endocrine disruptor
a natural or synthetic chemical that blocks, stimulates, mimics, or otherwise affects hormones in the endocrine system (e.g., sex hormones, thyroid hormones). Natural endocrine disruptors may include, for example, phytoestrogens (i.e., estrogens produced by some plants). Examples of synthetic endocrine disruptors are industrial chemicals (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs]), plastics such as bisphenol A, plasticizers such as phthalate, pesticides (e.g., dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [DDT]), and pharmaceutical agents such as diethylstilbestrol. Effects of exposure to endocrine disruptors may include infertility, birth defects, and cancer.