Endocrine Disrupting Chemical on Reptile’s Effect

Abstract

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are the groups of synthetic chemicals that may interfere, mimic or inhibit the function of natural hormone. The chemicals can change in balance of hormone and adverse effect on organs development, reproductive system and immune system in both human and wildlife. Those synthetic chemicals which persist and transfer in food chain at ecosystem as known as EDCs for example aldrin and DDT had been extensively used for many decades until present; they had been legitimately banned in several countries for agricultural use and public health proposes. Many well-known literature reports EDCs presents several adverse effect on reptiles including sex reversal, sex steroid, and morphology malformation. Many studies of Lake Apopka, United State of America showed obviously the EDCs effects on sex reversal and population decline of American alligator Alligator mississippiensis. Also, in complex food web in which reptiles are less or equivalent to human on trophic level, they may be getting risk on EDCs adverse effects throughout the food web as same as consumers on higher trophic level.