109 chemicals were detected in pregnant women, including 55 never before reported in humans and 42 “mystery chemicals” of unknown source and use.
- Scientists used high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify 109 chemicals in the bodies of pregnant women and their newborns.
- Of these substances, 40 are used as plasticizers, 28 in cosmetics, 25 in consumer products, 29 as pharmaceuticals, 23 as pesticides, 3 as flame retardants and 7 as PFAS compounds, present in carpets.
- 55 had never been discovered in humans and 42 are of unknown origin and use.
Regardless of our environment and our diet, we all unknowingly ingest chemicals whose effects on our health are sometimes unknown. The question, how many of these chemicals are present in our body?
Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco provide an answer that is alarming to say the least. By conducting a study on pregnant women, they detected in their blood and that of their newborns no less than 109 chemicals, which suggest that they cross the mother’s placenta. The results have just been published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Chemical substances never indicated by manufacturers
Where do these chemicals come from? According to the researchers, they most likely come from consumer products, as well as other industrial sources. “These chemicals have probably been in the body for a while, but our technology is now helping us identify more of them.”explains Professor Tracey J. Woodruff, who led the study. Alarmingly, certain chemicals continue to pass from pregnant women to their children, meaning that these chemicals may be with us for generations.”
To detect these chemicals in the body, scientists used high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)
The science team used high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to identify man-made chemicals in people. However, it ran into a problem: although chemical libraries exist to identify chemical substances, manufacturers do not always make the substances that make up their products available.
“These new technologies are promising because they allow us to identify more chemicals in people, but the results of our study clearly show that chemical manufacturers need to provide analytical standards so that we can confirm the presence of chemicals. and assess their toxicity”underlines the co-lead author Dimitri Panagopoulos Abrahamsson.
42 products of totally unknown source or use
Of the 109 chemicals researchers found in blood samples from pregnant women and their newborns, 40 are used as plasticizers, 28 in cosmetics, 25 in consumer products, 29 as pharmaceuticals, 23 as pesticides, 3 as flame retardants and 7 as PFAS compounds, which are used in carpets or upholstery. But according to the researchers, it’s possible that all of these chemicals have other uses.
Furthermore, 55 of the 109 products have never been previously reported in humans, and 42 are of completely unknown origin. “It is very concerning that we are unable to identify the uses or sources of so many of these chemicals”, alarms Professor Woodruff. She also believes that the United States Environmental Protection Agency “must do a better job of asking the chemical industry to standardize their reporting on chemical compounds and their uses”. She must also “use its authority to ensure that we have adequate information to assess potential health harm and remove chemicals that pose a risk from the market”.
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