EDC Science Weekly: July 25 – Aug. 7, 2025

A summary of articles on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) added to PubMed over the past two weeks.

Contents: Events, Regulations/Policy, Methods/Tools/Screening, Commentaries, Reviews/Meta-Analyses, Human Health Studies, Laboratory Studies, Exposure/Environment Studies

Highlights:

Science summaries and highlights

Events

Aug. 13 webinar: Reducing chemical harm for healthier people and planet [Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition]

Aug. 17 in-person workshop: How to conduct gold-star systematic reviews [PRHE, at the ISEE-ISES conference]

Aug. 20 webinar: Tools and resources: Microplastics [EPA]

Sept. 15: ECHO symposium: translating science to action [hybrid] [NIH Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO)]

Sept. 22: Plastics, Human Health, and Solutions Symposium [NYU Langone Health Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards (CIEH)]

Sept. 29 conference: REACH revision 2025: simpler, faster, bolder, in Brussels [HEAL and CHEM Trust]

Note: HEEDS is now accepting applications for the Lou Guillette, Jr. Outstanding Young Investigator Award, due Sept. 30.

More events

Regulations/Policy

The Lancet Countdown on health and plastics

Regulating chemicals globally is key to a successful plastics treaty

Scientists demand urgent action to end plastics crisis.

Competing axes of power in the global plastics treaty: Understanding the politics of progress and setbacks in negotiating a high-ambition agreement

What does “success” look like in compliance check decisions by the European Chemicals Agency? The curious cases of accepted read-across adaptations.

Public willingness to pay for chemicals regulation policies in South Korea: Insights from socio-economic factors.

Derivation of Acute Aquatic Life Screening Values for 6PPD and 6PDD-quinone in Freshwaters by USEPA Office of Water.

The important role of standards for the uptake of transcriptomics and metabolomics based in vitro methods in regulatory toxicology.

More EDC policy, FPF’s regulations open for comment, Science’s Trump-Tracker, and links to preserved resources removed from U.S. federal websites

Methods/Tools/Screening

European Food Safety Authority database for in vivo developmental neurotoxicity studies of pesticides.

New QSAR Models to Predict Human Transthyretin Disruption by Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Development and Application.

C. elegans as a powerful model for neurotoxicity assessment.

bmdrc: Python package for quantifying phenotypes from chemical exposures with benchmark dose modeling.

De-Risking Seizure Liability: Integrating Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs), New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and In Silico Approaches while Highlighting Knowledge Gaps.

Advanced Proteomics Approaches Hold Potential for the Risk Assessment of Metabolism-Disrupting Chemicals as Omics-Based NAM: A Case Study Using the Phthalate Substitute DINCH.

New approach methodologies for risk assessment of urinary occurring toxicants.

Mechanistic Interpretation of Toxicology Metabolomics Data.

Reference library for suspect screening of environmental toxicants using ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry.

Commentaries

Scientists’ Statement on the Chemical Definition of PFASs

Perspective article: Multisectoral considerations to enable a circular economy for plastics.

Reviews/Meta-Analyses

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

A Hazard-Based Approach Enables the Efficient Identification of Chemicals of Concern in Plastics.

Recent Trends and Challenges on the Non-Targeted Analysis and Risk Assessment of Migrant Non-Intentionally Added Substances from Plastic Food Contact Materials.

Associations Between Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical Exposure and Fertility Outcomes: A Decade of Human Epidemiological Evidence.

Environmental Toxicants in the Hispanic Community Epigenetically Contributing to Preeclampsia.

Biodegradable Polymers: Properties, Applications, and Environmental Impact.

Biobased plastics and their nanocomposites: emerging trends in active and intelligent food packaging applications.

Agricultural Waste-Derived Biopolymers for Sustainable Food Packaging: Challenges and Future Prospects.

BPA/Phenols

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol-A and neurocognitive changes in children aged 2 to 5 years: a systematic review.

Bisphenol A Promotes the Progression of Hormone-Sensitive Breast Cancers Through Several Inflammatory Pathways.

Phthalates

Mechanisms of di (2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate-Induced Lipid Metabolism Disorders: A Review.

Sources, temporal-spatial characteristics, exposure assessment and children health risk of phthalate esters (PAEs) in household dust in China from 2000 to 2023:a review and pool analysis.

