Which type of pollution is caused by estrogen from pharmaceuticals?
Pharmaceutical estrogens entering water act as endocrine-disrupting contaminants because they mimic or alter normal hormonal signalling at very low concentrations. Binding to estrogen receptors changes gene expression, reproductive development, vitellogenin production, sex differentiation, and fertility in exposed organisms. This mode of action is distinct from direct neurotoxicity, DNA mutation, or acidification, although one chemical can sometimes have more than one biological effect. Monitoring should include appropriate controls, spatial replication, temporal variation, and validated analy
Ref: Campbell Biology, Urry et al., 12th Ed., Unit 8 Ecology