Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates and intermediate products from their degradation are not estrogenic

A number of natural and man-made chemicals possess estrogenic activity, i.e. they induce a variety of estrogen dependent responses in vertebrates. These xenobiotics include a variety of surfactants such as alkylphenolpolyethoxylates (APnEO) and their biodegradation products. Another group of synthetic surfactants are the linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS). Recently high concentrations of LAS and intermediate products of LAS biodegradation, sulphophenyl carboxylates (SPC), have been found in the Bay of Cadiz, Spain. Due to their similar chemical properties with the estrogenic APnEO it has been speculated that LAS and their metabolites have estrogenic effects. The present work addresses the question upon the possible estrogenicity of LAS and LAS metabolites by two in vitro assays: the vitellogenin assay with unaltered trout hepatocytes and the yeast estrogen receptor assay. No estrogenic effects were observed for any of the compounds tested.