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Shah MM, Ahmad K, Boota S, Jensen T, La Frano MR, Irudayaraj J. Sensor technologies for the detection and monitoring of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1141523. [PMID: 37051269 PMCID: PMC10083357 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1141523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a class of man-made substances with potential to disrupt the standard function of the endocrine system. These EDCs include phthalates, perchlorates, phenols, some heavy metals, furans, dimethoate, aromatic hydrocarbons, some pesticides, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). EDCs are widespread in the environment given their frequent use in daily life. Their production, usage, and consumption have increased many-fold in recent years. Their ability to interact and mimic normal endocrine functions makes them a potential threat to human health, aquatics, and wild life. Detection of these toxins has predominantly been done by mass spectroscopy and/or chromatography-based methods and to a lesser extent by advanced sensing approaches such as electrochemical and/or colorimetric methods. Instrument-based analytical techniques are often not amenable for onsite detection due to the lab-based nature of these detecting systems. Alternatively, analytical approaches based on sensor/biosensor techniques are more attractive because they are rapid, portable, equally sensitive, and eco-friendly. Advanced sensing systems have been adopted to detect a range of EDCs in the environment and food production systems. This review will focus on advances and developments in portable sensing techniques for EDCs, encompassing electrochemical, colorimetric, optical, aptamer-based, and microbial sensing approaches. We have also delineated the advantages and limitations of some of these sensing techniques and discussed future developments in sensor technology for the environmental sensing of EDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Musaddiq Shah
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sialkot, Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Khurshid Ahmad
- College of Food Sciences and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Sonia Boota
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Sialkot, Sialkot, Pakistan
| | - Tor Jensen
- Biomedical Research Center, Mills Breast Cancer Institute, Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Michael R. La Frano
- Metabolomics Core Facility, Roy J Carver Biotechnology Center, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Joseph Irudayaraj
- Biomedical Research Center, Mills Breast Cancer Institute, Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States
- *Correspondence: Joseph Irudayaraj,
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Vandenberg LN, Rayasam SDG, Axelrad DA, Bennett DH, Brown P, Carignan CC, Chartres N, Diamond ML, Joglekar R, Shamasunder B, Shrader-Frechette K, Subra WA, Zarker K, Woodruff TJ. Addressing systemic problems with exposure assessments to protect the public's health. Environ Health 2023; 21:121. [PMID: 36635700 PMCID: PMC9835264 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00917-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding, characterizing, and quantifying human exposures to environmental chemicals is critical to protect public health. Exposure assessments are key to determining risks to the general population and for specific subpopulations given that exposures differ between groups. Exposure data are also important for understanding where interventions, including public policies, should be targeted and the extent to which interventions have been successful. In this review, we aim to show how inadequacies in exposure assessments conducted by polluting industries or regulatory agencies have led to downplaying or disregarding exposure concerns raised by communities; that underestimates of exposure can lead regulatory agencies to conclude that unacceptable risks are, instead, acceptable, allowing pollutants to go unregulated; and that researchers, risk assessors, and policy makers need to better understand the issues that have affected exposure assessments and how appropriate use of exposure data can contribute to health-protective decisions. METHODS We describe current approaches used by regulatory agencies to estimate human exposures to environmental chemicals, including approaches to address limitations in exposure data. We then illustrate how some exposure assessments have been used to reach flawed conclusions about environmental chemicals and make recommendations for improvements. RESULTS Exposure data are important for communities, public health advocates, scientists, policy makers, and other groups to understand the extent of environmental exposures in diverse populations. We identify four areas where exposure assessments need to be improved due to systemic sources of error or uncertainty in exposure assessments and illustrate these areas with examples. These include: (1) an inability of regulatory agencies to keep pace with the increasing number of chemicals registered for use or assess their exposures, as well as complications added by use of 'confidential business information' which reduce available exposure data; (2) the failure to keep assessments up-to-date; (3) how inadequate assumptions about human behaviors and co-exposures contribute to underestimates of exposure; and (4) that insufficient models of toxicokinetics similarly affect exposure estimates. CONCLUSION We identified key issues that impact capacity to conduct scientifically robust exposure assessments. These issues must be addressed with scientific or policy approaches to improve estimates of exposure and protect public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Swati D G Rayasam
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Deborah H Bennett
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Phil Brown
- Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Courtney C Carignan
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Nicholas Chartres
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Miriam L Diamond
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rashmi Joglekar
- Earthjustice, New York, NY, USA
- Earthjustice, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Bhavna Shamasunder
- Department of Urban & Environmental Policy and Public Health, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristin Shrader-Frechette
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
- Department of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Wilma A Subra
- Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Ken Zarker
- Washington State Department of Ecology, Olympia, WA, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Matouskova K, Szabo GK, Daum J, Fenton SE, Christiansen S, Soto AM, Kay JE, Cardona B, Vandenberg LN. Best practices to quantify the impact of reproductive toxicants on development, function, and diseases of the rodent mammary gland. Reprod Toxicol 2022; 112:51-67. [PMID: 35764275 PMCID: PMC9491517 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2022.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Work from numerous fields of study suggests that exposures to hormonally active chemicals during sensitive windows of development can alter mammary gland development, function, and disease risk. Stronger links between many environmental pollutants and disruptions to breast health continue to be documented in human populations, and there remain concerns that the methods utilized to identify, characterize, and prioritize these chemicals for risk assessment and risk management purposes are insufficient. There are also concerns that effects on the mammary gland have been largely ignored by regulatory agencies. Here, we provide technical guidance that is intended to enhance collection and evaluation of the mammary gland in mice and rats. We review several features of studies that should be controlled to properly evaluate the mammary gland, and then describe methods to appropriately collect the mammary gland from rodents. Furthermore, we discuss methods for preparing whole mounted mammary glands and numerous approaches that are available for the analysis of these samples. Finally, we conclude with several examples where analysis of the mammary gland revealed effects of environmental toxicants at low doses. Our work argues that the rodent mammary gland should be considered in chemical safety, hazard and risk assessments. It also suggests that improved measures of mammary gland outcomes, such as those we present in this review, should be included in the standardized methods evaluated by regulatory agencies such as the test guidelines used for identifying reproductive and developmental toxicants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Matouskova
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Gillian K Szabo
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Jessica Daum
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Suzanne E Fenton
- Mechanistic Toxicology Branch, Division of the National Toxicology Program, National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Sofie Christiansen
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs, Lyngby DK 2800, Denmark
| | - Ana M Soto
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
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Matouskova K, Bugos J, Schneider SS, Vandenberg LN. Exposure to Low Doses of Oxybenzone During Perinatal Development Alters Mammary Gland Stroma in Female Mice. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2022; 4:910230. [PMID: 35669359 PMCID: PMC9163781 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.910230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammary stroma is a prominent modulator of epithelial development, and a complex set of interactions between these tissue compartments is essential for normal development, which can be either permissive or restrictive in tumor initiation and progression. During perinatal development, exposures of mice to oxybenzone, a common UV filter, environmental pollutant and endocrine disruptor, induce alterations in mammary epithelium. Our prior research indicates that oxybenzone alters mammary epithelial structures at puberty and in adulthood. We had also previously observed changes in the expression of hormone receptors at puberty (e.g., oxybenzone induced a decrease in the number of epithelial cells positive for progesterone receptor) and in adulthood (e.g., oxybenzone induced a decrease in the number of estrogen receptor-positive epithelial cells), and increased body weight in adulthood. Here, we investigated mammary stromal changes in BALB/c animals exposed during gestation and perinatal development to 0, 30, or 3000 μg oxybenzone/kg/day. In mice exposed to 30 μg/kg/day, we observed morphological changes in adulthood (e.g., a thicker periductal stroma and adipocytes that were considerably larger). We also observed an increased number of mast cells in the mammary stroma at puberty which may represent a transient influence of oxybenzone exposure. These results provide additional evidence that even low doses of oxybenzone can disrupt hormone sensitive outcomes in the mammary gland when exposures occur during critical windows of development, and some of these effects manifest in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Matouskova
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Jennifer Bugos
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | | | - Laura N. Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Laura N. Vandenberg,
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5
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Yu Y, Li H, Chen J, Wang F, Chen X, Huang B, He Y, Cai Z. Exploring the adsorption behavior of benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles on polyvinyl chloride microplastics in the water environment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153471. [PMID: 35101490 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As a kind of emerging pollutant, microplastics (MPs) play an important role as a carrier for pollutant migration in the water environment. Carried by the MPs, benzotriazoles, and benzothiazoles (collectively referred to as BTs)1 are ubiquitous water contaminants. In this paper, the adsorption behavior of BTs on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs was first studied systematically to explain the adsorptive mechanisms and the consequential pollution caused by the absorption-desorption process. The studies on kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics revealed that the adsorption of BTs on PVC MPs was a multi-rate, heterogeneous multi-layer, and exothermic process, which was affected by external diffusion, intra-particle diffusion, and dynamic equilibrium. The factors including pH, salinity, and particle size also influenced the adsorption process. In the multi-solute system, competitive adsorption would occur between different BTs. The desorption of BTs from PVC MPs was positively associated with the increase of adsorption amount. Based on the results, the adsorption mechanisms of PVC MPs were clarified, involving hydrophobic interaction, electrostatic force, and non-covalent bonds. It was demonstrated that BTs in the water environment could most probably be accumulated and migrated through MPs, and eventually carried into organisms, posing an increased risk to the ecological environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbin Yu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China; College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China
| | - Huichen Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China
| | - Jinfeng Chen
- College of Ecological Environment and Urban Construction, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou 350118, PR China
| | - Fangjie Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China
| | - Xiaoning Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory for Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China
| | - Bowen Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China
| | - Yu He
- MOE Key Laboratory for Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China.
| | - Zongwei Cai
- MOE Key Laboratory for Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China.
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Vandenberg LN, Turgeon JL. Endocrine disrupting chemicals: Understanding what matters. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2021; 92:xiii-xxiv. [PMID: 34452698 DOI: 10.1016/s1054-3589(21)00051-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Judith L Turgeon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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Vandenberg LN, Pelch KE. Systematic Review Methodologies and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: Improving Evaluations of the Plastic Monomer Bisphenol A. Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets 2021; 22:748-764. [PMID: 34610783 DOI: 10.2174/1871530321666211005163614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are found in plastics, personal care products, household items, and other consumer goods. Risk assessments are intended to characterize a chemical's hazards, identify the doses at which adverse outcomes are observed, quantify exposure levels, and then compare these doses to determine the likelihood of risk in a given population. There are many problems with risk assessments for EDCs, allowing people to be exposed to levels that are later associated with serious health outcomes in epidemiology studies. OBJECTIVE In this review, we examine issues that affect the evaluation of EDCs in risk assessments (e.g., use of insensitive rodent strains and absence of disease-oriented outcomes in hazard assessments; inadequate exposure assessments). We then review one well-studied chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA; CAS #80-05-7) an EDC found in plastics, food packaging, and other consumer products. More than one hundred epidemiology studies suggest associations between BPA exposures and adverse health outcomes in environmentally exposed human populations. FINDINGS We present support for the use of systematic review methodologies in the evaluation of BPA and other EDCs. Systematic reviews would allow studies to be evaluated for their reliability and risk of bias. They would also allow all data to be used in risk assessments, which is a requirement for some regulatory agencies. CONCLUSION Systematic review methodologies can be used to improve evaluations of BPA and other EDCs. Their use could help to restore faith in risk assessments and ensure that all data are utilized in decision-making. Regulatory agencies are urged to conduct transparent, well-documented and proper systematic reviews for BPA and other EDCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, United States
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8
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Ghassabian A, Vandenberg L, Kannan K, Trasande L. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Child Health. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2021; 62:573-594. [PMID: 34555290 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-021921-093352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
While definitions vary, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have two fundamental features: their disruption of hormone function and their contribution to disease and disability. The unique vulnerability of children to low-level EDC exposures has eroded the notion that only the dose makes the thing a poison, requiring a paradigm shift in scientific and policy practice. In this review, we discuss the unique vulnerability of children as early as fetal life and provide an overview of epidemiological studies on programming effects of EDCs on neuronal, metabolic, and immune pathways as well as on endocrine, reproductive, and renal systems. Building on this accumulating evidence, we dispel and address existing myths about the health effects of EDCs with examples from child health research. Finally, we provide a list of effective actions to reduce exposure, and subsequent harm that are applicable to individuals, communities, and policy-makers. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Volume 62 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akhgar Ghassabian
- Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; .,Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Laura Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA;
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Departments of Pediatrics and Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; .,Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Wagner School of Public Service and College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Abstract
Regulatory agencies around the world depend on standardized testing approaches to evaluate environmental chemicals for endocrine disrupting properties. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a two-tiered testing approach within its Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). The eleven Tier 1 and three Tier 2 EDSP assays can be used to identify chemicals that act as agonists or antagonists of estrogen receptor, androgen receptor, or thyroid hormone receptor, or chemicals that interfere with steroidogenesis. Additional assays have been developed in the context of Tox21, and others have been validated by the OECD. In spite of the availability of validated toxicity tests, problems have been identified with the approaches and methods used to identify endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). This chapter will provide an overview of several of these issues including: (1) The way an EDC is defined by an agency impacts whether a specific test can be used to determine if a chemical is an EDC. This is especially important when considering which assays examine outcomes that are considered "adverse effects." (2) Some assumptions about the validated studies used to identify EDCs may not be true (e.g., their reproducibility has been questioned). (3) Many of the validated assays are less sensitive than other methods that have not yet been validated. Ultimately, these and other problems contribute to the current landscape, where testing approaches have failed to protect the public from known EDCs. The chapter concludes with a review of approaches that have been taken to improve current guideline studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States.
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10
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Kassotis CD, Trasande L. Endocrine disruptor global policy. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2021; 92:1-34. [PMID: 34452684 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Over the past several decades, scientific consensus has grown around the concept and evidence for human health impacts from exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). A series of publications have now demonstrated considerable economic costs of EDC exposure-induced adverse health outcomes. This research has suggested economic burdens in the hundreds of billions, even considering only a small subset of EDCs and health. As of yet, regulatory efforts and policies to protect and decrease human exposure to most EDCs have been insufficient and have not kept pace with the science. Given the overwhelming scientific evidence, referenced throughout this collection, as well as the economic costs of inaction, described here, regulations are clearly needed. The EU and some other countries have taken promising steps towards protective regulation of EDCs, though the response of the US and many other countries has been limited or altogether lacking. Regulatory bodies that have and continue to apply risk-based approaches to regulating EDCs have also failed to consider the complete economic impacts of EDC-related health impacts. In this chapter, we will discuss broad strategies taken to regulate EDCs, examine the approaches currently taken to regulate EDCs in a global context (discussing the strengths and weaknesses of these regulations), discuss the economic costs of EDC exposures (detailing where consideration of health and economic costs could improve regulations), and discuss next steps and novel approaches to adapting existing regulatory frameworks to this class of chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Kassotis
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States.
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Departments of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; NYU College of Global Public Health, New York, NY, United States
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11
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Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds: An Overview on Their Occurrence in the Aquatic Environment and Human Exposure. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13101347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) as emerging contaminants have accumulated in the aquatic environment at concentration levels that have been determined to be significant to humans and animals. Several compounds belong to this family, from natural substances (hormones such as estrone, 17-estradiol, and estriol) to synthetic chemicals, especially pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and plastic-derived compounds (phthalates, bisphenol A). In this review, we discuss recent works regarding EDC occurrence in the aquatic compartment, strengths and limitations of current analytical methods used for their detection, treatment technologies for their removal from water, and the health issues that they can trigger in humans. Nowadays, many EDCs have been identified in significant amounts in different water matrices including drinking water, thus increasing the possibility of entering the food chain. Several studies correlate human exposure to high concentrations of EDCs with serious effects such as infertility, thyroid dysfunction, early puberty, endometriosis, diabetes, and obesity. Although our intention is not to explain all disorders related to EDCs exposure, this review aims to guide future research towards a deeper knowledge of EDCs’ contamination and accumulation in water, highlighting their toxicity and exposure risks to humans.
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12
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Vandenberg LN. Endocrine disrupting chemicals: strategies to protect present and future generations. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2021; 16:135-146. [PMID: 33973826 DOI: 10.1080/17446651.2021.1917991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals that alter the actions of hormones. In the 21st Century, numerous expert groups of clinicians, scientists, and environmental activists have called for action to protect present and future generations from the harm induced by EDC exposures. These demands for regulatory responses come because of the strong weight of the evidence from epidemiology, wildlife, and controlled laboratory studies.Areas covered: In this review, we examine the conclusions drawn by experts from different scientific and medical disciplines. We also address several areas where recent findings or work has changed the landscape of EDC work including new approaches to identify and evaluate the evidence for EDCs using a key characteristics approach, the need to expand our understanding of vulnerable periods of development, and the increasing concern that traditional methods used to evaluate toxicity of environmental chemicals are insufficient for EDCs and how collaborative science could help to address these gaps.Expert opinion: The science is clear: there is more than enough evidence to demonstrate that EDCs affect the health of humans and wildlife. Waiting to act is a decision that puts the health of current and future generations at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- School of Public Health & Health Sciences, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA USA
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13
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Vandenberg LN, Bugos J. Assessing the Public Health Implications of the Food Preservative Propylparaben: Has This Chemical Been Safely Used for Decades. Curr Environ Health Rep 2021; 8:54-70. [PMID: 33415721 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-020-00300-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Parabens are chemicals containing alkyl-esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which give them antimicrobial, antifungal, and preservative properties. Propylparaben (PP) is one paraben that has been widely used in personal care products, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food. In this review, we address the ongoing controversy over the safety of parabens, and PP specifically. These chemicals have received significant public attention after studies published almost 20 years ago suggested plausible associations between PP exposures and breast cancer. RECENT FINDINGS Here, we use key characteristics, a systematic approach to evaluate the endocrine disrupting properties of PP based on features of "known" endocrine disruptors, and consider whether its classification as a "weak" estrogen should alleviate public health concerns over human exposures. We also review the available evidence from rodent and human studies to illustrate how the large data gaps that exist in hazard assessments raise concerns about current evaluations by regulatory agencies that PP use is safe. Finally, we address the circular logic that is used to suggest that because PP has been used for several decades, it must be safe. We conclude that inadequate evidence has been provided for the safe use of PP in food, cosmetics, and consumer products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 171C Goessmann, 686 N. Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - Jennifer Bugos
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 171C Goessmann, 686 N. Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
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14
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Vandenberg LN, Najmi A, Mogus JP. Agrochemicals with estrogenic endocrine disrupting properties: Lessons Learned? Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 518:110860. [PMID: 32407980 PMCID: PMC9448509 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.110860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Many agrochemicals have endocrine disrupting properties. A subset of these chemicals is characterized as "estrogenic". In this review, we describe several distinct ways that chemicals used in crop production can affect estrogen signaling. Using three agrochemicals as examples (DDT, endosulfan, and atrazine), we illustrate how screening tests such as the US EPA's EDSP Tier 1 assays can be used as a first-pass approach to evaluate agrochemicals for endocrine activity. We then apply the "Key Characteristics" approach to illustrate how chemicals like DDT can be evaluated, together with the World Health Organization's definition of an endocrine disruptor, to identify data gaps. We conclude by describing important issues that must be addressed in the evaluation and regulation of hormonally active agrochemicals including mixture effects, efforts to reduce vertebrate animal use, chemical prioritization, and improvements in hazard, exposure, and risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA.
