• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2015

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) including endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care product chemicals (PPCPs) have recently received more attention because of their occurrence in water bodies and harmful impacts on human health and aquatic organisms. Triclosan is widely used as a synthetic broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent due to its antimicrobial efficacy. However, triclosan detected in aquatic environment has been recently considered as one of CECs, because of the potential for endocrine disruption, the formation of toxic by-products and the development of cross-resistance to antibiotics in aquatic environment. This comprehensive review focuses on the regulations, toxicology, fate and transport, occurrence and removal efficiency of triclosan. Overall, this review aims to provide better understanding of triclosan and insight into application of biological treatment process as an efficient method for triclosan removal.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.371-381
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• 2023

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), used in a variety of products in modern society, are hormone-like substances that cause various diseases. Humans are exposed to EDCs through their inclusion in pesticides, plastics, cosmetics, detergents, and drugs. Bisphenol A (BPA), one of the representative endocrine disruptors, is an estrogen-like substance that has been widely used commercially in plastic and epoxy resins. BPA is a chemical that can disrupt the endocrine system, leading to reduced reproductive function, obesity, cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Since the adverse health effects of BPA began to be reported the use of BPA has been regulated worldwide. Various alternatives to BPA have been widely used worldwide; representatively, bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF) are the most commonly used in commercial contexts. BPS and BPF may cause endocrine-disrupting effects like those of BPA due to their similar chemical structures. Recent studies have reported that BPS and BPF disrupt the neurodevelopmental process and cause neurodevelopmental disorders. Therefore, future studies will be required for safety verification of BPA alternatives and the development of new alternatives to BPA for brain health. In this review, we reviewed the effects of BPA and the alternatives, BPS and BPF, on the nervous system.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 2005

Di (n-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is thought to mimic estrogens in their action, and are called endocrine disrupting chemicals. DEHP is used in numerous consumer products, especially those made of flexible polyvinyl chloride and have been reported to be weakly estrogenic. In this study, DEHP were tested for estrogenic properties in vitro models and with microarray analysis. First, the E-screen assay was used to measure the proliferation of DEHP in MCF-7 cells, a human breast cancer cell line. DEHP induced an increase in MCF-7 cell proliferation at concentration of $10^{-4}M$. Second, we carried out a microarray analysis of MCF-7 cells treated with DEHP using human c-DNA microarray including 401 endocrine system related genes. Of the genes analyzed, 60 genes were identified showing significant changes in gene expression resulting from DEHP. Especially, 4 genes were repressed and 4 genes were induced by DEHP compared to $17{\beta}-estradiol$. Among these genes, trefoil factor 3 (intestinal), breast cancer 1, early onset and CYP1B1 are involved in estrogen metabolism and regulation. Therefore it suggests that these genes may be associated with estrogenic effect of the DEHP on transcriptional level. The rationale is that, as gene expression is a sensitive endpoint, alterations of these genes may act as useful biomarkers to define more precisely the nature and level of exposure to kinds of phthalates.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 2000

Hershberger assay is known as one of the in vivo-short-term scrrning assays for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), but this method is not a validated test system. In the present study, the establishment of Hershberger assay to detect EDCs was tried using a model substance, di(n-butyl)phthalate (DBP), a plasticizer for plastics. Thirty-six immature male rats were randomly assigned to six groups: DBP 0, 40, 200, and 1000mg/kg, a positive control (flutamide 20 mg/kg), and a combination group(DBP 1000mg/kg and testosterone 50 ug/kg). DBP and flutamide were administered by gavage to male rats from day 21 to 40 post partum. Testosterone was subcutaneously injected during the same period. We evaluated body weigth gain, weights of ventral prostate, seminal vesicle, and levator ani and bulvocavernous muscle, and serum concentrations of testosterone and lutenizing hormone in male rats. The weights of seminal vesicle and levator ani and bulvocavernous muscle of males receiving 1000mg/kg of DBP was significantly lower than controls. There was no effect of DBP-treatment on body weight gain, prostate weight, and hormone concentrations. In the positive control group, the weights of seminal vesicle and levator ani and bulvocavernous muscle of males receiving 20mg/kg of flutamide were significantly lower than controls. In the combination group, there was no effect of co-treatment of DBP and testosterone on all parameters effect against DBP. This method was found to be a useful short-term screening assay system for EDCs.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.2 s.103
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• pp.97-107
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• 2003

Fish vitellogenin produces in female liver during oogensesis through estradiol cycle, and produces even in male liver by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as alkylphenols. The resulting effects of EDCs lead to the low fecundity of female and the feminization (eg. shrinkage of testis) in male. Especially, the production of vitellogenin in male indicates the environmental contamination of EDCs, resulting in the modulation of gene expression profiles and the monitoring of environmental contamination at specific area. In this paper, we suggest that fish vitellogenin is useful for biomonitoring for environmental contamination and would be substantially useful as a biomarker for a detection of EDCs in aquatic environment.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.423-433
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• 2019

