Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.4
4.1
Journals
Toxics
Special Issues
Toxicological Effects and Mechanisms of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors
share announcement

Toxicological Effects and Mechanisms of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Toxicology and Epidemiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1782

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Liting Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
Interests: environmental health; toxicology; epidemiology; endocrine disruptors; mechanism research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) are widely used in food packaging materials, cosmetics, children's toys, and other daily necessities, and are therefore ubiquitous in human living environments. Beyond their endocrine-disrupting effects, EEDs have also been found to have toxic effects on the liver, thyroid, and reproductive system. Altough many studies have been conducted on the relationships between EEDs and their effects on health, the following issues require further exploration:

  • EED levels in diverse environments should be quantified via epidemiological investigations, and EED exposure levels across distinct populations should be assessed using mathematical models.
  • In reality, humans are usually exposed to different kinds of EEDs at the same time. Hence, it is necessary to identify the joint effects of multiple kinds of EED on health and to explore the specific pollutants among them that predominantly contribute to the harmful effects on human health.
  • More human-relevant models (e.g., organoids or 3D bioprinting-based models) should be employed to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of EEDs on humans.

For this Special Issue, experts in the field of environmental health are invited to submit studies focused on the fields mentioned above.

Prof. Dr. Liting Zhou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • environmental endocrine disruptors
  • epidemiological research
  • health effects
  • mixed exposure
  • emerging experimental models
  • mechanism

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 1112 KB  
Article
Prenatal Exposure to Neonicotinoid Insecticides and Neurological and Cognitive Development in Preschool Children: Evidence from a Birth Cohort in Guangxi, China
by Qingqing Liang, Haiyan Li, Lihong Zhou, Changhui Mu, Mengrui Lin, Qian Liao, Shun Liu, Xiaoqiang Qiu, Dongping Huang, Dongxiang Pan and Xiaoyun Zeng
Toxics 2026, 14(5), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14050445 - 20 May 2026
Abstract
Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are widely used globally, leading to human exposure including pregnant women, and may pose risks of neurocognitive toxicity. In this study, we analyzed 114 mother–child pairs from the Guangxi Zhuang birth cohort. Umbilical cord plasma concentrations of 10 NEOs were [...] Read more.
Neonicotinoid insecticides (NEOs) are widely used globally, leading to human exposure including pregnant women, and may pose risks of neurocognitive toxicity. In this study, we analyzed 114 mother–child pairs from the Guangxi Zhuang birth cohort. Umbilical cord plasma concentrations of 10 NEOs were measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS), and child neurocognitive development was assessed using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3). NEOs were frequently detected, with detection rates ranging from 15.8% to 96.5%, and dinotefuran (DIN) showed the highest prevalence. Prenatal exposure to several NEOs was associated with lower neurocognitive scores. Specifically, DIN and clothianidin (CLO) exposure were associated with lower Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), while thiacloprid (THIA) exposure was linked to poorer communication performance. In addition, imidacloprid (IMI) and THIA exposure were associated with reduced gross motor function, and thiamethoxam (TMX) was further associated with reduced fine motor development. Mixed exposure analysis suggested a negative but non-significant association between overall NEO exposure and FSIQ or fine motor outcomes. These findings suggest a potential association between prenatal exposure to NEOs and neurocognitive development in preschool children, highlighting the need for further research to inform public health strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological Effects and Mechanisms of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 637 KB  
Article
Exploratory Study on Plasticiser Intake During Intermittent Fasting: Effects on Weight, Glycaemic Control and Vitamin D Levels in Type 2 Diabetes
by Edwina Brennan, Priya Das, Pearl Wasif, Xianyu F. Wang, Jochen F. Mueller, Chang He, Jean V. Varghese, Alexandra E. Butler, Stephen L. Atkin and Naji Alamuddin
Toxics 2026, 14(5), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics14050382 - 29 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1426
Abstract
Introduction: Intermittent fasting (IF) is becoming increasingly popular as a method of weight management, but it is unknown whether it affects plasticiser intake with resultant changes in glycaemic control in diabetes and vitamin D (VitD) levels; therefore, this study was undertaken in a [...] Read more.
Introduction: Intermittent fasting (IF) is becoming increasingly popular as a method of weight management, but it is unknown whether it affects plasticiser intake with resultant changes in glycaemic control in diabetes and vitamin D (VitD) levels; therefore, this study was undertaken in a cohort of control and type-2 diabetic (T2D) subjects during Ramadan time-restricted feeding (TRF). Methods: In T2D subjects (n = 19) and controls (n = 31) undertaking TRF, 24 h urinary levels of phthalate metabolites, bisphenols and serum VitD were determined pre- and post-TRF by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Anthropometric data and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured. Results: T2D subjects were older (52 versus 36.73 years, p < 0.001), and had higher BMI (36.54 versus 27.67 kg/m2, p < 0.001), body weight (101.77 versus 80.36 kg, p < 0.001), and HbA1c (8.38 versus 5.46%, p < 0.001) compared to controls, while VitD levels did not differ (60.43 versus 63.95 nmol/L, p > 0.05). Post-TRF, HbA1c was unchanged in T2D subjects and there was no difference in weight, BMI or VitD. Increased mono-iso-butyl phthalate (MiBP) in T2D subjects (10 versus 6.1 ng/mL, p = 0.001) and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) in T2D subjects (37 versus 13 ng/mL, p = 0.018) and controls (8.3 versus 5.4 ng/mL, p = 0.007) were observed post-TRF; however, significance was lost after adjusting for baseline differences in age, BMI, and HbA1c using a general linear model (GLM) repeated-measures ANOVA. Despite having no median differences in DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate) metabolites pre- and post-TRF, analyses revealed a significant time × HbA1c interaction for [mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate, MECPP: F(1,42) = 4.79, p = 0.03, mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, MEHHP: F(1,42) = 8.56, p = 0.006, mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, MEHP: F(1,42) = 4.64, p = 0.03 and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate, MEOHP: F(1,42) = 8.19, p = 0.007] and time × group interactions [MEHHP: F(1,42) = 14.27, p < 0.001, MEHP: F(1,42) = 6.35, p = 0.01 and MEOHP: F(1,42) = 10.30, p = 0.003]. Estimated marginal means (adjusted for age, BMI, HbA1c, and VitD) further confirmed higher concentrations of DEHP metabolites [MECPP, MEHHP, MEHP, and MEOHP] in T2D participants over time compared with controls. Additionally, monomethyl phthalate (MMP) trajectories were significantly influenced by the time × group interaction (F(1,42) = 4.28, p = 0.04), with post-TRF elevations observed in T2D subjects. Vitamin D status was observed to modify MCPP and MEP trajectories over time. Conclusion: Ramadan TRF is associated with changes in plasticiser metabolite levels, with estimated increased levels in T2D subjects versus healthy controls. Metabolite levels were influenced by HbA1c and vitamin D, though BMI was not observed to be a contributing factor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological Effects and Mechanisms of Environmental Endocrine Disruptors)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop