One in 10 premature births linked to plastic chemicals: Study
One in 10 premature births in the United States have been linked to pregnant women being exposed to chemicals in extremely common plastic products, a large study said on Wednesday.
One in 10 premature births in the United States have been linked to pregnant women being exposed to chemicals in extremely common plastic products, a large study said on Wednesday.
Environment
Feb 7, 2024
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Daily exposure to phthalates, a group of chemicals used in everything from plastic containers to makeup, may lead to approximately 100,000 deaths in older Americans annually, a study from New York University warned Tuesday.
Environment
Oct 13, 2021
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Researchers at UC Santa Cruz have developed safer alternatives to the phthalate plasticizers used to enhance the suppleness, flexibility, and longevity of plastics.
Polymers
Nov 1, 2018
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Fujitsu Laboratories Limited has announced the development of a method that can identify the presence of phthalate esters, such as bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), which are considered toxic in polyvinyl chloride (PVC). ...
Electronics & Semiconductors
Mar 21, 2013
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Scientists have published the first report on a new way of preventing potentially harmful plasticizers — the source of long-standing human health concerns — from migrating from one of the most widely used groups of plastics. ...
Materials Science
Feb 3, 2010
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Bottlenose dolphins are being exposed to chemical compounds added to many common cleaning products, cosmetics, personal care products and plastics, according to a new study in GeoHealth, a journal of the American Geophysical ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 5, 2018
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Most people worry about the quality of the air they breathe outdoors, while giving little thought to the contaminants that may be circulating in their own homes.
Environment
Jun 13, 2013
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Growing concerns over the potential health effects of exposure to phthalates, a component of many plastics and also known as a plasticizer, have led to a search for safer alternatives. In a new study conducted in cell cultures, ...
Biochemistry
Mar 27, 2023
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Chemical additives used in plastic production have been found in herring gull eggs, new research shows.
Ecology
Jun 17, 2021
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Without smart policymaking, banning harmful chemicals like bisphenols and phthalates—common ingredients in plastics manufacturing—can result in a game of regulatory whack-a-mole where chemicals of similar toxicity or ...
Environment
Mar 13, 2024
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Phthalates (pronounced thal'-ates, ˈtha-ˌlātz), or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity). They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chloride. Phthalates are being phased out of many products in the United States, Canada, and European Union over health concerns.
Phthalates are used in a large variety of products, from enteric coatings of pharmaceutical pills and nutritional supplements to viscosity control agents, gelling agents, film formers, stabilizers, dispersants, lubricants, binders, emulsifying agents, and suspending agents. End-applications include adhesives and glues, electronics, agricultural adjuvants, building materials, personal-care products, medical devices, detergents and surfactants, packaging, children's toys, modelling clay, waxes, paints, printing inks and coatings, pharmaceuticals, food products, and textiles.
Phthalates are easily released into the environment because there is no covalent bond between the phthalates and plastics in which they are mixed. As plastics age and break down, the release of phthalates accelerates. People are commonly exposed to phthalates, and most Americans tested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have metabolites of multiple phthalates in their urine. Because phthalate plasticizers are not chemically bound to PVC, they can easily leach and evaporate into food or the atmosphere. Phthalate exposure can be through direct use or by indirect means through leaching and general environmental contamination. Diet is believed to be the main source of DEHP and other phthalates in the general population. Fatty foods such as milk, butter, and meats are a major source.
In studies of rodents exposed to certain phthalates, high doses have been shown to change hormone levels and cause birth defects.
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