National Academies Press: OpenBook

Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment (1999)

Chapter: Front Matter

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment

Committee on Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment
Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology
Commission on Life Sciences
National Research Council

image

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page ii

NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS • 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW • Washington, DC 20418

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This project was supported by Contract No. CX 824040-01-0 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Cooperative Agreement No. 1445-CA09-96-0027 between the National Academy of Sciences and the National Biological Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the organizations or agencies that provided support for this project.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hormonally active agents in the environment / Committee on Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council.
p. cm. 
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index. 
ISBN 0-309-06419-8 (case binding) 
1. Reproductive toxicology. 2. Endocrine toxicology. 3. Environmental toxicology. I. 
National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Hormonally Active Agents in the 
Environment. 
RA1224.2.H67    1999 
616.4'07 1—dc21 
                                                                        99-50523 

Additional copies of this report are available from:

Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment is available from the National Academy Press. 2101 Constitution Ave., NW, Box 285, Washington, DC 20418 (1-800-624-6242 or 202-334-3313 in the Washington metropoliton area: http://www.nap.edu).

Copyright 1999 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of Americabreak

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Engineering
Institute of Medicine
National Research Council

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. William A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Kenneth I. Shine is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. William A. Wulf are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.break

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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COMMITTEE ON HORMONALLY ACTIVE AGENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

ERNST KNOBIL (Chair), The University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas

HOWARD A. BERN, University of California, Berkeley, California

JOANNA BURGER, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey

D. MICHAEL FRY, University of California, Davis, California

JOHN P. GIESY, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

JACK GORSKI, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

CHARLES J. GROSSMAN, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio

LOUIS J. GUILLETTE, JR., University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

BARBARA S. HULKA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

JAMES C. LAMB, IV, Jellinek, Schwartz, & Connolly, Inc., Arlington, Virginia

LESLIE A. REAL, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

STEPHEN H. SAFE, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas

ANA M. SOTO, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts

JOHN J. STEGEMAN, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts

SHANNA H. SWAN, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri

FREDERICK S. VOM SAAL, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri

Staff

CAROL A. MACZKA, Project Director

DAVID J. POLICANSKY, Project Director

SUSAN N.J. PANG, Program Officer

ABIGAIL E. STACK, Program Officer

ROBERTA M. WEDGE, Program Officer

KATE KELLY, Technical Editor

RUTH E. CROSSGROVE, Technical Editor

CATHERINE M. KUBIK, Senior Project Assistant

LA VONE WELLMAN, Senior Project Assistant

STEPHANIE L. VANN, Senior Project Assistant (through 12/98)

ADRIÉNNE S. DAVIS, Senior Project Assistant (through 3/97)

KATHRINE J. IVERSON, Technical Information Center Manager

Sponsors

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionbreak

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page vi

BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY

GORDON ORIANS (Chair), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

DONALD R. MATTISON (Vice Chair), March of Dimes, White Plains, New York

DAVID ALLEN, University of Texas, Austin, Texas

INGRID C. BURKE, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

WILLIAM L. CHAMEIDES, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

JOHN DOULL, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas

CHRISTOPHER B. FIELD, Carnegie Institute of Washington, Stanford, California

JOHN GERHART, University of California, Berkeley, California

J. PAUL GILMAN, Celera Genomics, Rockville, Maryland

BRUCE D. HAMMOCK, University of California, Davis, California

MARK HARWELL, University of Miami, Miami, Florida

ROGENE HENDERSON, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico

CAROL HENRY, Chemical Manufacturers Association, Arlington, Virginia

BARBARA S. HULKA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

JAMES F. KITCHELL, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

DANIEL KREWSKI, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario

JAMES A. MACMAHON, Utah State University, Logan, Utah

MARIO J. MOLINA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts

CHARLES O'MELIA, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

WILLEM F. PASSCHIER, Health Council of the Netherlands

KIRK SMITH, University of California, Berkeley, California

MARGARET STRAND, Oppenheimer Wolff Donnelly & Bayh, LLP, Washington, D.C.

