- Scientists in America have found the first evidence that
common chemicals used in products as diverse as cosmetics, toys, clingfilm
and plastic bags may harm the development of unborn baby boys.
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- Researchers have long known that high levels of substances
called phthalates have gender-bending effects on male animals, making them
more feminine and leading to poor sperm quality and infertility. The new
study suggests that even normal levels of phthalates, which are ubiquitous,
can disrupt the development of male babies' reproductive organs.
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- Article continues The discovery poses a huge problem
for the chemical industry, which is already embroiled in a battle with
the government over EU proposals on chemical safety.
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- Several types of phthalates, which are used to make plastics
more pliable, and have been around for more than 50 years, have been banned,
but many are still produced in vast quantities.
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- The study was carried out by scientists from centres
across the US, including the University of Rochester and the National Centre
for Environmental Health.
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- The researchers measured the levels of nine widely used
phthalates in the urine of pregnant women and compared them with standard
physiological measurements of their babies.
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- Tests showed that women with higher levels of four different
phthalates were more likely to have baby boys with a range of conditions,
from smaller penises and undescended testicles to a shorter perineum, the
distance between the genitals and the anus. The differences, say the authors,
indicate a feminisation of the boys similar to that seen in animals exposed
to the chemicals.
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- Shanna Swan, an obstetrician at the University of Rochester,
and lead scientist on the study, said researchers must now unravel what
kinds of products are most to blame. One way that phthalates get into the
bloodstream is when they seep into food from plastic packaging.
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- "It's going to take a while to work out which of
these sources is most relevant to human exposure," she said.
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- Although the observed differences in body measurements
were subtle, they indicate that what is generally regarded as the most
ubiquitous class of chemicals is having a significant effect on newborns.
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- "Every aspect of male identity is altered when you
see this in male animals," said Fred vom Saal, professor of reproductive
biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Levels of aggression, parenting
behaviour and even learning speeds were affected, he said.
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- Andreas Kortenkamp, an expert in environmental pollutants
at the School of Pharmacy in London, said: "If it's true, it's sensational.
This is the first time anyone's shown this effect in humans. It's an indicator
that something's gone seriously wrong with development in the womb and
that's why it's so serious."
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- He added: "These are mass chemicals. They are used
in any plastic that is pliable, whether it's clingfilm, kidney dialysis
tubes, blood bags or toys. Sorting this out is going to be an interesting
challenge for industry as well as society."
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- The work, which is to appear in the journal Environmental
Health Perspectives, is due to be presented at the Endocrine Disrupting
Chemicals Forum in San Diego on June 3.
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- Gwynne Lyons, toxics adviser to the WWF, said: "At
the moment regulation of the chemicals industry is woefully inadequate."
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- She added: "Right now the government is looking
at how the regulation of hormone disrupting chemicals could be made more
effective under new EU chemicals law, but the chemicals industry is lobbying
very hard to water down this legislation.
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- "Political agreement on this legislation is not
expected until later this year so it remains to be seen whether the UK
government has the guts to stand up to industry lobbying. If they don't,
wildlife and baby boys will be the losers."
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- Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited
2005
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- http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1493505,00.html
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