In recent years there has been growing concern for the state of the environment, and awareness about the harmful impacts pollutants have on the health of its living inhabitants. One of the most harmful sources of environmental contamination arise in the form of sex hormones, in particular, estrogens, and can occur through a plethora of avenues. Livestock farms, slaughterhouses, large urban assemblies, wastewater, and fertilizers, amongst others, greatly contribute to the leaching of estrogens and androgens into the environment. Because sex steroids affect almost every physiological system, environmental exposure through these pollutants drastically impacts animal welfare and human health.

To screen for contamination in environmental samples, InsituGen has developed bioassays to assess overall estrogenic or androgenic potential.