A new study published online on October 28, 2014 in the peer-reviewed journal Food and Chemical Toxicology evaluates seven polyester monomers for their potential to exhibit androgenic and estrogenic effects. The evaluated monomers (ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, polytetramethylene glycol, isophthalic acid, monosodium-5-sulfoisophthalic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid) are used by the global specialty chemical company Eastman Chemical, which also funded the project, in polymer production. Osimitz and colleagues used quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models to study receptor binding and a battery of in vitro assays. The QSAR models did not predict any androgenic or estrogenic activities for the seven monomers. Additionally, the in vitro screening assays showed negative results. The authors further point out that six of the seven monomers have been subjected to 13-week subchronic toxicity and developmental toxicity studies in rats that showed no evidence of androgen- or estrogen-related effects. Thus, they conclude that none of the monomers tested exhibits androgenic or estrogenic hazards.

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Osimitz, T. et al. (2014). “Polyester monomers lack ability to bind and activate both androgenic and estrogenic receptors as determined by In Vitro and In Silico methods.Food and Chemical Toxicology (published online October 28, 2014)

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