Occurrence and human health risk of micro-pollutants—A special focus on endocrine disruptor chemicals

Pharmaceutical products and their metabolites ultimately find a way into the environment, mainly through sewage excretion. It is assumed that many drugs are endocrine disruptors (EDs), which contain both natural and anthropogenic chemicals. The principal routes of human exposure to EDs are via food, pharmaceuticals, air, occupational exposure, etc. Occupational exposure to EDs offers a potential risk that requires further evaluation. Studies of adipose tissue, blood, and breast milk, and tracking of urinary and fecal excretion concentrations, have examined human exposure to environmental contaminants. Very little is known about fetal exposure to xenobiotics, because the levels of persistent composites in the blood and transplacental transmission have not been studied sufficiently. By studying their fate and behavior, essential knowledge of the environmental movement of chemicals can be gained. The United States, the European Union, and the World Health Organization regulate the by-products of disinfectants that are transformed into emerging contaminants after therapy. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.