<p>This work explores the usefulness of fish bile analysis in combination with biomarkers for identifying and evaluating new environmental contaminants in the aquatic environment. It illustrates how bile analysis can be used together with biomarkers to assess the causes of estrogenic effects, to identify chemicals in the aquatic environment that are taken up by fish, and to monitor environmental exposure.</p><p>In a first application, fish exposed to sewage treatment plant effluent were studied. Elevated levels of vitellogenin in the exposed fish demonstrated that estrogenic effects occurred. Several estrogen disrupting substances were identified in the fish bile, and analysis of water samples confirmed that these substances were present in the effluent. The synthetic estrogen 17a-ethinylestradiol, which is known to be present in sewage treatment plant effluent, was shown for the first time to be taken up by fish. Considering the reported potencies of the detected substances, it was concluded that 17a-ethinylestradiol was the major contributor to the estrogenic effects.</p><p>Chemical analysis of bile was used to identify rubber additives that were released from tires immersed in water. The bile of rainbow trout held in the water contained high levels of metabolites of PAHs and aromatic nitrogen compounds. Several biomarkers were also measured in the exposed fish, and EROD induction and oxidative stress were observed. Based on the bile analysis observations together with knowledge of toxicological mechanisms, it was postulated that the EROD induction was due to the PAHs, while aromatic nitrogen compounds caused the oxidative stress.</p><p>Resin acids in fish bile proved to be a good indicator of exposure in a chronic long-term study of rainbow trout exposed to effluent from a total chlorine free (TCF) pulp mill. Elevated levels of GST (gluthatione-S-transferase) and GR (gluthatione reductase) activity, and the presence of DNA adducts after a two month recovery period, indicated that compounds in the pulp mill effluents have persistent effects. In addition to characterising the exposure of the fish to the effluent, the analysis of the resin acids in the bile provided evidence of accidents in the pulp mill that the existing process monitoring system had not detected.</p><p>Resin acids in bile were also found to be a valuable indicator of exposure to pulp mill effluents for eelpout living in the Baltic Sea. A correlation between resin acid levels in bile and skewed sex ratios provided an important link in the chain of evidence that substances in the pulp mill effluents cause male bias of the eelpout embryos.</p><p>A particularly good example of the potential of bile analysis was the identification of a previously unknown environmental contaminant. A large peak was observed in the bile extracts of fish that had been exposed to sewage treatment plant effluent. This peak was identified as triclosan, which demonstrated its presence in sewage treatment plant effluent. Other work went on to show that it is a common contaminant of the aquatic environment. The ability of fish to concentrate contaminant metabolites in bile to levels very much higher than in the environment, and the comparatively low levels of analytic interferences, make bile a particularly attractive matrix to search for new, unknown organic pollutants</p>

This work explores the usefulness of fish bile analysis in combination with biomarkers for identifying and evaluating new environmental contaminants in the aquatic environment. It illustrates how bile analysis can be used together with biomarkers to assess the causes of estrogenic effects, to identify chemicals in the aquatic environment that are taken up by fish, and to monitor environmental exposure. In a first application, fish exposed to sewage treatment plant effluent were studied. Elevated levels of vitellogenin in the exposed fish demonstrated that estrogenic effects occurred. Several estrogen disrupting substances were identified in the fish bile, and analysis of water samples confirmed that these substances were present in the effluent. The synthetic estrogen 17a-ethinylestradiol, which is known to be present in sewage treatment plant effluent, was shown for the first time to be taken up by fish. Considering the reported potencies of the detected substances, it was concluded that 17a-ethinylestradiol was the major contributor to the estrogenic effects. Chemical analysis of bile was used to identify rubber additives that were released from tires immersed in water. The bile of rainbow trout held in the water contained high levels of metabolites of PAHs and aromatic nitrogen compounds. Several biomarkers were also measured in the exposed fish, and EROD induction and oxidative stress were observed. Based on the bile analysis observations together with knowledge of toxicological mechanisms, it was postulated that the EROD induction was due to the PAHs, while aromatic nitrogen compounds caused the oxidative stress. Resin acids in fish bile proved to be a good indicator of exposure in a chronic long-term study of rainbow trout exposed to effluent from a total chlorine free (TCF) pulp mill. Elevated levels of GST (gluthatione-S-transferase) and GR (gluthatione reductase) activity, and the presence of DNA adducts after a two month recovery period, indicated that compounds in the pulp mill effluents have persistent effects. In addition to characterising the exposure of the fish to the effluent, the analysis of the resin acids in the bile provided evidence of accidents in the pulp mill that the existing process monitoring system had not detected. Resin acids in bile were also found to be a valuable indicator of exposure to pulp mill effluents for eelpout living in the Baltic Sea. A correlation between resin acid levels