Environmental contamination endocrine disrupters

Human exposure to environmental contaminants has been investigated through the analysis of adipose tissue, breast milk, blood and the monitoring of faecal and urinary excretion levels. However, while levels of persistent contaminants in human milk, for example, are extensively monitored, very little is known about foetal exposure to xenobiotics because the concentrations of persistent compounds in blood and trans-placental transmission are less well studied. Also, more information is needed in general about the behaviour of endocrine disruptive compounds (and their metabolites) in vivo, for example the way they bind to blood plasma proteins. 

Guillette, L.J., Crain, D.A., and Rooney, A.A. et al. (1995). Organization versus activation— the role of endocrine-disrupting contaminants (EDCs) during embryonic-development in wildlife. Environmental Health Perspectives 103, 157-164. 

Guillette LJJ, Crain DA, Rooney A. 1994. Endocrine-disrupting environmental contaminants and reproductive abnormalities in reptiles. Comments Toxicol 5 381-399. 

UV filters are currently considered as emerging environmental contaminants of increasing concern since most of the commonly used are known to cause endocrine disrupting effects in both aquatic and terrestrial organisms as well as in human skin cells [4]. These compounds bioaccumulate in fish at similar levels to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and DDT [5, 6]. 

The sustainable management of sediments, in addition to water, soil and sludge environmental matrices, in relation to surfactant regulations, is also an important and relevant issue. The US EPA has recently shown concern regarding the levels of surfactants in sediments and has thus released a Draft Contaminated Sediment Science Plan. In this draft, recommendations for the development of analytical methods and evaluations of the toxicity and risk assessment of Emerging endocrine disrupters like APEOs and their metabolites in sediment samples are outlined. 

Petty et al. (1998, 2000) used a vitellogenin (VGT) assay to assess the endocrine disrupting potential of contaminants in purified SPMD extracts. VGT is an egg yolk phosphoprotein precursor that is synthesized in the liver of female teleosts in response to estrogen from the ovary (Bailey, 1957). A wide variety of environmental contaminants have been shown to have estrogenic activity (Colborn et al., 1993). Equal portions of purified extracts from SPMDs, exposed in the Missouri River after the flood of 1993 and from the IWWTP at the Nogales Wash deployment were individually injected into immature rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as described in Section 6.4. The SPMD extracts contained elevated levels of complex mixtures of contaminants, including PAHs and pesticides. The fish injected with these sample extracts exhibited VGT induction, while no induction was observed in fish injected with any of the blank sample extracts. 

Abstract Phthalates are chemicals that have been used for over 80 years in large quantities due to their wide range of applications, mainly in the plastic industry. For many years, these compounds were not considered dangerous for humans due to their low toxicity shown in the preliminary studies and their low persistence. However, research conducted in recent years has evidenced their activity as endocrine disrupters, and they are now considered as emerging contaminants and included in the priority list of dangerous substances in the legislation of many countries. This chapter provides an overview on the properties, major uses, emission sources, environmental and human levels, current legislation, behavior and fate of phthalates, and their metabolites, with special emphasis on their toxicity and human exposure. 

Guillette, Jr., L.J. (2006). Endocrine disrupting contaminants—beyond the dogma. Environmental Health Perspectives 114(Suppl. 1) 9-12. 

Kirby, M.F., Allen, Y.T., Dyer, R.A., Feist, S.W., Katsiadiki, I., Matthiessen, P., Scott, A.P., Smith, A., Stentiford, G.D., Thain, J.E., Thomas, K.V., ToUiurst, L., Waldock, M.J. (2004). Surveys of plasma vitellogenin and intersex in male flounder (Platichthys flesus) as measures of endocrine disruption by estrogenic contamination in United Kingdom estuaries temporal trends, 1996 to 2001. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 23 748-758. 

There has been considerable concern in recent years over the possible increasing trends for adverse effects on the reproductive capabilities of animals and man. In humans, effects such as decreased sperm count and increased testicular cancer in men and breast cancer in women are of particular concern.71 It has been proposed that a common cause for these diverse observations may be the disruption by certain environmental contaminants of the endocrine system which... 

Water contamination Water Environmental Research Foundation (WERF) approach and software Bacterial pathogens in drinking water New and existing chemical substances EU New and existing chemical substances USEPA Endocrine-disrupting chemicals European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) proposal Plant protection products EU Human pharmaceuticals EU... 

L. Guillette, Endocrine-disrupting environmental contaminants and developmental abnormalities in embryos. Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess. 1 25, 1995. 

In 1997, the Declaration of the Environment Leaders of the Eight on Children s Environmental Health acknowledged the special vulnerability of children and committed their countries to take action on several specific environmental health issues, such as chronic lead poisoning, microbiologically contaminated drinking-water, endocrine disrupting chemicals, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and poor air quality. 

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