Air Pollution or Endocrine Disrupters Research Paper

Air Pollution or Endocrine Disrupters - Research Paper Example Such disruptions manifest among humans with most affectations in the male and female reproduction systems. The US EPA has set forth the screening of thousand of chemicals in order to screen endocrine disruptors before they are introduced to the human body. This screening program has proven to be problematic because of the bulk of chemicals which have to be screened. There are thousands of disruptors which have to be tested and testing them cannot adequately be carried out without incurring high costs which the government agencies and laboratories cannot afford. Nevertheless, these tests help establish clear guidelines and standards for government officials and the general public in the assessment of these products and their use by the general public. There are advantages and disadvantages to these tests; mostly these tests are advantageous because they help determine the health impact of chemicals to the general health of the population. The validation of chemicals and the investigat ion of the disruptor effects to the endocrine system can be determined through in vitro and in vivo assays. However, carrying out these tests can also be disadvantageous because of the practical considerations for testing. In effect, there is a need for the government to be more prudent and selective in the programs it would implement to evaluate these chemicals. Moreover, people also need to be more cautious about the chemicals they use because they can have negative impacts on both humans and animals. Introduction We are currently in the midst of an era where we are facing various environmental issues. The Global Warming phenomenon has been explained and explored by various experts and politicians as a major cause of concern to our planet because of its growing impact on all living things. One of these issues pertains to air pollution and their effects to our human physiology. Air pollution largely affects our respiratory system because chemical and air-borne toxins enter our body through inhalation. The respiratory system then helps to process the inhaled gases while exchanging carbon dioxide for oxygen which is crucial to our survival. This paper shall consider the role of air pollution in terms of chemical endocrine disruptors which mimic the hormone in our bodies. These chemicals seem to interfere with the actions of hormones – mimicking behavior and upsetting normal growth, behavior, and reproduction of wildlife. This paper shall explain how endocrine disruptors enter the cells. It shall evaluate if these compounds also harm people and how they affect the human body. This paper shall also discuss the pros and cons of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) screening thousands of chemicals that are used as endocrine disruptors before they are introduced to the human body. It shall discuss this student’s opinion on whether EPA is right in conducting the screening. This paper is being carried out in order to establish a clear and comprehens ive assessment of these endocrine disruptors and their impact on the human body. Body There are various chemical toxins which enter the lungs and the respiratory system and which affect the endocrine and the normal processes of our body. Some of these chemicals are known as endocrine disruptors. These chemicals are often seen in our daily use products, including â€Å"plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, food, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides†