Contemporary endocrine disruptors : effects of non-persistent substances

Most chemical compounds on the market today are not very persistent in the body. This lability poses major methodological challenges for characterizing their effects in humans, even when analytically precise biomarkers of exposure exist. We will discuss the problem of exposure measurement error in humans, and present tools to overcome it, using the example of endocrine disruptors from the phenol family such as bisphenol A. By comparing results from molecular toxicology, in vivo toxicology and human cohorts, we will discuss the consistency of data on the effects of these substances between species and at different scales, from the nuclear receptor to the whole organism. The seminar will illustrate the problem of additive effects of cumulative exposure, the concept of synergy between exposures, and discuss the implications for chemical risk management.