Association of prenatal exposure to phthalates with risks of asthma, wheeze, and allergic diseases during childhood: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Neurotoxicity: An Intermediator Between Dioxins and Neurons in the Brain.

The sources, distribution and toxicological effects on humans of polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs) as a novel pollutant.

PFAS

PFAS Exposure, Mental Health, and Environmental Justice in the United States: Impacts on Marginalized Communities.

Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Healthcare: Environmental and Clinical Insights.

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in milk and dairy products: a literature review of the occurrence, contamination sources, and health risks.

Potential effects of PFAS exposure on trained immunity: From mechanisms to health risks.

Synergistic Toxicity in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease and PFAS Exposure.

Environmental behaviors, biotransformation, and toxicological risks of PFPiAs: A comprehensive review of an emerging PFAS.

Flame Retardants

A Critical Review of Occurrence and Emission of Brominated Flame Retardants in Indoor Consumer Products.

Pesticides

Impact of pesticides on reproductive health: insights from animal and in vitro models in both sexes.

Neonicotinoid-Induced Cytotoxicity: Insights into Cellular Mechanisms and Health Risks.

Potential Risk of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency from Atrazine Exposure: Insights into Molecular Pathways and Regulatory Implications.

Metals/Metalloids

Arsenic Exposure and Neuropsychological Outcomes in Children: A Scoping Review.

Effects of Prenatal Arsenic, Cadmium, and Manganese Exposure on Neurodevelopment in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

Micro- and Nanoplastics in the Environment: Current State of Research, Sources of Origin, Health Risks, and Regulations-A Comprehensive Review.

Assessing Microplastics as a Novel Threat to Maternal-Fetal Health: Placental Barrier Penetration and Fetal Developmental Consequences.

Microplastics and Gynecological Tumors: An Emerging Environmental Health Concern.

Nanoplastics, Liver Injury, and Oxidative Mechanisms: Translating Animal Models Into Human Risk Assessment.

Microplastic toxicity in aquatic organisms across phylogeny.

Microplastic toxicity in fish: A potential review on sources, impacts, and solution.

Ecotoxicological impacts of microplastics to gut microbiota: Response mechanism, challenges and environmental sustainability-A review.

Microplastic pollution associated with probabilistic human health risks: Potential hazards, critical factors, challenges, and limitations.

Antioxidant Intervention Against Microplastic Hazards.

Pharmaceuticals/Personal Care Products

Role of personal care products as endocrine disruptors affecting reproductive age women.

Endocrine and Reproductive Health Considerations of Sunscreen UV Filters: Insights from a Comprehensive Review 2014-2024.

Human Health Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

An exposomics analysis of 125 biomarkers of exposure to food contaminants and biomarkers of oxidative stress: a randomized cross-over chrononutrition trial of healthy adults.

Differential associations between synthetic endocrine disruptors and renal function impairment across varying degrees in middle-aged and older adult populations.

Association of plastic-associated chemicals with Alzheimer’s disease amyloid-β and cognitive status.

The impact of environmental toxicants on gestational diabetes mellitus: Investigating the mediating role of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Phthalates

Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Preschool Children Associated with the Longitudinal Trajectory of Phthalates during Pregnancy: Potential Mechanisms Based on Metabonomics of Cord Blood.

Prenatal exposure to phthalates and preschool children’s intellectual scores: Effect modification by child sex.

Urinary phthalates, serum omega-3 fatty acids and ovarian reserve among women seeking fertility treatment.

Elevated urinary phthalate levels in endometrial cancer patients: Evidence from a comparative study.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants and menstrual characteristics in girls at age 12 in the French PELAGIE cohort.

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants and sarcopenia: Revealing associations, mediated modifications, and potential mechanisms.

PFAS

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance concentrations during pregnancy and at birth and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Prenatal exposure to legacy and emerging PFAS and sex-specific associations with fetal growth: Evidence from a Chinese birth cohort.

Association between novel per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances and premature ovarian insufficiency: a case-control study.

Serum concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and risk of ovarian cancer.

The Impact of Perfluoroalkyl Substances on the Clinical Manifestations of Primary Sjögren Syndrome.

Therapeutic Repair of Sperm Quality Decline Caused by Polytetrafluoroethylene.

Molecular Alterations in Semen of Per-And Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposed Subjects: Association Between DNA Integrity, Antioxidant Capacity and Lipoperoxides.

Linking PFOS exposure to chronic kidney disease: A multimodal study integrating epidemiology, network toxicology, and experimental validation.

The Relative Importance of Fecal and Urinary Excretion of Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid and Perfluorooctanoic Acid after High Exposure – An Observational Study in Ronneby, Sweden.

Predicting depression using serum perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances levels via interpretable machine learning.

Flame Retardants

The association between brominated flame retardants and serum testosterone levels in American adult men: NHANES 2013-2016.

Pesticides

Integrating machine learning and metabolomics to uncover new biomarkers for predicting pesticide exposure among patients with kidney function decline.

Associations between antenatal organophosphate pesticide exposure and pregnancy outcomes: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS).

Urinary Glyphosate Concentrations and Serum Sex Hormones in a Nationally Representative U.S. Sample: NHANES 2017-2018.

Association between insecticide exposomics and cognitive function in older adults: an observational study based on NHANES 2011-2014.

Metals/Metalloids

Accumulation of Mixed Heavy Metals in Maternal Hair and Risk of Pre-Eclampsia: A Prospective Nested Case-Control Study.

Integrative Modeling of Urinary Metabolomics and Metal Exposure Reveals Systemic Impacts of Electronic Waste in Exposed Populations.

Potential interactive effect of placental heavy metals and gestational diabetes mellitus on neonatal anthropometric measures: a birth cohort study.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

The Presence of Microplastics in Human Semen and Their Associations with Semen Quality.

Association between dietary microplastic intake with all-cause and cardiovascular diseases burden: a global analysis based on GBD 2021.

Association between long-term exposure of polystyrene microplastics and exacerbation of seizure symptoms: Evidence from multiple approaches.

Air Pollution

Effect of HEPA Filtration Air Purifiers on Blood Pressure: A Pragmatic Randomized Crossover Trial and accompanying editorial.

Pharmaceuticals/Personal Care Products

Maternal application of tropical antifungal medication is associated with reduced steroid hormone levels during minipuberty and shorter anogenital distance in offspring from 3 months to 9 years of age: Odense Child Cohort.

Laboratory Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

Interference of estrogen signaling by endocrine disruptors in male and female cells: Potential implications of BPS and PFOS in human development.

Study on the neurotoxicity of single and combined exposure of PAEs and lead to zebrafish brain tissue.

Compostable and recycled plastics do not improve environmental chemical safety compared to conventional single-use polyethylene.

Bioinformatics analysis to identify endocrine-disrupting chemicals targeting key ESCC-related genes.

BPA/Phenols

Transgenerational hepatotoxicity induced by bisphenol B as a substitute for bisphenol A.

EGCG attenuates BPA -induced male reproductive toxicity by regulating the blood-testis barrier by suppressing autophagy via AMPK/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Network toxicology and molecular docking strategy for Analyzing the toxicity and mechanisms of Bisphenol a in hypertension.

Reprotoxic effect of Bisphenol F and Bisphenol S on female Drosophila melanogaster exposed during development.

Bisphenol A-induced testicular immune dysfunction leads to suppressed steroidogenesis and excessive histamine production.

Human-relevant doses of bisphenol a induce insulin resistance by downregulating Irs1 expression in skeletal muscle through estrogen receptor-α.

Effect of bisphenol-A and bisphenol-S on functional parameters of human leukocytes.

Bisphenol F Promoted the Differentiation of Preadipocytes via ER-mediated PI3K/AKT Pathway.

Late histopathological impacts on the female prostate of gerbils exposed to BPA during pregnancy and lactation.

Unveiling BPS-induced colonic inflammatory injury in female mice: Integrated evidence from colon microbiome and metabolomic analyses.

Implications of a combined perinatal exposure to BPA and BP-3 for offspring folliculogenesis and ovarian function in mice.

Prenatal Bisphenol A Exposure Impairs Fetal Heart Development: Molecular and Structural Alterations with Sex-Specific Differences.

Bisphenol A causes melatonin biosynthesis epigenetic reprogramming of melatonin biosynthesis genes in arabidopsis thaliana.

Effects of Nonylphenol on the Secretions of Catecholamines, Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) and Kisspeptin from Short-Term Incubated Rat Hypothalamus.

Phthalates

Neonatal Exposure to Phthalate and Alternative Plasticizers via Enteral Nutrition.

Dose-dependent testis infiltration of peritubular macrophages after MEHP exposure of Peri-pubertal rats and their role in the recovery of spermatogenesis.

