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Cosmetic Preservatives Found in Breast Tumors

Compiled by Mary Beth Doyle
June/July Issue, 2004

High levels of a commonly used cosmetic preservative para-hydroxybenzoic acids or parabens, have been found in breast tumors. The chemical is the most widely used cosmetic preservative. A recent survey of 215 cosmetics found that 99% of those used on the skin contained parabens. It is also used as a preservative in some foods.

Researchers analyzed 20 breast tumors and found elevated levels of parabens in 18 of them. The type of parabens found led the researchers to surmise that the source was probably from dermal exposure, most likely the use of paraben-containing underarm deodorant.

Some parabens are known to mimic the hormone estrogen. Estrogen can promote the growth of breast cancer cells, leading the researchers to speculate that exposure to these chemicals may contribute to breast cancer risk. However, they caution that the research is preliminary.

Darbre PD, et al. “Concentrations of parabens in human breast tumors,” Journal of Applied Toxicology, Jan. 2004.

Study: Levels of toxic chemicals in humans unacceptable

Results from the widest ranging European survey of human toxic contamination show that 76 persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic industrial chemicals were present in the blood of those tested.

The tests, sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and The Co-operative Bank, analyzed blood samples of 47 people from 17 countries in Europe. These included 39 Members of the European Parliament, 4 Observers from accession countries, 1 former MEP, and 3 WWF staff. Samples were analyzed for an unprecedented 101 chemicals from five groups: organochlorine pesticides including DDT; PCBs; brominated flame-retardants; phthalates; and perfluorinated compounds (PFOS).

The results reveal that every person tested is contaminated with a cocktail of persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic chemicals – including chemicals from each of the 5 groups of chemicals tested for. A total of 76 different chemicals were found in the blood of those tested.

“The number, types, and concentrations of chemicals found in this survey are unacceptable,” said Karl Wagner, Director of WWF DetoX Campaign. “Continuing exposure to a cocktail of toxic chemicals cannot be considered safe.”

The results further show that the highest number of chemicals in one person was 54, while the median number of chemicals detected was 41. At least 13 of the same chemicals were found in every single person tested, including chemicals banned in Europe over 20 years ago, as well as chemicals in widespread use today such as phthalates and perfluorinated compounds.

“The results of these tests show that everyone tested is contaminated with a variety of industrial chemicals, including pesticides outlawed many years ago and chemicals still in use today, no matter where they live,” said Co-operative Bank CEO Sheila Macdonald. “And, as yet, we don’t know what effect they’re having on our own bodies, our children, or wildlife.”

The World Wildlife Fund released the report on April 21, 2004; a full copy is available at www.panda.org.

Agricultural chemicals impair fertility

Infertile women in one agricultural community were 27 times more likely to have mixed or applied herbicides in the two years prior to attempting pregnancy than fertile women, according to a study published in Epidemiology. The researchers compared 322 infertile women with 322 ‘control’ women from the same community. Cases and controls were well matched for most variables, including age, household income, smoking status, body mass index, age at menarche, and number of sexual partners in lifetime.

In a similar study, men in a rural community of Missouri were found to have a 42 percent lower sperm count than their counterparts in Minneapolis. The rural men also had poorer sperm quality. The Missouri men had a mean of 59 million per milliliter, compared with 99 million and 103 million in Minneapolis and New York, respectively. Fertility is considered impaired below 40 million per milliliter.

In a follow-up study, researchers compared semen and urine samples from men in Minneapolis to those from men from rural Missouri. Men with higher levels of the pesticides alachlor, atrazine, and diazinon were significantly more likely to have lower sperm counts than men with lower levels of these pesticides in their urine. The strongest association was found with alachlor: The risk of poor semen quality was elevated 30-fold with higher alachlor levels.

Greenlee, AR, et al. “Risk factors for female infertility in an agricultural region,” Epidemiology, 2003: 14:429-436. Swan, SH, et al. “Semen quality in relation to biomarkers of pesticide exposure,” Environmental Health Perspectives, online June 18, 2003

Compiled by Mary Beth Doyle, M.P.H., Ecology Center Environmental Health Campaign Director.

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