EDC Science Weekly, Apr. 11-17, 2025

Post author:HEEDS
Post published:April 17, 2025
Post category:EDC Science Weekly

A summary of articles on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) added to PubMed this week.

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

Apr. 17 webinar (starting soon! 2pm ET): Scientific Principles to Protect Public Health [PRHE’s Science Action Network]

Apr. 18 webinar: Perspectives on the Plastics Lifecycle: Plastic Pollution and Fate [National Academies]

Apr. 24 webinar: Childhood cancer and the environment: Prevention opportunities [CHE-Alaska]

CANCELLED: Apr. 25: HEEDS EDC-North Carolina group 5th Annual Meeting [HEEDS]

Apr. 27-29 conference: Break the Cycle of Children’s Environmental Health Disparities

May 8 webinar: Changes at NIH: What do they mean for environmental health? [EDC Strategies Partnership]

May 10-13: EDC sessions at European endocrinology society meeting [European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE)]

May 14: Minimising the impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on health and environment [a scientific update following the Joint Congress of ESPE and ESE, sponsored by ESE]

May 15 webinar: Microplastics’ Impact on the Brain & Heart [Beyond Plastics, PSR NY, Environmental Advocates]

June 16-17 workshop: Roadmap to phase out animal testing for chemical safety assessments [The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)]

July 30 – Aug. 1 conference: U.S. Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) Society Annual Meeting

More events

Regulations/Policy

Environmental Health: Towards Synthesis in Global Law and Governance.

Microplastics: an underestimated and underregulated crisis.

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

Is regulatory science ready for artificial intelligence?

A Pragmatic Workflow for Human Relevance Assessment of Toxicological Pathways and Associated New Approach Methodologies.

Developmental neurotoxicity (DNT): A call for implementation of new approach methodologies for regulatory purposes: Summary of the 5th International Conference on DNT Testing.

Progress on New Approach Methods (NAMs) in Ecotoxicology.

Possible applications of new approach methodologies (NAMs) in ecotoxicology.

Activation of steroid hormone receptors by metabolism-disrupting chemicals.

Frequentist Grouped Weighted Quantile Sum Regression for Correlated Chemical Mixtures.

An In Vitro Test Battery using Human Whole Blood for Immunotoxicity Hazard Identification: Proof of Concept Studies with Dexamethasone and Benzo(a)pyrene.

Development of internal thresholds of toxicological concern (iTTC) for chemicals based on empirical exposures to pharmaceuticals

A qualitative study of the ethics of community scientists’ role in environmental health research from the perspective of community scientists and institutional review board staff.

The SCAHT Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP)_HUB: A hands-on platform for information exchange, sharing, and developing AOPs.

Commentaries

A Blueprint for NIH Reform

Shanna H Swan: environmental exposure to chemicals and their consequences for human fertility.

The agricultural plastic paradox: Feeding more, harming more?

Engineered E. coli creates biodegradable plastics. [research highlight]

Prescriptions (Rx) for Prevention: Clinical Tools for Integrating Environmental Health into Pediatric Clinical Care

Reviews/Meta-Analyses

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

The potential health risks of exposure to environmental chemicals – Global implications for future generations.

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and the Effects of Distorted Epigenetics on Preeclampsia: A Systematic Review.

The Effect of Endocrine Disruptors on the Cardiovascular System: does sex matter?

The impact of environmental and dietary exposure on gestational diabetes mellitus: a comprehensive review emphasizing the role of oxidative stress.

BPA/Phenols

The environmental occurrence, human exposure, and toxicity of novel bisphenol S derivatives: A review.

Phthalates

Foetal Exposure to Phthalates and Endocrine Effects on the Leydig Cell.

PFAS

Correlation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance levels during pregnancy with gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Research Progress in Current and Emerging Issues of PFASs’ Global Impact: Long-Term Health Effects and Governance of Food Systems.

Flame Retardants

Mechanisms of Flame Retardant Toxicity and Their Impacts on Anxiety and Cognition in the Brain.

Pesticides

Endocrine-disrupting pesticide exposure relevant to reproductive health: a case study from Costa Rica.

Exposure to pesticides in Chile and its relationship with carcinogenic potential: a review.

