2014/11/18 by Justine Mathieu‐Denoncourt, Sarah J. Wallace, Shane R. de Solla +1 · 1 citation
Chemistry · Environmental Science · #Biology #Bisphenol A #Chemistry #Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals #Endocrine disruptor #Endocrine system #Endocrinology #Hormone #Microplastics and Plastic Pollution #Organic chemistry #Phthalate #Plasticizer #Reproductive toxicity #Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact #Toxicity
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.11.003
openalex publication_date 2014/11/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
Due to their versatility, robustness, and low production costs, plastics are used in a wide variety of applications. Plasticizers are mixed with polymers to increase flexibility of plastics. However, plasticizers are not covalently bound to plastics, and thus leach from products into the environment. Several studies have reported that two common plasticizers, bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, induce adverse health effects in vertebrates; however few studies have addressed their toxicity to non-mammalian species. The aim of this review is to compare the effects of plasticizers in animals, with a focus on aquatic species. In summary, we identified three main chains of events that occur in animals exposed to BPA and phthalates. Firstly, plasticizers affect development by altering both the thyroid hormone and growth hormone axes. Secondly, these chemicals interfere with reproduction by decreasing cholesterol transport through the mitochondrial membrane, leading to reduced steroidogenesis. Lastly, exposure to plasticizers leads to the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, the increase of fatty acid oxidation, and the reduction in the ability to cope with the augmented oxidative stress leading to reproductive organ malformations, reproductive defects, and decreased fertility.