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Methods for Characterizing EDC Exposures
NERL research is designed to develop and evaluate tools (methods, protocols, approaches) that can be used in future field studies designed to characterize environmental EDC exposures and to provide high quality data to Agency risk assessors for future risk assessments. The research includes:
- EDC methods development and evaluation. Analytical chemistry methods are being developed and/or refined for identifying and quantifying exposures to specific EDC chemicals or classes of chemicals that have been reported in the environment. Research is designed to provide the exposure assessor with a suite of sophisticated methods that provide high quality, real-world EDC exposure data supporting Agency exposure/risk assessments. For example, DNA-based molecular indicator methods are being developed and evaluated as potential biomarkers of exposure to single EDCs and also to mixtures of EDCs in the environment.
- Protocols for characterizing EDC exposures from major sources. Research is developing and evaluating field monitoring protocols for the collection of environmental and biological samples that can be used to characterize EDC exposures from major sources (waste-water treatment plants, animal confined feeding operations, etc.). The research focuses on understanding the key factors influencing exposure to EDCs: timing, duration, concentration, frequency, co-occurrence, etc.