Determination of glucocorticoids using photometric (A-YGS) and spectrofluorometric (A-YGFS) bioassays based on modified Arxula adeninivorans cells: Applications in environmental analysis

As proof of principle, A-YGS was used to assay total glucocorticoids in river water, wastewater influent and effluent taken from a wastewater treatment plant in Germany. Glucocorticoids were not detected in both A-YGS and LC-MS/MS in seven of the eight samples, however a dexamethasone equivalent (DEQ) was detected in an influent wastewater sample using A-YGS (0.055 μM), while LC-MS/MS analysis showed that hydrocortisone and cortisone were present at 0.063 and 0.083 nM, respectively.