GROUP:
EWG Study #3, industrial chemicals and pesticides in adults
health & safety concerns: |
chemicals found | ||
| on average | indivi- dual range |
entire group | |
| Brain and nervous system | 185 | 172-196 | 212 |
| Immune system (including sensitization and allergies) | 167 | 158-175 | 188 |
| Reproduction and fertility | 57 | 51-67 | 72 |
| Gastrointestinal (including liver) | 46 | 38-55 | 62 |
| Birth defects and developmental delays | 14 | 13-15 | 15 |
| Cancer | 2 | 2-2 | 2 |
| Endocrine system | 1 | 1-1 | 1 |
| Kidney and renal system | 1 | 1-1 | 1 |
Group members:
(3 People)
Anonymous Adult 1
Kathy Fowler
U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter
Locations:
Rockville, MD
Upstate New York, NY
about this group:
Comprehensive body burden testing of a select group of women gives powerful personal perspectives on the human body burden and what it means for our health, from Congress to the newsroom.
Group: EWG Study #3, industrial chemicals and pesticides in adults
Found 253-329 of 413 tested chemicals (3 participants)
The blood and urine of the "EWG Study #3, industrial chemicals and pesticides in adults" group contained 253-329 of 413 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals tested, including chemicals linked to brain and nervous system toxicity, immune system toxicity, and reproductive toxicity and fertility problems.
Summary of chemicals found in EWG Study #3, industrial chemicals and pesticides in adults
| chemical family | level found in group | health effects | exposure routes |
| Brominated dioxins & furans | 67% moderate | Immune system (including sensitization and allergies) | Dietary sources, fatty meat, dairy and fish |
| Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) | 33% high 67% moderate | Brain and nervous system, Immune system (including sensitization and allergies) | Dietary sources, fatty meat, dairy and fish |
| Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) | 67% high 33% moderate | Gastrointestinal (including liver) | Dietary sources, fatty meat, dairy and fish |
| Organochlorine Pesticides (OCs) | 100% moderate | Reproduction and fertility | Contaminated food and drinking water |
| Chlorinated dioxins & furans | 67% high 33% moderate | Immune system (including sensitization and allergies), Birth defects and developmental delays | Dietary sources, fatty meat, dairy and fish |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) | 67% moderate 33% low | Reproduction and fertility, Brain and nervous system | Foam furniture, carpet padding, computers, televisions, contaminated house dust, food |
| Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) | 33% moderate 67% low | Reproduction and fertility | Air polluted by vehicles or factories, burned and fatty food |
| Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) | 67% high 33% moderate | Cancer, Birth defects and developmental delays, Endocrine system | Stain- and grease-proof coatings on food packaging, couches, carpets, pans |
| Methylmercury | 100% moderate | Dietary sources, particularly seafood |
Test results by chemical family (see each chemical)
brominated dioxins & furans
3 of 12 found — see each chemical
Contaminants in flame retardants, pollutants from plastics. May harm hormone system.
- geometric mean: 4.08 pg/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 14.8 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 2 of 3 people in the group (vs. 2,163 of 4,821 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 1, U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter
| 7.72 | pg/g lipids in blood serum | 1440 |
    | ||
Total Brominated dioxins & furans
polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs)
121-171 of 209 found — see each chemical
Banned industrial insulators and lubricants. Cause cancer and nervous system problems.
- geometric mean: 208 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 9.81 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 3 of 3 people in the group (vs. 2,900 of 4,821 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Kathy Fowler, Anonymous Adult 1, U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter
| 2.95 | ng/g lipids in blood serum | 600 |
| | ||
Total Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
polychlorinated naphthalenes (pcns)
42-62 of 70 found — see each chemical
Wood preservatives, varnishes, machine lubricating oils, waste incineration. Cause liver and kidney damage.
- geometric mean: 1.73 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 0.693 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in 3 of 3 people in the group (vs. 23 of 23 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in: Kathy Fowler, Anonymous Adult 1, U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter
| 0.0743 | ng/g lipids in blood serum | 3.43 |
| | ||
Total Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs)
organochlorine pesticides (ocs)
23 of 28 found — see each chemical
Includes DDT, chlordane, other pesticides. Largely banned in the U.S. Build up in the human body over time. Cause cancer and reproductive harm.
- geometric mean: 334 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 186 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 3 of 3 people in the group (vs. 4,276 of 4,821 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Kathy Fowler, Anonymous Adult 1, U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter
| 0.615 | ng/g lipids in blood serum | 2830 |
| | ||
Total Organochlorine Pesticides (OCs)
chlorinated dioxins & furans
13 of 17 found — see each chemical
Pollutants from PVC production, industrial bleaching, and incineration. Cause cancer and may harm hormone system.
- geometric mean: 524 pg/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 14 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 3 of 3 people in the group (vs. 2,725 of 4,821 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Kathy Fowler, Anonymous Adult 1, U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter
| 5 | pg/g lipids in blood serum | 1860 |
| | ||
Total Chlorinated dioxins & furans
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes)
34-40 of 46 found — see each chemical
Fire retardants in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulate in human tissues. May harm brain development.
- geometric mean: 23.1 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 26.3 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
[excludes PBDE-154/PBB-153] - found in 3 of 3 people in the group (vs. 2,037 of 2,337 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Kathy Fowler, U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter, Anonymous Adult 1
| 1.11 | ng/g lipids in blood serum | 314 |
| | ||
Total Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
polyaromatic hydrocarbons (pahs)
8 of 18 found — see each chemical
Pollutants from burning gasoline and garbage. Linked to cancer. Accumulate in food chain.
- geometric mean: 167 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 230 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in 3 of 3 people in the group (vs. 8 of 8 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in: U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter, Kathy Fowler, Anonymous Adult 1
| 130 | ng/g lipids in blood serum | 384 |
| | ||
Total Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
perfluorochemicals (pfcs)
8 of 12 found — see each chemical
Includes Teflon, Scotchgard, Stainmaster. Linked to cancer and birth defects.
- geometric mean: 14.6 ng/g in whole blood (vs. 4.46 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in 3 of 3 people in the group (vs. 23 of 23 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 1, Kathy Fowler, U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter
| 0.736 | ng/g in whole blood | 27.8 |
| | ||
Total Perfluorochemicals (PFCs)
metals
1 of 1 found
Forms from mercury, a pollutant from coal-fired power plants and other sources. Methylmercury accumulates in seafood and harms brain development and function.
- geometric mean: 0.535 ug/L in whole blood (vs. 0.56 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 3 of 3 people in the group (vs. 7,584 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter, Kathy Fowler, Anonymous Adult 1
| 0.0735 | ug/L in whole blood | 25.9 |
| | ||
References/Notes
[1] CDC (2005). National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/. (Methylmercury results have been compared to total mercury in CDC biomonitoring.)
