Virtual effect directed analysis for mutagenicity characterization of relevant environmental samples

Abstract

Effect Directed Analysis (EDA) have been shown the best way to diclose new priority pollutants. Bioassays, like the Salmonella/microsome assay (Ames test), have been used susccessfuly in EDA studies, but with limitations when the samples are not potent enough to be fractionated and re-tested. With the advance of the chemical techniques in the non-target analysis, the ability to identify potential chemical pollutants in water increased substantially. As a consequence new ways of doing EDA has emerged. Virtual EDA (vEDA is one of those approaches. The basic concept of lower-tier virtual EDA (vEDA) is to combine information derived from mass spectral analysis and a bioassay using multivariate statistics to isolate compounds or peaks, in case of non-target analysis that co-vary with the biological responses. It has the advantage of avoiding the first fractionation step and reducing the number of tests. It was never used in mutagenicity evaluation. The objective of this study is to apply a virtual EDA using the results of the diagnostic strains of the Salmonella microsome assay. We will analyze water samples from the Danube river as a model and then apply to the same approach to Santos outfall samples. Water phase and suspended particulate matter will be analyzed and the data compared. The proposed project will be part of a 5 year- collaborative solution-oriented project already approved by the European Commission - EU Work Programme 2013 named "SOLUTIONS for present and future emerging pollutants in land and water resources management". We intend to compare the mutagenic and chemical profile of organic extracts of water and suspended particulate matter samples using the tools as already developed in the project, supporting the selection of priority pollutants in an integrated risk based approach. During the last two years, the participation of our group in the european Project was very productive and the approval of this project will build a even stronger collaboration with the european scientists involved in SOLUTIONS allowing the development of new tools to deal with our complex environmental problems. (AU)