# Application of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in the Analysis of Waters and Wastewaters
## 5 Application of MIPs for the Detection of Different Classes of Contaminants
### Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)  
Personal care products (PCPs) include many types of preparations found in pharmaceutical products and beauty stores, which can be purchased without a prescription. They include cosmetic products (moisturizers, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polish, facial or eye makeup, shampoos, colors for hair, kinds of toothpaste, and deodorant products), household products, food, or pharmaceuticals (skin protectants such as lip balms and diaper ointments, mouthwashes marketed for therapeutic purposes, antiperspirants, dandruff or acne treatments, etc.) [122]. In the everyday activity of human beings, huge quantities of PCPs are used, such as swimming, bathing, and other hygienic activities, at thousands of tons/year. Although these substances are used in some materials intended for direct ingestion, the main route of exposure is through skin adsorption, being further metabolized and eventually excreted and/or bioaccumulated [123; 124]. This dermal absorption may have minor adverse health effects, such as dermatitis, as well as more serious effects, such as mutagenic, carcinogenic, and estrogenic disruptions [125; 126]. Accordingly, the presence of residues of many of these components in waters and wastewaters represents a potential hazard for public health and marine organisms. This urges the need to develop methods for simultaneous determination of more than one group of these emerging organic pollutants at the same time.  
Several MIP-based analytical techniques are reported in Table 4 for the detection of different types of EDCs. Of the various components of PCPs, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are reported to be the source of many cancerous tumors, birth abnormalities, and other developmental diseases. These compounds are reported to disrupt in the environment via most household and industrial products, which might in turn interact with the hormonal systems of animals and humans [127].  
There are two main groups of environmental carcinogenic EDCs: bisphenol, which can be found in polycarbonate plastics and aluminum can lining, as shown in Figure 8, and phthalates [127]. They can also be found in many pharmaceutical and personal care products available in common beauty stores [123], as well as being used as plasticizers in skincare products containers. It has been shown that bisphenol A (BPA) is related to reduced levels of estradiol and progesterone [128; 129; 130], while di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate can result in a decrease in the generation of estradiol and progesterone in both pregnant and cycling rats, suggesting that these chemicals modify steroidogenesis. Thus, bisphenols and phthalates pollutants represent a significant risk to the environment and need to be continuously monitored, especially in water resources where they can be disrupted, as will be discussed briefly and as shown in Table 4.  
Figure 8: The structure of bisphenols that are most commonly used in polycarbonate plastics.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline