• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.95-111
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• 2013

Worldwide there is concern about the continuing release of a broad range of environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, phthalates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and other halogenated organochlorines persistent organic pollutants (POPs) into the environment. They are condemned for health adverse effects such as cancer, reproductive defects, neurobehavioral abnormalities, endocrine and immunological toxicity. These effects can be elicited via a number of mechanisms among others include disruption of endocrine system, oxidation stress and epigenetic. However, most of the mechanisms are not clear, thus several number of studies are ongoing trying to elucidate them in order to protect the public by reducing these adverse effects. In this review, we briefly limited review the process, the impacts, and the potential mechanisms of dioxin/dioxin like compound, particularly, their possible roles in adverse developmental and reproductive processes, diseases, and gene expression and associated molecular pathways in cells.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.775-780
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• 2009

The efficacy of nitrifying sludge existed in biological nutrient removal process was examined for possible removal of endocrine disrupting chemical(EDC) in the effluent of wastewater treatment plant. Some of ammonia oxidizing bacteria causes ammonia oxidation mediated by ammonia monooxygenase(AMO) activity, which has low substrate specificity resulting in cometablic degradation of several chemicals. In this study, the removal of three model EDCs such as bisphenol A(BPA), nonylphenol(NP) and dibutyl phthalate(DBP) was studied in batch cultures using nitrifying sludge, BOD-oxidizing sludge with low nitrifying activity, and sterilized sludge. Nitrifying sludge showed higher initial removal rates in all batches of three EDCs when it was fed with ammonium as an energy source. The acclimation time was required for the removal of EDCs in batches using BOD-oxidizing sludge or nitritefed nitrifying sludge. That retardation seemed to attribute to the slow growth of cells using the EDCs while ammonium-fed nitrifying sludge could degrade EDCs through simultaneous cooxidation with ammonia oxidation. Sterilized sludge was also tested under the same conditions in order to find the contribution of physical adsorption to the removal of EDCs. About 10~20% of initial EDCs dose was removed when using sterilized sludge. Thus the biological activity is likely to play major role for the degradation of BPA, NP, and DBP rather than the physical adsorption from wastewater.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.147-147
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• 2001

To establish a test protocol for the rodent 20-day thyroid/pubertal assay, we dosed flutamide(fl), a non-steroidal androgen antagonist to intact male SD rats from postnatal day 33 for 20 days, and examined several reproductive endpoints for assessing the sensitivity of a list of parameters for detecting endocrine-related effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.(omitted)

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.319-332
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• 2016

Micropollutants are often discharged to surface waters through untreated wastewater from sewage treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants. The presence of micropollutants in surface waters is a serious concern because surface water is usually provided to water treatment plants (WTP) to produce drinking water. Many micropollutants can withstand conventional WTP systems and stay in tap water. In particular, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptors are examples of micropollutants that are detected at the drinking water, ppb, or even ppb level. A variety of techniques and processes, especially advanced oxidation processes, have been applied to remove micropollutants from water to control drinking water contamination. This paper reviews recent researches on the occurrence and removal of micropollutants in the aquatic environments and during water treatment processes.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2011

In this study we present a mammalian cell culture model that allows to study the effect of endocrine disruptors (EDCs) on aromatase activity of aquatic amphibian, Bombina orientalis. Bombina orientalis aromatase gene was subcloned into a mammalian expression vector and subsequently transfected to mammalian cells. Although the protein expression level of Bombina orientalis aromatase was low, it had a significant aromatase activity. When EDCs were added to aromatase transfected cells, aromatase activity was significantly decreased. We report here that this system may be used to monitor the effect of EDCs on aromatase activity of aquatic organisms.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.189.1-189.1
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• 2003

Transcript profiling is a particularly valuable tool in the field of steroid receptor biology, as these receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors and therefore exert their initial effects through altering gene expression in responsive cells. Also, an increased awareness of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their potential to affect wildlife and humans has produced a demand for practical screening methods to identify endocrine activity. (omitted)

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.147-162
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• 2015

Objectives: The objective of this review was to summarize the primary role of three representative endocrine axes in aquatic vertebrates and discuss the effects on endocrine systems and their interactions in teleost fish after exposure to environmental contaminants. Methods: We summarized individual traits and mechanisms for hormonal and transcriptional interactions between the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG), hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT), and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes in fish. We also provided a brief discussion on the effects of nonylphenol-induced toxicity on endocrine systems and their interactions in fish as a demonstration of holistic explanation. Results: Currently-available data showed that thyroid dysfunction is associated with reproductive toxicity due to changes in steroidogenic gene expressions and sex hormone levels as well as gonad glands in fish. As an example, we demonstrated that exposure to nonylphenol could induce estrogenicity in male fish by decreasing thyroid hormones, which contributes to increased aromatase expression. Although the mechanisms are complicated and involved in multiple ways, a number of studies have shown that sex steroids influence the HPT axis or the HPA axis in fish, indicating bi-directional crosstalk. Critically missing is information on the primary target or toxicity mechanisms of environmental contaminants among the three endocrine axes, so further studies are needed to explore those possibilities. Conclusions: This review highlights the interactions between the HPG, HPT, and HPA axes in fish in order to better understand how these endocrine systems could interact with each other in situations of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.406-415
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the hazards of cosmetic ingredients in Korea. Methods: An Excel database of cosmetic ingredients was developed on a website(Korea Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary) and used for a hazard assessment based on Tox-free, a database containing toxic information such as on carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxicants(CMRs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals(EDCs), as well as other regulated chemicals in Korea. Results: A total of 16,605 chemicals were registered with the cosmetic ingredient dictionary and 308 of them were identified as either CMRs or EDCs. CMRs included formaldehyde and nickel gluconate, and EDCs included parabens, benzophenon, styrene, and toluene. Reproductive toxicants such as xylene, zinc chloride, toluene, and formaldehyde were regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Act on the Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemical Substances(the Chemical Control Act). Conclusions: Regulations on cosmetics components should be strengthened, and the right to know about cosmetics containing hazardous chemicals should be guaranteed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.519-529
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• 2008

Recent studies reveal one of the representative endocrine disrupters of nonylphenol affects on the composition of a planktonic community. Since nonylphenol is sometimes discharged into eutrophic waters, we monitored planktonic community composition of a eutrophic pond after receiving nonylphenol when cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa mainly dominated. The experiment was carried out two times using small-scale microcosms in a laboratory. In both two experiments, ciliate abundances significantly decreased when nonylphenol was added. On the seventh day, the ciliate abundances in $10{\mu}g\;L^{-1}$ added treatments decreased by 36.9% in the first experiment and 33.6% in the second, when compared to the control. The response of other planktonic groups was less obvious to nonylphenol addition. In particular, in the first experiment, Chl. b/Chl. $\alpha$ and Chl. c/Chl. $\alpha$ significantly increased with the addition of nonylphenol, while total Chl. $\alpha$ concentration did not change. Indeed, bacillariophyceae and chlorophyceae abundances tended to increase with nonylphenol dosing. From these results, we tentatively hypothesized that nonylphenolloading positively affects on abundances of edible phytoplankton such as Scenedesmus spp. and diatoms by releasing from grazing pressure due to decrease in ciliate abundances. The present study emphasizes that the indirect effect of endocrine disrupters should be paid more attention when freshwater resources are polluted by them.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.147-152
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• 2000

The rodent uterotrophic assay is currently recommended as one of the primary in vivo assays far endocrine disrupting chemicals by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (US EPA EDSTAC). Generally, this assay relies on the rapid increase in uterus and vagina weights when exposed to estrogenic compounds. Phthalate esters have been used extensively as a plasticizer in the manufacture of plastic products such as PVC films and medical devices. Recently, phthalate esters have been shown to induce endocrine system mediated responses. However, a flew studies have been conducted for the screening of their estrogenic activity. In this study the estrogenic activity of seven phthalate esters, butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butylphthalate (DBP), diethylphthalate (DEP), di-n-pentylphthalate (DPF), di-n-propylphthalate (DPrP) and dicyclohexylphthalate (DCHP), was examined in uterotrophic assay. Phthalate esters dissolved in corn oil were administered to ovariectomized (OVX) female Sprague-Dawley rats by sub-cutaneous injection for three consecutive days. fiats were sacrificed 24h after final treatment, and then uterus and vagina weights were deter mined. All phthalate esters tested in this assay did not change talc uterus and vagina weights at dosage levels up to 200 mg/kg/day treatment. These results demonstrated that phthalate esters did not exhibit estrogenic activity in vivo uterotrophic assay.