Table 3.
Assessment of different determination methods for detection of dioxin and DL-PCB contamination along the food chain.
| Validity | Simplicity | Sensitivity | Relevance | Feasibility * | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical analysis (HRGC-HRMS) | +++ | + | +++ | +++ | +++ |
| Biological assay (CALUX) | ++ | ++ | +++ | +++ | +++ |
| Sensor technology | |||||
| - Physical sensors | + | ++ | + | + | + |
| - Biosensors | |||||
| - Immunosensors | + | ++ | + | ++ | ++ |
| - Whole cell-based biosensors | + | ++ | + | +++ | + |
| - Biomimetic-based biosensors | + | ++ | + | ++ | + |
+++
high potential,
++
medium potential and
+
low potential;
*
only technical feasibility is assessed. Economic feasibility (e.g., cost-effectiveness) of sensors cannot be assessed as, so far, there are no sensors for detecting dioxins and DL-PCBs available on a commercial scale.