Environmental Science Laboratory BIOL 1132

Name:__________________________________
Film: The Estrogen Effect - Assault on the Male
Complete the followin !"e#tion# an$ t"rn in thi# wor%#heet before yo" leave the lab&
'or$# yo" may nee$: Nonyl phenol( #ertoli cell#( e#troen( te#te#( en$ocrine( repro$"ctive(
hermaphro$ite#( inter#e)( hypo#pa$ia#( vitelloenin( ethynl e#tra$iol
1& Li#t 2 abnormalitie# notice$ in the alliator pop"lation&
2& Name 2 $i#ea#e#*abnormalitie# #cienti#t# are concerne$ abo"t in h"man male#&
3& 'hat i# the name of the cell# that lin%e$ concern# for #cienti#t#+
,& 'hat i# the hormone at the center of the controver#y+
-& 'hat #y#tem or #y#tem# $oe# thi# hormone affect+
.& Name two common compo"n$# that mimic e#troen an$ where they are fo"n$+
/& 0ow $o e#troen mimic# wor% once they enter the bo$y+ 1fo"r way# 2 name two3
4& 0ow are h"man# e)po#e$ to e#troen mimic#+ 1Name two way#3
5& 6he e#troen mimic# are not in the water of the 7reat La%e# or the 8lori$a la%e#& 'here
are they+
19& In the film( the people interviewe$ #ai$ that h"man# are #wimmin in a #ea of chemical#&
'hat $oe# that mean to yo"+
ASSAULT ON THE MALE
A !!" ##$ Hori%on T& 'rogram
:ebroa$ca#t a# a BBC*;i#covery pro$"ction on September ,( 155,( on 6he ;i#covery
Channel( / < 4 pm&
6hi# vi$eo i# not available from either 6= company b"t we a#%e$ the BBC># office in
N&?& if we co"l$ #hare the vi$eo& BBC #ai$ ye#( we @"#t co"l$n>t #ell it& 'e are willin to
loan o"r vi$eo copy& Alea#e #en$ a chec% for B2&59 to cover po#tae to '&N&
6he followin are e)cept# from thi# rivetin televi#ion $oc"mentary that analyCe# the
ri#e in male repro$"ctive problem#& 6he ca"#e of the#e problem# are lin%e$ to chemical#
that act a# estrogen-li(e hormones&
1& 6e#tic"lar cancer: Lea$in cancer in yo"n men& ;enmar% ha# the hihe#t recor$e$
rate#( 399 to ,99D hiher than -9 year# ao& In the E&S& F the E&G& thi# cancer ha#
triple$ in the la#t 39 year#&
2& Sperm co"nt: Over the la#t -9 year#( a -9D $ecrea#e&
3& Non<$e#cent of the 6e#te# Increa#inly notice$ in yo"n babie#&
,& Erethral abnormalitie#: 8i"re# from #everal co"ntrie# #"e#t the inci$ence i# ri#in&
-& Aro#trate cancer: ;o"ble$ in the la#t ten year#&
H con#en#"# on the #erio"# $i#or$er# in male repro$"ction ha# $evelope$& 6hat
con#en#"# center# on the fact that the fet"# i# bein e)po#e$ to #ynthetic e#troenic
hormone# $"rin fetal $evelopment& Every fet"# i# e)po#e$ to it# mother># e#troen
$"rin $evelopment in the womb( b"t the mother># e#troen bin$# to a protein an$
$oe#n>t interfere with the $evelopin fet"#& B"t if other chemical# actin li%e e#troen
cro## the placental barrier( they have the ability to $i#r"pt the repro$"ctive $evelopment
of the fet"#&
Scienti#t# are fin$in increa#e$ n"mber# of hermaphro$ite# in both wil$life an$ h"man#&
Hbnormalitie# of the peni# were $e#cribe$ in thi# $oc"mentary: IIt can have a #evere
form or a very mil$ form& In the mil$ form it i# @"#t a little cleft in the peni#& B"t in the
#evere form( it i# really #o e)treme that yo" can even $o"bt whether thi# i# a boy or a
irl&&&In e)treme ca#e# an inter<#e) con$ition occ"r# with both male an$ female
characteri#tic#& 8i"re# from other co"ntrie# #"e#t the inci$ence i# increa#in&J
6he mo)el for the transgenerational effects from mother to chil$ of #ynthetic e#troen
e)po#"re i# *ES& 6hi# ma@or me$ical trae$y occ"rre$ when a# many a# . million babie#
were e)po#e$ to the #ynthetic e#troen*ES( which wa# iven to prenant women to
prevent mi#carriae# between 15-9<1549& 'hen *r+ ,ichar) Shar'e 1K:C
:epro$"ctive Bioloy Enit( E$inb"rhL re#earche$ the few ;ES #t"$ie# available on the
male off#prin they #howe$ the pre$icte$ increa#e in the repro$"ctive abnormalitie#& *r+
-ohn McLachlan MScientific ;irector( National In#tit"te of Environmental 0ealth
Science#( N&C&L fo"n$ that #everal important chane# occ"rre$ in the male off#prin of
mice if ;ES wa# iven to their mother# for @"#t two critical $ay# $"rin prenancy&
Hccor$in to KcLachlan( I6he thin that really #hoc%e$ "# an$ #"rpri#e$ "# when we
loo%e$ at the male off#prin of the#e ;ES prenancie#: they act"ally ha$ both a male
an$ a female repro$"ctive #y#tem e)i#tin #i$e<by<#i$e& 6hey e##entially were
hermaphro$ite#& Hn$ we fi"re$ o"t that thi# feminiCation proce## of the male# occ"rre$
early in fetal life when all of "#( mice an$ h"man#( have both repro$"ctive #y#tem# an$
e##entially e)i#t in a bi<#e)"al form& Hn$ thi# proce## of normal $evelopment wa#
bloc%e$ by ;ES an$ thi# le$ to thi# $efeminiCation& It wa# act"ally bein feminiCe$ at
the molec"lar level an$ what I mean i# that the#e male mice that were e)po#e$ prenatally
to ;ES wo"l$ act"ally e)pre## female 'roteins in their repro$"ctive #y#tem# later in
life( an$ thi# i# #omethin that never happen# in a normal mo"#e&J
*r+ Theo $ol.urn( a #enior #cienti#t with the 'orl$ 'il$life 8"n$( believe# the#e
effect# center on the hormonal( or en$ocrine( #y#tem& IH# I bean loo%in aain at the
literat"re clo#ely there were at lea#t 1. top pre$ator #pecie# in the 7reat La%e# that were
#howin repro$"ctive problem#( pop"lation $ecline( fertility problem#( imm"ne
problem#( all $evelopmental problem# << off#prin( yo"n chic%# born with a$"lt
pl"mae& Somethin went wron $"rin that embryonic $evelopment& ?o" #tart loo%in
aro"n$ the co"ntry( yo">ll fin$ pop"lation# of #t"reon# that are @"#t ol$ #t"reon# <<they
are not replacin them#elve#( they are not repro$"cin& 0ere we ha$ evi$ence in fi#h in
the 7reat La%e# that have thyroi$ problem# an$ a# a matter of fact in La%e Erie to$ay the
thyroi$# are ettin #o lare that they are e)plo$in& Hl#o the male fi#h $o not reach
#e)"al mat"rity in the 7reat La%e#& 6he fi#h #eem to be hermaphro$itic& If yo" #tart
loo%in yo" can fin$ fi#h with both male an$ female ona$# in the #ame #pecie#& Below
p"lp an$ paper mill# the male# are bein $ema#c"laniCe$ an$ feminiCe$( an$ the female
fi#h are bein ma#c"laniCe$ an$ $efeminiCe$&J
Hccor$in to ;r& KcLachlan( #ynthetic e#troen# can affect $evelopment( p"berty( an$
repro$"ction in a way that i# yet "n%nown( b"t ha# profo"n$ implication# #ince a wi$e
rane of chemical# can act a# e#troenic<li%e hormone#& 6en year# ao a pe#tici$e #pill
of (elthane in La%e Hpop%a( 8lori$a 1clo#e to Orlan$o3( contaminate$ the la%e& **E i#
a brea%<$own pro$"ct of %elthane an$ i# an e#troenic compo"n$& 6he water to$ay te#t#
clean a# far a# to)in# are concerne$& B"t the e#troenic compo"n$# are #tore$ in fat( not
water( an$ they are bein #tore$ in the animal# who live in La%e Hpop%a& Beca"#e of a
concern for a $ecline in alliator# in La%e Hpop%a( #cienti#t# bean te#t#& Hccor$in
to /rof+ Louis 0uillette of the ;ept& of Nooloy at the Eniv& of 8lori$a:
1& IIn every MalliatorL ne#t there wa# #omethin wron with the e#&J 6he #cienti#t#
fo"n$ trace# of a wea% e#troenic chemical( ;;E( which wa# contaminatin the e#&J
6o$ay( /-D of the alliator e# are $ea$ or infertile&
2& Kale# that $o #"rvive are $ema#c"liniCe$ with a hih level of a female hormone& 2-D
have a re$"ce$ peni#( an$ will never repro$"ce&
3& ISimilar chane# have been fo"n$ in the t"rtle# from thi# la%e& Kany have become
inter<#e)e$ with repro$"ctive oran# more li%e a female with hih level# of female
hormone#&J
,& 29D of the animal# in La%e Hpop%a have thi# inter<#e) con$ition& I'e are not fin$in
normal male#&J
*r+ Ana Soto 1;ept& of Cell"lar Bioloy at 6"ft# Eniver#ity School of Ke$icineL fo"n$
that e#troen contamination of #er"m #ample# ha$ occ"rre$ in her laboratory& Epon
inve#tiation #he $i#covere$ that an e#troen<li%e #"b#tance wa# leachin from the
pla#tic t"be# "#e$ in the laboratory& 'hen ;r& Soto contacte$ the pla#tic t"bin
man"fact"rer( they $enie$ her the form"lation for the pla#tic on the ro"n$# it wa# a
tra$e #ecret& ;r& Soto believe$ it wa# important to %now what wa# in the pla#tic t"bin
an$ after #everal month# of inve#tiation #he fo"n$ that non1l 'henol wa# leachin from
the pla#tic& Hccor$in to Soto: IIt wa# never #"ppo#e$ to be an e#troen an$ wa#
#"ppo#e$ to be #afe&J Non1l 'henol ha# been pro$"ce$ in the E&S& for the la#t ,9 year#
an$ in 1553 over 234 million tons were pro$"ce$& Non1l 'henol i# "#e$ e)ten#ively in
in$"#try a# an anti<o)i$ant in pla#tic# an$ in the form"lation of $eterent# an$
#permici$e foam#& It i# per#i#tent an$ bioacc"lm"lative in the environment&
In the E&G&( herma'hro)itic fish are fo"n$ near #ewae o"tfall#& In an e)periment( male
fi#h were left for three wee%# in cae# at 24 $ifferent #ewae o"tfall# thro"ho"t Britain&
6he a#to"n$in re#"lt# were that when the#e fi#h were te#te$ they were fo"n$ to have
h"e amo"nt# of female hormone# in their bloo$& I6he#e male# in effect were chanin
#e)&J 6he initial #"#pect wa# "rine e)crete$ by women on the birth control pill& Scienti#t#
e)po#e$ rainbow tro"t to the #"b#tance in birth control pill# an$ fo"n$ it wa# e)tremely
potent for e#troenic effect# at low $o#e#& B"t they co"l$ not fin$ it in #ewae o"tfall#
an$ $i#mi##e$ it a# a ca"#ative aent& B"t non1l 'henol wa# fo"n$ in both the river
water an$ in the #ewae o"tfall#& -9 microram# per liter or hiher of non1l 'henol were
fo"n$ in river# in Britain& In the E&G&( te#t# on fi#h confirme$ that non1l
'henol pro$"ce# a very hih e#troenic effect on male fi#h( mimic%in tho#e of the fi#h
