Semivolatile organic compounds –
from sources to the environment
Part 2: Emerging compounds,
endocrine disrupting compounds
“EMERGING” COMPOUNDS How
do we identify which compounds we should be concerned
about? What are those compounds? Where do we find them? What
levels are they at in the environment? What about human
exposure?
Compounds we will discuss
• Chlorinated paraffins
• Current use pesticides
• Synthetic musks
• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Organophosphate flame retardants
• Bisphenol A
Endocrine disruption and
endocrine disrupting compounds
(Endokrinní disruptory)
• Endocrine system – glands in the body which release hormones
– Especially testes, ovaries, pancreas, thyroid
• Endocrine disruptor/endocrine disrupting compound – anything
that interferes with the functioning of the endocrine/hormone
systems in the body
Statement from Endocrine Society:
“an endocrine-disrupting substance is a compound, either natural or
synthetic, which, through environmental or inappropriate
developmental exposures, alters the hormonal and homeostatic
systems that enable the organism to communicate with and
respond to its environment”
– Especially related to learning disabilities, cognitive functioning, breast
cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and problems with
reproduction and sexual development
“Human and wildlife health depends on the
ability to reproduce and develop normally.
This is not possible without a healthy
endocrine system.”
“Human and wildlife populations all over the
world are exposed to EDCs.”
“Endocrine-related effects have been
observed in wildlife populations.”
“Many endocrine-related diseases and
disorders are on the rise.”
“Close to 800 chemicals are known or
suspected to be capable of interfering with
hormone receptors, hormone synthesis or
hormone conversion. However, only a small
fraction of chemicals have been investigated
in tests capable of identifying overt endocrine
effects in intact organisms.”
“Significant knowledge gaps exists as to
associations between exposures to EDCs and
endocrine diseases.”
“Disease risk due to EDCs may be significantly
underestimated.”
Classification Relevant compounds
Persistent organic pollutants 1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT ) and derivates,
2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin, brominated diphenylether (BDE) 209, chlordane,
hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorocyclohexanes, mirex, PCBs, PCDDs/PCDFs, short and intermediate
chain chlorinated paraffins, toxaphene, trichlorobenzene
Pesticides 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 3,4-dichloroaniline, acetochlor, alachlor, amitrol, atrazine,
bifenthrin, boric acid, carbaryl, chlordimeform, cyhalothrin, deltamethrin, dibromochloropropane,
dibromoethane, fenarimol, fenitrothion, kepone (chlordecone), linuron (lorox), loxynil, mancozeb,
maneb, metam natrium, methoxychlor, metiram (complex), metribuzin, nitrofen, omethoate,
picloram, quinalphos = chinalphos, resmethrin, stannane, terbutryn, thiram, trifluralin, vinclozolin,
zineb
Pharmaceuticals, growth promoters cyclophosphamide, ketoconazol, mestranol, mestranol
Personal care product ingredients 2,6-cis diphenyl hexamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, 2-ethyl-hexyl-4-methoxycinnamate,
3-(4-methylbenzylidene)camphor, 3-benzylidene camphor, cyclotetrasiloxane,
ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, methyl p-hydroxybenzoate
Plasticizers and other additives in
materials and goods
2,2'-bis(2-(2,3 epoxypropoxy)phenyl)-propane, 4-nitrotoluene, butylbenzylphthalate (BBP),
di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), dicyclohexyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate (DEP),
di-n-butylphthalate (DBP), dipentylphthalate (DPP), epichlorohydrin (1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane),
methyl tertiary butyl ether, mono 2 ethyl, hexylphthalate, mono-n-butylphthalate, resorcinol,
styrene, tert. butylhydroxyanisole
Polycyclic aromatic chemicals 3,9-dihydroxybenz(a)anthracene, 3-methylcholanthrene, ,6-cyclopento-1,2-benzanthracene,
7,12-dimethyl-1,2 benz(a)anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene
Halogenated phenolic chemicals 1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane, hydroxy - PCBs, pentachlorophenol
Non-halogenated phenolic chemicals 4,4'-biphenol, 4,4'-dihydroxybenzophenon, 4-cyclohexylphenol, 4-nonylphenol and nonylphenol (2
compounds), 4-isooctylphenol, 4-octyl-phenol, 4-phenylphenol
4-tert-octylphenol, benzophenone-2, bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol B, n-butyl p-hydroxybenzoate,
nonylphenolethoxylate, n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, octylphenol, p-benzylphenol,
phenolphthaleine, resbenzophenone
Chemicals containing tin fentin acetate, methoxyetylacrylate tinbutyltin, copolymer, phenol,
2-[[(tributylstannyl)oxy]carbony, stannanes (9 compounds), tetrabutyltin, tributyltincarboxylate,
tributyltin compounds, tributyltin hydride, tributyltinnaphthalate, tributyltin oxide = bis(tributyltin)
oxide, tributyltinpolyethoxylate, tri-n-propyltin, triphenyltin
Other chemicals 1,3-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-methoxy-3-methylphenyl)propane, ethylene thiourea, p-coumaric acid,
o,p'-DDA-glycinat = n-(2-chlorophenyl)(4-chlorophenyl), acetylglycin
Table 1: Potential endocrine disrupting chemicals of the highest priority (Category 1 in European Commission 2014) classified according to their
physicochemical properties and/or their use
Chlorinated paraffins
• Synthetic compounds
• Classified by chain length:
C10-C13 Short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP)
C14-C17 Medium/intermediate chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCP)
>C17 Long chain chlorinated paraffins (LCCP)
CH3 CH3
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl Cl
CH3
CH3
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl Cl
SCCP
MCCP
General formula:
CxH(2x+2)-yCly
Too many individual isomers (e.g., >100000 possible MCCPs) therefore not
individually identified, rather grouped by chain length and chlorine content
Physicochemical properties of
SCCPs
Krogseth et al. 2014
Chlorinated paraffins – uses
• Wide range of uses: sealants, paints, metalworking
fluids, leather treatment chemicals,
carbon-less copy paper, as flame retardants
or plasticizers/softeners in rubbers, textiles,
polyvinylchloride (PVC) or other polymers
• Main use in metal-working fluids (SCCPs),
plasticizers in PVC (MCCPs) and flame
retardants (LCCPs)
• Properties: non-flammable, very stable
History of use
• In use since 1930s, increasing production
since 1980s
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
700000
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Estimated total production
(tonnes)
Data from Bayen et al. 2006 and Fiedler et al. 2010
Production in USA,
Europe
Production in China
CPs - producers
• INEOS Chlor (UK, Germany, Norway, Sweden,
Netherlands, France)
• Caffaro (Italy)
• Química del Cinca (Spain)
• Leuna-tenside (Germany)
• Novácke Chemické Závody (Slovakia)
• Dover Chemicals (USA)
• NCP Exports (South Africa)
• Orica (Australia)
• Tosoh(Japan)
• Others in India, China  China now believed to
be biggest global producer
Toxic?
• All chlorinated paraffins bioaccumulate
and biomagnify, and are considered
“toxic” by a number of environment and
health agencies (e.g., SCCP and MCCP
“toxic” under Canadian Environmental
Protection Act, EU says “need to limit
risks of SCCP”)
• SCCPs have higher toxicity, higher
BAFs/BCFs
CPs – Regulatory status
• USA: SCCPs banned, MCCPs and LCCPs are under
review, but currently in use
• Canada: SCCPs are banned, MCCPs are regulated,
LCCPs are not regulated
• Europe: SCCP use is restricted to very limited mining
applications, MCCPs are not considered PBT, but
under evaluation, LCCPs are deemed not hazardous
• Stockholm Convention: SCCPs are under evaluation –
will be discussed at next Stockholm Convention
meeting
SCCPs in air – 10-100x higher than
OCPs, PCBs, PBDEs
Ma et al. 2014
Spatial distributions and seasonal variations of
atmospheric SCCP concentrations in China (ng m–3).
Li et al.; Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 11948-11954.
From Pozo et al. 2006
China
Antarctica
SCCPs in soil – 10-1000x higher than OCPs
Halse et al. 2015
Levels of CPs in Czech River sediments
Petra Přibylová , Jana Klánová , Ivan Holoubek
Screening of short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins in selected riverine sediments and sludge from the Czech
Republic
Environmental Pollution, Volume 144, Issue 1, 2006, 248 - 254
Further resources on chlorinated
paraffins...
