人類日常活動所使用之器具與化學物，可能伴隨一些化學物殘留，進入空氣、土壤、河川、大海，透過生態系統之食物鏈(food chain)進入人體，一旦在體內長期累積，會對身體健康產生負面影響，如電子電器、紡織品、塑膠品、建材等所添加之防火物質多溴二苯醚(PBDEs)，是一種環境荷爾蒙(environmental hormone)，又稱為內分泌干擾物(endocrine disruptors,EDs)或內分泌干擾化學物(endocrine disrupting chemicals,EDCs)，長期暴露後可能干擾人類甲狀腺素之分泌，也會引起生殖毒性(reproductive toxicity)，如物種雌性化或雄性化，有些甚至會致癌(carcinogenicity)。最新研究報告指出，塑膠中常添加的塑化劑亦屬環境荷爾蒙，若長期暴露過量，則不但會干擾內分泌系統，還可能使男童女性化(feminization)行為傾向，女童出現性早熟(premature)症狀，而生活環境中塑膠製品幾乎無所不在。較令人擔心的是食物鏈中的殘留化學物， 具有生物累積(bioaccumulation) 和生物放大作用(biomagnification)，污染物的濃度幾乎放大了百千倍，甚至高達萬倍以上，1950年代日本九州港灣汞污染與居民中毒事件，即是個最佳例子。近數十年來，為了提升農作物產量及品質，除草劑、殺蟲劑或驅蟲劑等大量使用，對環境產生很大的衝擊，使用後之殘留化學物可能進入空氣、土壤、河流或飲水中，影響整個生態系統(ecological system)之恆定(homeostasis)，特別是動物和人類。從不同的媒體報導，經常可看到生活中毒物的相關報導，如重金屬、農藥、有機溶劑、食品防腐劑、漂白劑、抗生素、染料、人工色素、戴奧辛、電磁波、輻射線或核能等，如何正確面對生活中的毒物，應是首要之務。化學物質是一體兩面，不論是天然 的或合成的，有其好用處或便利性，但也有其毒性，如何正確使用且避免毒性，需要有良好的公共衛生政策、風險評估、管理監督制度及全民的參與監督。

Human daily use products and chemicals may be persistently existed in the environment,entering into the atmosphere,the soils,the rivers and the seas, and finally via the food-chain of ecological system into the human and animals. Persistent organic pollutants(POPs) long-term accumulated in the body may produce negative health effects(such as reproductive system),common POPs such as electronic devices,plastic products,
clothings,constructing materials etc.,usually added with fire-protective chemicals PBDEs,called environmental hormones,or endocrine disruptors(EDs).Long-term exposure to endocrine disruptors may interfere thyroid hormone secretions,also produce reproductive toxicity,such as species feminization or masculization.Recent studies pointed out that overdose
exposed to plastic agents not only interrupt the endocrine system,but also cause the boys feminized and the girls prematured.Persistent chemicals in the food-chain system usually have bioaccumulation and biomagnification effects,concentrations of pollutants may magnify to hundreds to thousands times,even ten thousands times.In recent decades,we overused pesticides,herbicides,and fungicides for promotion of gricultural
product amounts and qualiy.It may impose a heavy impact to the environment, persistent chemicals in the air,soil,river or drinking water may influence the homeostasis of the ecological system.Reports from different medias,toxic chemicals in daily life repeatedly mentioned,such as heavy metals,antibiotics,detergents,dyes,artificial pigments,dioxins,organic solvents,etc.It is necessary for us to learn how to face the toxic chemicals of daily life correctly. Chemicals have two sides,no matter what natural or synthetic,they provide conveniences, but also have toxicity,how to use safely and properly,we need good public health policy,rsik assessment,management and monitoring system,and all of us engage and supervise our surroundings.