Genotoxic activity of endocrine disrupting compounds commonly present in paper mill effluents

In the present study we evaluated cytotoxic and genotoxic activities of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), including dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), bisphenol A (BPA), and nonylphenol (NP), which have been previously identified in effluents from two paper mills with different paper production technologies (virgin or recycled fibres). Moreover, we evaluated genotoxic activity of the effluents from these two paper mills and compared it to the activity of artificial complex mixtures consisting of the seven EDCs at concentrations detected in corresponding paper mill effluents. None of the EDCs was genotoxic in Salmonella typhimurium (SOS/umuC assay), while all induced DNA damage in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells (comet assay). After 4 h of exposure genotoxic effects were determined at concentrations ≥ 1 μg/L for BBP and DEHP, ≥10 μg/L for DMP, DEP, DBP, and BPA, and ≥100 μg/L for NP, while after 24 h of exposure DNA damage occurred at ≥10 μg/L for DBP, BPA and NP, and ≥100 μg/L for DMP, DEP, BBP and DEHP. The effluents and corresponding artificial mixtures of EDCs from paper mill that uses virgin fibres did not induce DNA damage in HepG2 cells, while the effluents and corresponding artificial mixtures for the paper mill that uses recycled fibres were genotoxic. Genotoxic activity of effluents was significantly higher compared to corresponding artificial mixtures suggesting the presence of further unknown compounds contributing to the effect. Wastewater monitoring based on chemical analysis is limited to determination of targeted compounds and does not take into account possible interactions between chemicals in mixtures. Therefore, it alone cannot provide an adequate information on potential toxic effects required for the assessment of genotoxic activity of real environmental samples and their potential threats to the environment and human health.