Phthalates News and Research

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Study finds motor skills problems in children exposed during pregnancy to plasticizer chemicals

Scientists with the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health report motor skills problems in children exposed during pregnancy to plasticizer chemicals known as phthalates that are widely used in personal care products like moisturizers and lipstick, as well as plastic containers and children's toys.

21 Feb 2019

Children from homes with flame-retardant sofa have high SVOC concentration in their blood

Children living in homes with all vinyl flooring or flame-retardant chemicals in the sofa have significantly higher concentrations of potentially harmful semi-volatile organic compounds in their blood or urine than children from homes where these materials are not present, according to a new Duke University-led study.

18 Feb 2019

Large study finds no association between phthalate exposure and breast cancer risk

In the largest study to date on phthalates and postmenopausal breast cancer, a University of Massachusetts Amherst cancer epidemiology researcher found no association between breast cancer risk and exposure to the plasticizing and solvent chemicals used in such common products as shampoo, makeup, vinyl flooring, toys, medical devices and car interiors.

13 Feb 2019

Phthalates may decrease fertility in female mice, study finds

A phthalate found in many plastic and personal care products may decrease fertility in female mice, a new study found.

8 Feb 2019

Exposure to certain chemicals may be linked to decrease in blood pressure during pregnancy

Exposure to certain chemicals such as phthalates, parabens or Bisphenol A could be associated with a decrease in blood pressure during pregnancy.

21 Jan 2019

Study: PVC-floored homes are source of phthalate uptake in pregnant women

A new study in the SELMA project at Karlstad University, Sweden, shows that plastic flooring in the home are a source of uptake of phthalates in pregnant women, phthalates that are considered dangerous in the EU chemical regulation system.

27 Sep 2018

Babies exposed to higher levels of organochlorine compounds in womb may have worse lung function

Babies exposed to higher levels of organochlorine compounds in the womb go on to have worse lung function in childhood, according to new research presented today at the European Respiratory Society International Congress.

18 Sep 2018

Replacement bisphenols cause reproductive defects in lab mice

Twenty years ago, researchers made the accidental discovery that the now infamous plastics ingredient known as bisphenol A or BPA had inadvertently leached out of plastic cages used to house female mice in the lab, causing a sudden increase in chromosomally abnormal eggs in the animals.

14 Sep 2018

So called "safe" food additives may not be so says AAP policy statement

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a new policy statement in the journal Pediatrics. Their statement says that at present there is little information regarding the cognitive and physiological effects of food additives and more information needs to be obtained.

23 Jul 2018

Rat study shows negative effects of perinatal exposure to phthalates

Male and female rats exposed in the womb and during lactation to plasticizing chemicals known as phthalates had significantly fewer neurons and synapses than those that were not exposed, researchers report in a new study.

19 Jul 2018

Study: Administration of endocrine disruptor causes epigenetic changes in pregnant sow's DNA

The public debate on endocrine disrupting chemicals- exogenous substances that have the same or similar effects as endogenous hormones - has been going on for some time.

30 Jun 2018

Special issue focuses on how endocrine-disrupting chemicals influence behavior

Rutgers School of Public Health Professor Dr. Emily Barrett, PhD, and North Carolina State University Professor Dr. Heather Patisaul, PhD, have guest edited a special issue of the journal Hormones and Behavior.

13 Jun 2018

Hair products used by Black women contain dozens of hazardous chemicals

A new report published today in the journal Environmental Research shows that Black women are potentially exposed to dozens of hazardous chemicals through the hair products they use.

26 Apr 2018

Dining out may boost levels of health-harming phthalates in the body

Dining out more at restaurants, cafeterias and fast-food outlets may boost total levels of potentially health-harming chemicals called phthalates in the body, according to a study out today. Phthalates, a group of chemicals used in food packaging and processing materials, are known to disrupt hormones in humans and are linked to a long list of health problems.

29 Mar 2018

Tips for buying safe toys during the holidays – and year-round

Pretty much all toys can look inviting to children. But it's important for adults who are buying toys this holiday season look beyond the flashing lights and cool noises to make sure they are safe.

14 Dec 2017

Chemical imaging can provide comprehensive information about the skin

A new method of examining the skin can reduce the number of animal experiments while providing new opportunities to develop pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

29 Nov 2017

Unequal exposure to pollutants may be contributing factor to higher rates of diabetes among minorities

Unequal exposure to environmental pollutants acting as endocrine-disrupting chemicals is an under-recognized risk factor that may play a key role in driving the higher rates of diabetes among minority and low-income populations, according to a new article in the journal Diabetes Care.

15 Nov 2017

Exposure to environmental chemicals linked to development of breast cancer

Exposure to environmental chemicals, especially early in life, is an important contributing factor in the development of breast cancer, according to the most comprehensive review of human studies to date.

10 Oct 2017

Phthalate levels in expectant fathers influence sperm epigenetics, study suggests

Early results from a larger, ongoing study led by environmental health scientist Richard Pilsner at the University of Massachusetts Amherst suggest that phthalate levels in expectant fathers have an effect on couples' reproductive success via epigenetic modifications of sperm DNA.

12 Sep 2017

Study examines link between flame retardants and pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing fertility treatments

Women with higher urinary concentrations of a common type of flame retardant had reduced likelihood of clinical pregnancy and live birth than those with lower concentrations, according to researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

26 Aug 2017