Environmental exposure to pharmaceuticals: drivers and impacts - NERC GW4+ DTP project

This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC GW4+ DTP. The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus six Research Organisation partners. The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme, please see http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/.

Background

Major concerns for human, wildlife and ecosystem health are exemplified by high-profile examples including near extinction of vultures in Asia (diclofenac) and the widespread feminisation of fish in UK rivers (contraceptive oestrogens).

Detection of effects is challenging. Direct testing of water to estimate exposure is inadequate because concentrations often fall below detection limits, pollution events are episodic, and water flow is highly variable. Freshwater top predators (such as the otter) are potentially excellent integrators of exposure at the catchment scale, and act as ‘sentinels’ for pharmaceuticals likely to be transferred through the foodchain and thereby have widespread trophic effects.

The studentship will investigate, for the first time, drivers of contamination, levels of exposure, and the potential impacts of pharmaceuticals on freshwater biota.

Project aims and methods

The projact aims to determine the spatial, temporal and biotic factors driving exposure of otters to a range of pharmaceuticals, and the ecotoxicological relevance of such exposure. Specifically, it will test the following hypotheses:
Hypotheses:

- Pharmaceuticals of environmental health concern (to be decided with stakeholders including pharmaceutical Companies AstraZeneca, Merck and Boerhinger; may include NSAIDS, SSRIs, environmental oestrogens and/or drugs used to treat diabetes) bioaccumulate in top predators in UK freshwaters.
- Exposure is associated with predictable drivers including spatial (e.g. sewerage discharge), temporal (e.g. prescription) and biotic (demography).
- Accumulated concentrations of pharmaceuticals are sufficient to induce biological effects in vivo in vertebrates.

Methods:

- Samples from the Cardiff University Otter Project archive of >3000 otters collected across the UK (largely roadkill) since 1992.
- Analysis of tissue/hair samples (e.g. GC-MSMS and LC-MSMS at CEH Lancaster) to identify concentrations of parent compounds and metabolites (e.g. NSAIDS, SSRIs, metformin).
- Landscape scale spatial modelling (in collaboration with Cranfield Water Science Institute, Marc Naura) and CEH, using data e.g. land use, sewerage discharge, sediment type / volume (sourced from CEH and other project partners including EA and NRW).
- Ecotoxicological relevance tested using established transgenic fish models developed at Exeter, to quantify the effect of pharmaceuticals of concern.

Candidate

The project will suit a candidate interested in applied environmental ecology, particularly in links between ecosystem, ecotoxicology, wildlife and human health. Background knowledge of pollution and toxicology will be useful, as would some experience of analytical chemistry, statistical modelling, and/or geographical information systems.

CASE award

Although not CASE, the student will benefit from two close partnerships. The student will spend approximately 6 weeks each year with CEH (Lancaster). CEH will provide training and supervision in analytical chemistry including standardization and quality control procedures.

Exeter University are partners on a £10M European project on pharmaceuticals, with many associated pharmaceutical companies. They will provide access to extensive data on API exposure and effects not in the public domain.

Training

Analytical chemistry: Collection, extraction, and quantification of target chemicals in environmental samples using GC-MSMS / LC-MSMS, including standardisation and quality control (CEH Lancaster).

Statistical and spatial analysis: Analysis of extensive landscape / river catchment data, using ArcMap GIS (Geographical Information Systems) and statistical modelling in ‘R’. (Cardiff, Cranfield).

Bioassays with Transgenic fish: Identification of target tissue responses (neurological, renal, liver and heart function) to a wide range of pharmaceuticals, using imaging methods such as light sheet microscopy (Exeter).

Transferable skills developed in line with those set out by the Research Councils /AHRBs skills training requirement and Research Development Statement.