Estrogenicity determination in carp, Cyprinus carpio: a laboratory and field approach

In a laboratory experiment, adult male and female carp, Cyprinus carpio, were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of 500 μg/kg of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE 2 ) and eight days afterwards, vitellogenin levels were recorded in blood by Western blot analysis. Moreover, effects on the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase system, phase II and antioxidant defense enzymes of the liver were measured. In a field approach, water and carp were simultaneously collected at the vicinity of two sewage treatment works (STWs) for determining the presence of estrogenic compounds such as nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol polyethoxylated compounds (NPEOs) as well as the occurrence of natural and sinthetic estrogens. The induction of vitellogenin on the male individuals was used as a reliable indicator of estrogenic exposure.