GROUP:
EWG/Commonweal Study #7, consumer product chemicals in adults and teens
health & safety concerns: |
chemicals found | ||
| on average | indivi- dual range |
entire group | |
| Brain and nervous system | 21 | 14-25 | 31 |
| Reproduction and fertility | 20 | 13-24 | 31 |
| Immune system (including sensitization and allergies) | 6 | 5-7 | 7 |
| Chronic effects, general | 4 | 2-6 | 9 |
| Endocrine system | 4 | 2-6 | 8 |
| Respiratory system | 4 | 3-4 | 4 |
| Birth defects and developmental delays | 3 | 2-3 | 3 |
| Cancer | 2 | 2-3 | 4 |
Group members:
(19 People)
Anonymous Adult 2
Anonymous Adult 3
Anonymous Adult 5
Anonymous Adult 4
Anonymous Adult 6
Anonymous Adult 7
Anonymous Teen 1
Anonymous Adult 9
Anonymous Adult 12
Anonymous Adult 13
Anonymous Adult 11
Anonymous Adult 10
Anonymous Adult 14
Anonymous Adult 15
Anonymous Adult 16
Anonymous Adult 17
Anonymous Adult 18
Anonymous Adult 20
Anonymous Adult 21
Locations:
Chicago, IL
Newton, MA
Fredericksburg, VA
Washington, DC
New York, NY
Lamont, FL
Atlanta, GA
Mountain View, CA
Stanford, CA
Palo Alto, CA
San Francisco, CA
Berkeley, CA
Alamo, CA
Fallbrook, CA
Group: EWG/Commonweal Study #7, consumer product chemicals in adults and teens
Found 58-62 of 84 tested chemicals (19 participants)
The blood and urine of the "EWG/Commonweal Study #7, consumer product chemicals in adults and teens" group contained 58-62 of 84 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals tested, including chemicals linked to brain and nervous system toxicity, reproductive toxicity and fertility problems, and immune system toxicity.
Summary of chemicals found in EWG/Commonweal Study #7, consumer product chemicals in adults and teens
| chemical family | level found in group | health effects | exposure routes |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) | 11% high 68% moderate 21% low | Reproduction and fertility, Brain and nervous system | Foam furniture, carpet padding, computers, televisions, contaminated house dust, food |
| Phthalates | 32% high 53% moderate 16% low | Cosmetics, paint, soft plastic, food packaging, and other consumer products | |
| Triclosan | 89% found, not quantified | Endocrine system, Skin | Antibacterial soap, toothpaste, cosmetics, cleaning products, shoe insoles, plastic cutting boards, other antibacterial items |
| Alkylphenols | 11% high | Endocrine system | Cosmetics, detergents, pesticides, paints, carpet and dry cleaning |
| Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) | 11% high 68% moderate 21% low | Birth defects and developmental delays, Cancer, Endocrine system | Stain- and grease-proof coatings on food packaging, couches, carpets, pans |
| Perchlorate | 26% moderate 58% low | Hematologic (blood) system, Birth defects and developmental delays | Contaminated food and drinking water |
| Nitro- and polycylic- musks | 26% high 63% moderate | Endocrine system, Cancer | Cosmetics, perfumes, cleaning agents, detergents, soaps |
| Mercury | 84% high 5% moderate 11% low | Brain and nervous system | Seafood, flu shots/vaccines, dental fillings |
| Methylmercury | 84% high 5% moderate 11% low | Dietary sources, particularly seafood | |
| Lead | 26% high 63% moderate 11% low | Lead-based paint in older homes, household dust, vinyl products, tap water | |
| BADGE-4OH | 11% high 47% moderate | Endocrine system | Food can linings, dental sealants |
Test results by chemical family (see each chemical)
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes)
25-29 of 46 found — see each chemical
Fire retardants in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulate in human tissues. May harm brain development.
