摘要：Summary (Alkylphenols: evaluation of the risk to aquatic ecosystems and human health with reference to
endocine effects). - Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) are a heterogeneous group of substances that can
interfere with many endocrine functions. Their effects have been demonstrated in different taxa and they are
suspected to affect human health. Alkylphenols are an important group of EDC. They are formed from the
degradation of alkylphenol polyethoxylates in the environment or in the sewage treatment plants. They are
generally characterized by a high bioconcentration factor (BCF) and accumulate both in sediments and aquatic
species. Alkylphenols (APE) show estrogenic activity: studies on fish and rodents put into evidence on both
reproductive and developmental effects. In a recent study, the levels of APE detected in seafood from the Adriatic
Sea showed a no negligible human health risk for strong fish consumers.
