Effect of Composting on the Fate of Steroids in Beef Cattle Manure

In this study, the fate of steroid hormones in beef cattle manure composting is evaluated. The fate of 16 steroids and metabolites was evaluated in composted manure from beef cattle administered growth promotants and from beef cattle with no steroid hormone implants. The fate of estrogens (primary detected as estrone), androgens, progesterone, and the fusarium metabolite and implant a-zearalanol was monitored in manure compost piles. First-order decay rates were calculated for steroid half-lives in compost and ranged from 8 d for androsterone to 69 d for 4-androstenedione. Other steroid concentration data could not be fit to first-order decay models, which may indicate that microbial processes may result in steroid production or synthesis in composting systems. We demonstrate that composting is an effective strategy to remove steroid hormones from manure. Total steroid hormone removal in composted beef cattle manure ranged from 79 to 87%

Detection, Occurrence, and Fate of Emerging Contaminants in Agricultural Environments (2009)

Frequently studied environmental contaminants in agricultural systems include nutrients, sediments, and pesticides. These groups of contaminants typically occur at easily measured concentrations in surface run-off in agricultural watersheds. Nutrients, especially nitrogen, and pesticides have also been shown to impact ground water quality in areas susceptible to contamination. Less well-known are environmental impacts of newer classes of contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, steroids, antibiotic-resistance genes and prion proteins. These “emerging” contaminants clearly have potential to enter the environment and cause known or suspected adverse ecological or human health effects. Release of these contaminants to the environment often has occurred for quite some time, but methods for their detection at environmentally-relevant concentrations have only recently become available. Evaluating the environmental fate and effects of emerging contaminants includes research on compounds such as surfactants, antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones and other endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), fire retardants, sunscreens, disinfection byproducts, new pesticides and pesticide metabolites, and naturally-occurring algal toxins. Detection of these contaminants in environmental matrices (water, wastewater, soils and sediments) is particularly challenging because of the low detection limits required, the complex nature of the samples, and difficulty in separating these compounds from interferences. New extraction and cleanup techniques, coupled with improvements in instrumental technologies provide the needed sensitivity and specificity for accurate measurement. The objective of this paper is to review the literature published in 2008 evaluating the detection, fate, and occurrence of emerging contaminants, with a particular focus on emerging contaminants in agricultural systems. Relevant contaminants are EDCs (particularly hormones and anabolic steroids), antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals associated with wastewater, antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria and prions. Studies on pesticides and flame retardants are not reviewed unless they were evaluated in the same study

Detection, Occurrence and Fate of Emerging Contaminants in Agricultural Environments (2008)

Agricultural settings are affected by a unique set of environmental contaminants typically associated with land use. Nutrients and sediments from run-off and erosion have historically been, and continue to be, studied and understood with respect to their impacts to aquatic environments. Studies involving newer classes of contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals and steroids, are becoming more prevalent as methods for measuring these compounds become available. These “emerging” contaminants clearly have potential to enter the environment and cause known or suspected adverse ecological or human health effects. Release of these contaminants to the environment has occurred for quite some time, but methods for their detection at environmentally-relevant concentrations have only recently become available. Studies involving emerging contaminants typically focus on the environmental fate and effects of surfactants, antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones and other endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), fire retardants, sunscreens, disinfection byproducts, new pesticides and pesticide metabolites, and naturally-occurring algal toxins. Detection of these and wastewater-related contaminants in environmental matrices (water, wastewater, soils and sediments) is particularly challenging because of the low detection limits required, the complex nature of the samples, and difficulty in separating these compounds from interferences. New extraction and clean-up techniques, coupled with improvements in instrumental technologies provide the needed sensitivity and specificity for accurate measurement. The objective of this paper is to review the literature published in 2007 evaluating the detection, fate, and occurrence of emerging contaminants, with a particular focus on emerging contaminants in agricultural systems. Relevant contaminants are EDCs (particularly hormones and anabolic steroids), antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals associated with wastewater, antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria and prions. Studies on pesticides and flame retardants are not reviewed unless they were evaluated in the same study

Effect of rosiglitazone on the frequency of diabetes in patients with impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose: a randomised controlled trial

Background Rosiglitazone is a thiazolidinedione that reduces insulin resistance and might preserve insulin secretion. The aim of this study was to assess prospectively the drugs ability to prevent type 2 diabetes in individuals at high risk of developing the condition