in bile and skewed sex ratios provided an important link in the chain of evidence that substances in the pulp mill effluents cause male bias of the eelpout embryos. A particularly good example of the potential of bile analysis was the identification of a previously unknown environmental contaminant. A large peak was observed in the bile extracts of fish that had been exposed to sewage treatment plant effluent. This peak was identified as triclosan, which demonstrated its presence in sewage treatment plant effluent. Other work went on to show that it is a common contaminant of the aquatic environment. The ability of fish to concentrate contaminant metabolites in bile to levels very much higher than in the environment, and the comparatively low levels of analytic interferences, make bile a particularly attractive matrix to search for new, unknown organic pollutants

Nos últimos anos muita atenção tem sido dada a produtos que apresentam em sua composição, substâncias com uso restrito por seu risco potencial ao meio ambiente ou à saúde. A União Européia, inserida ativamente neste contexto, regulamenta requisitos que os fabricantes devem atender para, por exemplo, exportarem seus produtos à Europa. Em artefatos de borracha as maiores restrições são relativas ao uso de óleos plastificantes aromáticos e tipo ésteres ftálicos. Os óleos plastificantes são amplamente utilizados na aditivação de borrachas com o objetivo de melhorar processabilidade, reduzir custos e aperfeiçoar propriedades dos materiais visando suas aplicações. Neste âmbito alguns plastificantes reativos a base de ésteres, alguns óleos minerais e vegetais (renováveis) têm se demonstrado alternativas viáveis aos plastificantes restritos para borracha. Assim, o presente trabalho objetivou a avaliação desses plastificantes (de baixo impacto ambiental e sem restrições à saúde), explorando-se a capacidade reativa, compatibilidade e efeitos nas propriedades da borracha nitrílica hidrogenada, HNBR, e borracha de estireno-butadieno, SBR. As características das composições de HNBR contendo 10 phr e as de SBR contendo 15 phr de plastificante frente à vulcanização foram determinadas a partir das curvas reométricas. Igualmente, determinou-se a viscosidade e a relaxação de tensão destas composições. Os vulcanizados foram caracterizados quanto a sua dureza, resistência à tração, índice de dispersão da carga, densidade, resiliência, deformação permanente à compressão, flexibilidade a baixas temperaturas, comportamento frente ao envelhecimento térmico e inchamento em solvente e óleo IRM 903. Todas as composições contendo os plastificantes foram comparadas a composição sem plastificante (NTP). Nos estudos, verificou-se que o óleo vegetal de mamona in natura é capaz de substituir o plastificante éster de ftalato (DOP) na aplicação em HNBR, observando-se boa compatibilidade com este último. Na SBR os plastificantes Fluibrax Euro 40 (Petrobras), Nytex 4700 (Ninas), Flex NBS 100 (Quantiq) assim como os óleos vegetais de soja e linhaça mostraram-se em condições de substituir os óleos aromáticos restritos. Também, observou-se equivalência de desempenho entre os plastificantes, óleo vegetal de mamona e óleo éster reativo RP1020 (Hall Star) em HNBR curada com peróxido indicando que ambos plastificantes passam por um mecanismo de enxertia com a borracha. / In recent years much attention has been given to products that contain substances with restricted use because of its potential risks to the environment and health. The European Union regulates strongly the requirements that manufacturers must meet, for example, to export their products to Europe. In rubber products, the major constraints are related to the use of aromatic oils and phthalates ester plasticizers as additives. The plasticizers are widely used in rubber in order to improve processability, to reduce costs and to improve properties of materials to their applications. In this context some reactive ester plasticizers, some mineral and vegetable oils (renewable) have demonstrated viable alternatives to the restricted plasticizers for rubber. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate these plasticizers (low environmental impact and no restrictions on health), exploiting its reactive capacity, rubber compatibility and effects on the properties of hydrogenated nitrile rubber, HNBR, and on styrene-butadiene rubber, SBR. The characteristics of the compositions of the HNBR and SBR containing 10 phr and 15 phr of plasticizer, respectively, related to the vulcanization were determined by rheometric analysis. The influence of the plasticizer on the viscosity and stress relaxation were also determined. The cured material were characterized as the hardness, strength, dispersion of the filler, density, rebound, compression set, flexibility at low temperature, brittleness point, heat ageing and swelling behavior in solvent and in IRM 903 oil. All the compositions with plasticizer were compared to the composition without plasticizer (NTP). In this work it was found that the castor vegetable oil in natura has been able to replace the phthalate ester plasticizer (DOP) in HNBR, maintaining good compatibility with the elastomer. In SBR, the plasticizers Fluibrax Euro 40 (Petrobras), Nytex 4700 (Ninas), Flex NBS 100 (QuantiQ), and the vegetables oils soybean and linseed could be properly applied as alternatives to restricted aromatic oils. It was observed very similar behavior between the compounds with the plasticizers RP1020 (reactive) and castor oil. The results of rheometry, acetone extraction and toluene swelling support the hypothesis of the grafting mechanism/oligomers formation for the RP1020 and castor plasticizers in HNBR cured with peroxide, indicating that both plasticizers undergo a mechanism of grafting with the rubber.

Nos últimos anos muita atenção tem sido dada a produtos que apresentam em sua composição, substâncias com uso restrito por seu risco potencial ao meio ambiente ou à saúde. A União Européia, inserida ativamente neste contexto, regulamenta requisitos que os fabricantes devem atender para, por exemplo, exportarem seus produtos à Europa. Em artefatos de borracha as maiores restrições são relativas ao uso de óleos plastificantes aromáticos e tipo ésteres ftálicos. Os óleos plastificantes são amplamente utilizados na aditivação de borrachas com o objetivo de melhorar processabilidade, reduzir custos e aperfeiçoar propriedades dos materiais visando suas aplicações. Neste âmbito alguns plastificantes reativos a base de ésteres, alguns óleos minerais e vegetais (renováveis) têm se demonstrado alternativas viáveis aos plastificantes restritos para borracha. Assim, o presente trabalho objetivou a avaliação desses plastificantes (de baixo impacto ambiental e sem restrições à saúde), explorando-se a capacidade reativa, compatibilidade e efeitos nas propriedades da borracha nitrílica hidrogenada, HNBR, e borracha de estireno-butadieno, SBR. As características das composições de HNBR contendo 10 phr e as de SBR contendo 15 phr de plastificante frente à vulcanização foram determinadas a partir das curvas reométricas. Igualmente, determinou-se a viscosidade e a relaxação de tensão destas composições. Os vulcanizados foram caracterizados quanto a sua dureza, resistência à tração, índice de dispersão da carga, densidade, resiliência, deformação permanente à compressão, flexibilidade a baixas temperaturas, comportamento frente ao envelhecimento térmico e inchamento em solvente e óleo IRM 903. Todas as composições contendo os plastificantes foram comparadas a composição sem plastificante (NTP). Nos estudos, verificou-se que o óleo vegetal de mamona in natura é capaz de substituir o plastificante éster de ftalato (DOP) na aplicação em HNBR, observando-se boa compatibilidade com este último. Na SBR os plastificantes Fluibrax Euro 40 (Petrobras), Nytex 4700 (Ninas), Flex NBS 100 (Quantiq) assim como os óleos vegetais de soja e linhaça mostraram-se em condições de substituir os óleos aromáticos restritos. Também, observou-se equivalência de desempenho entre os plastificantes, óleo vegetal de mamona e óleo éster reativo RP1020 (Hall Star) em HNBR curada com peróxido indicando que ambos plastificantes passam por um mecanismo de enxertia com a borracha. / In recent years much attention has been given to products that contain substances with restricted use because of its potential risks to the environment and health. The European Union regulates strongly the requirements that manufacturers must meet, for example, to export their products to Europe. In rubber products, the major constraints are related to the use of aromatic oils and phthalates ester plasticizers as additives. The plasticizers are widely used in rubber in order to improve processability, to reduce costs and to improve properties of materials to their applications. In this context some reactive ester plasticizers, some mineral and vegetable oils (renewable) have demonstrated viable alternatives to the restricted plasticizers for rubber. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate these plasticizers (low environmental impact and no restrictions on health), exploiting its reactive capacity, rubber compatibility and effects on the properties of hydrogenated nitrile rubber, HNBR, and on styrene-butadiene rubber, SBR. The characteristics of the compositions of the HNBR and SBR containing 10 phr and 15 phr of plasticizer, respectively, related to the vulcanization were determined by rheometric analysis. The influence of the plasticizer on the viscosity and stress relaxation were also determined. The cured material were characterized as the hardness, strength, dispersion of the filler, density, rebound, compression set, flexibility at low temperature, brittleness point, heat ageing and swelling behavior in solvent and in IRM 903 oil. All the compositions with plasticizer were compared to the composition without plasticizer (NTP). In this work it was found that the castor vegetable oil in natura has been able to replace the phthalate ester plasticizer (DOP) in HNBR, maintaining good compatibility with the elastomer. In SBR, the plasticizers Fluibrax Euro 40 (Petrobras), Nytex 4700 (Ninas), Flex NBS 100 (QuantiQ), and the vegetables oils soybean and linseed could be properly applied as alternatives to restricted aromatic oils. It was observed very similar behavior between the compounds with the plasticizers RP1020 (reactive) and castor oil. The results of rheometry, acetone extraction and toluene swelling support the hypothesis of the grafting mechanism/oligomers formation for the RP1020 and castor plasticizers in HNBR cured with peroxide, indicating that both plasticizers undergo a mechanism of grafting with the rubber.