Behavioural and cyto-genotoxic effects in adult rats and induced congenital anomalies to their embryos, exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of phthalates.

Maternal exposure to tributyltin alters female reproductive system development.

Phthalate Exposure and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Unraveling Mechanisms Through Network Toxicology.

Mechanism exploration of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)-induced breast cancer via network toxicology and molecular docking analysis.

Elucidating the mechanism of dibutyl phthalate on Alzheimer’s disease through network toxicology, molecular docking and validation in mouse neuroblastoma cells.

Mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate impairs synaptic structure via altering long non-coding RNA MALAT1 in primary hippocampal neurons.

Revealing the core immunotoxicity of di-n-pentyl phthalate exposure in murine models using single-cell RNA sequencing.

Effects of Mono- (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and Phthalic Acid Monobenzyl Ester on Endometriosis Using Network Toxicology, Machine Learning and Molecular Docking Techniques.

In vitro quality of whole blood-derived red cell concentrates collected, processed and stored in a blood bag set plasticized with di (2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

Oocyte Exposure to Low Levels of Triclosan Has a Significant Impact on Subsequent Embryo Physiology.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Multi- and Transgenerational Histological and Transcriptomic Outcomes of Developmental TCDD Exposure in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Ovary.

Long-term TCDD oral exposure changes gut microbial glycosylation patterns in female but not male C57BL/6 mice.

PFAS

PFAS-exposed zebrafish embryos show impaired innate immune response after infection with mycobacteria.

Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) induces liver cytotoxicity by activating autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress-regulated mitochondrial pathway apoptosis.

Integrated network toxicology and bioinformatics reveal PFAS-driven prognostic biomarkers and molecular mechanisms in breast cancer: insights from transcriptome analysis and molecular docking.

Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA) Exacerbates Atopic Dermatitis by Inducing Inflammation in Mice.

Subchronic Toxicities of Four Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) by Oral Exposure in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

Non-Targeted Analysis (NTA) of Plasma and Liver from Sprague Dawley Rats Exposed to Perfluorohexanesulfonamide (PFHxSA), a Precursor to Perfluorohexane Sulfonic Acid (PFHxS).

Unveiling the Reproductive Risks of PFOS: Testicular Proteome Disruption and Hormonal Imbalance in Male Rats.

Systemic toxicity induced by topical application of the sulfonic acids, perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS), in a murine model.

A systems toxicology approach implicates post-transcriptional regulatory networks in reproductive defects from PFAS exposure.

Twenty-eight-day perfluorooctanoate exposure does not affect immune cell populations in naïve mice.

Maternal, fetal, and neonatal toxicity and potency estimates of perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) from oral maternal exposure in the Sprague-Dawley rat.

What do emerging PFAS tell us that the classic ones did not? Insights from in vitro assays.

Flame Retardants

Flame retardant tricresyl phosphate gestational exposure induced endocrine and metabolic disruptions in rat.

Mechanistic insights into the effects of Tris-2-butoxyethyl phosphate on multiple cancers using network toxicology and molecular docking.

Pesticides

Reversal of neurodevelopmental toxicity induced by combined exposure to the neonicotinoid insecticides acetamiprid and imidacloprid in zebrafish through targeting DRP-1: insights into mitophagy and apoptosis mechanisms.

The dithiocarbamate pesticides maneb and mancozeb disturb the metabolism of lipids and xenobiotics in an in vitro model of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Elucidating the combined toxicity of dimethomorph and difenoconazole: Intergenerational effects on different biological processes in zebrafish.

PXR-dependant dysregulation of glucose metabolism induced by chronic exposure to NOAEL-level pesticide cocktail in mice.

Immunotoxicity Studies on the Insecticide 2-((1-(4-Phenoxyphenoxy)propan-2-yl)oxy)pyridine (MPEP) in Hsd:Harlan Sprague Dawley SD^® Rats.

Subchronic exposure to Voliam Targo® affects ovarian histology and reproductive performance in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Parental preconceptual α-cypermethrin exposure alters embryonic brain transcriptomics in mice: implications for autism spectrum disorder and stress vulnerability.

Long lasting effects of perinatal exposure to the Chlorpyrifos pesticide on sleep, breathing, and neuroinflammation in adult mice.

Progressive motor dysfunction and loss of cerebellar Purkinje and granule cells in rat offspring after maternal exposure to imidacloprid.

