Pollution In People |
One way scientists are getting a better understanding of how environmental contaminants are impacting people is through biomonitoring or “body burden” studies. These studies include testing people’s urine, breast milk, blood and other biological samples to see if they contain contaminants.
Lead in children: For the past three decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have conducted body burden studies of lead, which may cause learning disabilities and other problems. The most recent studies found that lead levels in children have declined, indicating that efforts to reduce childhood exposure to lead in gasoline and other products have had success. More work is needed, especially to protect children who live in homes contaminated with lead from paint or other sources. Flame retardants in breast milk: A biomonitoring study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that women in the United States have the world’s highest levels of flame retardants in their breast milk. Flame retardants, which are widely used in furniture, electronic equipment and other consumer products, may be associated with learning and memory problems and behavior changes. Several states have banned the use of certain flame retardants based on these biomonitoring studies. Contaminants in newborns: A study by EWG and Commonweal of ten newborns’ umbilical cord blood showed an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants. Overall, the study detected 287 out of the 413 chemicals that were surveyed. This result showed that not even the mother’s placenta can keep environmental contaminants from crossing into her child. Resources Centers for Disease Control National Biomonitoring Program Environmental Working Group and Commonweal’s The Pollution in Newborns report Environmental Working Group’s Body Burden project National Geographic’s Chemicals Within Us feature Physicians for Social Responsibility’s Biomonitoring Factsheet |
Although biomonitoring cannot explain how people were exposed to contaminants or whether these exposures will lead to any health problems, the test results document the number and volume of contaminants that end up in our bodies. Some body burden findings include: