Biological & Research Programs Overview Status Future Direction Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care Products (PPCPs) Hormones and Sterols Perfluorinated Compounds ECs identified as a top research priority Eventually, the Commission will have to make regulatory decisions regarding ECs Dont want to be in the position of being asked what we are doingand say nothing. Be proactive Data = Informed Decisions Conducting this research ourselves allows us to: Control the data Report the results Control what is said about the results by publishing, informing the press and interacting with the public. To date, no evidence has been found of human health effects. EPA Global Water Research Coalition Water Research Foundation However, scientists are concerned over the lack of fetal exposure studies and studies involving possible effects of complex mixtures and long- term exposure. 7 Effects on aquatic life are a major concern Risks for aquatic organisms much greater than humans Continuous exposure Exposure to higher concentration in waste streams from many different sources Possible low dose effects Intersex classic example Other reproductive effects and anomalies Neurobehavioral Nest guarding Homing during migration (salmon) Fish replace the canary Do we find ECs in the Ohio River? Are fish and other aquatic organisms showing effects possibly caused by exposure to ECs? If YES Develop a strategy for testing fish health indicators and develop a routine monitoring strategy. 2005 Document presence of ECs Look for possible fish health effects *REVIEW* POCIS and SPMD sampling units Presence/absence only Fish Health 200 fish sampled *REVIEW* Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler - Hydrophilic Contaminants Semi-Permeable Membrane Device - Lipophilic Contaminants Hormones found In effluent mixing zones At upstream reference locations Fish showed possible signs of health effects No Intersex found!! *REVIEW* A more comprehensive look at the occurrence of Emerging Contaminants within the mainstem Ohio River 24 Locations Longitudinal spread Range of potential for occurrence POTW mixing zones Tributaries Background areas 121 Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Compounds Hormones & Sterols Nonylphenol (+) Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) Optical Brighteners Document occurrence of ECs within the mainstem Ohio River Identify areas of the river with a greater risk potential (to aquatic organisms) Number of contaminants present Levels observed Single chemical WERF ranking (ongoing project) Prioritizing Trace Organic Compounds USEPA NERL Cincinnati APEOs NPEOs - Optical Brighteners PFCs Researchers are national/international experts in the EC field AXYS Analytical Developed PPCP methods for EPA (1694; 1698) Waters Demonstrating new analytical capabilities $84,000 Project Cost $50,000 River Users Program Held in reserve $73,000 (+) available from EPA/NRSA Sampling $6K per site x 25 sites = $150,000 Sampling September - October 2009 Results Available Oct. Nov Data assessment Dec Jan Findings reported to Technical Committee Feb Draft report/pub out for review March - April 2010 Phase 3 Research Committee June 2009 Priority: The development of fish health indicators for detecting the presence of and effects from exposure to emerging contaminants. Use Phase 2 results to identify a gradient of (EC) condition Areas with differing potential for showing biological response Occurrence of ECs Type Concentration Risk Potential ongoing WERF Research Project Test various candidate measures of Fish Health along the gradient identified $315,000 proposal submitted to USEPA through the Regional Methods development program. Peer review prior to submittal Very good reviews Pulled in many different partners USEPA USGS WVU St. Cloud State Proposal rejected on a submission technicality! Currently searching for funding support.