Metals/Metalloids

Heavy metals and cardiovascular health: Uncovering links and health challenges.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

Cardiotoxicity of Microplastics: An Emerging Cardiovascular Risk Factor.

The Impact of Microplastics in Food and Drugs on Human Health: A Review of the MENA Region.

Bees and Microplastic Studies: A Systematic Review.

An Atmospheric Chemistry Perspective on Airborne Micro- and Nanoplastic Particles.

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer from crop residue using bacteria as an alternative to plastics: a review.

Readers: if I reword this newsletter so that, for example, instead of the above list, I say instead: “Reviews on MNPs cover cardiotoxicity, airborne MNPs, effects on bees, in food/drugs in the Middle East/North Africa and health, and PHA as a plastic substitute.” Would that be helpful? Or do you prefer the full titles? Or, would you like a quick summary of the findings? (such as, “Reviews find MNPs are linked to worse cardiovascular health, may affect bees,…). You can email me and let me know. I welcome any other suggestions for improving and especially for shortening this newsletter (such as, including fewer articles). Thanks!

Human Health Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

Using machine learning to investigate the influence of the prenatal chemical exposome on neurodevelopment of young children.

Sex-specific Association of Co-exposures to Melamine and Phthalates in Children with Their Early Renal Injury.

Association of coexposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and heavy metals with thyroid function across varied age pregnant women and the potential role of hemoglobin.

Fetal exposure to a mixture of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and biomarkers of male fecundity: A population-based cohort study.

Phthalates

Association of urinary phthalate metabolites with pulmonary function in children: a study based on NHANES.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

Liquid formulations of Levothyroxine with ethanol or with parabens for treatment of congenital hypothyroidism: similar TSH and fT4 values in the first 6 months of follow up.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Leveraging machine learning in precision medicine to unveil organochlorine pesticides as predictive biomarkers for thyroid dysfunction.

PFAS

Bayesian Benchmark Dose Assessment of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances Exposure-Associated Thyroid Function Disruption During Pregnancy.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances crossing the blood-joint barrier: Their occurrence and distribution in synovial fluid.

Maternal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and epitope level antibody response to vaccines against measles and rubella in children from the Boston birth cohort.

Maternal psychological distress modifies the association between prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and infants’ neurodevelopment.

Impact of prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on developmental delays in 4-year-old children: The Japan Environment and Children’s study.

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances affect thyroid hormones for people with a history of exposure from drinking water.

Prenatal exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances and its association with Developmental Defects of Enamel (DDE) and dental caries in 4 years old children: Findings from Shanghai birth cohort.

Association between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and kidney function: a population study.

Interventions to Reduce Serum Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances Levels, Improve Cardiovascular Risk Profiles, and Improve Epigenetic Age Acceleration in US Firefighters: Protocol for Randomized Controlled Trial.

Dietary Diversity Modified the Association of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances with Accelerated Biological Aging: Evidence from the China National Human Biomonitoring Study.

Pesticides

A longitudinal study comparing the impact of pesticide exposure on cognitive abilities of Latinx children from rural farmworker and urban non-farmworker families.

Crossfire of Contamination: Pesticide Exposure and Metabolic Health Risks among Highland Farmers.

Levels of acetylcholinesterase and DNA damage in children exposed to organophosphate pesticides in Tanjung Karang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Metals/Metalloids

Relationship between internal metal exposure and thyroid cancer incidence: a case-control study simultaneously validated by BKMR and WQS models.

The impact of school heavy metal exposure on children’s gut microbiota: The mediating role of environmental microorganisms.

Urinary metal levels and their association with Parkinson’s disease risk: insights from NHANES 2013-2020.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

The Role of Microplastics in Elevated Risk and Tissues Metabolic Alterations in Uterine Fibroid of Female Patients.

Air Pollution

Relationship between air pollution exposure and insulin resistance in Chinese middle-aged and older populations: evidence from Chinese cohort.

The association between multiple environmental exposures and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder in a prospective, U.S.-based cohort study.

Pharmaceuticals/Personal Care Products

Personal care products exposure patterns and prostate cancer: evidence from a case-control study in Mexico City.

Miscellaneous

Historical Study of Workers Exposed to Styrene in the US Reinforced Plastics and Composite Industry: Findings from a 2019 Mortality Update.

