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Biodetectors in environmental chemistry
Environment International 27 (2001) 441 – 442 www.elsevier.com/locate/envint
Editorial
Biodetectors in environmental chemistry Are we at a turning point?
The new reviews section of Environmental International gives authors the opportunity to describe new world-wide trends in environmental science. As the analytical technologies and biochemical understanding of environmental pollutants is increasing, this review section will certainly be a helpful reference guide to overview the spectrum of questions related to these issues. The increasing number of environmental pollution incidents and world-wide awareness of environmental health makes it necessary to establish national and international crisis management. Proper exposure analysis requires accurate measurement of all kinds of chemicals in various matrices. In many cases, methods have been used based on immediate needs, rather than on the best method to address environmental health issues. Although excellent chemical analysis have been carried out for many years, these analytical methods require sophisticated methods for a specific set of chemicals. Global concern over environmental pollutants makes it necessary to promote easier/cheaper methods world-wide. Methods have to be implemented which can keep up with the demand for analysis (e.g. in a crisis situation). As toxicological studies of specific congeners or specific compounds indicate the widely varying toxicity of specific compound classes, analysis of complex mixtures needs to be performed by a combination of different chemical/bioanalytical methods. Newly developed biodetectors such as bioassays, immunoassays or biomarkers are promising alternative screening technologies for safer decision-making with regard to complex ecological crisis situations. Many of these assays are based on well-known mechanisms of action and utilise well defined end points. For dioxin-like compounds most of them are receptorbased (such as EROD, luciferase assays) measuring a specific biological response, or structure specific using antibodies (immunoassays). Bioassay systems are also important to study interferences between different enzymes or receptors. However, these assays have drawbacks that limit their utility, especially when used for a direct comparison with chemical analysis and further risk assessments based on these results. Additionally, inhibitory or inductive effects are reported. But,
these effects also assist in understanding the mechanistic aspects of these chemicals better. My recent review article, ‘Bioanalytical screening methods for dioxins and dioxin-like compounds — a review of bioassay/biomarker technology’ (Environment International 27/5), discusses the advantages and limitations of several biodetectors that have been used to evaluate dioxin-like compounds. Receptor-based bioassays have been developed to analyse dioxin-like POPs (based on the binding to the Ah receptor) as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals (based on the binding to estrogenic receptor). Currently, these methods are under further development and used in various validation studies compared with traditional chemical analysis. In the case of dioxin-like toxicity, these methods tend to have only a small percentage of false positives, thus indicating their use as a safe screening tool for active samples. These innovative biotechnology methods could be used in a high through-put-out mode, which would increase the measurement capacity and reduce time/cost. They are used to evaluate the remediation success/effectiveness of pollution destruction technologies in a time dependent manner and in some cases on-site. Additionally, bioassays are based on the measurement of the toxic effects (instead of the chemical structure), which aids our understanding of the relationship between the amount of pollutant and the potential spectrum of environmental impact/stress. Batteries of biodetectors could help to establish guidelines for a higher environmental health quality and safety. They can help to establish a ranking system (Toxicity Equivalency Factors, TEF) for thousands of new or unknown chemicals/pharmaceuticals. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) plans to establish a committee to evaluate additional chemicals based on the criteria of toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation, and long-range transport. Biodetectors are a helpful and necessary tool in screening these POPs. My article ‘Combinatorial bio/chemical analysis of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in waste recycling, feed/food, humans/wildlife, and the environment’ included in this issue, reviews the bioassay-based data from several of these environmental pollutants.
0160-4120/01/$ – see front matter D 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 1 6 0 - 4 1 2 0 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 11 4 - 3
442
Editorial / Environment International 27 (2001) 441–442
Science needs to work across borders if it is to take into account the diversity and global impact of POPs. A new international trend of using a toxicity-identificationevaluation (TIE) and toxicity-reduction-evaluation (TRE) study design is a promising start for a constructive partnership between chemical and biochemical environmental analysis. This approach can assist us in recognising active compounds from the source, speeding up implementation programs in this sector and evaluating the efficiency of the used treatment. New effective protection policies using biological endpoints measured by these biodetectors could help us to set up new standards for pollution and ultimately to increase the standard of global environmental health. Several Govern-
mental Institutes are using already these bioindicators. They are in the process of being accepted more and more widely by government bodies across the world. But, consensus is still needed among policymakers and academics concerning the reliability of methods and how to interpret this data for use in risk assessment. In part, this is because biodetectors are still new, and only a few methods and applications are known. More research is certainly needed to define their potential. Peter A. Behnisch Life Science Research Laboratories Kaneka Corporation Takasago, Japan E-mail address: [email protected]
Editorial
Biodetectors in environmental chemistry Are we at a turning point?
