Determination of steroid hormones in river waters.

The Romanian research institute is specialized in analytical chemistry, applied in three main directions: Environment and Health, Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, Bioenergy and Biofuels. The institute has a remarkable endowment that allows approaching projects from research stage up to prototype realization and technology transfer. Scientific studies show that, in order to accelerate the growth rate of animals, farmers are presently using animal feed doped with hormones, that may cause both reproductive disorders and abnormal development in wildlife as well as the reduced fertility of human males. The transfer of these toxic compounds from animal feed to the edible products of these animals (meat, organs, milk, eggs) determines human exposure to these contaminants. On the other hand, through the discharges from the sewage treatment stations, various quantities of steroid hormones (estrone and β-estradiol) are released in the aquatic environment, especially in rivers. These facts may put in danger the human health, as river waters are used as a source of drinking water in many countries. A careful analysis of these steroid hormones is mandatory, in order to respect the water pollution control legislation. In this context, the Romanian institute has developed an extremely sensitive analytical method for the determination of steroid hormones (estrone and β-estradiol) that may exist in river waters. As compared to other existing methods based on the extraction of steroid hormones from water by using chemicals, the method developed by the Romanian institute does not use any chemicals being, therefore, an environmentally friendly one. The method has two stages: • solid-phase microextraction - SPME procedure, where the steroid hormones are extracted by their absorption on fiber; • steroid hormones identification and quantification, by using high-tech equipment - gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Thus, the method is very sensitive and precise because it can determinate the steroid hormones at trace and ultra-trace level from the river water samples tested. The Romanian research institute is looking for partners abroad such as environmental analysis laboratories or water polluting SMEs/large companies. The considered partnership refers to commercial agreements with technical assistance (engineering and technical assistance) in the method transfer and implementation on the partner's equipment, as well as staff training.