Environmental estrogen persistence

Laessig SA, Auger AP, McCarthy MM, et al Persistent neurobehavioral effects in Sprague-Dawley rats following prenatal exposure to the environmental estrogen, chlordecone. Toxicologist 54(1) 266, 2000... 

Jobling, S., Reynolds, T., and White, R. et al. (1995). A variety of environmentally persistent chemicals, including some phthalate plasticizers, are weakly estrogenic. Environmental Health Perspectives 103, 582-587. 

Coined M.S., H. Bort, and E. Topp (2001). Persistence of estrogenic hormones in agriculmral soils I. 17 3-esttadiol and estrone. Journal of Environmental Quality 30 2070-2076. 

Methoxychlor is degraded in vivo by 0-dealkylation and excreted as mono-and bis-phenols. It is much less environmentally persistent also much less toxic to rats (oral LD q> 6000 mg/Kg compared with LD q 118 mg/Kg for DDT Metcalf, ref. 16). However, methoxychlor toxicity in fish approaches that of DDT, and in cold water fish, e.g., Atlantic salmon, it can accumulate to excessive levels. Although much less toxic in mammals than DDT it is similar in its estrogenic action. Methylchlor is less toxic to fish than methoxychlor, but also rather ineffectual as an insecticide. Comparison of the persistence characteristics of the methyl and methoxy analogs of DDT shows the microsomal side chain oxidation of the alkyl group to be more efficient than microsomal 0-dealkylation. 

Hoare SA, Jobling S, Parker MG, Sumpter JP, White R. Environmental persistent alkylphenolic compounds are estrogenic. Endocrinology 1994 135 175-82. 

White, R., S. Jobling, S.A. Hoare, J.P. Sumpter and M.G. Parker. Environmentally persistent alkylphenolic compounds are estrogenic. Endocrinology 125 175-182, 1994. 

To conclude on the question of physiological effects, some apparent benefits of certain natural phenols were mentioned in Chapter 1. However, recently a number of synthetic phenols have been implicated as environmentally persistent and weakly to markedly estrogenic in their action. In consequence it has been suggested that they may be the etiological agents in several human disorders (ref. 331). The relative biodegradability (ref. 285) which appears in certain cases to favour natural compared with synthetic phenolic compounds may be a useful environmental factor. 

Wang JL, Liu CS, Lin KL et al (2005) Nonylphenol-induced Ca " elevation and Ca -independent cell death in human osteosarcoma cells. Toxicol Lett 160(l) 76-83 White R, Jobling S, Hoare SA et al (1994) Environmentally persistent alkylphenolic compounds are estrogenic. Endocrinology 135(1) 175-182... 

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