| | - Aimal Najmi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
| | - Joshua P Mogus
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
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15
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Feng NX, Liang QF, Feng YX, Xiang L, Zhao HM, Li YW, Li H, Cai QY, Mo CH, Wong MH. Improving yield and quality of vegetable grown in PAEs-contaminated soils by using novel bioorganic fertilizer. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 739:139883. [PMID: 32544682 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Phthalate acid esters (PAEs) are ubiquitous pollutants in agricultural soils. Application of bioorganic fertilizer (BOF) containing beneficial microbes represents a promising approach to improve the yield and quality of crops grown in contaminated soils. In the present study, a novel multifunctional bioorganic fertilizer N-BOF was developed by using compost of sewage sludge and agricultural waste and inoculating with PAEs-degrading B. megaterium YJB3 and phosphate solubilizing B. megaterium YLYP1. Its feasibility of improving the yield and quality of vegetable grown in PAEs (including DBP and DEHP) contaminated soil was evaluated by pot experiments. The N-BOF could effectively promote plant growth, with biomass increasing by 4-66.9% and 19-110% compared to chemical (CF) and no fertilizer (CK), respectively. The concentrations of DBP and DEHP in shoots of chemically fertilised vegetable ranged 1.23-3.12 mg/kg (dry weight, DW) and 1.63-3.89 mg/kg (DW), respectively. Their concentrations were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) when N-BOF was applied (1%, 2%, 5% amendment), especially at higher application rate ranging 0.11-0.3 mg/kg (DW) and 0.16-0.32 mg/kg (DW), respectively. Meanwhile, vegetable quality attributes were also significantly improved when 2% N-BOF was applied, with increase in the contents of vitamin C, vitamin B1, total protein, and starch, and decrease in the contents of nitrite and nitrate. In this case, the human health risk from consumption of the vegetable grown in PAEs-contaminated soil could be significantly reduced. Thus, our study is expected to provide an efficient way of high-value utilization of organic substrates by producing low-cost but high quality N-BOF. Future studies on the effects of N-BOF in terms of fertilizer regimes on yield and quality of the vegetable are needed, and further field studies for assessing the long-term efficacy and reliability of this promising N-BOF are also warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nai-Xian Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Qi-Feng Liang
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yu-Xi Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Lei Xiang
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hai-Ming Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yan-Wen Li
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hui Li
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Quan-Ying Cai
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ce-Hui Mo
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Ming-Hung Wong
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China
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16
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Kassotis CD, Vandenberg LN, Demeneix BA, Porta M, Slama R, Trasande L. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: economic, regulatory, and policy implications. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2020; 8:719-730. [PMID: 32707119 PMCID: PMC7437819 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-8587(20)30128-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) substantially cost society as a result of increases in disease and disability but-unlike other toxicant classes such as carcinogens-have yet to be codified into regulations as a hazard category. This Series paper examines economic, regulatory, and policy approaches to limit human EDC exposures and describes potential improvements. In the EU, general principles for EDCs call for minimisation of human exposure, identification as substances of very high concern, and ban on use in pesticides. In the USA, screening and testing programmes are focused on oestrogenic EDCs exclusively, and regulation is strictly risk-based. Minimisation of human exposure is unlikely without a clear overarching definition for EDCs and relevant pre-marketing test requirements. We call for a multifaceted international programme (eg, modelled on the International Agency for Research in Cancer) to address the effects of EDCs on human health-an approach that would proactively identify hazards for subsequent regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Barbara A Demeneix
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France; Université Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, France
| | - Miquel Porta
- Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, PSMAR, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Barcelona, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Remy Slama
- Team of Environmental Epidemiology applied to Reproduction and Respiratory Health, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, INSERM, U1209, CNRS, UMR 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, Environmental Medicine, and Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; NYU College of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
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17
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Demeneix B, Vandenberg LN, Ivell R, Zoeller RT. Thresholds and Endocrine Disruptors: An Endocrine Society Policy Perspective. J Endocr Soc 2020; 4:bvaa085. [PMID: 33834149 PMCID: PMC8010901 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The concept of a threshold of adversity in toxicology is neither provable nor disprovable. As such, it is not a scientific question but a theoretical one. Yet, the belief in thresholds has led to traditional ways of interpreting data derived from regulatory guideline studies of the toxicity of chemicals. This includes, for example, the use of standard “uncertainty factors” when a “No Adverse Effect Level” (or similar “benchmark dose”) is either observed, or not observed. In the context of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), this approach is demonstrably inappropriate. First, the efficacy of a hormone on different endpoints can vary by several orders of magnitude. This feature of hormone action also applies to EDCs that can interfere with that hormone. For this reason, we argue that the choice of endpoint for use in regulation is critical, but note that guideline studies were not designed with this in mind. Second, the biological events controlled by hormones in development not only change as development proceeds but are different from events controlled by hormones in the adult. Again, guideline endpoints were also not designed with this in mind, especially since the events controlled by hormones can be both temporally and spatially specific. The Endocrine Society has laid out this logic over several years and in several publications. Rather than being extreme views, they represent what is known about hormones and the chemicals that can interfere with them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Demeneix
- UMR 7221, Muséum National d´Histoire Naturelle, Département Régulation Développement et Diversité Moléculaire, Paris, France
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Richard Ivell
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK
| | - R Thomas Zoeller
- Morrill Science Center, Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst Massachusetts.,School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Örebro Sweden
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18
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Ruiz D, Padmanabhan V, Sargis RM. Stress, Sex, and Sugar: Glucocorticoids and Sex-Steroid Crosstalk in the Sex-Specific Misprogramming of Metabolism. J Endocr Soc 2020; 4:bvaa087. [PMID: 32734132 PMCID: PMC7382384 DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaa087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life exposures to environmental insults can misprogram development and increase metabolic disease risk in a sex-dependent manner by mechanisms that remain poorly characterized. Modifiable factors of increasing public health relevance, such as diet, psychological stress, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, can affect glucocorticoid receptor signaling during gestation and lead to sex-specific postnatal metabolic derangements. Evidence from humans and animal studies indicate that glucocorticoids crosstalk with sex steroids by several mechanisms in multiple tissues and can affect sex-steroid-dependent developmental processes. Nonetheless, glucocorticoid sex-steroid crosstalk has not been considered in the glucocorticoid-induced misprogramming of metabolism. Herein we review what is known about the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids crosstalk with estrogen, androgen, and progestogen action. We propose that glucocorticoid sex-steroid crosstalk is an understudied mechanism of action that requires consideration when examining the developmental misprogramming of metabolism, especially when assessing sex-specific outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ruiz
- Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Robert M Sargis
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism; Department of Medicine; University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Chicago Center for Health and Environment, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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19
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Bertin A, Damiens G, Castillo D, Figueroa R, Minier C, Gouin N. Developmental instability is associated with estrogenic endocrine disruption in the Chilean native fish species, Trichomycterus areolatus. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 714:136638. [PMID: 31982740 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are widespread contaminants that alter the normal functioning of the endocrine system. While they cause dysfunctions in essential biological processes, it is unclear whether EDCs also impact developmental stability. In the present study, we investigated the occurrence of estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds in a small watershed of south-central Chile impacted by anthropogenic activities. Then, we assessed their relationship with internal levels of estrogenic active compounds and fluctuating asymmetry (FA), a proxy of developmental stability in organisms with bilateral symmetry, in a native fish species (Trichomycterus areolatus). Yeast estrogenic screen assays were performed to measure estrogenic activity in river sediments and in male fish tissues collected from 17 sites along the Chillán watershed, and geometric morphometrics used to estimate fluctuating asymmetry based on the shapes of 248 fish skulls. Estrogenic activity was detected both in sediments and male fish tissues at concentrations of up to 1005 ng and 83 ng 17β-estradiol equivalent/kg dw, respectively. No significant correlation was found between the two. However, fish tissue estrogenicity, water temperature and dissolved oxygen explained >80% of the FA population variation. By showing a significant relationship between estrogenic activity and FA of T. areolatus, our results indicate that developmental stability can be altered by estrogenic endocrine disruption, and that FA can be a useful indicator of sub-lethal stress in T. areolatus populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angéline Bertin
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile.
| | - Gautier Damiens
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile
| | - Daniela Castillo
- Programa de doctorado en Energía, Agua y Medio Ambiente, Universidad de La Serena, Benavente 980, La Serena, Chile.
| | - Ricardo Figueroa
- Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Centro EULA-Chile, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Christophe Minier
- UMR-I 02 SEBIO - Stress Environnementaux et BIOsurveillance des milieu aquatiques, Université du Havre, 25 rue Philippe Lebon, BP1123, 76063 Le Havre cedex, France.
| | - Nicolas Gouin
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile; Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile; Instituto de Investigación Multidisciplinar en Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad de La Serena, La Serena, Chile.
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20
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Preparation and application of a novel magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer for simultaneous and rapid determination of three trace endocrine disrupting chemicals in lake water and milk samples. Anal Bioanal Chem 2020; 412:1835-1846. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-02431-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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