Nos últimos anos muita atenção tem sido dada a produtos que apresentam em sua composição, substâncias com uso restrito por seu risco potencial ao meio ambiente ou à saúde. A União Européia, inserida ativamente neste contexto, regulamenta requisitos que os fabricantes devem atender para, por exemplo, exportarem seus produtos à Europa. Em artefatos de borracha as maiores restrições são relativas ao uso de óleos plastificantes aromáticos e tipo ésteres ftálicos. Os óleos plastificantes são amplamente utilizados na aditivação de borrachas com o objetivo de melhorar processabilidade, reduzir custos e aperfeiçoar propriedades dos materiais visando suas aplicações. Neste âmbito alguns plastificantes reativos a base de ésteres, alguns óleos minerais e vegetais (renováveis) têm se demonstrado alternativas viáveis aos plastificantes restritos para borracha. Assim, o presente trabalho objetivou a avaliação desses plastificantes (de baixo impacto ambiental e sem restrições à saúde), explorando-se a capacidade reativa, compatibilidade e efeitos nas propriedades da borracha nitrílica hidrogenada, HNBR, e borracha de estireno-butadieno, SBR. As características das composições de HNBR contendo 10 phr e as de SBR contendo 15 phr de plastificante frente à vulcanização foram determinadas a partir das curvas reométricas. Igualmente, determinou-se a viscosidade e a relaxação de tensão destas composições. Os vulcanizados foram caracterizados quanto a sua dureza, resistência à tração, índice de dispersão da carga, densidade, resiliência, deformação permanente à compressão, flexibilidade a baixas temperaturas, comportamento frente ao envelhecimento térmico e inchamento em solvente e óleo IRM 903. Todas as composições contendo os plastificantes foram comparadas a composição sem plastificante (NTP). Nos estudos, verificou-se que o óleo vegetal de mamona in natura é capaz de substituir o plastificante éster de ftalato (DOP) na aplicação em HNBR, observando-se boa compatibilidade com este último. Na SBR os plastificantes Fluibrax Euro 40 (Petrobras), Nytex 4700 (Ninas), Flex NBS 100 (Quantiq) assim como os óleos vegetais de soja e linhaça mostraram-se em condições de substituir os óleos aromáticos restritos. Também, observou-se equivalência de desempenho entre os plastificantes, óleo vegetal de mamona e óleo éster reativo RP1020 (Hall Star) em HNBR curada com peróxido indicando que ambos plastificantes passam por um mecanismo de enxertia com a borracha. / In recent years much attention has been given to products that contain substances with restricted use because of its potential risks to the environment and health. The European Union regulates strongly the requirements that manufacturers must meet, for example, to export their products to Europe. In rubber products, the major constraints are related to the use of aromatic oils and phthalates ester plasticizers as additives. The plasticizers are widely used in rubber in order to improve processability, to reduce costs and to improve properties of materials to their applications. In this context some reactive ester plasticizers, some mineral and vegetable oils (renewable) have demonstrated viable alternatives to the restricted plasticizers for rubber. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate these plasticizers (low environmental impact and no restrictions on health), exploiting its reactive capacity, rubber compatibility and effects on the properties of hydrogenated nitrile rubber, HNBR, and on styrene-butadiene rubber, SBR. The characteristics of the compositions of the HNBR and SBR containing 10 phr and 15 phr of plasticizer, respectively, related to the vulcanization were determined by rheometric analysis. The influence of the plasticizer on the viscosity and stress relaxation were also determined. The cured material were characterized as the hardness, strength, dispersion of the filler, density, rebound, compression set, flexibility at low temperature, brittleness point, heat ageing and swelling behavior in solvent and in IRM 903 oil. All the compositions with plasticizer were compared to the composition without plasticizer (NTP). In this work it was found that the castor vegetable oil in natura has been able to replace the phthalate ester plasticizer (DOP) in HNBR, maintaining good compatibility with the elastomer. In SBR, the plasticizers Fluibrax Euro 40 (Petrobras), Nytex 4700 (Ninas), Flex NBS 100 (QuantiQ), and the vegetables oils soybean and linseed could be properly applied as alternatives to restricted aromatic oils. It was observed very similar behavior between the compounds with the plasticizers RP1020 (reactive) and castor oil. The results of rheometry, acetone extraction and toluene swelling support the hypothesis of the grafting mechanism/oligomers formation for the RP1020 and castor plasticizers in HNBR cured with peroxide, indicating that both plasticizers undergo a mechanism of grafting with the rubber.