Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

A biomarker, P450 RGS, for assessing the toxicity of environmental samples

Conference ·
OSTI ID:126064
 [1]
  1. Columbia Analytical Services, Carlsbad, CA (United States)

A reporter gene system (RGS) assay, derived from a human liver cancer cell line, has been engineered such that the CYP1A1 gene when activated by an inducer compound will produce luciferase instead of P450. From 6 to 18 hours after application of an organic extract of water, tissue or soil, the reaction is stopped by rinsing the cells are lysed and the cytoplasm is measured for luminescence. Induction of this test system by such compounds as dioxin, dioxin-like PCB congeners (coplanar), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) infers these xenobiotics are present at levels that are potentially toxic, carcinogenic, or mutagenic to organisms. Solvent extracts (using standard extraction methods, EPA 3540) of aquatic sediments, soils, and mussel tissue have been directly applied to the assay system. Test results show significant RGS induction from concentrations of inducer compounds, that if present in a typical 40 g sediment sample would be (in ng/g or ppb): 0.001 for Dioxin; 1 for a range of coplanar PCB congeners; 10 for several AROCLOR Mixtures; and 300 for a mixture of PAHs. A mixture of pesticides at concentrations about four times the PAH levels did not produce an induction response.

OSTI ID:
126064
Report Number(s):
CONF-950402--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English