New EDC Science

The impact of plastics on health is an area of increasing concern.

A new consensus statement published in Nature Reviews Endocrinology proposes a set of 12 characteristics that can be used to identify metabolic-disrupting agents – chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and environmental hazards that increase the risk of metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity. “This approach will enable a more comprehensive mechanistic understanding of how environmental chemicals and other agents disrupt metabolism and cause adverse outcomes.”

Chris Kassotis, Ph.D., is the 2024 winner of the Lou Guillette, Jr. Outstanding Young Investigator Award, sponsored by Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies (HEEDS). The award, in honor of scientist and mentor Lou Guillette, Jr., is given to an early-career scientist working in some aspect of endocrine disruptor research. The Kassotis lab focuses on understanding endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and mixtures, and their potential impacts on human and animal health, with a particular focus on metabolic health. He takes on critical public health issues, such as the health effects of chemicals found in fracking fluids and in artificial turf.

Dr. Theo Colborn, who passed away December 14, 2014, was the founder of the endocrine disruption field, connecting the dots among the different health problems seen in wildlife with those seen in humans, tying them to the endocrine system and to chemical pollutants. For the 10th anniversary of her passing, we reached out to people who knew her well. We and many others miss her unrelenting passion for raising the scientific curtain on endocrine disruption, for using her eclectic mind in pursuit of all its many manifestations, and not ever giving up, despite dark forces who would rather she’d been quiet.

In a recent study published in Environmental Pollution, researchers measured microplastic exposure in college students from three cities across China. “There is an urgent need to detect and assess human microplastic exposures in order to investigate their health effects.”

According to a recent study published in Environmental Research, individuals who consume U.S. freshwater fish are exposed to a mixture of chemical contaminants that can have combined health effects. “Despite some successes in curtailing release of pollutants, some contaminants in fish tissue have not declined and legacy and emerging pollutants continue to pose risks to fish consumers in the U.S.”

A recent review published in The Lancet examines how China – which in 1980 had a diabetes prevalence of less than 1% – currently has the largest number of people with diabetes in the world. “Public health interventions targeting these risk factors are urgently needed and there is a current paucity of studies evaluating the implementation effectiveness of these interventions.”

Exposure to glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, caused brain inflammation and accelerated Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in mice, raising concerns about its impact on human brain health. Carey Gillam reports for The New Lede.

A recent study published in JAMA Neurology found that long-term exposure to the fine particulate matter in wildfire smoke is associated with a higher risk of a dementia diagnosis. “These results align with prior research consistently demonstrating that individual-level and area-level social determinants compound the risk of adverse health outcomes associated with climate-driven environmental exposures.”

The National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a systematic review of the potential neurological effects of fluoride and found that higher fluoride exposures are consistently associated with lower IQ in children. “This Monograph and Addendum do not assess benefits of the use of fluorides in oral health or provide a risk/benefit analysis.”

Exposure to combined PFAS and microplastics creates a synergistic effect, worsening their toxic impacts on wildlife and potentially humans. Tom Perkins reports for The Guardian.

In a recent commentary published in The Lancet, Dr. Leonardo Trasande of NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine emphasizes the need to address the well-established health harms from exposure to chemical additives used in plastics. “Only through a serious and concerted effort to turn off the plastic tap will we apply the lessons learned from plastic use… and avoid the invisible chemicals used in plastic materials from becoming visible in the form of a larger global pandemic of chronic disease.”

A recent study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology found that children who adopted a gluten-free (GF) diet after being diagnosed with celiac disease had significantly increased arsenic exposure after only six months. “More research needs to be done to determine whether there are long-term effects of this bump, but overall, I think it speaks to the importance of diversifying the grains in the gluten-free diet.”

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) published a 2025-2029 strategic plan, “Health at the Intersection of People and Their Environments.”

A study finds 22 pesticides associated with prostate cancer risk in the U.S., with four also tied to higher death rates. Andrea Tamayo reports for Science News.

A recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives examines trends in PFAS exposure in pregnant Black women and their newborns in Atlanta. “Investigating the changes in PFAS exposure levels throughout pregnancy… is crucial for identifying critical exposure periods and guiding public health policies to reduce PFAS exposure.”

A recent study suggests that even low-level exposure to bisphenol A during childhood may raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other health conditions later in life. Pamela Ferdinand reports for U.S. Right to Know.

A recent commentary published in The Lancet explains why plastic products for medical and health uses should not be exempt from the UN global plastics treaty. “Conflating the normalisation of disposable plastics in health care with their necessity overlooks growing evidence that, for many devices, single use does not improve hygiene, while obscuring risks plastics pose to human health.”

A new study finds that PFAS chemicals in young adults may harm gut bacteria, leading to reduced kidney function and possibly increasing long-term kidney disease risk. Tom Perkins reports for The Guardian.

A new study links 22 pesticides, including those in popular lawn care products, to increased prostate cancer risk and mortality. Reda Wigle reports for New York Post.