Table 1.

Characteristics of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) related to childhood obesity

EDCs	Biological half-life	Usage	Route of exposure
Phthalates	<24 hours	PVC plastics, food package, synthetic leather, toys, scent retainer personal care products, adhesives	Ingestion, respiration, dermal absorption, placenta transfer
BPA	~6 hours	Consumer plastics and polycarbonate products (such as water bottles, plastic food containers and cans), and medical materials (such as dental fillings)	Oral absorption, placenta transfer
Triclosan	<24 hours	Antimicrobial soaps, personal care products, toothpaste, cleaning products	Oral and dermal absorption; placenta transfer
DDT	~20–30 years	Organochlorine pesticides	Diet ingestion and respiration, dermal absorption, placenta and breastfeeding transfer
PCBs	~10 years	Industrial production (such as transformers and large capacitors), nominally closed systems (such as hydraulic fluids and lubricants) and open applications (such as carbon-less copy paper)	Diet ingestion and respiration, dermal absorption, placenta and breastfeeding transfer
PBDEs	1.8–11.7 years	Used as flame retardant in many products, such as building materials, electronics, furnishings, motor vehicles, airplanes, plastics, polyurethane foams, and textiles	Diet ingestion, respiration and dermal absorption, placenta and breastfeeding transfer
PFASs	3.8–7.3 years	Stain- or oil-resistant coating materials for textiles, carpet, food containers, fire-fighting foams and industrial surfactants	Age-related behavioral contact and diet ingestion, placenta and breastfeeding transfer

BPA, bisphenol A; DDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane; PCB, polychlorinated biphenyl; PBDE, polybrominated diphenyl ether; PFAS, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance.