HORMONE DISRUPTER

Appraisal of Test Methods for Sex-Hormone Disrupting Chemicals. OECD Environmental Elealth... 

The authors would like to thank Dr Mark Taylor, Dr Raquel Duarte-Davidson and the other participants who contributed to our understanding during a workshop on the ecological effects of sex hormone disrupters held at the Institute in January 1998. We also acknowledge the financial support provided by the UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions for the work at lEH on endocrine disruption. However, the opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of any government department or agency. 

Andersen HR, Andersson AM, Arnold SF, et al. 1999. Comparison of short-term estrogenicity tests for identification of hormone-disrupting chemicals. Environ Health Perspect 107(Suppl 1) 89-108. 

Kelce, W.R., Monosson, E., and Gamcsik, M.P. et al. (1994). Environmental hormone disrupters—evidence that Vinclozolin developmental toxicity is mediated by antiandrogenic metabolites. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 126, 276-285. 

Nonylphenol (NP) has high aquatic toxicity and low biodegradability. Furthermore, an extensive risk assessment showed that nonylphenol displays endocrine-disrupting properties, i.e. hormone disrupting showing oestrogenicity. The use of... 

In this interview Katy shares her view that chemical exposures can lead to an inability to tolerate stress, to loss of mental functioning, to fear and to violence. Since I met with her, two studies have been published that validate her remarks. One, a University of Wis-consin-Madison study published in the journal Toxicology and Industrial Health, January-March 1999, found that the pesticide-fertilizer mixtures commonly found in groundwater can affect patterns of aggression and the ability to learn, and causes hormone disruptions that increase sensitivity to stimuli, irritability and immune dysfunction. A University of Arizona study published by Environmental Health Perspectives in June 1998 showed a decrease in mental ability and an increase in aggressive behavior among children exposed to pesticides. 

The development of new tests and bioassays is likely to lengthen the list of endocrine disrupters. Recent research on hormonal disruption has not only investigated estrogens and androgens as agonists and antagonists but also considered the development of the individual and the presence of compounds that interfere in other hormonal systems, such as the thyroid system. 

Crofton KM, Craft ES, Hedge JM, Gennings C, Simmons JE, Carchman RA, Carter WH Jr, DeVito MJ (2005) Thyroid-hormone-disrupting chemicals evidence for dose-dependent additivity or synergism. Environ Health Perspect 113 1549-1554... 

OECD. 2002b. Detailed review paper. Appraisal of test methods for sex hormone disrupting chemicals. OECD Series on Testing and Assessment No. 21. Environment Directorate, Joint Meeting of the Chemicals Committee and the Working Party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology. ENV/JM/MONO (2002)8. Paris OECD. 

The hormones of the pituitary gland participate in the control of reproductive function, body growth, and cellular metabolism deficiency or overproduction of these hormones disrupts this control. Clinical use of protein hormones in the past was limited because preparations had to come from glands or urine. The ability to prepare at least some of these hormones in large quantities by recombinant DNA techniques and the development of more stable analogues that can be injected in a depot form permit increased and more effective use of these hormones. 

Possibly relevant to be added to data base in vitro bioassay general toxicity (extract) in vitro bioassay thyroid hormone disruption (extract) (incl. bioactivation) in vitro estrogenicity or androgenicity (extract) Chemicals that only are toxic in high concentration (narcotics, nanoparticles) Chemical analysis of lipophillic POPs in water... 

Zhou T, Taylor MM, De Vito MJ, et al. 2000. Thyroid hormone disruptive effects of brominated diphenyl ethers following developmental exposure. Toxicologist 54(l) 260-261. 

Zhou T, Taylor MM, DeVito MJ, et al. 2002. Developmental exposure to brominated diphenyl ethers results in thyroid hormone disruption. Toxicol Sci 66 105-116. 

Exposure, Intake, and Effects of Toxic and Essential Elements Assessment of steroid hormone disruption in placenta as indicator tissue for monitoring fetal and maternal environment. Biomonitoring of metals is included with evaluation of dietary metal intake (European Commission 2004). 

Metals Lead and Mercury These are brain and nervous system toxins, hormone disrupters, and carcinogens to be avoided when trying to get pregnant, when pregnant, and beyond. Lead can be found as lead acetate in makeup and hair dye and be absorbed into the skin. Mercury is sometimes allowed (in very small doses) as a preservative. 

Goda, Y., A. Kobayashi, K. Fukuda, et al. 2000. Development of the ELISAs for detection of hormone-disrupting chemicals. Water Sci. Technol. 42 81-88. 

The pollution prevention principle presupposes that all environmental pressure is potentially harmful. Conservative approaches are necessary to protect the environment because multiple stressors due to the presence of low concentrations of more than one substance or unexpected effects of metabolites (e.g., hormone disruption) can never be excluded. This opinion is in line with the community conditioning hypothesis (Matthews et al. 1996), which states that ecological communities tend to preserve information about every event in their history, including stress by substances. It is also in line with the rivet hypothesis (Ehrlich and Ehrlich 1981), which presupposes that each loss of a species (equivalent to a rivet in the analogy) affects ecosystem integrity to a small extent, and, if too many rivets are lost, the system collapses. 

Hileman, B., Hormone disrupter research expands, Chem. Eng. News, 75, 24—25, 1997. 

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