Endocrine Disruption is Inherently Toxic
International Endocrine Society: • A hormone disruptive substance is an exogenous chemical, or mixture of chemicals, that interferes with any aspect of hormone action.
“Environmental chemicals that interfere with any aspect of hormone action should be presumed to produce adverse effects.”
The Great Lakes have faced various threats for years, from industrial pollution to invasive species, but another challenge worries many researchers these days — the emerging chemical threat.
It’s not just pesticides, as scientists are finding worrying levels of pharmaceutically active compounds such as anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, anti-epileptics, and beta blockers in lake water. As well, hormones, pesticides and alkylphenols have been identified as threats.
These products and medicines flushed down toilets and dumped into sinks are not stopped at water treatment plants, which are not geared to deal with them
A new report prepared for the International Joint Commission by two Windsor, Ont., researchers has outlined the threats the chemicals pose. The International Joint Commission was formed by the U.S. and Canadian governments to find solutions to problems in the Great Lakes Basin.
The compounds "are receiving attention due to their potential adverse effects on animals and humans at low levels of exposure," said the report, co-authored by Merih Otker Uslu and Nihar Biswas of the University of Windsor. They sound a warning later in the report, which is a review of data collected from 2007-11. "The toxic effects on aquatic organisms, alterations on the reproductive system of aquatic organisms and the promotion of the development of resistant bacterial strains representing a health risk to humans, are among the adverse effects of these compounds.
Endocrine Disruption is Inherently Toxic
International Endocrine Society: • A hormone disruptive substance is an exogenous chemical, or mixture of chemicals, that interferes with any aspect of hormone action.
“Environmental chemicals that interfere with any aspect of hormone action should be presumed to produce adverse effects.”
The Great Lakes have faced various threats for years, from industrial pollution to invasive species, but another challenge worries many researchers these days — the emerging chemical threat.
It’s not just pesticides, as scientists are finding worrying levels of pharmaceutically active compounds such as anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, anti-epileptics, and beta blockers in lake water. As well, hormones, pesticides and alkylphenols have been identified as threats.
These products and medicines flushed down toilets and dumped into sinks are not stopped at water treatment plants, which are not geared to deal with them
A new report prepared for the International Joint Commission by two Windsor, Ont., researchers has outlined the threats the chemicals pose. The International Joint Commission was formed by the U.S. and Canadian governments to find solutions to problems in the Great Lakes Basin.
The compounds "are receiving attention due to their potential adverse effects on animals and humans at low levels of exposure," said the report, co-authored by Merih Otker Uslu and Nihar Biswas of the University of Windsor. They sound a warning later in the report, which is a review of data collected from 2007-11. "The toxic effects on aquatic organisms, alterations on the reproductive system of aquatic organisms and the promotion of the development of resistant bacterial strains representing a health risk to humans, are among the adverse effects of these compounds.
Hormones are special chemicals your body makes to help it do certain things – like grow up! Hormones are important when you start to go through puberty, which is when you begin developing into an adult. During this time, you're loaded with hormones that tell your body that it's time to start changing.
Example
Insulin is an important hormone. It regulates the amount of sugar in your blood. That sugar, called glucose, is the body's main source of fuel.
Any time you flush a toilet or run a faucet, you produce wastewater. When chemicals are added to wastewater, they sometimes can end up in lakes and rivers, threatening wildlife. In recent years, scientists have discovered that when the chemical estrogen is in wastewater, it harms wild fish populations.
Estrogen is chemical responsible for sexual development and reproduction in female vertebrates. It is produced naturally in the body, but it also is in medications that many women take. Like other chemicals in drugs, estrogen is released in urine and ends up in wastewater.
If even a small amount of estrogen gets into waterways, it can have a huge impact on local fishes. The chemical disrupts the organs that enable them to reproduce. Most fishes are not born male or female. Instead, environmental factors, such as temperature, food availability, and social interactions, determine which sex organs they develop. In a healthy habitat, some fishes produce eggs and others produce the sperm to fertilize eggs. However, increased levels of estrogen in the water can affect the the expression of traits in fish.
Data collected in the field and in the laboratory show that estrogen affects how fish develop. When exposed to estrogen, males produce fewer or no sperm and some even produce eggs. Many female stop producing eggs. Without healthy males and females, these fish populations drop.
To understand estrogen's effects on wild fish, scientists released small amounts of the chemical into a lake in Ontario, Canada. They observed drastic changes in the fathead minnows that had been living thriving in the lake. The females produced fewer eggs. The males produced fewer sperm or began to develop eggs. After 3 years, the minnow population had nearly disappeared. Once scientists stopped adding estrogen, the fish population began to recover.
To understand estrogen's effects on wild fish, scientists released small amounts of the chemical into a lake in Ontario, Canada. What drastic changes did they find?
Research how pesticides or other chemicals are affecting a particular animal species. include the name of the chemical, how it is used, and how it affects the animal. Create a warning label for the product to warn consumers of the effects.
Research how pesticides or other chemicals are affecting a particular animal species. include the name of the chemical, how it is used, and how it affects the animal.
Create a warning label for the product to warn consumers of the effects.
