Environmental Designer Drugs: When Transformation May Not Eliminate Risk
Publication Date
10-21-2014
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Environmental transformation processes, including those occurring in natural and engineered systems, do not necessarily drastically alter molecular structures of bioactive organic contaminants. While the majority of generated transformation products are likely benign, substantial conservation of structure in transformation products can imply conservation or even creation of bioactivity across multiple biological end points and thus incomplete mitigation of ecological risk. Therefore, focusing solely on parent compound removal for contaminants of higher relative risk, the most common approach to fate characterization, provides no mechanistic relationship to potential biological effects and is inadequate as a comprehensive metric for reduction of ecological risks. Here, we explore these phenomena for endocrine-active steroid hormones, focusing on examples of conserved bioactivity and related implications for fate assessment, regulatory approaches, and research opportunities.
Publication Title
Environmental Science & Technology
Volume
48
Issue
20
First Page
11737
Last Page
11745
DOI
10.1021/es503425w
Publisher Policy
pre-print, post-print (with 12 month embargo)
Recommended Citation
Cwiertny, David M.; Snyder, Shane A.; Schlenk, Daniel; and Kolodziej, Edward P., "Environmental Designer Drugs: When Transformation May Not Eliminate Risk" (2014). SIAS Faculty Publications. 572.
https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/ias_pub/572