Endocrine disrupters suspected agents

A wide range of organic chemicals (mostly synthetics, including certain additives and plasticisers - snch as phthalates, bisphenol A, and nonylphenols - all used as additives in plastics) are snspected potential ECD agents. The list of ECD also inclndes pesticides (such as DDT, which is banned) and many industrial and consnmer products - such as, liquid soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and hair colours - that contain alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE, which have been replaced by the more expensive, but much safer, alcohol ethoxylates). In addition, there are polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), dioxins, certain preservatives and metal ions, and even certain treated woods suspected as endocrine disruption agents in hnmans based on (limited) animal stndies, (see Table 2.2). Synthetic oestrogens are the focns of cnrrent concern for ECD there are certain natnral... 

The most common phthalate plasticisers are di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP), and di-isononyl phthalate (DINP). Phthalate use has been controversial for years becanse of its snspected health hazards, especially in the case of DEEIP. In both wildlife and laboratory animals, phthalates have been linked to a range of reproductive health effects, with claims that most of them can function as an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), and also as cancer-causing agents (specifically in the liver and kidneys). Snch negative effects that phthalates are suspected to have on health have been attribnted to short ester chains (< C9). In fact, phthalates are already distributed worldwide in the environment. Some phthalates are even found in deep-sea jellyfish 1,000 meters below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean. A number of studies have shown that most people are probably contaminated by substantial quantities of these chemicals, and yet for hnmans, no safe level of exposure to phthalates has been determined. There are also claims about the leaching of certain phthalate plasticisers from biomedical plastics (e.g., intravenous tubes) and hence directly into the patients bloodstream. In one snch stndy, it was shown that about 60% of the DEHP/DOP had migrated to the patient, while almost all of the bis (2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DOA) has been retained in the tnbe [28]. 

Endocrine Disrupters (ECD) and Some Suspected ECD Agents Indoors... 

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