Purpose: The study aimed to examine the effects of sleep pattern, stress, and attitude towards menstruation, and behavior that causes a reduction in exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the course of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in female adolescents. Method: In total, 200 girls attending middle school in K city were recruited via convenience sampling between December 11 and 31, 2018, and 192 subjects were selected for the analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression. Results: Overall, 9 (4.7%), 152 (79.2%), and 31 (16.1%) students had morning-, intermediate-, and evening-type sleep pattern, respectively. The mean scores for school-related stress were highest. Scores for stress regarding relationships with friends were the lowest. The mean score for attitudes toward menstruation was 72.33 out of 147. The mean score for behavior that led to a reduction in EDCs exposure was 56.57 out of 85. The mean scores for PMS severity were 25.30 and 38.39 out of 60. Analysis of factors affecting PMS revealed that severity of menstrual pain (β=.28), use of analgesics during menstruation (β=.17), family history of PMS (β=-.16), stress (β=.19), and behavior that reduces EDCs exposure (β=-.17) exerted significant effects on PMS. The explanatory power of these variables was 37%. Conclusion: The findings propose the necessity of a health intervention program including educational information, which can reduce PMS in adolescents, induce the behaviors which can decrease exposure to EDCs, and activities for managing the stress levels.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.30-43
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to enhance health management and prevention strategies for precocious puberty by comparing the knowledge, motivation, and behaviors related to reducing exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) between mothers of children with precocious puberty and those of typically developing children. Methods: Participants were 66 mothers of children with precocious puberty from a hospital and 71 mothers of typically developing children from an elementary school. The research questionnaire assessed knowledge of EDCs, motivation, self-efficacy, and behaviors towards reduced exposure to EDCs, in addition to general characteristics of children with precocious puberty. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation. Results: There were statistically significant differences in self-efficacy (p=.015) and behavior (p=.001) regarding reduced exposure to EDCs between the two groups. Behaviors toward reduced exposure to EDCs were positively associated with knowledge of EDCs, motivation, and self-efficacy among mothers of children with precocious puberty. Additionally, these behaviors correlated positively with knowledge of EDCs, motivation, self-efficacy, and the child's birth weight and waist circumference among mothers of typically developing children. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that mothers of children with precocious puberty exhibited less proactive behavior in reducing exposure to EDCs compared to mothers of typical children. Therefore, it is important to foster interest in the impact of environmental factors, beyond characteristic factors, on behaviors aimed at reducing exposure to EDCs.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2009

The occurrence of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), chemicals that interfere with human hormone system, are increasing in the freshwater, waste water and subsurface as well. In this study, we determined the reactivity of three EDCs in the presence of birnessite. In aqueous phase, bisphenol A, 2,4-dichlorophenol and 17${\beta}$-estradiol, which possesses phenoxy-OH, were very rapidly transformed by birnessite: up to 99% of initial concentrations (50 mg/L for bisphenol A, 100mg/L for 2,4-dichlorophenol, and 1.5mg/L for 17${\beta}$-estradiol) were destroyed within 60 minutes. Especially, bisphenol A was the most reactive chemical, disappearing by 99% in a few minutes. The reaction occurred on the surface of birnessite, showing a linear increase of first-order kinetic constants with the increase of the surface area of birnessite. In soil slurry phase, the reactivity of birnessiteto EDCs was faster than in aqueous phase probably due to the cross coupling reaction of phenoxy radicals with soil organic matter. Considering the rapid transformation of the EDCs in the both phases, this oxidative cross coupling reaction mediated by birnessite would be an effective solution for the remediation of EDCs in environmental media, especially in soil.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.379-384
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• 1998

Endocrine disruptor is an exogenous substance that changes endocrine function and causes adverse effects at the level of the organism, its progeny, and/or (sub)populations of the organisms. Purported adverse effects are cancers, declines in reproductive health, developmental learning disabilities in humans, and declining populations, altered morphology, physiology or behavior in wildlife. In these days, expert groups on chemicals in IPCS, IFCS and OECD are intensively discussing the identification of endocrine disruptors and the proper management of those chemicals. In this study, we screened the endocrine disrupting effects of lead using fertilized eggs of Oryzias latipes. In brief, the eggs were exposed to lead with different concentrations at Ringer's solution, and the mortality, the incidence of deformation, the body movement and the hatching success were determined after incubation. The histological analysis of normal and deformed larvae was also carried out. Compared to control, the mortality and the heart rate of eggs and/or larvae increased, but the hatching success and the tail movement decreased. The morphological observation showed the asymmetrical deformation of larvae and the distortion of spinal cord. The absorption of the liquid in yolk sac was hindered. The adverse effects of lead in the ontogeny of fertilized eggs of Oryzias latipes seemed to be stronger in pH5.6 than in pH7.5 solution. In summary, lead showed adverse effects on the ontogeny of fish fertilized eggs plays critical role in regulating biological systems and controlling developmental processes as an endocrine disruptor.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.207-210
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• 2007

The study was designed to determine the estrogenic effect of some penicillins on endocrine function in adult Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Vitellogenin (Vtg) produced in male fish has been used for a biomarker to study endocrine disrupters. $17\beta-estradiol\;(E_2)$ was used a positive control that was induced Vtg in male fish. Result of total protein qantification and ELISA for female and male fish were exposed to $17\beta-estradiol$ 10ng/ml for $3\sim5$ days. As a result, male fish exposed to amoxicillin respectively appeared 0.75, 0.23, 8.21 and $9.36\%_{\circ}$ of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ppm respectively, that value was elevated compared with control male fish. Male fish exposed to ampicillin respectively appeared 1.85, 4.68, 0.85 and $39.59\%_{\circ}$ of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ppm respectively, that value was elevated compared with control male fish. This study is one of the first reports suggesting potential endocrine disruption of some penicillins in aquatic ecosystem. These results suggest that vitellogenin and estrogen receptor induction patterns alter in male medaka treated with selected estrogenic compounds, and that these results may be useful molecular biomarkers for screening estrogenic EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals) in the shortest possible time.