Bioassays for neuroactive substances in water - Executive Summary - Bioassays offer water sector possibilities to investigate neurotoxicity in water quality monitoring

Substances with potential adverse effects on the nervous system are increasingly being found in the aquatic environment. However, hardly any effect-measurements are carried out for chemical water quality assessment with regard to neurotoxicity. Based on exploratory research, this study shows that neurotoxicity tests are in principle available for the water sector. These test methods make use of human and animal nerve cells and model organisms (bioassays). Further research is needed to determine which models and techniques are most suitable for application purposes. It is recommended that developments in the area of bioassays for neuroactive substances will be closely followed. This knowledge contributes to a future implementation of neurotoxicity tests for water quality monitoring.

Interest: presence of neuroactive substances in water requires effect-based test methods. Substances with potential adverse effects on the
nervous system are found in the aquatic environment. There are many developments ongoing involving test methods (bioassays), using human or animal nerve cells and model organisms, which are aimed at demonstrating the presence of such substances and determining their possible adverse health effects. However, despite the fact that increasing numbers of neuroactive substances are being found in the aquatic environment, effect-based measurements of the chemical water quality with regard to neurotoxicity are hardly implemented.

Approach: overview of national research and relevant literature on neurotoxicity tests. When exposure to substances – for example,
through food or the environment – changes the nervous system in some manner, one can speak of neurotoxicity. Humans and animals are particularly sensitive to this during their (early) development. To study the extent to which test methods, which can monitor the possible adverse effects of substances on the nervous system, are available and applicable for the water sector, an overview of national research and relevant literature was prepared.

Report: This research is described in the report Bioassays voor neuroactieve stoffen (BTO-2020.035).