In vitro bioanalysis of drinking water from source to tap

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Toxicology
• Public Health

Background:

• Chemical pollutants in drinking water pose significant public health risks.
• Effective water treatment and assessment methods are crucial for ensuring water safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the bioactivity of drinking water from source to tap using cell-based assays.
• To assess the impact of various water treatment processes on pollutant bioactivity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized reporter gene assays for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), estrogen receptor (ER), androgen receptor (AR), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activity.
• Employed Comet assay for DNA damage assessment.
• Concentrated water samples using solid-phase extraction and analyzed bioactivity.

Main Results:

• Detected AhR, ER, and Nrf2 activities in source to tap water samples; no cytotoxicity, PPARα or AR antagonist activity, or DNA damage were observed.
• Standard drinking water treatment steps (coagulation, activated carbon, UV, NH2Cl) showed minimal impact on AhR, Nrf2, and ER bioactivity.
• Nanofiltration and distribution network passage significantly reduced AhR activity, with a more modest effect on Nrf2 and no apparent effect on ER activity.

Conclusions:

• Cell-based bioassays are valuable tools for evaluating the efficacy of drinking water treatment processes.
• AhR and Nrf2 bioassays are effective for screening a wide range of chemical effects in drinking water.
• ER activity monitoring offers high sensitivity for assessing drinking water quality.