Environmental Endocrine Disruptors: Current Situation in Macao, Neurobehavioral Effects and Biorems

The project is divided into three tasks. First, the levels of some common EEDs in water, sediments and biological samples collected in Macao will be quantified to assess the degree of environmental contamination, bioavailability in aquatic organisms and potential risks to human health. Second, the physiological effects of some of these pollutants on neurologic function and behavior will be tested using as a model species a fish common in Macao coastal waters, and thus potentially exposed to EEDs, the mudskipper Boleophthalmus pectinirostris. Third, new possibilities for the use of microorganisms in bioremediation strategies to combat the prevalence of these pollutants in the environment will be investigated.