Research on Endocrine Disruptors
Endocrine disrupting chemicals can interfere with the normal functions of the endocrine system and lead to problems with reproduction (i.e. egg and sperm production) and development (i.e. healthy fetal growth) in both humans and wildlife. EPA’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program is charged with prioritizing and testing chemicals for potential endocrine disruption. EPA researchers develop and use innovative chemical screening technologies and other advanced scientific methods to help evaluate these chemicals for potential endocrine disruption.
On this page:
- Human Health Research Related to Endocrine Disruption
- Testing and Prioritizing Chemicals for Endocrine Disruption
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Related to Endocrine Disruption
- Collaboration and Partnerships
Human Health Research Related to Endocrine Disruption
- Early Life Exposures and Lifetime Health
- Research on the Reproductive Effects
- Effects on Neurological Development
Testing and Prioritizing Chemicals for Endocrine Disruption
EPA researchers develop innovative methods to test and prioritize chemicals for potential endocrine disruption. Results from these methods are used by EPA’s Endocrine Disruption Screening Program to make better informed decisions about chemical safety. EPA's Endocrine Disruption Screening Program uses a two-tiered testing approach:
- Tier 1 screens chemicals that have the potential to interact with the endocrine system.
- Tier 2 conducts more in-depth tests of select chemicals flagged in Tier 1 to determine the endocrine-related effects caused by each chemical at different levels of exposure.
- Prioritizing Chemicals for Potential Endocrine Disruption
- In-Depth Testing for Potential Endocrine Disruption
- Testing for Potential Low-Dose Effects
Ecosystems and Environment Research Related to Endocrine Disruption
- Detecting Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals from Animal Feeding Operations
- Evaluating Concentrations of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Biosolids (Sewage Sludge)
- Assessing Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals In Landfills, Solid Waste Sites and Wastewater