In the present study, yeast bioassays were used to evaluate and characterize the thyroid receptor (TR) disrupting activities of the organic extracts and elutriates of the sediments from the Guanting Reservoir, Beijing, China. An accelerated solvent extraction was used to separate the organic extracts, which were subjected to a yeast bioassay. The organic extracts could affect thyroid hormone signaling by decreasing the binding of the thyroid hormone. The TR antagonistic activity equivalents (TEQ(bio)) referring to amiodarone hydrochloride were calculated and the observed TEQ(bio-organic) (extracts) ranged from 25.4 +/- 3.7 to 176.9 +/- 18.0 mu g/g. Elutriate toxicity tests using the modified yeast bioassay revealed that the elutriates also significantly antagonized the TR, with the TEQ(bio-elutriates) ranging from N.D. to 7.8 +/- 0.8 mu g/L. To characterize the toxic compounds, elutriates were extracted by using a C18 cartridge or treated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, 30 mg/L). The results suggested that the addition of EDTA eliminated over 74.3% of the total effects, and the chemical analysis revealed that heavy metals, some of which exhibited TR disrupting potency, for example Zn and Cd, were detectable with higher concentrations in the elutriates. Thus, the cause(s) of toxicity in the elutriate appear to be partly related to the heavy metals. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.