Bent Halling-Sørensen
Professor
E-mail: bhs(at)farma.ku.dk
Telefon: 35 33 64 53
Rum: 10/462b

Endocrine disrupting chemicals
Public awareness concerning endocrine disrupting chemicals in the environment had increased the last few years, as these are presumed to affect reproductive ability and to increase the occurrence of hormone-dependent cancers. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are, however, generally much less potent than physiological hormones, and therefore there is doubt as to whether or not these substances can affect humans. Recent research indicate that simultaneous exposure to a cocktail of endocrine disrupting chemicals, each at concentrations far below effect level, might result in a significant additive or synergistic effect. The present project wishes to uncover interactions between selected hormone-disturbing substances in various in vitro test systems and/or animal experiments with selected endpoints, including hormonal activity, changes in aromatase activity and the impacts of endocrine disrupting chemicals on endogenous hormone metabolism.
Contact persons: Bjarne Styrishave (bst(at)farma.ku.dk), Erland Björklund (ebj(at)farma.ku.dk) and Bent Halling-Sørensen (bhs(at)farma.ku.dk).

Effect-directed analysis: identification of hazardous environmental degradates from antibiotics and antiparasitics
In Denmark, hundreds of tons of antibiotics and antiparasitics are consumed every year, both in the human sector but also in the veterinary sector. Until now, only limited knowledge about the fate of these compounds in the environment is available. Furthermore, the potential ecotoxicological side-effects of the degradation products are unknown. The degradation of a selected antibiotic or antiparasitic is investigated in surface water, waste water or slurry, depending on the whether it is applied for human or veterinary purposes. The degradation rate and the formation of degradation products are investigated in the chosen laboratory test system and the mixture of degradates are tested for ecotoxicological effects (e.g. antibacterial inhibition test, algae toxicity, daphnia toxicity). State-of-the-art toxic ratio analysis will assist to identify if the transformation products possess a higher toxic potential than then parent compound. In case of a higher toxic potential, the degradation products are isolated for structure identification utilizing the best available approach (e.g. preparative HPLC, low and high resolution mass spectrometry) and an in-depth investigation of the ecotoxicological effects.
Contact persons: Kristine A. Krogh (kak(at)farma.ku.dk), Martin Hansen (mah(at)farma.ku.dk) and Bent Halling-Sørensen (bhs(at)farma.ku.dk).