Perinatal Exposure to the Neonicotinoid Thiacloprid Impacts Transcription of Neuroplasticity and Neuroendocrine Markers in Mice but Not in the Zebrafish Model.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

Toxicological Profiling of Polystyrene Microplastics in Raw 264.7 Macrophages: Linking Microplastic Exposure to Immune Cell Impairment.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics induced male reproductive toxicity in mice by activating the p38-MAPK pathway.

Polystyrene nanoplastic co-exposed to BPA and BPS induces cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and alters ROS production in HepG2 cells.

Internalized polystyrene nanoplastics trigger testicular damage and promote ferroptosis via CISD1 downregulation in mouse spermatocyte.

Prior exposure to microplastics heightened the susceptibility of small intestine to radiation-induced injury in C57BL/6 mice.

Toxicity of polyethylene terephthalate microplastics and dimethyl phthalate in male Sprague-Dawley rats: Insights into oxidative stress, DNA damage, and histopathological impacts.

Microplastic exposure induces epithelial barrier alterations and increases collagen deposition in a 3D human endometrial model in vitro.

The miR-122/P53/TIGAR signaling axis regulates glucose metabolic reprogramming induced by polystyrene nanoplastic particles.

Unraveling Persistent Health Impacts in Mice Following Cessation of Microplastic Exposure: Insights beyond the Surface.

Photodegradation-driven microparticle release from commercial plastic water bottles.

Human neurons are susceptible to the internalization of small-sized nanoplastics.

Nano polystyrene accelerated the reproductive toxicity induced by the Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate via Nhr-69-PISD-Drp-1-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Nanoplastics Drive the Charge-specific Decline of Aquatic Insect (Chironomus kiinensis) Emergence through Inducing Oxidative Damage and Perturbing the Endocrine System.

PAHs

Phenanthrene and its halogenated derivative inhibit adipogenesis and decrease peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) expression independently of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation.

Life-Cycle Benzo[a]pyrene Exposure Induces Sex-Specific Reproductive Impairment, Feminization, and Transgenerational Disruption in Marine Medaka (Oryzias melastigma).

Exposure/Environment Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

The Power of Strategic Social Media Influencer Communication to Improve Black Women’s Knowledge and Awareness of Environmental Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Surveys of Instagram Users.

“We go to the hospital everyday”: The Suncor oil refinery, environmental injustice, and contested illness.

Elevated Exposure to Phthalates and Non-Phthalate Plasticizers Among Urban and Rural Egyptian Children: Biomonitoring and Health Risk Assessment.

Non-targeted screening of organic micropollutants in drinking water: Evidence of contamination from purification systems and plastic materials.

Migration and phototransformation of additives in plastic products: A case study of advertising banners.

Phthalates

Occurrence, Migration Behavior, and Environmental Burden of Phthalate Esters in Flooring Materials Used in Newly Renovated Chinese Homes.

Urinary Phthalate Metabolite Concentrations in Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Under Professional Care.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

Assessment of human parabens exposure and health risk based on global biomonitoring data.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Confronting Europe’s toxics trade from below: the contested global legacy of the 1976 Seveso disaster.

PFAS

Does my patient need testing for PFAS ‘forever chemicals’?

Unraveling Legacy and Emerging PFAS Characteristics in Milk across 15 Countries (2020-2024): Features, Temporal Trend,s and Risk Priority.

Environmental fate and behavior studies of a polymeric PFAS, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) – results and application to risk assessment.

Pygoscelis penguins as indicators of perfluoroalkyl substances pollution and global health risks – case study from King George Island (Western Antarctic).

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance emission from waste thermal treatment: A review.

Extending the Monitoring of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Arctic Air Reveals a High Abundance of Both Short Acids and Neutral Compounds.

Legacy and Novel Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Tap Water from East China: Impact from Water Sources and Risk Mitigation by Household Purifiers.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

First evidence of microplastic accumulation in placentas and umbilical cords from pregnancies in Brazil.

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This list is not meant to be exhaustive, and generally does not include studies on detection, remediation, or treatment of EDCs. Industry-funded articles are included without notation. Note that journal publication dates may be different from dates added to PubMed. To see the searchable archives, please email me and ask to join the EDC Science Weekly group EDC_research@googlegroups.com. There are searchable archives. Compiled by Sarah Howard of Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies (HEEDS), a program of Environmental Health Sciences.

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