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
Endocrine Disruptors and Persistent Organic Pollutants: Their Impact on the...
share announcement

Endocrine Disruptors and Persistent Organic Pollutants: Their Impact on the Environment and Human Health

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Exposome Analysis and Risk Assessment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1493

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Euripides G. Stephanou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece
Interests: environmental analytical chemistry of toxic organic compounds; DBPs; endocrine disruptors; POPs; human exposure studies of legacy and emerging toxic organic contaminants and endocrine disruptors
Dr. Antonis Myridakis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Section of Biomolecular Medicine, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
Interests: metabolomics; volatolomics; exposomics; mass spectrometry; enviromental exposures; human health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Endocrine disruptors (EDCs) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are environmental contaminants that persist in ecosystems and bioaccumulate through food chains. EDCs disrupt hormone functions, leading to reproductive and developmental disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. POPs are linked to diabetes, cancer, neurodevelopmental issues, and reproductive disorders.

Key EDCs include BPA, phthalates, parabens, triclosan, and PFAS, which are found in personal care products and plastics. Key POPs include organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are used as flame retardants.

Human exposure to these substances occurs through environmental contact, food, and product use, primarily via inhalation, skin contact, and ingestion. Persistent EDCs like PFAS accumulate in the blood, requiring repeated measurements to be taken during pregnancy and early childhood.

Research and review articles are needed to support the regulatory efforts essential to mitigate the environmental and health impacts of EDCs and POPs. Understanding their mechanisms of action and long-term effects is crucial for developing effective protection strategies.

Prof. Dr. Euripides G. Stephanou
Dr. Antonis Myridakis
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • biomonitoring of EDCs and POPs
  • Prenatal exposure to mixtures of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and respiratory health in children
  • exposure to POPs and emotional and behavioral outcomes from early childhood to adolescence

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

18 pages, 511 KB  
Article
Early Childhood Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting and Neurotoxic Chemicals: Associations with Internalizing and Externalizing Difficulties from Childhood to Adolescence in the Rhea Cohort, Crete, Greece
by Chrysi Mouatsou, Katerina Margetaki, Mariza Kampouri, Marianna Karachaliou, Antonis Myridakis, Danae Costopoulou, Leondios Leondiadis, Euripides G. Stephanou, Lida Chatzi, Manolis Kogevinas and Katerina Koutra
Toxics 2025, 13(10), 854; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13100854 - 10 Oct 2025
Viewed by 378
Abstract
Many common chemicals are known or suspected to harm brain development, and children are particularly vulnerable, yet research on their long-term effects on mental health is limited. This study investigated the associations of early childhood exposure to endocrine disrupting and neurotoxic chemicals with [...] Read more.
Many common chemicals are known or suspected to harm brain development, and children are particularly vulnerable, yet research on their long-term effects on mental health is limited. This study investigated the associations of early childhood exposure to endocrine disrupting and neurotoxic chemicals with the development of internalizing, externalizing, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms from early childhood through adolescence in 387 children from the Rhea cohort in Crete, Greece. At age 4, serum concentrations of 3 organochlorine pesticides and 14 polychlorinated biphenyls, and urinary concentrations of 7 phthalate metabolites and 6 dialkyl phosphate metabolites were measured. Children’s symptoms were assessed via maternal reports at ages 4, 6, 11 and 15 years. Using generalized estimating equation models, the study found that early exposure to hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) was associated with increased externalizing symptoms across ages in girls [beta (95% CI): 0.20 (0.04, 0.37) and 0.11 (0.01, 0.21), respectively]. Among girls, low molecular weight (LMW) phthalates were also linked to elevated internalizing and externalizing symptoms, as well as ADHD-related difficulties [beta (95% CI): 0.15 (0.04, 0.26), 0.13 (0.01, 0.25), and 0.13 (0.02, 0.24), respectively]. Additionally, exposure to organophosphate pesticides was associated with increased externalizing and ADHD symptoms [beta (95% CI): 0.13 (0.04, 0.22) and 0.12 (0.04, 0.20), respectively]. The findings suggest that early childhood exposure to environmental chemicals may have long-term effects on emotional and behavioral development, with pronounced effects observed only in girls. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endocrine Disruptors and Persistent Organic Pollutants: Their Impact on the Environment and Human Health)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 9832 KB  
Article
Gestational GenX Exposure Induces Maternal Hepatotoxicity by Disrupting the Lipid and Bile Acid Metabolism Distinguished from PFOA-Induced Pyroptosis
by Jin-Jin Zhang, Yu-Kui Chen, Ya-Qi Chen, Qin-Yao Zhang, Yu Liu, Qi Wang and Xiao-Li Xie
Toxics 2025, 13(8), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13080617 - 24 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 779
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its replacement, GenX, are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) widely used in industrial and consumer applications. Pregnant women are a vulnerable population to environmental pollutants. The maternal effects of GenX and PFOA exposure during pregnancy have not been fully [...] Read more.
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its replacement, GenX, are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) widely used in industrial and consumer applications. Pregnant women are a vulnerable population to environmental pollutants. The maternal effects of GenX and PFOA exposure during pregnancy have not been fully elucidated. In this study, pregnant mice received daily oral doses of GenX (2 mg/kg/day), PFOA (1 mg/kg/day), or Milli-Q water (control) throughout gestation. Histopathological analyses revealed significant liver abnormalities in both exposure groups, including hepatocyte swelling, cellular disarray, eosinophilic degeneration, karyopyknosis, lipid vacuolation, and increased inflammatory responses. Through transcriptomics analyses, it was found that multiple metabolic and inflammatory pathways were enriched in both exposure groups. In the GenX group, overexpression of CYP4A, c-Myc, and Oatp2 proteins and decreased expression of EGFR and β-catenin in the liver suggested disruption of lipid and bile acid metabolism. In the PFOA group, significantly upregulated protein levels of NLRP3, GSDMD, caspase-1, IL-18, and IL-1β indicated hepatic pyroptosis. Despite these distinct pathways, both compounds triggered inflammatory cytokine release in the liver, consistent with the results of the transcriptomics analysis, suggesting shared mechanisms of inflammatory liver injury. Taken together, our findings provided novel insights into the hepatotoxicity mechanisms of GenX and PFOA exposure during pregnancy, underscoring the potential health risks associated with PFAS exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Endocrine Disruptors and Persistent Organic Pollutants: Their Impact on the Environment and Human Health)
►▼ 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