Laboratory Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

Exploring the toxicological network in diabetic microvascular disease: The Role of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.

Effect of 4-n-nonylphenol and cadmium co-exposure on liver apoptosis and lipid metabolism in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Effects of organic and inorganic contaminants and their mixtures on metabolic health and gene expression in developmentally exposed zebrafish.

Safety of new food contact materials: Migration and sorption studies based on Tenax, powdered milk, baby cereal and oat flakes.

BPA/Phenols

Equipotent bisphenol S and bisphenol F with widely differing modes of action exhibit additive effects in immunotoxicity: insights based on intrinsic immunity, apoptosis and regeneration, and oxidative stress.

Multigenerational testing reveals delayed chronic toxicity of bisphenol A to Daphnia magna: A common characteristic of endocrine-disrupting chemicals?

Multi-mechanistic effects of bisphenol A on testicular dysfunction and endocrine disruption in adult male Labeo bata: oxidative stress, inflammation, and dysregulated energy sensors.

PPARγ-SMAD6 axis-mediated inhibition of osteogenic differentiation is involved in BPS-induced osteoporosis.

BPA-induced disruption of muscle development and larval metamorphosis in the mussel Mytilus coruscus.

Alginate Beads with Encapsulated Date Palm Pollen Extract: Development, Characterization and Their Potential Role in Hepato-Protection and Fertility-Stimulating Hormones Improvement in Bisphenol A-Treated Rats.

Cinnamic acid abrogates bisphenol A-induced hepatotoxicity via suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokine and modulation of gene expressions of antioxidant enzymes in rats.

Effects of tea polyphenols and tea polysaccharides on improving nonylphenol-induced depression-like behavior, monoamine neurotransmitter disorder, and neuronal pyroptosis.

Phthalates

Prenatal Exposure to Environmentally Relevant Low Dosage Dibutyl Phthalate Reduces Placental Efficiency in CD-1 Mice.

Separating the Role of Gut Enzymatic Transformation in Modulating Internal Exposure to Three Major Phthalates.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

Transgenerational Thyroid Hormone Disruption in Zebrafish Induced by Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Triclosan.

Triclosan-mediated metabolic oxidative stress-triggered cytoskeletal alterations in zebrafish gills and intestine: An integrated biomolecular and NMR-based metabolomics study.

Oestrogenic and androgenic activity of oxybenzone and methylparaben in vitro.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Characterization of POP mixture redistribution and identification of their molecular signature in xenografted fat mice.

Environmental toxicant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin induces non-obstructive azoospermia: New insights from network toxicology, integrated machine learning, and biomolecular modeling.

Early life developmental effects induced by dioxins and PCBs in novel bioassays with C. elegans.

Multigenerational exposure to trace concentrations of DDT residues in Wistar rats: Effects on biometric development and biochemical parameters.

PFAS

Estimation of species- and sex-specific PFAS pharmacokinetics in mice, rats, and non-human primates using a Bayesian hierarchical methodology.

Therapeutic intervention with anti-TNF alleviates colonic and hepatic toxicity induced by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

Influence of non-degradable and degradable microplastics on the bioavailability of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance in mice: Mechanism exploration.

Effects of co-exposure to microplastics and perfluorooctanoic acid on the Caco-2 cells.

Dermal permeation of perfluoroalkyl substances in human skin – An in-vitro study.

Flame Retardants

Oxidative stress-mediated tetrabromobisphenol A disrupts mitochondrial function in HepG₂ cells and activates ferroptosis signalling to induce apoptosis.

Pesticides

Human plasma protein bindings of neonicotinoid insecticides and metabolites.

Curcumin alleviates atrazine-induced nephrotoxicity by enhancing mitophagy through PINK1/Parkin signaling pathway in mice.

Dinotefuran exposure induces immunotoxicity in zebrafish embryos.

Nitenpyram-Induced Cardiac Toxicity in Early Developmental Stages of Zebrafish.

Protective effects of chlorogenic acid against glyphosate-induced organ and blood toxicity in Wistar rats.

Neuroprotective effect of Thymus vulgaris on paraquat induced Parkinson’s disease.

Developmental and Organ Toxicity of Fenpropimorph in Zebrafish: Involvement of Apoptosis and Inflammation.

