General Info
What are contraceptives?
Method/action through the form of a device, medication, procedure or behavior to prevent pregnancy.
Name 3 sources of emission of estrogen.
Human sources, Agriculture, and Industrial.
What are EDCs?
EDC: Endocrine Disruptor Chemical
Natural or human-made chemicals that mimic, block, or interfere with the body’s hormones.
Mention 3 alternatives to birth control pills.
Barrier methods, IUD, hormonal shots.
What are the 2 types of contraceptives and how do they function?
Hormonally --> disrupting the menstrual cycle
Physically --> blocking the passageway
What is the main reason for estrogen pollution?
Inadequate removal and the release of effluents.
What are the biological effects of estrogen on male fish?
Feminization of genetic male fish and intersex.
True or False, the recommended range of estrogenicity in aquatic systems is between <0.2 ng/L and <11ng/L.
False, it is between >0.1ng/L and <10ng/L.
How do birth control pills work in a woman's reproductive system?
Prevent your ovaries from releasing an egg. They also slow an egg’s progress through the fallopian tubes, thicken cervical mucus and thin the lining of the uterus (endometrium), thus preventing the sperm from joining the egg.
What is adsorption and a common adsorbent used in most wastewater treatment plants?
Adsorption: surface-based process through the adhesion of surface solid particles.
Common adsorbent: Charcoal
Explain the effects of estrogen exposure on the fish life cycle.
Early stages (larval): development and reproductive toxicity may occur. Alterations in key developmental process (sexual differentiation)
Maturity: disrupts normal reproductive parameters.
Treatment methods
Name 2 treatment methods that can be used to reduce estrogen in aquatic systems.
Primary ingredients of birth control pills.
E1, E2, E3, EE2.
Which degradation process is used in removing estrogen in wastewater?
What are the indirect effects of estrogen on fish and the environment?
Declination of fish population, reduction in fisheries' productivity, decrease in environmental health.
Explain the concept of ultrafiltration.
What is the function of the natural steroidal hormone E2?
The main female hormone helps maintain natural female reproductive processes by releasing mature eggs during the menstrual cycle and thickening the lining to prepare for fertilization.
How does degradation influence the increase in estrogenic activity?
Reduction of estrone due to biodegradation, mesophilic aerobic degradation, and prioritization of organisms.
What are the 2 ways of uptake of bioaccumulation in fish?
Aqueous uptake and dietary uptake.