Effect-based methods and effect-based trigger values for estrogenicity monitoring in surface water: an interlaboratory study

Effect-based methods (EBMs) may be included in the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) to evaluate estrogenic substances. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre conducted an interlaboratory study to assess estrogenic EBMs and effect-based trigger (EBTs) values derived using three options: (1) linking the EBT value to environmental quality standards (EQS), (2) correlating in vitro and in vivo data, and (3) averaging bioassay-specific EBT values. Surface water samples from eight Northern-Italian sites containing estrogenic hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) were analysed by fourteen laboratories employing EBMs, while four laboratories performed chemical analysis. Chemical data indicated cumulative risk in several samples, with estrone and bisphenol A identified as main drivers. All EBMs detected estrogenic activity, but specificity differed: some bioassays responded mainly to hormones, whereas others also responded to non-hormonal EDCs. EBMs flagged estrogenic risk in a sample that showed no individual exceedances of EQS. Applying EBT option 1 yielded the highest concordance with chemical results, achieving full compliance in eight bioassays and proven to be the most protective. Indeed, option 2 reduced the risk quotient (RQ) by > 30%, leading to two bioassays in full compliance, while Option 3 resulted in RQ changes (<20%) for most EBMs, with seven bioassays in full compliance with chemical analysis. The study underscores the need to harmonise EBMs - including data evaluation - to address chemical mixtures and provides recommendations for Member States on their application in the WFD. Integrating EBMs with conventional monitoring enhances protection against cumulative estrogenic risks from both hormones and EDCs.

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Journal
Environmental Research
Published
2026-03-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2026.124218
Primary Topic
Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
Type
article
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article

Effect-based methods and effect-based trigger values for estrogenicity monitoring in surface water: an interlaboratory study

Katharina Lenz, Yves Marneffe, Luca Amendola, Diletta Scaccabarozzi et al.
Environmental Research
Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
article

Effect-based methods and effect-based trigger values for estrogenicity monitoring in surface water: an interlaboratory study

Katharina Lenz, Yves Marneffe, Luca Amendola, Diletta Scaccabarozzi, Matti T. Leppänen, Carole Chalon, Kameron Wong, Sebastian Buchinger, Agneta Oskarsson, Livia Gómez, Romana Hornek-Gausterer, Isabella Sanseverino, Etiënne L.M. Vermeirssen, R. Gil-Solsona, Johanna Järvistö, Alvine C. Mehinto, Monica Potalivo, Johan Lundqvist, Daniel Olbrich, Teresa Lettieri, R Pedrazzani, Přemysl Soldán, Maria König, Sibylle Maletz, Marina Ohlig, Nancy D. Denslow, M. D. Carere, Elena Porcel-Rodríguez, Martin Hora, Pietro Sciuto, Simone Wollenweber, Jyrki VIIDANOJA, Abd El Rahman EL MAIS, Selim AIT-AISSA, Dimitar MARINOV, Frank NARENDJA, Emmanuelle MAILLOT-MARECHAL, Henner Hollert, Beate I. Escher, Pablo Gago-Ferrero
article en

Abstract

Effect-based methods (EBMs) may be included in the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) to evaluate estrogenic substances. The European Commission's Joint Research Centre conducted an interlaboratory study to assess estrogenic EBMs and effect-based trigger (EBTs) values derived using three options: (1) linking the EBT value to environmental quality standards (EQS), (2) correlating in vitro and in vivo data, and (3) averaging bioassay-specific EBT values. Surface water samples from eight Northern-Italian sites containing estrogenic hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) were analysed by fourteen laboratories employing EBMs, while four laboratories performed chemical analysis. Chemical data indicated cumulative risk in several samples, with estrone and bisphenol A identified as main drivers. All EBMs detected estrogenic activity, but specificity differed: some bioassays responded mainly to hormones, whereas others also responded to non-hormonal EDCs. EBMs flagged estrogenic risk in a sample that showed no individual exceedances of EQS. Applying EBT option 1 yielded the highest concordance with chemical results, achieving full compliance in eight bioassays and proven to be the most protective. Indeed, option 2 reduced the risk quotient (RQ) by > 30%, leading to two bioassays in full compliance, while Option 3 resulted in RQ changes (<20%) for most EBMs, with seven bioassays in full compliance with chemical analysis. The study underscores the need to harmonise EBMs - including data evaluation - to address chemical mixtures and provides recommendations for Member States on their application in the WFD. Integrating EBMs with conventional monitoring enhances protection against cumulative estrogenic risks from both hormones and EDCs.

Environmental ResearchVol. 298
Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (US), Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale del Piemonte (IT), Goethe University Frankfurt (DE), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (DE), European Commission (BE), Finnish Environment Institute (FI), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE), University of Florida (US), Piksel (Italy) (IT), Environment Agency Austria (AT), Institut Scientifique de Service Public (BE), Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LU), Joint Research Centre (IT), National Institute of Health (AM), Institut national de l'environnement industriel et des risques (FR), Federal Institute of Hydrology (DE), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (ES), T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute (CZ), Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (CH), University of Brescia (IT), National Institute for Astrophysics (IT)
Clean water and sanitation
Openalex Percentile: Top 37%
Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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