Application of in vitro bioassays to support consumer and water quality manager risk-management decisions
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Water quality managers in the State of California and researchers abroad in the UK are applying effects-based methods and developing standard operating procedures and multi-level screening models to more efficiently screen water quality. Specifically the State of California has implemented the use of in vitro effects-based tools to detect estrogenic activity in water for reuse in an updated monitoring policy released in 2020. We have developed and continue to apply estrogenic, as well as other endocrine activity detection bioassays (e.g. androgenic and glucocorticoid activity) to water quality screening in many use case scenarios. This presentation is a summary of recent case studies illustrating the broad use of endocrine activity detection bioassays to wastewater, water for reuse, and multiple types of drinking water sources. Case studies illustrate Adverse Outcome Pathway linkages to potential adverse wildlife phenotypes, efficiency of current water treatment practices for endocrine active compounds, all in an effort to support regional and/or community needs in water quality risk-management decisions.