Evaluation of in vitro assays for determination of estrogenic activity in the environment

Preface

The aquatic environment is particularly susceptible to the effects of contaminants. Effluents from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants, and agricultural run-off and drainage add numerous exogenous compounds to the aquatic system. Among these compounds are substances with estrogenic activity. Recent studies in a number of countries have shown that the aquatic environment can possess estrogenic activity capable of influencing the fauna. Examples of this are vitellogenin induction and feminised reproductive organs in male fish (Christiansen et al. 2002). This has led to efforts of finding simple, sensitive and specific in vitro tests for rapid screening of samples from wastewater and surface waters for their estrogenic activity. Already existing in vitro assays for screening of the estrogenic activity of single compounds have therefore been applied to environmental samples. This report gives an evaluation of the existing in vitro methods for determination of estrogenic activity in various environmental matrices. The existing knowledge on the potentials and limitations of these methods will be presented with the aim of finding the optimal method(s) for monitoring wastewater and surface water, and with a view to assessing the possibilities for monitoring agricultural drain water and animal manure slurry. Parallel to this report a report has been written assessing existing chemical methods for detection of estrogens in the environment.