Current use pesticides - CUPs
• Tricky naming – not all CUPs are in use in
all areas
• Generally refers to pesticides that were
replacements for the OCPs
• Should have lower environmental
persistence and bioaccumulative
potential than OCPs
• Often lacking in information on
environmental behaviour
Global pesticide use
Insecticide
Herbicide
Fungicide
2.5 million tonnes per year (Alavanja, 2009)
From FAO Statistical Yearbook, UN 2013
Czech pesticide use
>200 active substances in use
Compound
2013 use
(kg)
Total 5510952
1 GLYPHOSATE 935469
2 TEBUCONAZOLE 179055
3 CHLORPYRIFOS 178362
4 PROCHLORAZ 176504
5 METAZACHLOR 169985
6 PENDIMETHALIN 124274
7 PETHOXAMIDE 115125
8 SULPHUR 113832
9 TERBUTHYLAZINE 113124
10 CHLOROTOLURON 107418
10 most used pesticides in CZ
Round-up
Potential EDC pesticides in use in CZ
2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 3,4dichloroaniline,
acetochlor, alachlor, amitrol,
atrazine, bifenthrin, boric acid, carbaryl,
chlordimeform, cyhalothrin, deltamethrin,
dibromochloropropane, dibromoethane,
fenarimol, fenitrothion, kepone (chlordecone),
linuron (lorox), loxynil, mancozeb, maneb, metam
natrium, methoxychlor, metiram (complex),
metribuzin, nitrofen, omethoate, picloram,
quinalphos = chinalphos, resmethrin, stannane,
terbutryn, thiram, trifluralin, vinclozolin, zineb
2,4-D
• Most widely used herbicide
• 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
• Kills broad-leaf plants
• Used on cereal crops and corn, home use on lawns
• 65 tonnes used in Czech Rep. in 2013
• 21000 tonnes used globally
• Developed in US during WWII – intended to be a
chemical weapon – herbicidal properties
discovered in 1944
• One of the ingredients in Agent Orange
• Soil half-life ~10 days
2,4-D -- Exposure
• IARC – possible carcinogen
• Potential endocrine disrupter
2,4-D -- Toxicity
• Exposure to agricultural workers
• Drift from pesticide application – higher
levels in homes in agricultural areas or
where 2,4-D is used in gardens
From US National Pesticide Information Centre
Acetochlor
• Used on cereal,
corn, oil plants
• 101 tonnes used in
Czech Rep. in 2013
• No longer
authorized in EU as
of 2012, with 12
months for phase-
out
• Soil half-life ~9
days 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
4.1.2012
15.2.2012
28.3.2012
9.5.2012
20.6.2012
1.8.2012
12.9.2012
24.10.2012
5.12.2012
16.1.2013
27.2.2013
10.4.2013
22.5.2013
3.7.2013
14.8.2013
25.9.2013
6.11.2013
18.12.2013
Airconc.(pg/m3)
Air conc. at Košetice
Acetochlor -- Exposure
• IARC – probably carcinogen
• Mutagenic, carcinogenic effects, reduced fertility
in lab studies
• Moderately toxic to honeybees
• Potential endocrine disrupter
Acetochlor -- Toxicity
• Exposure to agricultural workers
• Drift from pesticide application, e.g, to
indoor environments in agricultural areas
Chlorpyrifos
• 3rd most used pesticide in CZ
• Broad-spectrum insecticide – disrupts nervous system
function
• Used on cereals and oil plants, also golf courses, industrial
uses, wood treatment
• Used in more than 100 countries
• 178 tonnes used in Czech Rep. in 2013
• Under review in Europe. In North America,
regulations mostly limit use in buffer zones around
areas where children might be exposed and where it
could enter water systems
Chlorpyrifos – Toxicity and risks
Human risks:
• US EPA identified risks to workers, risks to drinking
water in agricultural areas, risks from indoor use
• Developmental
effects
• Autoimmune effects
• Reduced IQ due to
prenatal exposure
Wildlife risks
• Toxicity to bees, high
toxicity to crustaceans if
enters water system
Personal care products (PCPs)
• Soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, makeup,
perfume, lotions and creams, nail polish, hair
dye, etc.
• What are the potential concerns in PCPs?
– Parabens
– Synthetic musks
– Phthalate esters
– UV filters
– Antimicrobial compounds
• High potential for human exposure
• Entry to environment through wastewater
treatment
Review of personal care products
in surface water
Brausch and Rand, 2011
Fragrance compounds
Kabar pižmový –
musk deer
Historically, many fragrance compounds were
extracted from musk glands of male musk deer.
“In order to get access to the natural musk, the
animal must be killed to remove
the gland, also called musk pod. The fully
developed pods (50–70 g) contain about 40% musk.
