Test Methods for Pesticides Capture Endocrine Activity

A review paper co-authored with industry colleagues by Exponent's Jane Staveley, Meg McArdle, and Elaine Freeman has been recognized as an Exceptional Paper of the Year by the international journal Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management (IEAM).

Titled "Current testing programs for pesticides adequately capture endocrine activity and adversity for protection of vertebrate wildlife," the paper explores available test methods for determining the potential for endocrine effects of pesticide active ingredients. In particular, the paper examines the potential for endocrine-active properties of these ingredients and addresses complexities in the application of weight-of-evidence approaches in determining causation.

The Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Publications and Communications Committee announced the paper's designation as among the best published by IEAM in 2023, commending the research for its "innovative analysis, state-of-the-science considerations, and earnest focus on solutions to the world's most difficult environmental challenges."

From the publication: "To determine the magnitude of an effect stemming from an EATS [estrogen, androgen, thyroid, and steroidogenesis]-mediated apical endpoint on a population, it is important to perform a critical evaluation of the extent to which endpoints such as development, growth, or reproductive effects constitute adverse effects at the individual level, which can result in effects at the population level."