Endocrine disruptors in the environment (IUPAC Technical Report)
J. Lintelmann1**, A. Katayama2, N. Kurihara3,
L. Shore4, and A. Wenzel5
1GSF National Research
Center for Environmental Chemistry, P.O. Box 1129, D-85758, Neuherberg,
Germany; 2Research Center for Advanced Waste and Emission
Management, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-86003, Japan; 3c/o
Emeritus Club, Kyoto University, 103-5 Tanaka Monzen-cho, Sakyo-ku,
Kyoto, 606-8225 Japan; 4Department of Hormone Research, Kimron
Veterinary Institute, Bet Dagan, P.O. Box 12, Israel; 5Fraunhofer
Institute Umweltchemie and Ökotoxikolgie, Auf dem Aberg 1, D-57392,
Schmallenberg, Germany
Abstract: Abstract: Many chemical substances of natural or anthropogenic
origin are suspected or known to be endocrine disruptors, which can
influence the endocrine system of life. This observation has led to
increased interest on the part of the public and the media, as well
as to a steep rise of research activities in the scientific community.
New papers and results are presented so fast that it is impossible to
give a complete review of this emerging research field. Therefore, this
paper tries to give insight into some topics of the great scope of endocrine
disruptors in the environment. To get a general idea of the biochemical
and biological background, some parts of the endocrine systems of mammalians
and nonmammalians are explained. The sections that follow describe important
mechanisms of endocrine disruption such as interactions with hormone
receptors. Test strategies for anthropogenic chemicals on various organisms
are critically reviewed with respect to
their problems and gaps concerning endocrine disruptors. The main emphasis
of the paper is on the chemical substances suspected or known to be
endocrine disruptors. To get a better comprehension of their behavior
in the environment, physicochemical data such as water solubility or
Kow, as well as information about their use and/or function
are reviewed and compared. The main routes of exposure for most chemicals
are shortly described, and data about concentrations in the environment
(soil/sediment, water) are detailed.
**Corresponding Author
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