The potential for use of gastropod molluscs as bioindicators of endocrine disrupting compounds in the terrestrial environment
Abstract
Most early studies of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) investigated the effects of single compounds on vertebrate species but, more recently, the focus has changed to the study of effects of multiple chemicals on many species, including invertebrates. The widening of the range of species studied is critical to understanding the consequences of EDC effects on ecosystem function and sustainability. Much work on invertebrates has focussed on the aquatic environment, where molluscs have been used as effective bioindicators for EDCs. Although molluscs have been used to assess effects of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in terrestrial environments, they have seldom been considered as potential