Xenoestrogens are a group of chemicals that are hormonally active agents.

They differ from phytoestrogens (which are estrogenic substances from plants), and act as false messengers disrupt the process of reproduction. Xenoestrogens also are believed to have an effect on oncogenes (cancer genes), specifically in relation to breast cancer.

Xenoestrogens include: Methylbenzylidene camphor (sunscreen lotions), butylated hydroxyanisole / BHA (food preservative), atrazine (weedkiller), bisphenol A (monomer for polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin; antioxidant in plasticizers), a number of insecticides including dieldrin, DDT, endosulfan, erythrosine / FD&C Red No. 3, heptachlor, indane / hexachlorocyclohexane, methoxychlor, onylphenol and derivatives (industrial surfactants; emulsifiers for emulsion polymerization; laboratory detergents; pesticides), polychlorinated biphenyls / PCBs (in farmed fish, electrical oils, lubricants, adhesives, paints), parabens (lotions), phenosulfothiazine (a red dye), phthalates (plasticizers), DEHP (plasticizer for PVC. )

References

Korach, Kenneth S. (1998). Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology. Marcel Dekker Ltd, pp 278-279, 294-295. ISBN 978-0824798574. Evidence of effects of environmental chemicals on the endocrine system in children PMID 12837917. Environmental endocrine modulators and human health:an assessment of the biological evidence PMID 9557209. Vidaeff AC and Sever LE, In-utero exposure to environmental estrogens and male reproductive health. PMID 1580878. Endocrine disruptors and human health. Is there a problem? Toxicology 2004 PMID 15458784