Development of screening tests for endocrine-disrupting chemicals

A new article published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry looks under the hood of how U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientists develop and validate testing methods that support regulatory decisions.

The work focuses on how the EPA developed tests to assist in the prioritization and risk assessment of endocrine disrupting chemicals. The Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program uses a tiered testing strategy to determine the potential of pesticides, commercial chemicals, and environmental contaminants to disrupt the endocrine system, specifically in relation to estrogen, androgen, and thyroid hormones.

"The finalized test method is a product of several years of productive collaboration between EPA scientists and our colleagues at the Ministry of the Environment in Japan," said Kevin Flynn, lead author of the article.