Occurrence of carcinogenic illudane glycosides in drinking water wells

Abstract

Background: Ptaquiloside (PTA), caudatoside (CAU) and ptesculentoside (PTE) are carcinogenic illudane glycosides found in bracken ferns (Pteridium spp.) world-wide. The environmentally mobile PTA entails both acute and chronic toxicity. A comparable risk might be associated with the structurally similar CAU and PTE. It is of great health concern if these compounds are present in drinking water, however, it is currently unknown if these compounds can detected in wells in bracken-dominated regions. This study investigates the presence of PTA, CAU, PTE, and their corresponding hydrolysis products pterosins B (PtB), A (PtA) and G (PtG) in water wells in Denmark, Sweden and Spain. Water samples from a total of 77 deep groundwater wells (40–100 m) and shallow water wells (8–40 m) were collected and preserved in the field, pre-concentrated in the laboratory and analysed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Results: Deep groundwater wells contained neither illudane glycosides nor their pterosins. However, seven private shallow wells contained at least one of the illudane glycosides and/or pterosins at concentrations up to 0.27 µg L−1 (PTA), 0.75 µg L−1 (CAU), 0.05 µg L−1 (PtB), 0.03 µg L−1 (PtA) and 0.28 µg L−1 (PtG). This is the first finding of illudane glycosides and pterosins in drinking water wells. Conclusions: Detected concentrations of illudane glycosides in some of investigated wells exceeded the suggested maximum tolerable concentrations of PTA, although they were used for drinking water purpose. Contaminated wells were shallow with neutral pH and lower electric conductivity compared to deep groundwater wells with no illudane glycosides nor pterosins.