Endocrine Disrupters: Environmental Health and Policies

Front Cover
Polyxeni Nicolopoulou-Stamati, Luc Hens, Vyvyan C. Howard
Springer Science & Business Media, Jun 30, 2001 - Medical - 377 pages
During recent decades, millions of tonnes of man-made chemicals have been produced and released into the environment, with very little safety testing. Many of these chemical substances have been found to interfere with the endocrine system and modulate its function. This book not only overviews the effects of endocrine/disrupting substances on human health, but also addresses the regulatory problems from the point of view of international organisations, including the WHO, the EU, and the European Chlorine Industry.
This volume contains the proceedings of a workshop held at the International Hippocrates Foundation on Kos Island, Greece, in September 1999. The workshop was part of the activities of the ASPIS project, which aims at raising awareness of environmental health impacts among multidisciplinary groups. The contributions to this volume are the result of the interaction of participants at the workshop. As such, it addresses the issue of endocrine disrupters from many different points of view and allows the subject to be approached by a multidisciplinary readership, including: decision makers, medical doctors, environmental experts, post/and undergraduate students, lawyers, engineers, and journalists.
 

Contents

AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING SUBSTANCES
1
1 Introduction
3
2 Scientific Overview
5
3 Strategies and Policies
7
4 Case Studies Elucidate the Function of EDSs
13
5 Conclusion
16
SCIENTIFIC OVERVIEW
19
REFLECTIONS ON BIOANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR DETECTING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS
21
7 Conclusions
205
References
207
STRATEGIES AND POLICIES
217
A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
219
1 Background
220
2 Chemical Mixtures
224
3 A Comparison of Medicines Agrochemicals and Bulk Chemicals
226
4 Time Scales from Recognition of Problems to Regulation of Production and Use
229

1 Introduction
22
2 What is an Oestrogen?
23
3 Methodology to Establish the Oestrogenicity of Synthetic Chemicals
26
33 Gene Expression as an Endpoint of Bioassays for Oestrogenicity
31
4 A Glimpse at the Future of Regulatory Legislation on Endocrine Disrupters
32
Acknowledgements
33
THE IMPACT OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING SUBSTANCES ON HUMAN REPRODUCTION
39
1 Introduction
40
2 Alteration of Semen Quality
41
3 Testicular Cancer
46
4 Male Genital Tract Malformations
47
Two Pesticides with Documented Impact on Reproductive Health
48
6 The Impact of Xenoestrogens on Experimental Animals
49
7 Diethystilboestrol a Prescribed Xenoestrogen
51
9 Assisted Reproduction Methods
54
10 Phytoestrogens
56
11 Conclusions
57
Acknowledgements
58
References
59
IMMUNOTOXIC1TY BY DIOXINS AND PCBS IN THE PERINATAL PERIOD
69
1 Introduction
70
3 Studies in Humans
71
4 Decreased Allergy
74
5 Haematopoiesis
75
References
76
A PROTOTYPE OF HUMAN TERATOGENESIS AND TUMOURIGENESIS BY XENOESTROGENS?
81
1 Introduction
82
2 Environmental Exposure to DES
86
3 Red Alert for Transplacental Tumourigenesis
88
4 Mechanisms of DESRelated Teratogenesis and CCA Tumourigenesis
92
5 A Genetically Determined Spontaneous AbortionGynaecological Cancer Syndrome?
96
6 Lessons from the Epidemiology of CCA in the Netherlands
99
7 Is there Oestrogen Imprinting and Molecular Teratogenesis by DES or other Xenoestrogens?
101
8 Are DES andor other Xenoestrogens Neuroteratogenic or is DESassociated Psychopathology lathrogenic?
103
9 Lowdose and inverted Ushaped DoseResponse Relationships of Oestrogens
106
10 What in the Light of DESResearch Should be Done about other Xenoestrogens?
107
References
109
MECHANISMS UNDERLYING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION AND BREAST CANCER
119
1 Introduction
120
2 Factors Influencing the Activity of Xenoestrogens
122
21 Effects of Serum on the Access of Xenoestrogens to the Oestrogen Receptor ER
123
23 Disturbance of Metabolic Pathways
124
24 Influence of the Mechanisms Involved in Cardnogenesis
126
25 Effects of Oestrogens on Specific Gene Targets their Receptors and Oncogenes
128
26 Accessory Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis
131
27 Cooperation of other Receptorbased Effects
133
3 The Clinical Impact on Breast Cancer incidence of the Exposure to Oestrogenic Endocrine Disrupters
134
32 Discussion
136
4 Conclusions
137
References
139
THE CASE OF BISPHENOLS
149
1 Introduction
150
2 Exposure to Bisphenols
152
3 Biological Effects of Bisphenols
157
4 Concluding Remarks
162
References
164
RISK ASSESSMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTERS
171
1 Introduction
172
2 The Changing Concept of Endocrine Disruption
173
3 Risk Assessment Paradigm
176
31 Hazard Identification
177
32 DoseResponse Assessment
178
34 Risk Characterisation
179
42 Reproductive Effects
181
43 Neurological Effects
185
44 Immunological Effects
186
45 Other Effects
187
5 Risk Assessment of EDs
188
52 DoseResponse Assessment
194
53 Exposure Assessment
198
54 Risk Characterisation
203
6 Exposure Based Risk Assessment
204
41 Regulation in Some OECD Countries
234
42 Conclusions with Respect to Brominated Flame Retardants
240
5 The Problems Associated with PopulationBased Data
241
6 Precocious Puberty and Thelarche
242
7 Conclusion
243
Acknowledgement
245
EXISTING POLICY WITH REGARD TO ENDOCRINE DISRUPTERS
251
1 Introduction
252
2 Overall Toxicity Testing for Regulatory Purposes
254
31 Basic Principles Concerning Developmental Tests
255
Prenatal Developmental Toxicity Study or Embryotoxicity and Teratogenicity Study
257
Fertility and Reproduction Study
259
4 EndPoints Indicative for Endocrine Disruptive Effects
262
42 Modifications to Existing Test Methods
263
43 New Approaches Using NonRegulatory Test Models
264
5 Conclusion
265
References
266
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION THE INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE
269
1 Introduction
270
2 The European Chemical Industry Commitment
272
3 European Chemical Industry Scientific Programme
273
32 Environmental and Wildlife Health
274
33 Testing Strategy
275
4 Current Situation in Europe and Globally
277
42 Environmental Health and Wildlife Effects
279
43 Testing Strategies
283
5 Conclusions
284
References
286
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS A STRATEGY OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
289
1 1ntroduction
290
3 Recommendations of the SCTEE
292
41 Objectives
293
43 Recommendations of the Commission
294
5 Conclusions
295
Acknowledgement
296
Note
297
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTERS AND DRINKING WATER
299
1 Introduction
300
2 Endocrine Disrupters and the New Drinking Water Directive 9883EC
301
3 SCTEE Opinion on Endocrine Disrupters
302
4 Community Strategy
303
5 Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Drinking Water
306
6 Study on Endocrine Disrupters in Drinking Water
307
7 Adaptation of DWD 9883EC
308
References
309
ACTIVITIES OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION
311
1 Introduction
312
2 Joint WHOECEEA Workshop
314
21 Effects in Humans
315
22 Wildlife
316
24 Exposure
317
3 WHOS Global Initiative
318
31 Global Endocrine Disrupter Research Inventory GEDRI
319
32 Global Assessment of Endocrine Disrupters GAED
320
33 Global StateoftheScience Document
322
34 Review Process
326
References
327
CONCLUSIONS
329
A PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH TO ENDOCRINE DISRUPTERS
331
1 Introduction
332
2 Scientific Overview
335
3 Strategies and Policies
342
31 Future Research Actions
343
32 Education
346
33 Policy Prospects
347
4 Conclusion
348
References
349
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
357
LIST OF UNITS
361
INDEX
363
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