SU Estrogenicity Sensor Raw CO₂ Data 2025

The raw carbon dioxide production (CO₂ in ppm) data from the real-time yeast-based estrogenicity sensor developed by the Stellenbosch University (SU) partner of the MAR2PROTECT EU-funded project. This sensor includes a carbon dioxide evolution measurement system (CEMS) (Kroukamp & Wolfaardt, 2009), functioning to monitor changes in CO₂ production by the sensing organism as an indicator of possible toxicity. To assess the sensors applicability in water quality monitoring, it was exposed to: (1) 50 ng/L 17β-estradiol (E2) in phosphate phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), representative of groundwater or surface water, (2) 20 ng/L E2 in synthetic wastewater (SWW), and (3) wastewater effluent from the Cape Flats WWTP (selected for future use in managed aquifer recharge (MAR) in the region). 17β-estradiol was selected as a representative estrogenic compound, as this natural estrogen, together with estrone (E1) and the synthetic estrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2), are the main contributors to estrogenicity in wastewater effluents (Snyder et al., 2001).