Study finds hundreds of toxic chemicals in umbilical cords of newborns

http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/12/1788321.php

(Full report: http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php )

In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers from two major laboratories looked for the presence of toxic chemicals in umbilical cord blood of 10 newborn babies born in U.S. hospitals in August and September 2004. A collaboration of the Environmental Working Group and Commonweal brought about the study.


Of the more than 400 chemicals tested for, 287 were detected in umbilical cord blood. Of these, 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain or nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animals. Scientists refer to the presence of such toxins in the newborn as “body burden.”

According to the study’s authors, the scope of testing was limited because chemical companies are not required to divulge methods for detecting the presence of their chemicals in the human body. “Had we tested for a broader array of chemicals,” they wrote, “we would almost certainly have detected far more than 287.”

Among those substances found to be polluting the blood supply for the newborn babies were eight perfluorochemicals used as stain and oil repellants in fast-food packaging, clothes and textiles, including the Teflon chemical PFQA, a carcinogen; dozens of widely used bromated flame retardants and their toxic byproducts; and many pesticides.

but the type of detox that could spare newborns at least some of this toxic onslaught.

...are things like this. A build-up of highly damaging chemicals in a developing body--especially those related to neuro development.


They've also done this study on breast milk. It wasn't pretty :(

cause Cancer", they are probably not looking into how their chemicals could change things inside fetuses, changes that don't add up to a disease until years later, after lots of exposure to other chemicals.

http://www.ewg.org/reports_content/bodyburden2/pdf/reply_acc-20050715.pdf

"Your study adds little if anything to the scientific discussion of the safe use of chemicals"

"Your announcement..may well frighten the parents of newborns"

"Detection of a chemical is not an indictation of a risk to health..."

to know that we are screwed before we even take our first breath
:(