U.S. scientists detect 55 chemicals in the blood of pregnant women and their children that have never been reported in humans before and have been linked to plastic and cosmetics – along with 42 ‘mystery’ compounds
- Scientists have discovered 96 unique and strange chemicals in pregnant women
- The team also found the chemicals in their blood and newborn babies
- This indicates that the chemicals are moving through the placenta to the baby
- About 55 chemicals have never been reported in the human body
- The other 42 have no source or use – but experts believe they come from products
- These include plastics, cosmetics and even construction materials
Scientists detected 109 chemicals during a study of 30 pregnant women, including 55 never seen in humans and 42 ‘mystery chemicals’ without sources or known uses.
It is also believed that all 96 chemicals have been in the body for a long time, but have only now been detected through the use of high-resolution spectrometry – a technology that has only become accessible in the last decade.
A team from the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) observed the chemicals in the women’s blood as well as in their newborn children, suggesting they were traveling through the mother’s placenta.
Although the chemicals are unknown, researchers suspect they may have come from consumer products such as cosmetics and plastics.
Scientists have detected 109 chemicals during a study of pregnant women, including 55 that have never been seen in humans and 42 ‘mystery chemicals’ without sources or known uses. Scientists have observed the chemicals in the women’s blood as well as in their newborn children
High-resolution spectrometry (HRMS) was first developed about 50 years ago, but it has only been made affordable for the scientific community in the last ten years.
This powerful tool is capable of analyzing dissolved organic matter by striking it with a ray of light that shines through a sample and breaks down on different particles based on the particles, reports Popular Mechanics.
And each chemical element and compound in the sample yields its own signature, so scientists can determine it individually.
The UCSF team collected 60 blood samples from 30 different pregnant women, along with 30 samples from their umbilical cords.
The UCSF team collected 60 blood samples from 30 different pregnant women, along with 30 samples from their umbilical cords (stock photo)
Using HRMS, the analysis revealed 662 chemical signatures when hit with positive ions and 788 with negative ones.
Researchers then combine similar samples, sort them and identify 109 unique results, many of which come from different consumer products.
About 40 are used as plasticizers, 28 in cosmetics, 25 in consumer products, 29 as pharmaceuticals, 23 as pesticides and three as flame retardants.
The team also identified seven PFAS compounds that, according to the EPA, are a group of man-made chemicals ‘manufactured and used since the 1940s’ in various industries around the world, including the United States. ‘
These compounds are mostly used for flooring and upholstery, among other things such as construction tasks.
According to the study, the plasticizers probably come from food packaging and plastic utensils, along with appliances.
About 40 are used as plasticizers (this includes plastic food containers), 28 in cosmetics, 25 in consumer products, 29 as pharmaceuticals, 23 as pesticides and three as flame retardants.
Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at UCSF, said: ‘These chemicals have probably been present in humans for some time, but our technology is now helping us to identify more of them.
“It is very worrying that we can not identify the uses or sources of so many of these chemicals.”
‘EPA needs to work better to require the chemical industry to standardize its reporting on chemical compounds and uses.
“And they must use their authority to ensure that we have sufficient information to evaluate potential health damage and to remove hazardous chemicals from the market.”