Environmental Exposure
Solutions for Contaminant Exposure in the Environment
Each day scientists identify new and emerging chemical contaminants in environmental matrices requiring further investigation into the affect these toxicants have on humans and biota. Understanding the biochemical and physiological impact of chemical exposure allows government regulators, researchers and producers to determine potential risk and toxicity of newly developed chemicals, and recently identified emerging chemical contaminants through in vitro research exposing live animals, developing larvae, or cells to water or extracts containing chemical contaminants. Changes to cell metabolism, morphology, or mortality suggest a chemotoxic affect that requires deeper investigation.
Identification of the processes up or down regulated in response to chemical exposure necessitates research into physiological processes including metabolic pathways, gene expression and transcription, and protein synthesis, etc. In vitro exposure research using arrays that whole cell and tissue, or subcellular mechanisms allows scientists to quickly identify affected processes and classify the exposure risks. Understanding this risk allows regulatory agencies to protect the public by developing new or updating existing monitoring requirements to reflect changes to maximum levels of chemical release permitted and subsequent presence in the environment.
Agilent’s solutions for in vitro life science applications and non-targeted screening provide researchers with the tools required to characterize toxicant impact of biochemical and physiological processes. Our cell metabolism and in vitro assays provide researchers the tools required to quickly and efficiently identify chemicals that pose potential risk. Our portfolio of high resolution mass spectrometry solution deliver the selectivity and sensitivity required to identify new chemical toxicants, in situ degradation or transformation products, and biochemical metabolites. Powerful software facilitates chemical identification and can provide a map to potential metabolic transformation in vivo.