Metals/Metalloids

Acute and Subacute Oral Exposure to Inorganic Arsenic Significantly Impacted the Pathology of a Mouse Model With Th2- and Th17-, But Not Th1-Dependent Allergy Development.

Cadmium exposure induces Leydig cell injury via necroptosis caused by oxidative stress and TNF-α/TNFR1 signaling.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

Life cycle exposure to differentially charged polystyrene nanoplastics leads to gender-specific particle accumulation and neurotoxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Exploring the influence of polystyrene-nanoplastics on two distinct in vitro systems in farm animals: A pilot study.

Interaction of Polystyrene Nanoplastic with Lipid Membranes.

Interactions between polystyrene nanoparticles and human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells.

Prenatal melatonin reprograms liver injury in male pups caused by maternal exposure to a high-fat diet and microplastics.

New insights into the reproductive hazards posed by polystyrene nanoplastics.

Polystyrene microplastics impair brown and beige adipocyte function via the gut microbiota-adipose tissue crosstalk in high-fat diet mice.

Polystyrene microplastic exposure induces selective accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes in gut microbiota and its potential health risks.

Exploring the release of microplastics’ additives in the human digestive environment by an in vitro dialysis approach using simulated fluids.

Micro- and nanoplastics differ in particle-mucus interactions: The sight on rheological properties, barrier dysfunction and microbiota dysbiosis.

Neurobehavioral and neurochemical effects of nano-sized polypropylene accumulation in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Exposure to submicroplastics promotes the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in ApoE-deficient mice.

Micro- and nano-plastics induce inflammation and cell death in human cells.

Co-exposure to microplastics enhances the allergenic potentials of house dust mite allergen Der p 1.

Promising protective potential of MiR-103a-3p against polystyrene microplastic neurotoxicity in rats.

Miscellaneous

Estrogenic and androgenic activity of tert-butyl phenolic antioxidants assessed by in vitro receptor transcriptional activation and their association with in silico molecular docking analysis.

Exposure/Environment Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

House dust microbiome differentiation and phage-mediated antibiotic resistance and virulence dissemination in the presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Are Sleeping Children Exposed to Plasticizers, Flame Retardants, and UV-Filters from Their Mattresses?

Assessment of Human Exposure to Uncommon Industrial Toxicants in Glynn County, Georgia.

Retrospective prediction of environmental emerging contaminants exposure using human hair: Insights into suitability, reliability, and availability.

BPA/Phenols

Extraction, quantification and health risk assessment of bisphenol A from various kinds of packaged milk and baby bottles.

Invisible threats from typical endocrine disrupting compounds in estuarine environments caused by continuing seawater incursion: In-situ evidence of bio-geochemical processes captured by diffusive gradients in thin films.

Phthalates

Dynamic assessment of phthalate exposure: Linking internal and external monitoring in diverse indoor environments.

Influence of indoor environmental parameters on phthalate concentrations in bedrooms.

Phthalate exposure in primary school children: concentrations, oral intake, and risk assessment in Jinan, China.

Unveiling Human Exposure to Plasticizers through Drinking Tea: A Nationwide Study.

Occurrence and health risk assessment of phthalate ester pollution in mulched farmland soil at a national scale, China.

The Threat of Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate in Coastal and Marine Environments: Ecotoxicological Assays Using Tropical Species from Different Trophic Levels.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

Urinary paraben concentrations among children from the northernmost of Thailand: Cross-sectional study for exposure and health risks.

PFAS

PFAS in Iowa drinking water sources: Chemical and geospatial patterns.

Legacy and emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in eggs of yellow-legged gulls from Southern France.

Molecular characteristics of emerging perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface waters around fluorine-related industries in a Chinese Megacity.

Patterns of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance occurrence in fish in the 2018-2019 U.S. EPA National Rivers and Streams Assessment.

Distribution, uptake, and daily exposure of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in a paddy field: A growth cycle study.

Tapwater exposures, residential risk, and mitigation in a PFAS-impacted-groundwater community.

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Detection in Brewed Capsule Coffee.

Pesticides

Romance in peril: A common pesticide impairs mating behaviours and male fertility of solitary bees (Osmiabicornis).

