Endocrine disrupting compounds and farm animals: their properties, actions and routes of exposure.

Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDC) comprise a diverse group of compounds of anthropogenic origin, including organochlorine pesticides, alkyl phenols, phthalates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), dioxins and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. EDC are generally present in the environment at low concentrations but they are ubiquitous and persistent and, although environmental concentrations are low, they appear to exert a range of adverse effects on animals of many species, including humans. Their effects include disruption of reproductive function and of the immune system and they can be carcinogenic. Animals may be exposed to relatively high concentrations of EDC because they persist in the environment and when ingested, they may be concentrated in fat tissue and released when the fat is mobilised during pregnancy or lactation, thus exposing, to relatively high concentrations, embryos and neonates. These stages of development are particularly susceptible to EDC effects. Very little is known of EDC body burdens in domestic animal species and particularly in those exposed to unpolluted environments. EDC concentrations in soils and plant material and their rates of ingestion and metabolism have been little studied but it is concluded that there is a potential risk of significant bioaccumulation and of associated effects on the health and reproductive capacity of domestic animals and of humans consuming animal products.