Results for search "Chemicals".
14 Aug
A new study links parabens and phenols used in many makeup and sunscreen products to high blood pressure in pregnant women.
Chemicals commonly found in sunscreen, makeup and other personal care products could be putting pregnancies at risk, a new study warns.
Phenols and parabens in these products increase a pregnant woman's risk of high blood pressure by 57%, particularly at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation, researchers reported Aug. 14 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
"We found che...
In an historic move, the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday banned the use of a pesticide that can harm fetuses.
Known as dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA or Dacthal), the weedkiller is used on a variety of crops, including broccoli, onions, kale, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
However, when a pregnant woman is exposed to the chemical, it can alter fetal thyroid hormon...
A common plastics chemical might increase a person's risk of diabetes, a new study warns.
People fed small doses of Bisphonol A (BPA) developed significantly worse insulin sensitivity within a four-day period, researchers found.
"We were surprised to see that reducing BPA exposure, such as using stainle...
The COVID virus, or rather people's immune response to it, has changed and it might be prudent to wait a couple days after symptoms start before taking a COVID test, researchers report.
"For COVID, we found that if you only have one test, it's best to wait two days after symptoms arise to use it, because the virus is unlikely to be detectable until then,"said study first author
Many Louisiana residents are being exposed to a cancer-causing toxic gas that's used in industrial settings, researchers report.
A cutting-edge mobile air-testing lab found dangerous levels of ethylene oxide along large stretches of Louisiana, sometimes at levels a thou...
San Francisco is on the verge of passing a ban on "forever chemicals" in the protective clothing firefighters wear while battling blazes.
City lawmakers are expected to pass an ordinance on Tuesday that will prohibit the use of firefighting...
Emulsifiers -- substances that are essential ingredients in processed foods -- appear to increase people's risk of type 2 diabetes, a new study finds.
In fact, the more emulsifiers that people eat as part of their food, the higher their risk of type 2 diabetes, researc...
Volatile and toxic chemicals commonly stored in garages can increase the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Gasoline or kerosene, gas-powered equipment and lawn care chemicals represented the top three risk factors for ALS found in garages, researchers report.
Exposures to each of these increased ALS risk around 15%, results show.
Other chemicals found in garages tha...
Cancer-linked 'forever chemicals' made news this week, with the Biden Administration vowing to cut levels in the nation's tap water.
New research finds that the chemicals, known as PFAS, can also contaminate the seafood Americans eat.
No one i...
Are you one of the estimated 104,000 Americans who lives within six miles of factories that spew organic chemicals into the air?
New rules issued Tuesday by the Environmental Protection Agency might make your life healthie...
PFAS "forever" chemicals, increasingly linked to health risks, will no longer be added to food packaging handled by American consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday.
"Grease-proofing materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances [PFAS] are no longer being sold for use in food packaging in the U.S.,"
Mercury levels in tuna haven't changed since 1971, despite efforts to reduce emissions of the toxic metal into the environment, researchers report.
Their analysis of nearly 3,000 tuna samples caught in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans between 1971 and 2022 revealed stable mercury concentrations in tuna during those five decades.
The research team specifically looked at the tr...
Pregnant women exposed to flame-retardant chemicals could face an increased risk of premature birth, a new study warns.
Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are commonly used as flame retardants in products like furniture, baby items, electronics, clothes and building materials, researchers said. The chemicals also make plastics more flexible.
Manufacturers started using OPEs after flame r...
"Forever"PFAS chemicals appear to harm bone health in Hispanic teenagers, a new study finds.
The more PFAS chemicals found in the bodies of Hispanic adolescents, the lower their bone density was, researchers report in the Dec. 6 issue of the journal Environmental Research.
Peak bone mineral density in adolescence helps predict whether a person will develop osteoporosis late...
Exposure to ubiquitous chemicals known as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, may delay puberty in girls, new research indicates.
The study is the first to consider the role hormones play in the delay, according to researchers from the University of Cincinnati.
Delayed puberty can lead to negative long-term health outcomes for girls, such as a higher incidence of breast ca...
Moms with higher prenatal levels of plastics chemicals known as phthalates may face a slightly increased risk of postpartum depression, according to a new study.
Postpartum depression affects up to 20% of new mothers, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. That makes it the most common post-delivery pregnancy complication.
The NIH's Environmental Influences on Child H...
Researchers in Minnesota have uncovered a new link between tear gas exposures and negative effects on reproductive health.
The study was prompted by anecdotal reports of irregular menstrual cycles among protestors who were exposed to tear gas during the nationwide protests that followed the May 2020 murder of George Floyd.
"
Harmful "forever" chemicals are widespread in the environment, and new research hints they pose a particular health risk to women.
A new study suggests women who are exposed to higher levels of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, are more likely to have been diagnosed with certain cancers. Exposure is also linked to liver damage, fertility issues, high blood pressure and o...
Everyday products used for cleaning or freshening the air may release hundreds of hazardous volatile organic compounds, according to new research.
Both conventional and "green" products emitted these VOCs in an analysis by the Environmental Working Group, though the green cleaners had less of them.
"This study is a wake-up call for consumers, researchers and regulators to be more aw...
Phthalates are commonly used in plastics, and researchers have now tied them to developmental issues in toddler boys who were exposed to the chemical in the womb.
The new study links the chemicals to emotional and behavioral development issues in 2-year-old boys ...
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are living in an environment that contains higher levels of potentially harmful chemicals than seen in American homes, new research reveals.
The discovery is important because it could guide the design of future spacecraft.
"Our findings have implications for future space stations and habitats, where it may be possible to exclu...
An investigation into a high number of cancers at a Montana nuclear missile base has led to the discovery of unsafe levels of a likely carcinogen.
The hundreds of cancer cases appear to be connected to underground launch control centers at Malmstrom Air Force Base.
Levels of PCBs, an oily or waxy substance that is considered a
Men's use of personal care products has almost doubled since 2004, exposing them to some potentially harmful chemicals, a new study commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) finds.
Overall, the average American adult uses 12 personal care products a day that contain as many as 112 chemical ingredients. That's a change from the previous average of nine products with 126 unique...
The cleanup of industrial chemicals following a freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, early this year released high levels of some dangerous gases, including acrolein, investigators say.
The Norfolk Southern freight train was carrying numerous hazardous chemicals. To avoid a catastrophic explosion after the Feb. 3 derailment, authorities opted for a...
When thinking of people in high-risk jobs, hairdressers and beauticians don't immediately come to mind.
But cosmetologists have a much greater chance of developing ovarian cancer than the average woman, a new study reports.
Specifically, working for a decade or more as a hairdresser, barber or beautician is associated with a threefold higher risk of ovarian cancer, according to a re...
"Forever chemicals"are widespread in the environment, and new research finds they can be detected in about 45% of U.S. tap water samples.
The chemicals are per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, and their spread through drinking water -- both tap and well -- may be even higher because researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) were unable to test for all of them, ...
New research on horses and dogs found elevated levels of PFAS "forever chemicals,"establishing horses as sentinel species.
Sentinel species provide advance warning of a danger to people.
The work also advanced knowledge about PFAS exposure and liver and kidney function in these animals. PFAS stands for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of chemicals used in plastics and gre...
Using gas stoves can increase indoor air levels of benzene, a chemical linked to higher risk of leukemia and other blood cell cancers, a new study reports.
Analysis of dozens of stoves revealed that a single gas cooktop burner on high or a gas oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit can raise indoor levels of benzene above those typically released by secondhand tobacco smoke, the researchers r...
Black and Hispanic communities in the United States are more often poor -- and also more likely to have harmful levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their drinking water, a new study reveals.
Sources of PFAS pollution -- including major manufacturers, airports, military bases, wastewater treatment plants and landfills -- are disproportionately sited near watersheds that...
Toxic chemicals that develop from car exhaust, smoking and backyard grilling might increase your risk of developing the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.
These chemicals are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They form as coal, oil, gas, wood or tobacco burn. Flame grilling of meat and other foods also contribute to PAH formation, the researchers ...
Many common household products emit airborne toxins that can harm your health in ways up to and including cancer, a new study reports.
Dozens of different types of consumer products contain toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that escape as gases and accumulate in indoor air, researchers from the Silent Spring Institute and the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkele...
Jobs that regularly expose you to certain chemicals appear to steadily increase your risk of pancreatic cancer, a new analysis reports.
People with more than 20 years of exposure to some chemical agents had a 39% increased risk of pancreatic cancer, compared with an 11% higher risk for 11 to 20 years' exposure and a 4% higher risk for 1 to 10 years' exposure, researchers found.
Black and Hispanic women who work as hairdressers are exposed to an array of chemicals, including many that have not been previously identified, a small study finds.
Researchers found that compared with women of color in office jobs, hair stylists had higher levels of various chemicals in their urine. Those substances included expected ones -- ingredients known to be in salon products -- ...
The air where you work could be increasing your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests.
Breathing in the fumes from commercial vapors, gases and solvents -- and even common dusts found in the workplace -- appears to increase chances of the chronic autoimmune joint disorder, researchers reported Dec. 6 in the
Uterine fibroids can cause uncontrolled bleeding and infertility in women, and now a new study finds an unexpected culprit: Toxic chemicals called phthalates that are present in everything from fast-food packaging to plastic water bottles.
"We detected the phthalate DEHP and its breakdown products in much higher quantities in the urine of women who also happen to have symptomatic uterine ...
Equipping offices with "healthier" furnishings could reduce human exposure to risky PFAS chemicals, new research suggests.
To look at indoor PFAS levels, a team led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston, analyzed building dust in classrooms and common campus spaces.
"Our findings provide desperately needed scientific evidence for the success of healthier materials ...
Women who regularly use chemical hair straighteners may be more prone to developing uterine cancer, a new large government study suggests.
The study, which followed nearly 34,000 U.S. women over a decade, found that those who frequently used hair straighteners were 2.5 times more likely to de...
Do the majority of Americans want government to make sure the products they buy are free of harmful chemicals?
Yes, a new survey shows, and they are even willing to pay more to get that assurance of safety.
"At a time when most issues are politically polarized, the issue of keeping people sa...
People who work in manufacturing, welding and chemical operations and are exposed to hazardous chemicals may face a higher risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study found.
"This study shows that certain occupational settings and exposures increase one's chances of...
Your children's school clothes may look neat, but are they safe to wear?
Maybe not.
Researchers found high levels of dangerous chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in school uniforms sold across North America. These chemicals -- which can build up in people and the enviro...
Munching handfuls of microwave popcorn might be perfect for movie night, but your snack could be loading your body with potentially harmful "forever chemicals," experts warn.
Pregnant women are exposed to toxic chemicals in dishware, hair coloring, plastics and pesticides that can heighten their risk of cancer and harm child development, a new study warns.
PFAS compounds are known as "forever chemicals"because they degrade slowly in the environment and accumulate in the body, potentially harming human and animal health.
Bacteria can't eat them. Fire can't incinerate them. Water can't dilute them.
Instead, these per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance...
They are called "forever chemicals" because they linger in the human body and can contribute to the risk of everything from cancer to childhood obesity.
Now, new research on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) finds they also exact a huge financial toll, costing the U.S. health system billions every year.
...
Phthalates, chemicals that are typically used to strengthen plastics, are in millions of products people use every day, but a new analysis confirms their link to a higher risk for preterm births.
The largest study to date o...
More than 80% of Americans have a widely used herbicide lurking in their urine, a new government study suggests.
The chemical, known as glyphosate, is "probably carcinogenic to humans," the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has said. Glyphosate is t...
Bumble Bee Foods is recalling some canned, smoked clams because they contain high levels of chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
The voluntary recall, announced July 6,...
A federal appeals court has ruled that the EPA must take another look at whether the key ingredient in the weed killer Roundup poses a cancer risk, although the product will remain on the market for now.
After 30 years, researchers believe they finally have definitive evidence of the primary cause of Gulf War syndrome: exposure to low levels of the nerve gas sarin.
Gulf War syndrome is blamed for leaving a quarter million veterans of the 1991 conflict with a disabling array of long-...
Exposure to potentially harmful chemicals is on the rise among pregnant women in the United States, a new study warns.
"This is the first time we've been able to measure the amounts of chemicals in such a large and diverse group of pregnant women - not just identify chemicals," ...