Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are associated with a number of possible health issues.
EDCs are mostly produced by humans. They're found in all sorts of things from pesticides and herbicides, and from cropland and livestock waste effluents and municipal and industrial waste to personal care products.
The more climate changes, the greater the concern that more EDCs may wind up in our water and the greater the risk of exposure. That exposure to EDCs can occur from any number of sources, through the food we eat, the air we breathe, and through our skin.
Possible long-term effects of EDCs include their ability to interfere with hormone systems that can cause cancerous tumours, birth defects, impede fertility. Research, led by the U of R's Dr. Chunjiang An, is underway examining the environmental risks of EDCs in surface water on the prairies.
An is Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and Laboratory Scientist in the Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Communities at the U of R. His project, with funding from a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant, aims to develop effective tools and strategies to determine the effects of EDCs on prairie watersheds and ensure the safety of the water supply under changing climatic conditions. We spoke with Chunjiang about his research and what it means at a local level, as well as more broadly.
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