BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Oct. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ghosts and
phantoms may not be the only invisible threats lurking in our
neighborhoods this Halloween. Researchers at Indiana University have discovered a previously
unidentified, potentially toxic chemical in air, water, and homes
around the Great Lakes region. In a peer-reviewed article published
today in Environmental Science & Technology, the
researchers report that exposure to the mysterious contaminant is
widespread, and may be of particular concern for toddlers.
The chemical is an organophosphate, a family of spooky
substances that are frequently toxic and can disrupt sex hormones
and the nervous system. Despite the health risk, and the fact that
the researchers found the chemical in all 20 homes that they
sampled, it was previously unidentified by public health
researchers.
"My concern is human exposure to this pollutant," said
Dr. Marta Venier, lead author of the paper and Associate
Scientist at Indiana University
Bloomington. "That it is commonly found in house dust, air,
sediment and water means we are all being exposed, with young
children likely having the highest exposures." Dr. Venier explained
that though these samples were collected across the Great Lakes
region, similar levels of the pollutant probably exist across the
entire US.
Little is known about where this chemical is used and how it
gets into the environment. "There is no requirement that
manufacturers disclose the chemicals used in most consumer
products," explains Dr. Joe
Charbonnet of the Green Science Policy Institute. "The
health effects and even existence of scores of these chemicals may
be unknown to environmental scientists."
The article's authors believe that this chemical,
tri(2,4-di-t-butylphenyl) phosphate (TDTBPP), may be used as a
flame retardant or a plasticizer. No toxicity studies have been
conducted on the newly discovered chemical, but similar chemicals
have been shown to be toxic.
For more information:
- CDC FAQ on Organophosphates
- Cornell Factsheet on Organophosphate Neurotoxicity
The Green Science Policy Institute provides unbiased
scientific information to government,
industry, and
non-governmental organizations to facilitate more informed
decision-making
about chemicals used in consumer products
in order to protect health and
environment
worldwide.
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SOURCE Green Science Policy Institute