In situ measurement of estrogenic activity in various aquatic systems using organic diffusive gradients in thin-film coupled with ERE-CALUX bioassay.

Organic-diffusive gradients in thin-film samplers (o-DGT), were developed and applied for accumulation of estrogen and estrogen-like compounds on a XAD18 resin and deployed in situ in the effluents of Beijing Gaobeidian Wastewater Treatment Plant (GWWTP) and Brussels North Wastewater Treatment Plant as well as in several aquatic systems in Belgium, including the Zenne River, the Belgian Oostende Harbor and the North Sea. Estrogenic compounds accumulate on the XAD18 resin and the estrogenic activity of the resin extract was measured with the Estrogen Responsive Elements-Chemically Activated LUciferase gene eXpression (ERE-CALUX) bioassay. With this result and by applying Fick's diffusion law, it is possible to calculate the estrogenic activity in the aquatic system, if the diffusion boundary layer (DBL) is known or negligible compared to the hydrogel diffusive layer thickness.

Assessment of estrogenic compounds in paperboard for dry food packaging with the ERE-CALUX bioassay.

Paperboard used as packaging, a non-inert material, can transfer chemicals into food. Over the years, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), such as NonylPhenols (NPs), BisPhenol A (BPA) and phthalates have been shown to migrate from packaging materials into food. Due to chronic exposure and mixture effects of these EDCs, they could cause health effects even at very low doses.

Endocrine activity in an urban river system and the biodegradation of estrogen-like endocrine disrupting chemicals through a bio-analytical approach using DRE- and ERE-CALUX bioassays.

The Zenne River, crossing the Brussels region (Belgium) is an extremely urbanized river impacted by both domestic and industrial effluents. The objective of this study was to monitor the occurrence and activity of Endocrine Active Substances (EAS) in river water and sediments in the framework of the Environmental Quality Standards Directive (2008/105/EC and 2013/39/EU). Activities were determined using Estrogen and Dioxin Responsive Elements (ERE and DRE) Chemical Activated Luciferase Gene Expression (CALUX) bioassays.

Dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs in sediment samples and suspended particulate matter from the Scheldt estuary and the North Sea Coast: Comparison of CALUX concentration levels in historical and recent samples.

Background: The Scheldt estuary is historically a highly polluted river system. While several studies have focused on contamination with metals, pesticides, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and marker PolyChlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), no data are available concerning past contamination by dioxin-like compounds.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine spatial and time trends of PolyChlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and DibenzoFurans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) in sediment samples and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) from the Scheldt River basin and the North Sea Coast.

Evaluation of the potential health risks of substances migrating from polycarbonate replacement baby bottles.

Since the European Commission prohibited the use of bisphenol A in the production of polycarbonate (PC) baby bottles, many other materials have replaced PC for the manufacture of this type of food contact materials. In the present study, the potential migration risks associated with these alternative materials were investigated. First, all substances were evaluated for endocrine disruptive (ED) activity by using different existing lists of (suspected) ED chemicals.