title: Biological analysis of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in animal meats from the Pearl River Delta, China.
abstract: Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) consist of a diverse group of industrial chemicals and pharmacological agents. The use of instrumental analyses as the first screening tool might not be cost-effective to identify the existence of enormous numbers of chemical contaminants in environments. Also, knowledge of the concentration of individual residues is difficult to use to evaluate biological impacts of contaminants to wildlife and humans. The primary objective of the present study was to develop and to test the feasibility of using a battery of exposure biomarkers for the rapid-screening of various endocrine disrupting activities present in food. The measurement of the EDC-elicited activities involved various (i) receptor-mediated responses, including androgenic, estrogenic, dioxin-like, glucocorticoid-like, progesterone-like, peroxisome proliferator-like and retinoid-like as well as (ii) the non-receptor mediated responses through modulation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ATP content. Samples of both local and imported pork, beef and chicken as well as freshwater and seawater fishes were collected. Extracts of different foods exhibited various dioxin-like and "hormonal" activities. Fish and chicken skin were found to be the major source of exogenous "hormonal" and dioxin-like substances in diets. Extracts of beef and pork contained lesser potencies of hormonally-active agents. Our data suggest that the proposed EDC-screening platform may be useful in a risk assessment for the routine monitoring of EDCs in foods. Continuous monitoring and research is warranted to assess the physiological consequences of the consumption.
authors: Department of Biology, Croucher Institute of Environmental Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR, China.
authors: Alice Yu Sheung
authors: AY
authors: Law
authors: Xi
authors: X
authors: Wei
authors: Xiaowei
authors: X
authors: Zhang
authors: Nak Ki
authors: NK
authors: Mak
authors: Kwai Chung
authors: KC
authors: Cheung
authors: Ming Hung
authors: MH
authors: Wong
authors: John Paul
authors: JP
authors: Giesy
authors: Chris Kong Chu
authors: CK
authors: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle; D002645:Chickens; D002681:China; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors