Disruptores endócrinos e seus efeitos na contaminação de recursos hídricos e qualidade da água: uma revisão bibliográfica sobre os riscos ao meio ambiente e saúde pública

Abstract

Endocrine Disruptors (EDs) are chemical substances that interfere with estrogenic activities in the environment and promote the incidence of diseases. When in contact with the body, these substances cause deregulation capable of damaging and/or inhibiting the functioning of an endocrine organ. In this context, contamination by EDs can occur through several routes, including contact with water, food consumption, and biological transfer. That said, high concentrations of EDs in water cause adverse effects on animal life, such as reproductive and hormonal problems. In turn, in humans, EDs can promote changes in the reproductive system, dysfunctions in the nervous system, and neurobehavioral effects, such as autism. In view of this finding, this paper presents a bibliographic review on the association between EDs and their effects on the contamination of water resources and water quality, especially with regard to the environment and public health, with emphasis on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The work was developed based on research in the main electronic databases: CAPES, SciELO and Google Scholar Periodicals; within the sample space of 24 years. As a result, cases were observed in which the presence of glyphosate, plasticizers and drugs were associated with speech delay, loss of developmental skills, seizures and diagnosis of ASD. In general, a direct relationship was observed in the vast majority of studies between the interference of endocrine disruptors and the increase in children diagnosed with ASD. In order to mitigate the neurobehavioral effects caused by contamination of water bodies, forms of water treatment to remove EDs were presented.