Environmental Endocrine Toxicants: Biology, Effects, and Management

Highlighting cutting-edge research on human exposure to endocrine toxicants and the related harmful effects, this book focuses on the challenges of dealing with increasing pollution levels, increased use of synthetic chemicals, and environmental endocrine disruptors that endanger the human endocrine system and its hormones. Found in manmade and natural substances and materials, these toxicants include pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals, solvents and byproducts, phytoestrogens, nanomaterials, and chemicals used in personal care products. They may mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones and are linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, immune, and other problems. The volume discusses the chemical nature and mechanisms of endocrine disruptors, their sources, the impact of endocrine toxicants on a sustainable environment, and the effect of endocrine toxicants on human health, such as on thyroid glands, on human reproduction, etc. The volume also looks at the therapeutic effects of medicinal plants on endocrine disorders in humans.

Younis Ahmad Hajam, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Life Sciences and Allied Health Sciences at Sant Baba Bhag Singh University, Padhiana, Jalandhar, Punjab, India. Dr. Hajam has been teaching graduate and postgraduate students of zoology for the past three years and has been guiding postgraduate and PhD students for their dissertations and theses. He is currently handling a major research project as Principal Investigator and three projects under the HP CM Startup Scheme. Dr. Hajam previously served as a Junior Research Fellow in the Department of Zoology at Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. Dr. Hajam has received national awards for his contributions in biological science. His current research focus is on therapeutic management for diabetes, polycystic ovarian cancer, melatonin physiology, and antioxidants and natural therapies for other metabolic and endocrine disorders. His specialization is in animal physiology, neuroendocrinology, toxicology, and pharmacology. He is an author of more than 25 research articles (h-index 6; i-index 2; total citation 61) and 20 book chapters, and he has published several books with international publishers. Dr. Hajam has organized, presented, and participated in numerous state, national, and international conferences, seminars, workshops, and symposiums. He has also delivered invited lectures at international conferences. He has served as an editorial board member and reviewer for reputed international journals. He is also a member of the Asian Council of Science Editors. Dr. Hajam is still writing and experimenting with diverse capacities of animals for use in the treatment of various endocrine and metabolic disorders. Dr. Hajam holds a doctorate in Zoology from Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidayalaya (A Central University), Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India.

Rouf Ahmad Bhat, PhD, is presently working in the Department of School Education, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, India. He has been teaching graduate and postgraduate students of environmental sciences for the past three years. He is an author of more than 50 research articles (h-index 18; i-index 26; total citation >820) and 40 book chapters and has published more than 28 books with international publishers. His specialization is in limnology, toxicology, phytochemistry, and phytoremediation. Dr. Bhat has presented and participated in numerous state, national and international conferences, seminars, workshops, and symposiums. In addition, he has worked as an Associate Environmental Expert in the World Bank-funded Flood Recovery Project and is also on the Environmental Support Staff of Asian Development Bank funded development projects. He has received many awards, appreciations, and recognition for his services to the science of water testing and air and noise analysis. He has served as an editorial board member and reviewer for reputed international journals. Dr. Bhat is still writing and experimenting with diverse capacities of plants for use in aquatic pollution remediation. Dr. Bhat pursued his doctorate at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Kashmir (Division of Environmental Science).

Khalid Rehman Hakeem, PhD, is Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After completing his doctorate (botany; specialization in plant eco-physiology and molecular biology) from Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India, he worked as a lecturer at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India, at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia, he was a Postdoctorate Fellow and Fellow Researcher (Associate Professor) for several years. Dr. Hakeem has more than 10 years of teaching and research experience in plant eco-physiology, biotechnology and molecular biology, medicinal plant research, plant-microbe-soil interactions, as well as in environmental studies. He is the recipient of several fellowships at both national and international levels. He has served as a visiting scientist at Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. Currently, he is involved with a number of international research projects with different government organizations. To date, Dr. Hakeem has authored and edited more than 60 books with international publishers. He also has to his credit more than 115 research publications in peer-reviewed international journals and 55 book chapters in edited volumes with international publishers. At present, Dr. Hakeem serves as an editorial board member and reviewer for several high-impact international scientific journals. He is included in the advisory board of Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK. He is also a fellow of the Plantae group of the American Society of Plant Biologists, member of the World Academy of Sciences, member of the International Society for Development and Sustainability, Japan, and member of the Asian Federation of Biotechnology, Korea.

Rajesh Kumar, PhD, is currently working as Assistant Professor of Zoology in the Department of Biosciences, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. He has more than eight years of experience in teaching and research. His thrust areas of research are entomology and environmental science. During PhD, he was awarded a Junior Research Fellowship by the University Grants Commission-Special Assistance Programme and a major research project by HIMCOSTE, Shimla, India, on honeybees and their social impact during 2016. His work was recognized and appreciated at the national and international level, receiving four best research paper awards. Dr. Kumar has expertise in beekeeping techniques with the knowledge of sampling and maintaining culture for various insects and animals, such as earthworms, honeybees, Lucilia cuprina flies, etc. He has also completed one self-sustaining project entitled ＂Establishment of Vermicompost Unit under Clean Campus Green Campus.’＂ Currently, he is handling two incubator projects under an HP-STARTUP scheme and a major project sponsored by the Department of Environment, Science and Technology, Government of Himachal Pradesh, India. Dr. Kumar over 25 research papers, three books, five book chapters, seven proceedings papers, over 55 abstracts, and nine awards to his credit. He has attended and participated in many seminars and national and international conferences. He is guiding PhD and MSc students for their dissertations.