Polyfloral nutritional resources promote bumble bee colony development after exposure to a pesticide mixture.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

Microplastics generation from flooring materials under UV exposure: A comprehensive analysis of microplastics emission and chemical deformation.

Direct Evidence That Microplastics Are Transported to the Deep Sea by Turbidity Currents.

Air Pollution

Characterization and quantification of atmospheric emissions of dioxins, dl-PCBs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from municipal solid waste open burning in Southeast Asia.

Pharmaceuticals/Personal Care Products

Chemical characterization of menstrual and intimate care products: An extractables & leachables investigation.

Miscellaneous

Identification of Potentially Toxic Transformation Products Produced in Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Bioremediation Using Suspect and Non-Target Screening Approaches.

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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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to donate here! Thank you!

EHN EHN

POSTPONED: North Carolina EDC working group 5th annual meeting
by Sarah Howard on April 4, 2025 at 11:46 am
Previously scheduled for April 25, 2025, Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies (HEEDS) has postponed its 5th Annual Meeting of EDC-NC, its North Carolina working group on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). More information. We hope to reschedule this fall.
Webinar: Changes at NIH: What do they mean for environmental health?
by Sarah Howard on April 3, 2025 at 3:34 pm
This May 8 webinar features Dr. Linda Birnbaum, who will discuss the implications of the Trump administration's changes for environmental health, and Dr. Scott Belcher who will discuss the effects on individual research efforts. Sponsored by the EDC Strategies Partnership.
Webinar: Children's health and the exposome
by Sarah Howard on March 12, 2025 at 7:02 pm
This April 15 webinar, Children's Health: Assessing impacts of the exposome, features Dr. Rémy Slama of the EU's ATHLETE research project. Dr. Slama will explore the environmental factors that are most likely to affect children’s health, and present approaches to rank the impact of these factors. The webinar is sponsored by the EDC Strategies Partnership.

EHN EHN

Gas stove emissions significantly increase cancer risks, especially in children
by Katherine McMahon,Sarah Howard on April 18, 2025 at 8:18 pm
In a recent study published in Journal of Hazardous Materials, researchers examined the impact of benzene exposure - a hazardous chemical emitted by natural gas and propane stoves - on cancer risk. “Our results should help facilitate prioritization of air toxins for potential environmental regulation and pollution control, and ultimately help to protect public health, especially for the people who are using gas stoves in their homes.”
Common pesticide harms fertility and reproduction in bees
by Katherine McMahon,Sarah Howard on April 16, 2025 at 5:59 pm
The pesticide sulfoxaflor - a common substitute for toxic neonicotinoid pesticides - harms bees’ reproductive health, according to a new study published in Chemosphere. “More accurate assessments of pesticide exposure, toxicity, and risks are urgent to fully grasp their potential harm, support science-based regulatory decisions, and finally minimize inadvertent negative effects on our ecosystems.”
Plastics may disrupt the body’s clock, raise risk of chronic disease, study finds
by Pamela Ferdinand on April 16, 2025 at 11:49 am
This article was originally published by U.S. Right To Know and is republished here with permission under a Creative Commons license. Chemicals found in common food packaging plastics like cling film and snack pouches may interfere with the body’s natural 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, increasing the risk of sleep disorders, diabetes, immune problems, and even cancer, new research shows.

EHN EHN

Iowa lawmakers reject bill shielding pesticide companies from cancer lawsuits
by EHN Curators on April 17, 2025 at 11:05 am
A bill that would have blocked lawsuits against pesticide companies over health warnings failed again in the Iowa legislature, despite a push from Bayer-backed lobbyists and support from Senate Republicans. Anika Jane Beamer reports for Inside Climate News.
Aggressive rollback of environmental rules raises legal and public health concerns
by EHN Curators on April 16, 2025 at 11:26 am
A sweeping new executive order from President Trump would force federal agencies to eliminate key environmental regulations unless they’re reapproved annually, a move legal scholars say is likely unlawful and could endanger public health. Kiley Bense reports for Inside Climate News.
EU moves to ban toxic ‘forever chemicals’ from children’s toys in online and in-store markets
by EHN Curators on April 14, 2025 at 10:47 am
A new European Union regulation bans PFAS and other hormone-disrupting chemicals in toys, aiming to curb health risks and tighten online toy safety. Richard Connor reports for Deutsche Welle.