The new reviews section of Environmental International gives authors the opportunity to describe new world-wide trends in environmental science. As the analytical technologies and biochemical understanding of environmental pollutants is increasing, this review section will certainly be a helpful reference guide to overview the spectrum of questions related to these issues. The increasing number of environmental pollution incidents and world-wide awareness of environmental health makes it necessary to establish national and international crisis management. Proper exposure analysis requires accurate measurement of all kinds of chemicals in various matrices. In many cases, methods have been used based on immediate needs, rather than on the best method to address environmental health issues. Although excellent chemical analysis have been carried out for many years, these analytical methods require sophisticated methods for a specific set of chemicals. Global concern over environmental pollutants makes it necessary to promote easier/cheaper methods world-wide. Methods have to be implemented which can keep up with the demand for analysis (e.g. in a crisis situation). As toxicological studies of specific congeners or specific compounds indicate the widely varying toxicity of specific compound classes, analysis of complex mixtures needs to be performed by a combination of different chemical/bioanalytical methods. Newly developed biodetectors such as bioassays, immunoassays or biomarkers are promising alternative screening technologies for safer decision-making with regard to complex ecological crisis situations. Many of these assays are based on well-known mechanisms of action and utilise well defined end points. For dioxin-like compounds most of them are receptorbased (such as EROD, luciferase assays) measuring a specific biological response, or structure specific using antibodies (immunoassays). Bioassay systems are also important to study interferences between different enzymes or receptors. However, these assays have drawbacks that limit their utility, especially when used for a direct comparison with chemical analysis and further risk assessments based on these results. Additionally, inhibitory or inductive effects are reported. But,
these effects also assist in understanding the mechanistic aspects of these chemicals better. My recent review article, ‘Bioanalytical screening methods for dioxins and dioxin-like compounds — a review of bioassay/biomarker technology’ (Environment International 27/5), discusses the advantages and limitations of several biodetectors that have been used to evaluate dioxin-like compounds. Receptor-based bioassays have been developed to analyse dioxin-like POPs (based on the binding to the Ah receptor) as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals (based on the binding to estrogenic receptor). Currently, these methods are under further development and used in various validation studies compared with traditional chemical analysis. In the case of dioxin-like toxicity, these methods tend to have only a small percentage of false positives, thus indicating their use as a safe screening tool for active samples. These innovative biotechnology methods could be used in a high through-put-out mode, which would increase the measurement capacity and reduce time/cost. They are used to evaluate the remediation success/effectiveness of pollution destruction technologies in a time dependent manner and in some cases on-site. Additionally, bioassays are based on the measurement of the toxic effects (instead of the chemical structure), which aids our understanding of the relationship between the amount of pollutant and the potential spectrum of environmental impact/stress. Batteries of biodetectors could help to establish guidelines for a higher environmental health quality and safety. They can help to establish a ranking system (Toxicity Equivalency Factors, TEF) for thousands of new or unknown chemicals/pharmaceuticals. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) plans to establish a committee to evaluate additional chemicals based on the criteria of toxicity, persistence, bioaccumulation, and long-range transport. Biodetectors are a helpful and necessary tool in screening these POPs. My article ‘Combinatorial bio/chemical analysis of dioxin and dioxin-like compounds in waste recycling, feed/food, humans/wildlife, and the environment’ included in this issue, reviews the bioassay-based data from several of these environmental pollutants.
0160-4120/01/$ – see front matter D 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 1 6 0 - 4 1 2 0 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 11 4 - 3
442
Editorial / Environment International 27 (2001) 441–442
Science needs to work across borders if it is to take into account the diversity and global impact of POPs. A new international trend of using a toxicity-identificationevaluation (TIE) and toxicity-reduction-evaluation (TRE) study design is a promising start for a constructive partnership between chemical and biochemical environmental analysis. This approach can assist us in recognising active compounds from the source, speeding up implementation programs in this sector and evaluating the efficiency of the used treatment. New effective protection policies using biological endpoints measured by these biodetectors could help us to set up new standards for pollution and ultimately to increase the standard of global environmental health. Several Govern-
mental Institutes are using already these bioindicators. They are in the process of being accepted more and more widely by government bodies across the world. But, consensus is still needed among policymakers and academics concerning the reliability of methods and how to interpret this data for use in risk assessment. In part, this is because biodetectors are still new, and only a few methods and applications are known. More research is certainly needed to define their potential. Peter A. Behnisch Life Science Research Laboratories Kaneka Corporation Takasago, Japan E-mail address: [email protected]