Robot system to check toxins

A new high-speed robot screening system capable of testing the toxins of 10,000 different chemicals has just been put into use in the US.

According to Science Daily , this system marks the beginning of a new phase of coordination between many US federal agencies that help protect people's health by improving the way that chemicals are tested. This robotic system called Tox21 combines existing resources to develop more effective predictive methods of how chemicals will affect human health and the environment.

Dr. Paul Anastas - of the US Department of Environmental Research and Development's Office of Research and Development - said: ' Understanding the molecular basis of this threat is the basis for protecting human health and the environment. Tox21 allows us to better understand and have quicker assessments than ever before . ' 10,000 chemicals that the system will test include those found in consumer and industrial products, food additives as well as oral medications. The test results will provide useful information for assessing whether these chemicals are capable of disrupting processes in the human body, sufficient to lead to adverse health effects.

Tox21 robot system - Photo: Zeitnews

According to Dr. Eric Green of the US National Institute of Human Genome Research, the Tox21 project has used robots to screen chemicals since 2008, but the new robot system is dedicated to both screening. Compound library 'much bigger. In addition, this new robot system will allow the US National Toxicology Program to enhance the effectiveness of chemical testing tasks. ' We will provide information about substances that are likely to cause health risks more quickly, ' said Dr. Linda Birnbaum, another member of the Tox21 project.

Tox21 tested the toxins of more than 2,500 chemicals by using robots and other innovative chemical testing technologies. Tox21's chemical inspection technologies were used to test the endocrine activity of various oil dispersants during the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has also contributed to this robot system through the ToxCast program and by providing chemicals and many other quick and automated additional experiments. The current ToxCast includes 500 chemical analysis tests, assessing more than 1,000 chemicals.