Presence of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in Water, Health Impacts, and Its Treatability—A Review

In recent years, the increasing population and industrialization have released different contaminants in the surface water. Any exogenous chemical or chemical combination that affects a person’s biological systems is referred to as an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC). EDCs can cause harm to wildlife and to human health too. Since the chemicals are imperceptible to the naked eye and interfere with the endocrine system, which controls growth, development, and the body’s reaction to damage, their effects on human health are particularly alarming. The presence of these chemicals in drinking water can cause disruption to different human systems of development, reproduction, neurological, and cardiovascular. These chemicals can be released in the surface water from different natural and anthropogenic substances like pharmaceuticals, pesticides, components of plastics, etc. These substances can be found in various products like plastic bottles, aluminium cans, home and industrial disinfectant, food additives, beauty products, and insecticides. The paper focuses on identifying different industrial and non-industrial sources of EDCs. The various mechanisms by which EDCs cause disruption to human systems, their health impacts, and treatability will also be discussed.