place$ ne)t to the #ewae o"tfall#& /rof+ -ohn Sum'ter M;epartment of Bioloy F
Biochemi#try at Br"nel Eniver#ity in Enlan$L an$ ;r& Sharpe collaborate$ on #ome
te#t# an$ fo"n$ $ecrea#e$ te#ticle #iCe in rat# e)po#e$ to nonyl phenol at 39 microram#
per liter& 6he re#pon#e to their concern when they approache$ the Briti#h 'ater Service#
H##oc& wa#: I6here i# no nee$ an$ no re!"irement in the EG 'ater O"ality :e"lation#
to loo% for the#e #"b#tance#& Nor are #"fficiently #en#itive techni!"e# available& 0ence(
ro"tine monitorin ha# not been carrie$ o"t&J 8ort"nately( the International bo$y for
'ater O"ality ha# initiate$ plan# to pha#e o"t nonyl phenol by the year 2(999&
5e li6e7 in effect7 in a sea of estrogens+
Hccor$in to ;r& 6heo Colb"rn: IIt i#n>t @"#t one pro$"ct that># ca"#in the problem& It>#
a ho#t of pro$"ct#& It># the con#tr"ction material that we are "#in( it># the pla#tic# we>re
"#in& It># not only the pe#tici$e# an$ it># not only the chemical# that we>ve relea#e$ in
the pa#t that we>ve banne$ an$ re#tricte$( b"t they>re #till o"t there& In e##ence what we
have to $o now i# to ma%e #"re that we revi#it every piece of lei#lation that># comin "p
for rea"thoriCation to ma%e #"re that we incl"$e not only cancer a# a ri#% element b"t
that we incl"$e the#e tran#enerational health effect#: the effect# on the $evelopin
en$ocrine( imm"ne an$ nervo"# #y#tem which are all lin%e$&J
5aste Not comment+ 6he E&S& EAH will #oon relea#e the ;io)in :ea##e##ment
$oc"ment# for p"blic comment 1#ee Waste Not # 2553& 'e %now that tra#h( ho#pital F
haCar$o"# wa#te incinerator# emit many of the #"b#tance# 1li#te$ below3 that are %nown
to act a# #ynthetic e#troen#& If the chemical F incinerator in$"#trie# %eep tr"e<to<form(
they will p"t enormo"# pre##"re on the EAH to water $own their concern for non<cancer
effect# of the#e e#troen<li%e #"b#tance#& 'e believe that or$inary citiCen# fihtin
incinerator# have to fin$ a way to become involve$ in thi# p"blic comment pha#e& 'e
recommen$# the formation of a $iti%ens Tas( Force on MS5 8ncinerators <<#ee 'a#te
Not P 399& 'e hihly recommen$ thi# $oc"mentary&
1& $hemicals (no9n to )isru't the en)ocrine s1stem an) act as estrogen-li(e
hormones inclu)e: ;;6 an$ it# $era$ation pro$"ct#( ;E0A 1$i12<
ethylhe)yl3phthalate3( $icofol( 0CB 1he)achlorobenCene3( %elthane( %epone( lin$ane an$
other he)achlorocyclohe)ane conener#( metho)ychlor( octachloro#tyrene( #ynthetic
pyrethroi$#( triaCine herbici$e#( EB;C f"nici$e#( certain ACB conener#( :7"7;7<-
T$** an) other )io=ins7 :7"7;7<-T$*F an) other furans( ca$mi"m( lea$( merc"ry(
trib"tyltin an$ other orano<tin compo"n$#( al%yl phenol# 1non<bio$era$able $eterent#
an$ anti<o)i$ant# pre#ent in mo$ifie$ poly#tyrene an$ A=C#3( #tyrene $imer# an$
trimer#( #oy pro$"ct#( an$ laboratory animal an$ pet foo$ pro$"ct#& :ef: Advances in
Modern Environmental Toxicology, Vol 21, Chemically-Induced Alternations in Sexual
and Functional Development: The Wildlife/uman Connection, 1552( Arinceton
Scientific A"bli#hin Co& << See al#o 'a#te Not P# 229<221&