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Review | Tropical Environment, Biology, and Technology | Volume 3 - Issue 1 - 2025 | 40-50 | https://doi.org/10.53623/tebt.v3i1.630
© 2025 by the author(s), and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License

Sources, Fate, and Transport of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Urban Soils of Vietnam: Challenges for Sustainable Urban Development

Author(s): Upeksha Gayangani Jayasekara 1 ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8201-0618 , Kadupitige Shashikala Dilrukshi Premarathna 2 ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4147-9348 , Razman Maznan Salim 3 , Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao 4 ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3979-1666 , Ferdaus Mohd Altaf Hossai 5 , 6 , ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4000-616X , Rubiyatno 7 ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6877-5150 , Ocean Thakali 8 ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6649-2322 , Corry Aina 9 , 10 , ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9438-5406 , Ni Putu Sri Wahyuningsih 9 , 10 , ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0159-2509 , Nii Amarquaye Commey 7 ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9139-0379
Author(s) information:
1 Environmental Engineering Program, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Curtin University Malaysia
2 Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University Malaysia
3 Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
4 Institute of Environmental Science, Engineering and Management, Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
5 Department of Dairy Science, Faculty of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Sylhet Agricultural University, Bangladesh
6 Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Sylhet Agricultural University, Bangladesh
7 Graduate Faculty of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8511, Japan
8 Center for research excellence in wastewater-based epidemiology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
9 Interdisciplinary Centre for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu 400-8511, Yamanashi, Japan
10 Integrated Graduate School of Medicine, Engineering, and Agricultural Sciences, University of Yamanashi, 4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu 400-8511, Yamanashi, Japan

Corresponding author

Tropical Environment, Biology, and Technology

Volume 3 - Issue 1 - 2025

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The rapid growth of the human population in recent years significantly accelerated urbanization across ASEAN countries. Among them, Vietnam emerged as one of the fastest-developing nations, undergoing swift industrial expansion and urban development. While this progress brought economic benefits, it also posed serious environmental challenges, most notably, the increasing presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the natural environment. These harmful pollutants, often derived from industrial processes, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and domestic waste, infiltrated ecosystems through air, water, and particularly soil. The core problem addressed in this study was the accumulation of EDCs in urban soils, which served as major reservoirs and posed long-term risks to both ecological systems and public health. Studies linked EDC exposure to hormonal imbalances, reproductive disorders, developmental issues, and even certain cancers in humans and animals. In addition, EDCs disrupted soil biodiversity, impaired microbial communities, and threatened species dependent on soil ecosystems. The accumulation of these compounds in Vietnam’s urban soil was especially concerning due to the country’s rapid industrialization and weak environmental regulations. This study aimed to provide a focused overview of the occurrence, sources, and impacts of EDCs in Vietnam’s urban soils and to explore potential mitigation strategies suited to the nation’s socio-industrial context. Key findings highlighted the role of urban soil as a critical sink for persistent pollutants, the urgent need for regulatory enforcement, and the importance of integrated waste management. In conclusion, Vietnam’s continued development must be accompanied by proactive environmental strategies to reduce EDC contamination and safeguard ecosystem health. Future research should prioritize site-specific monitoring, the development of sustainable remediation technologies, and the evaluation of regulatory frameworks to better manage EDC risks.

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SUBMITTED: 08 March 2025
ACCEPTED: 08 May 2025
PUBLISHED: 13 May 2025
SUBMITTED to ACCEPTED: 61 days
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53623/tebt.v3i1.630

Cite this article
Jayasekara , U. G. ., Premarathna, K. S. D. ., Salim, R. M., Thao, N. T. T. ., Hossai, F. M. A. ., Rubiyatno, Thakali, O. ., Aina, C. ., Wahyuningsih, N. P. S. ., & Commey, N. A. . (2025). Sources, Fate, and Transport of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Urban Soils of Vietnam: Challenges for Sustainable Urban Development. Tropical Environment, Biology, and Technology, 3(1), 40–50. https://doi.org/10.53623/tebt.v3i1.630
Keywords
Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) Vietnam Urban soil health problem
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