Upon drying, the reddish-brown paste turns into a
black, granular material (musk grain) which is used
for alcoholic solutions. The aroma of the tincture,
which is described for example as animal-like,
earthy, and woody, becomes more intensive during
storage.”
• Natural musk first used in ancient China
• Brought to Europe by Crusaders
• Musk deer species now endangered
• Trade of musk from many Asian countries banned since 1979 by Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
• EU banned musk trade with Russia and China in 1998
• Natural musk very expensive – in 1998, 1 g of musk cost 30-50 US$ (more than gold)
Synthetic musks
• Attempts to synthesize musks since 1759
• 1906 – nitro musks (Musk ketone, musk
xylene)
• 1950s – polycyclic musks – low cost and good
smell
• 1980s, 1990s – concerns about
bioaccumulation and carcinogenic potential
of nitro musks – shift towards polycyclic
musks
• 2000s – 70% of use was polycyclic musks, 12%
nitro musks
Polycyclic musks
Traseolide
ATII
O
Phantolide
AHDI
O
Celestolide
ADBI
O
O
Tonalide
AHTN
O
Galaxolide
HHCB
Musks in consumer products linked
to musk exposure
Nakata et al. 2015
Releases of musks
from cities to North
American lakes
Melymuk et al. 2014
• Major musk pathway is from
WWTP
• Loadings >10x higher than for
PCBs or PBDEs
Musks in the urban area
• Distributions correspond with population density
Musks are not very persistent
~6 h atmospheric half-life
Synthetic musks – risk evaluation
• UK, EU, USA  risk assessments for HHCB
found no further regulation needed
• Concerns regarding human exposure via
PCP use
• Environmental exposure via wastewater
releases and application of sewage sludge
to agricultural fields
Persistence vs. pseudo-persistence
Parabens
• Used as preservatives in personal care products
• Synthetically produced
• Most common are:
OO
OH
Benzylparaben
OO
OH
Ethylparaben
OO
OH
Isopropylparaben
OO
OH
Butylparaben
OO
OH
Methylparaben
OO
OH
Propylparaben
Paraben use
• Found in over 22000 personal care products
• Also used as food preservatives (jams, baked goods,
syrups)
• Added at concentrations up to 0.8% as a mixture
• Legal limit for products in EU is 0.4% of an individual
paraben
• Typical daily use of parabens is 17.76 g/day for
adults, 0.378 g/day for babies
• Dominant exposure through skin and diet
• Skin penetration is inversely proportional to molecule
size (e.g., penetration of methylparaben >
butylparaben)
Parabens –
evidence of
effect?
Let’s look at
what the
European
Commission
evaluated...
From European Commission Health
and Consumer Protection
Directorate, “Opinion on
Parabens”, 2006
Conclusion:
Precautionary principle
The precautionary principle states that if
an action or policy has a suspected risk of
causing harm to the public or to
the environment, in the absence
of scientific consensus that the action or
policy is not harmful, the burden of
proof that it is not harmful falls on those
taking an action.
Paraben exposure
House dust (Ma et al. 2014)
• Mean: 1.52±0.52 μg/g
• Range: 0.03-125 μg/g
In food (USA study):
(Liao et al. 2013)
For comparison,
BDE-47 dietary
exposure
estimated 1-3
ng/kg bw/day
(Fromme et al.
2009)
Parabens in urine (Koch et al. 2014)
Order of magnitude
differences between
people – related to
personal behaviours
Phthalate esters
• One of the most broadly uses classes of synthetic
compounds
• 1-2 million tonnes per year
• Plasticizers – increase material flexibility and
transparency
• Up to 60% by weight of material
• Wide range of uses: vinyl building and
construction materials (e.g: flooring, wall
coverings, piping), adhesives, sealants, printing
inks, paints, personal care products, and medical
applications (eg: blood storage bags)
Chaudhuri et al. in prep
• More than 25 commercial phthalates in use
• Most common phthalates are DEHP, DNIP, and BBP
Diethylhexyl phthalate - DEHP
54% of phthalate market in 2010
O
O
O
O
Diisononyl phthalate - DINP Benzylbutylphthalate –
BBP
Phthalates in house dust
Compound Average Min Max
DEP 0.4 0.02 6.8
DIBP 2.5 0.2 41.9
DNBP 6.8 0.5 104.0
BzBP 47.0 0.2 1957.2
DEHP 138.9 3.1 1515.2
DNIP 197.7 7.1 1521.2
SUM(phthalate) 393.4 14.5 3574.1
Chaudhuri et al. in prep
93 house dust samples from 2010/2011
Concentrations in μg/g
Phthalates
14-3574 μg/g
PBDEs
0.01-520 μg/g
Phthalates exposure
Health effects of phthalates
• Reproductive effects, especially in men
• Associated with diabetes in women (JamesTodd
et al., Environmental health
perspectives, 2012)
• Occurrence of asthma and allergies in
children (Jaakkola and Knight,
Environmental health perspectives, 2010)
• Autism spectrum disorders (Kalkbrenner et
al. Current Problems in Pediatric and
Adolescent Health Care, 2014)
Current regulatory status
EU REACH Legislation
DHP – reproductive toxin
DEHP – serious effects on
environment
DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP – serious
effects on human health
DEHP, DBP, BBP – should be banned in EU as of 1 month ago (February 2015)...
