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IDENTIFYING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS BY HIGH-RESOLUTION MASS SPECTROMETRY
Citation:
Grange, A H. AND G W. Sovocool. IDENTIFYING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS BY HIGH-RESOLUTION MASS SPECTROMETRY. 2000, Chapter 9, Keith, H.K.; Needham, L.L.; Eds. (ed.), Advances in Analysis of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors. ACS Symposium Series 747, Washington, DC, , 133-145, (2000).
Description:
The EPA is currently interested in human and ecosystem exposure to endocrine disruptors (1)-compounds that interfere with endogenous hormone systems. Possible endocrine disruptors in the environment include certain pesticides, industrial by-products, and pharmaceuticals. Such chemicals could be found in surface water or wells as a result of agricultural run off (2), leaching from contaminated sites (3,4), or in treated wastewater discharged from urban areas (5).
Biologically based assays are often used to screen for the presence of endocrine disruptors. While these tests are sensitive, they are non-specific and not inclusive. Cross-reactivity is common but can be an advantage when searching for unidentified endocrine disruptors.
Once a positive result is obtained from a biologically based assay, it is important to identify the compound or compounds responsible for the reactivity. Toxicological studies can then be performed for the identified chemicals. Also, when screening for a specific compound, possible cross-reactivity suggests that a more specific confirmatory technique should be applied to some fraction of the samples showing a positive result for a target analyte.