Phthalates News and Research

RSS

Polystyrene nanoplastics may threaten reproductive health and offspring development

Plastic pollution is increasingly being recognized as more than an environmental problem. Tiny plastic particles can enter living organisms, circulate through biological systems, and potentially reach reproductive tissues.

21 Sep 2026

The certification illusion: Why safety seals miss hidden chemical hazards

None of the certification programs consumers rely on to find safer personal care products require laboratory testing of the products they certify, according to a new peer-reviewed analysis.

25 Aug 2026

Higher BPA exposure tracked with higher estrogen and progesterone in women

Researchers found that higher urinary concentrations of BPA and several phthalate metabolites were associated with higher serum estrogen and progesterone levels in 90 premenopausal women from Iran. The cross-sectional study also identified positive associations for combined chemical exposures, although the authors cautioned that the mixture findings are exploratory and cannot establish causality.

24 Aug 2026

Beauty tutorials in social media increase use of hormone-disrupting products by teens

Personal care products are among the largest everyday sources of exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and high schoolers who follow social media influencers or watch beauty tutorials seem to use considerably more of them, according to Rutgers researchers.

17 Aug 2026

Study: Nearly all personal care and cleaning products contain undisclosed chemicals

A new study of sunscreens, baby lotions, shampoos, soaps, and other everyday products found that nearly all contained chemicals not disclosed on their labels.

11 Aug 2026

Phthalates may contribute to high blood pressure in pregnant women

Phthalates, which are chemicals found in plastics, personal care products and hundreds of other consumer goods, may contribute to high blood pressure in pregnant women, according to a study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

10 Aug 2026

Hormone-disrupting chemicals found in breast milk and infants' urine

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that interfere with hormones were found in breast milk and in the urine of children from birth up to 6 months, according to a study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

14 Jun 2026

Prenatal chemical mixtures may influence fetal growth and placental health

Common environmental chemicals could affect birthweight and placental function, according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology and led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by "la Caixa" Foundation. Conducted within the Barcelona Life Study Cohort (BiSC), the research underscores the importance of considering real-life exposure to complex chemical mixtures and highlights the role of angiogenic biomarkers in linking these exposures to fetal development.

17 May 2026

Infant exposure to environmental chemicals linked to lower bone density

Infants exposed to certain environmental chemicals, including breast milk and everyday products such as personal care items, are more likely to have lower bone density in the first year of their lives, according to research presented at the 28th European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague.

11 May 2026

Urges for cardiologists to screen patients for UPF intake

The European Society of Cardiology identifies ultra-processed foods as a key cardiovascular risk, urging a shift in dietary guidelines for better heart health.

11 May 2026

Low-plastic diets cut plastic-linked chemicals in urine within 7 days, study finds

A Nature Medicine study found that healthy Australian adults were widely exposed to plastic-associated chemicals, with processed, packaged, and canned foods emerging as important modifiable contributors to urinary phthalate and bisphenol levels. In a 7-day pilot randomized trial, low-plastic food interventions reduced several urinary plastic-associated chemicals without lowering daily energy intake.

22 Apr 2026

Plastic chemicals linked to nearly two million premature births

Exposure to a chemical commonly used to make plastic more flexible may have contributed to about 1.97 million preterm births in 2018 alone, or more than 8 percent of the world's total, a new analysis of population surveys shows.

31 Mar 2026

UPFs before conception may shape fertility and embryo growth

Findings show ultraprocessed food consumption before conception influences fertility and embryonic development, urging further research in this area.

26 Mar 2026

U.S. study links ultra-processed foods to lower odds of fertility

A cross-sectional NHANES study of 2,582 U.S. women found that higher ultra-processed food intake was associated with lower odds of being classified as fertile based on self-reported infertility history. Greater Mediterranean diet adherence was linked to higher odds of fertility in adjusted models, but that association was no longer significant after accounting for obesity.

22 Mar 2026

Toxic compounds found in synthetic and natural hair extensions

Chemical analysis of hair extensions uncovers hazardous substances, emphasizing the need for improved regulation and transparency in the beauty industry.

16 Feb 2026

Study links endocrine-disrupting chemicals to hidradenitis suppurativa

A Johns Hopkins Medicine study involving a dozen people with the inflammatory skin disease hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), which mostly affects skin folds, is believed to be the first to provide evidence that hormone-disrupting chemicals commonly found in ultra-processed food and single-use water bottles may contribute to the development of or worsen the condition in some people.

1 Dec 2025

Review reveals how paternal lifestyle shapes sperm epigenetics and offspring health

A new review in Clinical Epigenetics synthesises growing evidence that paternal lifestyle and environmental exposures such as diet, obesity, smoking, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and stress alter sperm epigenetic marks (DNA methylation, histone retention, and small non-coding RNAs).

17 Oct 2025

Childhood exposure to plastic chemicals linked to long-term health risks

Childhood exposure to chemicals used to make plastic household items presents growing health risks that can extend long into adulthood, experts from NYU Langone Health report.

21 Sep 2025

Study shows children inhale more microplastics inside school than outside

Researchers measured airborne microplastics and chemical additives in a Portuguese school near an industrial complex. They found higher levels indoors than outdoors, with children continuously exposed to a complex mix of pollutants.

10 Sep 2025

Ultra-processed foods affect sperm quality and metabolism even without extra calories

A controlled crossover trial in Cell Metabolism found that ultra-processed foods increase weight, fat mass, LDL:HDL cholesterol, and alter reproductive hormones in men, with some effects independent of calorie load. These diets also showed trends toward reduced sperm motility, shifts in pollutants, and transient inflammatory responses, highlighting risks beyond excess calories.

31 Aug 2025