Effect-related evaluation of anthropogenic trace substances
4th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM: Effect-related evaluation of anthropogenic trace substances - concepts for genotoxicity,
neurotoxicity and endocrine effects
Water is the largest and most important natural resource on earth. However, the major portion consists of salt water in the oceans and of glacier ice. Only a minor portion is immediately available for drinking water use. As a consequence, drinking water supplies are generally vulnerable to a multitude of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Climate change, excessive consumption, contamination or other forms of water abuse by industries and agriculture have already lead to water shortages in several regions of the world, even of the western hemisphere. Despite numerous advances of regulatory measures such as the new European chemicals policy REACH and the EU Water Framework Directive, an increasing number of anthropogenic pollutants has been identified in water bodies. Provision of sufficient amounts of non-polluted water has thus become a major challenge to societies throughout the world. This INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM aims at presenting in vitro test concepts for the evaluation and regulation of anthropogenic substances from the perspective of genotoxicity, neurotoxicity and endocrine effects.