Pollution

Pollution

Bioaccumulation of 17β-estradiol in freshwater gastropod Sulcospira testudinaria under increasing anthropogenic pressure in the Brantas River, Indonesia

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors
Qonitah Imaniyar Fitroya
Yenny Risjani
Asus Maizar Suryanto Hertika
Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Brawijaya University
10.22059/poll.2026.410621.3283
Abstract
The presence of endocrine-disrupting compounds in freshwater ecosystems has raised increasing concern due to their potential ecological impacts, particularly in rivers exposed to growing anthropogenic pressure. This study investigated the occurrence and bioaccumulation of 17β-estradiol in river water and in the freshwater gastropod Sulcospira testudinaria collected from ten sampling stations along the Brantas River, Indonesia. Water and tissue samples were obtained during the dry season to minimise hydrological variability and to improve spatial comparability among stations. Estradiol was detected in river water at all stations at nanogram-per-litre levels, while concentrations in S. testudinaria tissues were substantially higher, reaching up to 470 ng g⁻¹ wet weight, with elevated values generally observed in middle and downstream sections. Positive relationships were observed between estradiol concentrations in water and gastropod tissues, indicating spatial patterns of bioaccumulation along the river continuum. The results suggest that increasing anthropogenic activities contribute to estrogenic contamination in freshwater environments and highlight the potential of S. testudinaria as a bioindicator species for monitoring estrogenic compounds in tropical river systems.
Keywords
Estradiol
gastropods
bioaccumulation
estrogenic compounds
freshwater ecosystem
Subjects
Pollution

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 11 August 2026