title: Components of plastic: experimental studies in animals and relevance for human health.
abstract: Components used in plastics, such as phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), are detected in humans. In addition to their utility in plastics, an inadvertent characteristic of these chemicals is the ability to alter the endocrine system. Phthalates function as anti-androgens while the main action attributed to BPA is oestrogen-like activity. PBDE and TBBPA have been shown to disrupt thyroid hormone homeostasis while PBDEs also exhibit anti-androgen action. Experimental investigations in animals indicate a wide variety of effects associated with exposure to these compounds, causing concern regarding potential risk to human health. For example, the spectrum of effects following perinatal exposure of male rats to phthalates has remarkable similarities to the testicular dysgenesis syndrome in humans. Concentrations of BPA in the foetal mouse within the range of unconjugated BPA levels observed in human foetal blood have produced effects in animal experiments. Finally, thyroid hormones are essential for normal neurological development and reproductive function. Human body burdens of these chemicals are detected with high prevalence, and concentrations in young children, a group particularly sensitive to exogenous insults, are typically higher, indicating the need to decrease exposure to these compounds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Charité University Medical School Berlin, Berlin, Germany. chris.talsness@charite.de
authors.forename: Chris E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Talsness
authors.forename: Anderson J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Sergio N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kuriyama
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Frederick S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: vom Saal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D001822:Body Burden; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000187:drug effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D048788:Growth and Development / Q000187:drug effects; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D010795:Phthalic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry*; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D010636:Phenols; D010795:Phthalic Acids; D010969:Plastics; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; C032279:phthalic acid; C020806:tetrabromobisphenol A; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds