Endogenous Hormone

The main intention of this experiment is to distinguish whether the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) has effects on Atlantic Croaker fish. Samples from Atlantic Croaker were taken from both tributaries, one being a Bisphenol A (BPA) free tributary, and the other being filled with Bisphenol A (BPA). In which data was recorded, analyzed, and had astonishing results. The results displayed that when the female Atlantic Croaker hepatic system were exposed to high dosages of Bisphenol A they showed physical abnormalities

Reinberg, S. (2013, July 31). Plastics Chemical BPA May Harm Human Fertility. Retrieved April 11, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20130731/plastics-chemical-bpa-may-harm-human-fertility-study#1

A., & Nagel, S. C. (2016). Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Oil and Natural Gas Operations: Potential Environmental Contamination and Recommendations to Assess Complex Environmental Mixtures. Environmental Health Perspectives, 124(3), 256-264. doi:10.1289/ehp.1409535

Several environmental toxicants including heavy metals, solvents, pesticides and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) modulate the normal

The purpose of this article is to explain an investigation attempting to correlate negative behavioral effects observed in adult male fighting fish, Betta splendens, with exposure to waterborne phytoestrogens. The phytoestrogens the B. splendens were exposed to were genistein, equol, β-sitosterol, and 17 β-estradiol. Behavioral effects of exposure were analyzed by monitoring spontaneous swimming movements, amount of time it took to react to an alleged intruder, amount of aggression toward that alleged intruder, likelihood of building a nest whilst among a female B. splendens and the area of said nest. This study was conducted given there has been no research done on the behavioral biomarkers resulting from waterborne phytoestrogens as an environmental contaminant to aquatic species, even though these animals are the highest probability of experiencing phytoestrogen exposure in their natural habitats. Additionally, when considering phytoestrogens’ ability to cause reproductive and developmental malfunction in fishes, waterborne phytoestrogen’s presence in sewage treatment plants’ liquid waste, runoff from agricultural areas utilizing manure and wood pulp mills ' liquid waste is concerning.

Generally containing about 150 ppm, killer whales are known to have numerous issues due to these high levels of contaminants (3). Seals have been known to have immune complications when carrying less than 10 ppm PCBs (3). Hence, orcas are heavily effected, facing a shorter life expectancy, birth defects, chromosomal issues, and cancer (4). Unfortunately, salmon is one of the top contributors to the pollution in orcas, and a food source for the majority of humans. In consequence, people are at risk for the same negative effects of biomagnification as orcas. For this reason, there is often a recommended limit on seafood consumption. Some examples of PCBs’ effects on humans are cancer and development problems

Personal Opinion While I agree mosquitos can be a menace, I don’t believe introducing a chemical that is linked to ovary and hormone damage in fish is

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can interfere with our endocrine system in our bodies. These chemicals can mimic hormones that occur naturally and can create sever health issues, parental and postnatal development problems for children and can endanger us and wildlife. Endocrine disruptors bind to cells and therefore does not allow the natural hormone to bind properly to the cell. The hormone’s signal cannot occur which means that the body is not able to respond to the signal. They can also prevent the making and the control of the hormones and their receptors by changing their metabolism.

Parabens act as a synthetic estrogen and throws off the hormonal balance within ones body.

Dating back to the 1970s when people began to realize the toxic effects pollutants like PCBs and DDT were having on all kinds of organisms, marine mammals came into focus as particularly vulnerable and at risk for adverse health effects with exposure to these contaminants. Since then researchers have worked to determine exactly what harm these animals are succumbing to. The chemical properties of persistent organic pollutants along with the biomagnification of organochlorines through the trophic levels and the bioaccumulation of these chemicals in the blubber of marine mammals, explain why these animals are significantly affected by these hazardous chemicals. Bioaccumulation can also explain important trends in PCBs and DDT concentrations

Previous literature has found that various environmental contaminants, such as endocrine disrupters have detrimental effects on organisms such as the Japanese quails. A vast amount of studies have been conducted to analyze characteristics such as reproductive behavior in mammals however the current study adds on knowledge to an understudied population, the avian species specifically the Japanese quail. Exposure to these estrogen receptor antagonists has seemed to take a toll on the reproductive behavior of such species that the researchers of the current study main purpose were to formulate an endocrinological standardized test. This standardized test would help identify insidious effects of the estrogen receptor in the Japanese male

Fry and Toone (1986) found when they inject fertilised seabird eggs with DDT and its metabolites. The male chicks produced have varying degrees of intersexuality depending on dosage, reproductive system with both male and female structures. The female chicks had a partial to full developed right oviducts, instead of just left functional structures. In the area where the eggs were collected, there was multiple female-female pairing and low hatchability of eggs. Males exposed as embryos to estrogenic pesticides showed decreased to no sexual behaviour. (Fry and Toone, 1981) Louis Guillette noticed that male alligators from Lake Apopka in Florida have vestigial penis, follicle-like testis and elevated estrogens/testosterone ratios and the female hatching’s ovaries were producing multiple egg follicles and eggs with several nuclei (Luoma, 1995, Guillette et al., 1995) The females also had above normal estrogens levels. When he and his colleagues did a similar injection study with DDT and DDE, they produced results similar to those found in the field. The reduction in penis length and the abnormal gonads made the hatchlings reproductively incapable. Both the bird and alligator studies were prompted by the contamination of large water bodies by organochlorins and the low breeding success of the animals living and feeding in these areas.

The impact of certain estrogenic xenobiotics on the reproductive system development and health of animals has been clearly documented. Findings, such as ours demonstrate thathumans are also exposed at risk. As data accumulate regarding to infertility, genital tract malformations and increasing cancer rates in estrogen target tissues (especially the breast),

Many hormonal chemicals alter or block other organism’s hormones, and one of these hormonal chemicals is Endocrine disrupting chemicals known as EDCs. (Trachsel, 2008) thus, these chemicals are often known to be agents that are foreign to an organism system, a xenobiotic. (Trachsel, 2008) mainly found in aquatic environments, EDCs have a handful of harm effects on animals, humans and the ecosystem in general, which differs in the way they are regulated (homeostasis) due to the natural occurring hormones in animals or human bodies being eliminated when they start interfering with how the hormones responsible for growth, development and behavior are being synthesized and transported. (A. Snyder, 2003) on the contrary, micropollutants that

PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls) and dioxins have been in focus recently as there are concerns that the different structures are appearing to mimic the effects of female oestrogenic hormones. (Gray 1996) These chemicals can cause genetic chromosomal problems and major concerns to the reproductive effectiveness of marine animals. Oil spills and the burning of wood and coal can cause poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which has a negative effect on all wildlife causing genetic abnormalities. (EMCBTAP-ENVIS Newsletter 2002).