TERRY F. YOSIE, Chemical Manufacturers Association, Arlington, Virginia

Senior Staff

JAMES J. REISA, Director

DAVID J. POLICANSKY, Associate Director and Senior Program Director for Applied Ecology

CAROL A. MACZKA, Senior Program Director for Toxicology and Risk Assessment

RAYMOND A. WASSEL, Senior Program Director for Environmental Sciences and Engineering

KULBIR BAKSHI, Program Director for the Committee on Toxicology

LEE R. PAULSON, Program Director for Resource Managementbreak

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page vii

COMMISSION ON LIFE SCIENCES

MICHAEL T. CLEGG (Chair), University of California, Riverside, California

PAUL BERG (Vice Chair), Stanford University, Stanford, California

FREDERICK R. ANDERSON, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, Washington, D.C.

JOHN C. BAILAR III, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

JOANNA BURGER, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey

SHARON L. DUNWOODY, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

DAVID EISENBERG, University of California, Los Angeles, California

JOHN EMMERSON, Portland, Oregon

NEAL FIRST, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

DAVID J. GALAS, Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Science, Claremont, California

DAVID V. GOEDDEL, Tularik, Inc., South San Francisco, California

ARTURO GOMEZ-POMPA, University of California, Riverside, California

COREY S. GOODMAN, University of California, Berkeley, California

HENRY HEIKKINEN, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado

BARBARA S. HULKA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

HANS J. KENDE, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

CYNTHIA KENYON, University of California, San Francisco, California

MARGARET G. KIDWELL, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

BRUCE R. LEVIN, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia

OLGA F. LINARES, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Miami, Florida

DAVID LIVINGSTON, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts

DONALD R. MATTISON, March of Dimes, White Plains, New York

ELLIOT M. MEYEROWITZ, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California

ROBERT T. PAINE, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

RONALD R. SEDEROFF, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

ROBERT R. SOKAL, State University of New York, Stony Brook, New York

CHARLES F. STEVENS, The Salk Institute, La Jolla, California

SHIRLEY M. TILGHMAN, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

JOHN L. VANDEBERG, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, Texas

RAYMOND L. WHITE, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

Staff

WARREN R. MUIR, Executive Director

JACQUELINE K. PRINCE, Financial Officer

BARBARA B. SMITH, Administrative Associate

KIT W. LEE, Administrative Assistantbreak

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page viii

OTHER REPORTS OF THE BOARD ON ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND TOXICOLOGY

Waste Incineration and Public Health (1999)

Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: II. Evaluating Research Progress and Updating the Portfolio (1999)

Ozone-Forming Potential of Reformulated Gasoline (1999)

Risk-Based Waste Classification in California (1999)

Arsenic in Drinking Water (1999)

Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: I. Immediate Priorities and a Long-Range Research Portfolio (1998)

Brucellosis in the Greater Yellowstone Area (1998)

The National Research Council's Committee on Toxicology: The First 50 Years (1997)

Toxicologic Assessment of the Army's Zinc Cadmium Sulfide Dispersion Tests (1997)

Carcinogens and Anticarcinogens in the Human Diet (1996)

Upstream: Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest (1996)

Science and the Endangered Species Act (1995)

Wetlands: Characteristics and Boundaries (1995)

Biologic Markers (5 reports, 1989-1995)

Review of EPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (3 reports, 1994-1995)

Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment (1994)

Ranking Hazardous Waste Sites for Remedial Action (1994)

Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children (1993)

Issues in Risk Assessment (1993)

Setting Priorities for Land Conservation (1993)

Protecting Visibility in National Parks and Wilderness Areas (1993)

Dolphins and the Tuna Industry (1992)

Hazardous Materials on the Public Lands (1992)

Science and the National Parks (1992)

Animals as Sentinels of Environmental Health Hazards (1991)

Assessment of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Studies Program, Volumes I-IV (1991-1993)

Human Exposure Assessment for Airborne Pollutants (1991)

Monitoring Human Tissues for Toxic Substances (1991)

Rethinking the Ozone Problem in Urban and Regional Air Pollution (1991)

Decline of the Sea Turtles (1990)

Copies of these reports may be ordered from
the National Academy Press
(800) 624-6242
(202) 334-3313
www.nap.edubreak

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page ix

Preface

There has been increasing public concern about potential adverse effects on human health of various environmental contaminants designated by some as "endocrine disruptors." In response, the National Research Council was asked by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the United States Congress to help policy makers by independently evaluating the scientific evidence that bears on the issue.

This report is the culmination of a long and difficult process that began with the appointment of the Committee on Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment by the National Research Council more than 4 years ago on July 27, 1995. The formal charge to the committee was as follows:

review critically the literature on hormone-related toxicants in the environment; identify the known and suspected toxicologic mechanisms and impacts on fish, wildlife, and humans; identify significant uncertainties, limitations of knowledge, and weaknesses in the available evidence; develop a science-based conceptual framework for assessing observed phenomena; and recommend research, monitoring, and testing priorities. To the extent practicable with available information and study resources, the committee [also was asked to] identify particular chemical substances, geographic areas, contaminant sources, human subpopulations, and fish and wildlife populations of special concern with respect to hormone-related toxicants.

The membership of the committee represents an attempt to obtain a balance of views regarding the subject as well as scientific expertise in the principal domains that comprise the study of hormonally active agents (HAAs) in the envi-soft

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page x

ronment. The efforts to unambiguously define "endocrine disruptors," by whatever name, and the reasons for renaming them "hormonally active agents" (HAAs), are detailed in the introduction of the report.

The committee met on five occasions and received briefings from Dr. Margaret Stasikowski (U.S. EPA), The Honorable Robert Perciasepe (U.S. EPA), Dr. Robert Kavlock (U.S. EPA), and Dr. Robert Hoover (National Cancer Institute). The committee proceeded with its study and deliberations, focusing on our charge, which was first and foremost the critical review of the literature on the subject. The work of the committee was organized to reflect the major biological systems affected by HAAs. These became the chapters of the report. Drafts of these chapters were extensively discussed and critiqued by the committee. The chair and the project directors, acting as editors, modified the original texts accordingly.

This process went through dozens of iterations in attempts to achieve a consensus document. This was readily achieved in some chapters but became extraordinarily difficult in others, most notably in the area of reproduction and development, including the issue of declining sperm production in human populations.

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise in accordance with procedures approved by the NRC's Report Review Committee for reviewing NRC and Institute of Medicine reports. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the NRC in making the published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals, who are neither officials nor employees of the NRC, for their participation in the review of this report: Donald Brown, Carnegie Institution of Washington; Theo Colborn, World Wildlife Fund; Peter de Fur, Richmond, VA; Ronald Estabrook, University of Texas; Neal First, University of Wisconsin; Ronald Kendall, Texas Tech University; Ellen Ketterson, Indiana University; Dolores Lamb, Baylor College of Medicine; Paul Licht, University of California, Berkeley; Emil Pfitzer, Ramsey, NJ; Lorenz Rhomberg, Harvard School of Public Health; Herbert Rosenkranz, University of Pittsburgh; Antonio Sastre, Midwest Research Institute; George Seidel, Colorado State University; Ellen Silbergeld, University of Maryland; Paul Stolley, Columbia MD; Paolo Toniolo, IARC; and John Wingfield, University of Washington.

The individuals above provided many constructive comments and suggestions. It must be emphasized, however, that responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authorizing subcommittee and the NRC.

The work leading to this report, which has taken 4 years to complete, was a challenging and arduous exercise. It is hoped that the long delay in its publication will not unduly impair its utility for those who have the important responsi-soft

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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bility of making policy decisions regarding relevant research and public health agendas.

The chair is particularly grateful to Drs. Carol Maczka and David Policansky, the project co-directors, and their staffs for their truly Herculean labors.break

ERNST KNOBIL, PH.D.
CHAIR, COMMITTEE ON HORMONALLY ACTIVE
AGENTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

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Page xiii

Contents

Glossary

xvii

Executive Summary

1

1
Introduction

10

This Study,

12

Issues That Divided the Committee,

15

2
Hormonally Active Agents

27

Hormone-Receptor-Mediated Actions,

28

Hormonally Active Agents,

38

Mechanism of Estrogen Action,

47

Modulation of Estrogen-Induced Responses,

51

Summary and Conclusions,

52

3
Exposures: Sources And Dynamics Of Hormonally Active Agents In The Environment

54

Sources and Releases,

55

Persistence,

58

Monitoring,

59

Exposure,

67

Summary and Conclusions,

80

Recommendations,

81

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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4
Dosimetry

82

Uptake, Elimination, and Accumulation,

83

Routes of Exposure,

84

Food-Chain Transfer and Bioaccumulation,

91

Distribution,

92

Metabolism,

100

Species Differences in Metabolism,

108

Factors Influencing Dose-Response Assessment,

109

Summary and Conclusions,

115

Recommendations,

117

5
Effects on Reproduction and Development

119

Laboratory Animal Studies of Selected HAAs,

121

Human Studies,

131

Wildlife Studies,

146

Summary and Conclusions,

167

Recommendations,

170

6
Neurologic Effects

171

Animal Studies,

171

Human Studies,

172

Summary and Conclusions,

184

Recommendations,

185

7
Immunologic Effects

186

HAAs and Steroid Hormones,

187

Halogenated Aromatic Hydrocarbon Compounds,

188

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane,

196

Chlordecone,

198

Endrin, Aldrin, and Dieldrin,

198

Lindane,

198

Chlordane,

202

Toxaphene,

202

Endosulfan,

203

Hexachlorobenzene,

203

Summary and Conclusions,

203

Recommendations,

208

8
HAAs and Carcinogenesis in Animals

210

Bioassays,

211

Summary and Conclusions,

241

Recommendations,

242

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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9
HAAs and Carcinogenesis in Humans

243

Breast Cancer

244

Endometrial Cancer

263

Endogenous and Exogenous Hormones and Their Effects in Women

264

Testicular Cancer,

266

Prostate Cancer,

269

Summary and Conclusions,

272

Recommendations,

273

10
Ecological Effects

274

Nature of Ecologic Effects,

275

Effects on Populations and Communities,

281

Summary and Conclusions,

295

Recommendations,

295

11
Screening and Monitoring

296

Screening Tools,

297

Biologic Markers of Exposure and Effect,

306

Instrumental Chemical Techniques,

308

Summary and Conclusions,

309

Recommendations,

310

References

311

Appendix A: Reproductive Effects Caused by Diethylstilbesterol

399

Appendix B: Biographical Information on the Committee on Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment

407

Addendum: Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee

410

Index

415

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page xvii

Glossary

16a-OH-E2

estriol

ADI

acceptable daily intake

AF-2

activation function-2

AFP

a-fetoprotein

Ah

aryl hydrocarbon

AMS

USDA Agricultural Market Survey

APE

alkylphenol ethoxylate

ATSDR

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

b-HCH

b-hexachlorocyclohexane

B[a]P

benzo[a]pyrene

BBP

butyl benzyl phthalate

BKD

bacterial kidney disease

BKME

bleached kraft mill effluent

BNBAS

Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scales

BPA

bisphenol A

BW

body weight

CB

chlorobiphenyl

CF ''E"

Carworth Farm "E" strain

CI

confidence interval

CMI

cell-mediated immune

ConA

concanavalin A

CYP

cytochrome P450

CYP11

side-chain-cleavage enzyme

CYP 17

17-hydroxylase

CYP 19

aromatase

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Page xviii

DBP

dibutyl phthalate

DDD

1, 1 -dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl )ethane

DDE

1, 1 -dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene

DDT

dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane

DEHP

iethylhexyl phthalate

DES

diethylstilbestrol

DMBA

7, 12-dimethylbenzathracene

DOI

Department of the Interior

DTH

delayed-type hypersensitivity

E1

estrone

E2

estradiol

EDSTAC

Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

EGF

epidermal growth factor

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

ER

estrogen receptor

ER-

estrogen receptor negative

ER+

estrogen receptor positive

ERE

estrogen responsive element

FDA

Food and Drug Administration

FSH

follicle-stimulating hormone

GLEMEDS

Great Lakes embryo mortality, edema, and deformity syndrome

GM-CFU

granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit

GnRH

gonadotropin-releasing hormone

GtH-II

gonadotropin hormone-II

HAA

hormonally active agent

HAH

halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon

HCB

hexachlorobenzene

hCG

human chorionic gonadotropin

HCH

hexachlorohexane

HpCDF

hepatochlorodibenzofuran

HQ

hazard quotient

HRT

hormone replacement therapy

IARC

International Agency for Research on Cancer

IOM

Institute of Medicine

IUGR

intrauterine growth retardation

IVF/ET

in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

Kow

octanol/water partition coefficient

LH

luteinizing hormone

LPS

lipopolysaccharide

MAFF

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food

MDI

[Bayley] Mental Development Index

MeSO2

methylsulfonyl

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page xix

MTD

maximum tolerated dose

NAE

National Academy of Engineering

NAS

National Academy of Sciences

NCI

National Cancer Institute

ND

none detected

NIEHS

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NOAEL

no observed adverse effect level

NP

nonylphenol

NPE

nonylphenol ethoxylate

NRC

National Research Council

NTP

National Toxicology Program

NTR

no tumors reported

OR

odds ratio

PAH

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

PBB

polybrominated biphenyl

PB-PK

physiologically based pharmacokinetic model

PCB

polychlorinated biphenyl

PCDD

polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin

PCDF

polychlorinated dibenzofuran

PCDH

polychlorinated diaromatic hydrocarbon

PCR

polymerase chain reaction

PDI

[Bayley] Psychomotor Development Index

PeCB

3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl

PeCDF

1,2,3,7,9-pentachlorodibenzofuran

PFC

plaque-forming cell

PHA

phytohemagglutinin

PHED

Pesticide Handlers Exposure Database

PSA

prostate specific antigen

PWA

pokeweed mitogen

RfD

reference dose

RPF

relative potency factor

SAP

Scientific Advisory Panel

SBP

steroid-binding plasma protein

SHBG

steroid-hormone-binding globulin

SIR

standardized incidence ratio

SMR

standardized mortality ratio

sGnRH-A

synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone

SPI

Society for the Plastics Industry

SRBC

sheep red blood cell

STPE

sewage treatment plant effluent

T4

3,3',5,5'-tetraiodo-L-thyronine (thyroxin)

TBG

thyroxine-binding globulin

TCB

tetrachlorobiphenyl

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Page xx

TCDD

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

TCDD-EQ

dioxin-like chemical

TCDF

2,3,7,8- or 1,3,6,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran

TDS

FDA Total Diet Study

TEQ

toxic equivalent

TGF

transforming-growth factor

TIE

toxic identification and evaluation

TMRC

theoretical maximum residue concentration

tT4

total T4

TTP

time to pregnancy

USDA

U.S. Department of Agriculture

VLDL

very-low-density lipoprotein

WHO

World Health Organization

ZRP

zona radiata protein

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 1999. Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/6029.
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Hormonally Active Agents in the Environment Get This Book
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Some investigators have hypothesized that estrogens and other hormonally active agents found in the environment might be involved in breast cancer increases and sperm count declines in humans as well as deformities and reproductive problems seen in wildlife.

This book looks in detail at the science behind the ominous prospect of "estrogen mimics" threatening health and well-being, from the level of ecosystems and populations to individual people and animals. The committee identifies research needs and offers specific recommendations to decision-makers.

This authoritative volume:

  • Critically evaluates the literature on hormonally active agents in the environment and identifies known and suspected toxicologic mechanisms and effects of fish, wildlife, and humans.
  • Examines whether and how exposure to hormonally active agents occurs—in diet, in pharmaceuticals, from industrial releases into the environment—and why the debate centers on estrogens.
  • Identifies significant uncertainties, limitations of knowledge, and weaknesses in the scientific literature.

The book presents a wealth of information and investigates a wide range of examples across the spectrum of life that might be related to these agents.

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