Emerging Pollutants as Endocrine Disruptors

Resumen

Emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceutical products, natural and synthetic hormones, pesticides, tensoactive substances, low-molecular-mass polymers, veterinary products, solvents and other organic contaminants present in urban and industrial effluents may act as endocrine disruptors (ED). The presence of such chemical species in the biota can lead to reproductive dysfunction and studies have shown they may also cause cancer. For humans, despite the fact that conclusive cause-and-effect relations have not yet been established, several published papers have indicated that a wide range of disorders, such as inborn impairments, behavioral and neurological alterations, immune deficiency, accelerated puberty, quality of semen and cancers (thyroid, breast, ovary, prostate, testicles) can be credited to endocrine disruptors emerging pollutants. The problem is more accentuated in developing countries, where environmental legislation is often poor, out of date and, as result does not consider substances with endocrine disrupting potential. In addition, the lack of basic sanitation aggravates the situation. In Brazil, for instance, approximately 80% of urban centers do not have any form of sewage treatment. Consequently, emerging pollutants enter the ecosystem through several paths generating threat to biota and, because of this, it represent an area which requires urgent attention, discussion and management.