about this participant:
Anonymous, a Registered Nurse Midwife from Dorchester, MA, participated in the 2003 biomonitoring investigation entitled "EWG Study #2, flame retardants in breast milk." She gave breast milk for the study on April 2, 2003 at age 29, when her baby was 40 days old.
Related links:
Location:
Dorchester, MA
Participant's groups:
Women of Childbearing Age, Female, Adult
Study:
EWG Study #2, flame retardants in breast milk
Sample Date:
April 2, 2003
health & safety concerns: |
chemicals found in this person |
| Reproduction and fertility | 23 |
| Brain and nervous system | 23 |
Participant: Anonymous
Found 19.5-23 of 44 tested chemicals
Anonymous's breast milk contained 19.5-23 of 44 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals tested, including chemicals linked to reproductive toxicity and fertility problems, brain and nervous system toxicity,
- This participant's samples show above average levels of PBDE-119, PBDE-126, PBDE-155 and PBDE-183 compared to all others in EWG studies
Summary of chemicals found in Anonymous
| chemical family | level found | health effects | exposure routes |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) | moderate | Reproduction and fertility, Brain and nervous system | Foam furniture, carpet padding, computers, televisions, contaminated house dust, food |
Detailed report by chemical (return to summary)
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes)
19.5-23 of 44 found
Fire retardants in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulate in human tissues. May harm brain development.
- cumulative level found: 34.3 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (40th %ile)
| 9.51 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 1080 |
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Total Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)
Dibrominated diphenyl ethers
Brominated fire retardants used in polyurethan foam and plastics. These PBDEs are neurotoxic and persist in people and the environment. They were withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.
- level found: 0.41 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (45th %ile)
| 0.19 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 17.7 |
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Heptabrominated diphenyl ethers
Brominated flame retardants used in plastics. Break down into more toxic and persistent forms in the environment. Withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.
- level found: 0.18 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (75th %ile)
| 0.05 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 0.46 |
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Hexabrominated diphenyl ethers
Brominated fire retardants used in foam and plastics. Break down into more toxic and persistent forms in the environment. Withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.
- level found: 0.04 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (45th %ile)
| ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 1.76 | |
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- level found: 0.05 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (45th %ile)
| 0.01 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 1.93 |
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- level found: 2.75 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (35th %ile)
| 1.07 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 122 |
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- level found: 0.38 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (60th %ile)
| 0.04 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 11.7 |
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- level found: 0.31 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- High vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (85th %ile)
| ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 2.5 | |
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Pentabrominated diphenyl ethers
Brominated fire retardants used in polyurethan foam and plastics. These PBDEs are neurotoxic and persist in people and the environment. They were withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.
- level found: 4.95 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (55th %ile)
| 0.57 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 171 |
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- level found: 0.07 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- High vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (95th %ile)
| ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 0.22 | |
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- level found: 0.02 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- High vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (90th %ile)
| ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 0.22 | |
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- level found: 0.23 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (40th %ile)
| 0.05 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 17.1 |
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In PBDE chemical family - fire retardant in furniture foam, computers, televisions; may harm brain development and hormone systems.
- level found: 2.47 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (35th %ile)
| 0.76 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 200 |
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Tetrabrominated diphenyl ethers
Brominated fire retardants used in polyurethan foam and plastics. These PBDEs are neurotoxic and persist in people and the environment. They were withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.
In PBDE chemical family - fire retardant in furniture foam, computers, televisions; may harm brain development and hormone systems.
- level found: 20.4 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (45th %ile)
| 5.53 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 589 |
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- level found: 0.15 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (45th %ile)
| 0.04 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 3.69 |
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- level found: 0.15 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (45th %ile)
| 0.06 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 8.37 |
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- level found: 0.01 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (55th %ile)
| ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 0.33 | |
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- level found: 0.02 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (55th %ile)
| 0.01 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 0.43 |
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Tribrominated diphenyl ethers
Brominated fire retardants used in polyurethan foam and plastics. These PBDEs are neurotoxic and persist in people and the environment. They were withdrawn from the market in the U.S. in 2005.
- level found: 0.05 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (45th %ile)
| 0.02 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 0.47 |
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- level found: 0.01 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (65th %ile)
| ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 0.06 | |
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- level found: 1.66 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (45th %ile)
| 0.35 | ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 43.8 |
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- level found: 0.02 ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk
- Moderate vs 20 tested in EWG/Commonweal studies (55th %ile)
| ppb (lipid weight) in breast milk | 0.4 | |
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Chemicals not found in Anonymous
21 chemicals
PBDE-30, PBDE-3, PBDE-2, PBDE-1, PBDE-13, PBDE-12, PBDE-35, PBDE-77, PBDE-10, PBDE-7, PBDE-32, PBDE-8, PBDE-116, PBDE-105, PBDE-190, PBDE-181, PBDE-208, PBDE-207, PBDE-206, PBDE-209, PBDE-11
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.)
[2] The chemicals co-eluted in the laboratory analysis.
See results for this participant's group
