Premium
Effects of bisphenol A and tetrabromobisphenol A on sex organ development in quail and chicken embryos
Author(s) -
Berg Cecilia,
Halldin Krister,
Brunström Björn
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620201224
Subject(s) - quail , tetrabromobisphenol a , embryo , bisphenol a , zoology , biology , embryogenesis , toxicology , andrology , ecology , chemistry , fishery , medicine , fire retardant , organic chemistry , epoxy
The plastic monomere bisphenol A (BPA) and the flame retardant tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) were examined for estrogen‐like developmental effects on the reproductive organs in avian embryos. The synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol (DES) was used as a positive control. The test compounds were injected into the yolk of quail and chicken eggs early during incubation and the embryos were examined 2 d before anticipated hatching. At 200 μg/g egg, BPA induced Müllerian duct (embryonic oviduct) malformation in female quail embryos and feminization of the left testis (ovotestis) in male chicken embryos. The estrogenic potency of BPA compared with DES was species and endpoint specific. Müllerian duct malformation was the most sensitive endpoint in quail embryos, whereas ovotestis formation was the most sensitive response in chicken embryos. Tetrabromobisphenol A caused high embryo mortality at 45 μg/g egg in both species, but no estrogen‐like effects were observed. Bisphenol A caused mortality only in chicken embryos at 67 and 200 μg/g egg. To our knowledge, this is the first report on estrogen‐like or embryolethal effects of BPA and TBBPA in birds.