the extent to which plastic containers (="tanks") used for mesocosms leach phthalates, and if there are significant differences between tank types and phthalate profiles. We investigated four tank types: fiberglass, polyethylene, poly-vinyl chloride, and polyethylene tanks containing an established aquatic community. We measured six common phthalate esters in water samples collected from each tank every 2. weeks for 8. weeks. There was a significant effect of tank type, time, and time x type interactions on phthalate ester concentrations. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was the predominant congener measured in all samples. Fiberglass tanks had greater concentrations of dimethyl phthalate compared to other tank types (more than 600x larger concentration), but no other differences in phthalate profiles among tank types were evident. In addition, tanks with established communities had much higher concentrations of most phthalates at the 6 and 8. week timepoints. Our study confirms that mesocosm tanks of different materials leach phthalates starting immediately after they are filled and continuing for at least 8. weeks, but do so at different rates. Future ecotoxicity experiments should consider the potentially confounding effects of phthalates that may leach from tanks used in experimental mesocosms.
AB - Aquatic mesocosm experiments have become common throughout the fields of ecology and ecotoxicology. Mesocosm containers are often composed of plastic materials as these are lighter and cheaper than steel cattle tanks. Plastics may contain phthalate esters which may leach from containers, potentially confounding experiments via toxicity or endocrine disruption. The objective of this experiment was to determine the extent to which plastic containers (="tanks") used for mesocosms leach phthalates, and if there are significant differences between tank types and phthalate profiles. We investigated four tank types: fiberglass, polyethylene, poly-vinyl chloride, and polyethylene tanks containing an established aquatic community. We measured six common phthalate esters in water samples collected from each tank every 2. weeks for 8. weeks. There was a significant effect of tank type, time, and time x type interactions on phthalate ester concentrations. Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was the predominant congener measured in all samples. Fiberglass tanks had greater concentrations of dimethyl phthalate compared to other tank types (more than 600x larger concentration), but no other differences in phthalate profiles among tank types were evident. In addition, tanks with established communities had much higher concentrations of most phthalates at the 6 and 8. week timepoints. Our study confirms that mesocosm tanks of different materials leach phthalates starting immediately after they are filled and continuing for at least 8. weeks, but do so at different rates. Future ecotoxicity experiments should consider the potentially confounding effects of phthalates that may leach from tanks used in experimental mesocosms.
KW - Amphibians
KW - Aquatic communities
KW - Aquatic ecotoxicology
KW - Plasticizers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84896390092&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.10.097
DO - 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.10.097
M3 - Article
C2 - 24309156
AN - SCOPUS:84896390092
VL - 103
SP - 44
EP - 50
JO - Chemosphere
JF - Chemosphere
SN - 0045-6535
ER -