- geometric mean: 27.4 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 26.3 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
[excludes PBDE-154/PBB-153] - found in 19 of 19 people in the group (vs. 2,037 of 2,337 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 14, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 21, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 13
| 1.11 | ng/g lipids in blood serum | 314 |
    | ||
Total Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
phthalates
6 of 7 found — see each chemical
In cosmetics, paint, and plastics. Linked to sperm damage and birth defects of male reproductive system.
- geometric mean: 451 ug/g creatinine in urine (vs. 315 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 19 of 19 people in the group (vs. 7,928 of 8,020 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 14, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 21
| 102 | ug/g creatinine in urine | 10800 |
| | ||
Total Phthalates
triclosan
1 of 1 found
Antibacterial agent (pesticide) in liquid hand soap, toothpaste, cosmetics, cleaning products, footwear, and plastic products labeled "antibacterial." Triclosan may disrupt thyroid hormones, and can form several chemicals with health and environmental concerns.
- geometric mean: results not quantified
- found in 17 of 19 people in the group (vs. 17 of 21 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 14, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Adult 21
alkylphenols
2 of 2 found — see each chemical
Surfactants in cosmetics, paints, detergents. Toxic to wildlife. May harm hormone system.
- geometric mean: 1.08 ng/g in blood serum
- found in 2 of 19 people in the group
- found in: Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 18
| 1.4 | ng/g in blood serum | 3.3 |
| | ||
Total Alkylphenols
perfluorochemicals (pfcs)
12 of 13 found — see each chemical
Includes Teflon, Scotchgard, Stainmaster. Linked to cancer and birth defects.
- geometric mean: 28 ng/mL in blood serum (vs. 22.7 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 19 of 19 people in the group (vs. 3,684 of 3,959 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 21, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Adult 14
| 2.63 | ng/mL in blood serum | 77.7 |
| | ||
Total Perfluorochemicals (PFCs)
perchlorate
1 of 1 found
Explosive component of solid rocket and missile fuel. Widespread contaminant of food, drinking water, and people. Disrupts thyroid hormones, particularly in women with lower iodide intake; may harm brain development.
- geometric mean: 0.907 ug/L in urine (vs. 3.77 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 16 of 19 people in the group (vs. 2,818 of 2,818 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 21, Anonymous Adult 14, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 12
| 0.2 | ug/L in urine | 5.6 |
| | ||
nitro- and polycylic- musks
7 of 9 found — see each chemical
Fragrance ingredients. Build up in human tissues. May harm hormone system.
- geometric mean: 0.427 ng/g in blood serum (vs. 0.295 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in 17 of 19 people in the group (vs. 35 of 42 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 21, Anonymous Adult 20
| 0.0547 | ng/g in blood serum | 4.23 |
| | ||
Total Nitro- and polycylic- musks
metals
3 of 3 found
Mercury is used in dental fillings and to preserve vaccines; it is also a common pollutant in seafood. Mercury harms brain development and function.
- geometric mean: 2.92 ug/L in whole blood (vs. 0.56 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 19 of 19 people in the group (vs. 7,584 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 14, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 21, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Adult 12
| 7.0E-5 | ug/L in whole blood | 12 |
| | ||
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: 2.66 ug/L in whole blood (vs. 0.56 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 19 of 19 people in the group (vs. 7,584 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 14, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Adult 21, Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 7
| 0.0735 | ug/L in whole blood | 25.9 |
| | ||
Neurotoxic heavy metal linked to IQ deficits and behavioral problems. Found in dust from chipping lead paint in older homes, and in some tap water.
- geometric mean: 1.58 ug/dL in whole blood (vs. 1.33 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
- found in 19 of 19 people in the group (vs. 7,896 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 14, Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 21, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 18
| 0.222 | ug/dL in whole blood | 4.7 |
| | ||
bisphenol a & badge
1 of 2 found
Metabolite of BADGE, used to make metal food can linings. Linked to hormone activity, skin and immune system toxicity and cancer.
- geometric mean: 4.56 ng/mL in blood serum (vs. 9.33 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in 11 of 19 people in the group (vs. 30 of 41 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
- found in: Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 21, Anonymous Adult 5
| 3.02 | ng/mL in blood serum | 174 |
| | ||
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.)
