Evaluation of the suitability of recombinant yeast-based estrogenicity assays as a pre-screening tool in environmental samples

This paper presents a study evaluating the suitability of recombinant yeast-based estrogenicity assays as a pre-screening tool for monitoring of the chemical status of water bodies in support of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Three different recombinant yeast-based assays were evaluated; the Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES), the Recombinant Yeast Assay (RYA) and the Rikilt Estrogen bioAssay (REA), of which the YES assay was employed by two different laboratories. No significant difference between the performance of neither the different laboratories, nor the different yeast-assays was observed. Six batches of eleven samples each were analysed one week apart by the four participating laboratories and the robustness, repeatability and reproducibility of the participating yeast-based assays were evaluated. The setup included a correlation between bioassay results and results from chemical target analysis, which gave valuable information in the evaluation of the assays' performance. A good agreement was found between chemical and bioassay results, showing that the yeast-based assays can give valuable information in WFD work. However, the low sensitivity of the assays towards alkylphenols needs to be significantly improved if they are to be used for monitoring of these compounds. The study further led to suggestions on ways to improve traceability and quality assurance of the yeast-based assays.This work has been supported by the EU Projects: Screening methods for water data information, in support of implementation of the Water Framework Directive (SWIFT WFD, Contract SSPI-CT-2003-502492), MODELKEY [GOCE 511237] and by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the projects CEMAGUA (CGL2007-64551/HID), SCARCE (Consolider-Ingenio 2010 CSD2009-00065) and (BIO2005-00840).Peer reviewe

Development and validation of a ready to use cryo-EROD assay for the standardized screening of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds in foodstuffs

Recent European regulations have indicated the need for new bioanalytical screening methods capable of monitoring dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in foodstuffs and environmental samples, cost-effectively and with a quicker turnaround. Cryo-cells of the hepatic H4IIE line preserved in 96-well plates were exposed to sample extracts prepared from various foodstuffs and analysed for their content of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds by means of the 7-Ethoxyresorufin-O-Deethylase (EROD)-assay in two laboratories. Assay data were compared between both laboratories and results from instrumental analysis used as a confirmatory method. Additionally, cut-off values for the different studied matrices were derived. The current European regulation regarding methods of analysis for the control of foodstuffs was applied with the aim of determining the feasibility of the cryo-methodology. Results obtained in both laboratories were in congruence with the required validation parameters of the Commission Regulation (EU) No 2017/644. Cut-off values should be established matrix-dependent to reduce the rate of false compliant results and to keep the rate of false non-compliant results under control. In summary, the ready-to-use cryo-assay method for the bioanalytical screening of foodstuffs in control laboratories without cell-culture facilities has successfully proven to be accurate, far quicker and more cost effective than current methods

A Comparison of Alpine Emissions to Forest Soil and Spruce Needle Loads for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

The project MONARPOP analysed the concentrations of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in two important sink compartments, needles of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) and forest soil from 40 remote Alpine forest sites in Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland. In the present study the load of PCDD/F, PCB, PBDE, PAH, HCB, HCH and DDT in the Alps calculated on the basis of measured data are compared with their estimated emissions in the Alpine region. It comes out that the masses of the studied pollutants stored in the forests are higher than the corresponding emissions in the Alpine area indicating that the Alps are a sink for POPs advected from surrounding areas. It is assumed that local emissions of PCDD/F and PAH deriving from biomass burning are probably underestimated and that the pool of these pollutants in the forests represents the accumulation over some decades.JRC.H.4-Transport and air qualit