"The majority of chemicals so far identified as having endocrine-disrupting (ED) abilities are organic compounds. Paradoxically, up to about 200 years ago organic compounds were only produced by living organisms. Examples are our own hormones and plant phytoestrogens, which together with many other naturally occurring organic compounds have been in our milieu for millions of years. However, with the evolvement of synthetic organic chemistry during the latter half of the 19th century, ignited by the petrochemical industry and the recognition of oil and gas as a vast and cheap source of organic raw material, the synthesis and development of new organic compounds literarily exploded. At the turn of the millennium, an

estimated 30,000 new organic chemicals were on the market, with some 1000 new compounds being added annually (Barney,

1980). Thus, people today are likely to be exposed to thousands of organic chemicals that did not exist less than four generations ago. ..."

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