But...
“This ban will only cover these substances when they are:
- Supplied on their own;
- Supplied in a mixture;
- Incorporated into an article with the European Union.
Imported articles containing any of these substances that were incorporated
outside the EU are not covered by the Authorisation process.”
Plastic additives
• Flame retardants
– PBDEs
– Novel brominated and chlorinated FRs
– Organophosphate FRs
• Plasticizers
– Phthalates
– other
• Phenols
Organophosphate flame retardants
• 1950s-1970s – “chlorinated tris” – TDCIPP –
used as flame retardant in children’s
pyjamas – banned after metabolites found to
be mutagenic and metabolites identified in
children’s urine
O
P
O
OO
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
Increasing use as market
moves away from PBDEs and
other BFRs in response to
regulatory action and public
concern.
Dodson et al. 2012
O P
O
O
O
TPHP
Molecular Formula: C18H15O4P
MW: 326.28
O
P
O
OO
CH3
BDPP
Molecular Formula: C16H19O4P
MW: 306.29
O
P
O
OO
CH3
CDP
Molecular Formula: C19H17O4P
MW: 340.31
O
P
O
O
O
CH3
CH3
DBPP
Molecular Formula: C14H23O4P
MW: 286.30
O
P
O
OO CH3
CH3
EHDPP
Molecular Formula: C20H27O4P
MW: 362.40
O
O
P
O
O
OO
O
CH3
CH3
CH3
TBOEP
Molecular Formula: C18H39O7P
MW: 398.47
O P
O
O
O
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
TBPP
Molecular Formula: C30H39O4P
MW: 494.60
O
P
O
O
O
Cl
Cl
Cl
TCEP
Molecular Formula: C6H12Cl3O4P
MW: 285.49
O
P
O
OO
CH3
Cl CH3
Cl
CH3
Cl
TCIPP
Molecular Formula: C9H18Cl3O4P
MW: 327.57
O
P
O
OO
Br
Br
Br
Br
Br
Br
TDBPP
Molecular Formula: C9H15Br6O4P
MW: 697.61
O
P
O
OO
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
Cl
TDCIPP
Molecular Formula: C9H15Cl6O4P
MW: 430.90
O P
O
O
O
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
TDMPP
Molecular Formula: C24H27O4P
MW: 410.44
O
P
O
OO
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3
TEHP
Molecular Formula: C24H51O4P
MW: 434.63
O
P
O
OO
CH3CH3
CH3
CH3
CH3 CH3
TIBP
Molecular Formula: C12H27O4P
MW: 266.31
CH3
O
P
OCH3
O
O
CH3
TNBP
Molecular Formula: C12H27O4P
MW: 266.31
Current OPFRs
• 4 classes:
(1) alkyl phosphate esters – e.g. TBOEP
(2) aromatic phosphate esters – e.g. TPHP
(3) chloroalkyl phosphate esters – e.g. TCIPP
(4) bromoalkyl phosphate esters – e.g. TDBPP
O
O
P
O
O
OO
O
CH3
CH3
CH3
TBOEP
Molecular Formula: C18H39O7P
MW: 398.47
O
P
O
OO
CH3
Cl CH3
Cl
CH3
Cl
TCIPP
Molecular Formula: C9H18Cl3O4P
MW: 327.57
O
P
O
OO
Br
Br
Br
Br
Br
Br
TDBPP
Molecular Formula: C9H15Br6O4P
MW: 697.61
O P
O
O
O
TPHP
Molecular Formula: C18H15O4P
MW: 326.28
Plasticizers
Flame
retardants
OPFRs in consumer products
Stapleton et al. Environmental Science and Technology, 2009
OPFRs – evidence of health
concerns
• Carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic:
TDCIPP, TCEP, TCIPP
• Reproductive toxin: DCP, TCP, TCEP
• Neurotoxic effects: TPP
• Aquatic toxicity: DCP
** most compounds/scenarios have
insufficient evidence to evaluate **
(van den Veen and de Boer, 2012)
Case Study: OPFRs at RECETOX
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Conc.(ng/m2)
TpTBPP
TDBPP
TDMPP
TIPPP
TpTP
TmTP
ToTP
TEHP
CDP
TBEP
2EHDPP
TPhP
TDCPP
BDPP
DBPP
TCPP
TCEP
TnBP
TiBP
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
Conc.(ng/m2)
RCX 1 RCX 2
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Conc.(ng/m2)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Conc.(ng/m2)
BDE 209
BDE 183
BDE 153
BDE 154
BDE 85
BDE 99
BDE 100
BDE 66
BDE 47
BDE 28
OPFRs
PBDEs
More info on OPFRs
Bisphenol A
• Used in polycarbonate plastic: transparent,
durable, shatter-proof, light-weight
• Coating on tinned food cans
• Thermal paper (e.g., store receipts)
Bisphenol A in the news
BPA use
• Most recent global production estimate is from
2003: 2 million tonnes/year
• As of 2013, US and European regulators state that
BPA is safe at the low levels that occur in foods
• Europe and Canada – banned in baby products,
but regulators explicitly say this was based on
precaution, not scientific evidence
• Widespread use and widespread exposure –
detectable levels of BPA in 93% of Americans
older than 6 years old
vom Saal and Hughes, 2012; NHANES, US Center for Diseaes Control; Royal Society
of Chemistry, UK
BPA – the concerns
Evidence of BPA as:
- Estrogen mimicking compound
-Ovarian toxicant
- Associated with adverse birth outcomes, sexual dysfunction, poor
development of uterus
- May be testicular toxicant
- CONCLUSION: “we conclude that BPA is a reproductive toxicant”
BPA replacements??
• Other phenols?
The Centre for Food Safety, which
conducted a literature review on the EDCs
in food, has chosen OCPs, PCDDs, PCBs,
BPA, styrene, phthalates, organotins, and
nonylphenol as the chemicals with the
highest relevance to the human health
compared to other potential EDCs because
they are either persistent in the
environment or high in production volume
globally (Centre for Food Safety 2012).
Dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (from food and dust),
propyl and butyl-parabens (from cream/sunscreen),
UV-filters (from sunscreen), triclosan (from deodorant
and toothpaste), nonylphenol (clothes) and phthalates
(consumer products and dust) were identified as the
main contributors to the potential endocrine effects
of Danish pregnant women (Danish EPA 2012).
Identify the exposure route that
causes the highest exposure
Identify the most relevant target group of protection
(infants, toddlers, children,pregnant women, elderly people)
Are exposure
pathways well
known?
no
noDoes the
compound
metabolise?
Is there a stable
metabolite?
Monitor the metabolite in
human tissue
Does the
metabolite
bioaccumulate?
yes
yes
yes
Monitor the metabolite
in human body fluids
no
Does the
compound
bioaccumulate?
Monitor the parent compound in
human tissue
Monitor the parent compound
in human body fluids
no
Monitor internal EDC exposureMonitor external EDC exposure
yes
noyes
Monitoring of
internal exposure
is precluded
no
yes
Food consumption
Monitor the compound
in food basket
Dermal exposure
Inhalation
Dust ingestion
Drinking water
consumption
Monitor the compound
in drinking water
Is indoor
exposure
more relevant
than outdoor?
Monitor the
compound
in indoor air
Monitor the
compound
in ambient air
Monitor the compound
in consumer products
Monitor the compound
in dust
From RECETOX report
to WHO on EDCs
Take-home messages
• Lots of complexity in new compounds
• Prioritization is challenging
• Persistence vs. pseudo-persistence
• Exposure routes are different from legacy
compounds – more exposure from “daily
life” rather than industrial sources
• Understanding the phys-chem properties can
help estimate exposure and environmental
distributions
• More measurement data for these
compounds is needed
Little things matter
https://youtu.be/E6KoMAbz1Bw