Issues > July/August 2005 (#109) > Body Burdened: CDC Study Finds Widespread Exposures to Phthalates, Pesticides and Other Chemicals

Body Burdened: CDC Study Finds Widespread Exposures to Phthalates, Pesticides and Other Chemicals

We are surrounded by manmade chemicals in air, food, water, dust and consumer products. So it is no surprise that some of these chemicals make their way into our bodies.

If you've ever wondered how many of these chemicals are in your blood, you're not alone. Government scientists are curious as well, so for the last several years the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been taking blood and urine from volunteers to test for a variety of chemicals known or suspected to cause harm.

The CDC's most recent report, issued in mid-July, tested for 148 chemicals including dioxins, PCBs, mercury, lead, pesticides and plasticizers over a period from 2001-2002. Newly added to the list of chemicals this year were pyrethroid insecticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and additional pesticides and phthalate s.

On the positive side, the report found that fewer children are being exposed to lead than in past years, and PCB levels in blood are lower than they were in the CDC's previous surveys. The report found low or undetectable levels of the now-banned organochlorine pesticides aldrin, endrin and dieldrin.

But some of the results give cause for concern. Here are some of the chemicals the CDC detected how you can avoid them.

—Mercury: Almost six percent of women of childbearing age (16 to 49 years) had levels of mercury that came uncomfortably close to levels known to be associated with neurodevelopmental problems in offspring. Choose fish low in mercury from The Green Guide's Fish Picks.

—Pyrethroid pesticides: The CDC detected widespread exposure to a metabolite (chemical transformed or metabolized by the body) of pyrethroid pesticides. These are neurotoxic at high doses in adults and have been poorly studied for their effects on fetal brain development and early childhood neurodevelopment (see GG#108 Health News). Opt for integrated pest management strategies around the home. For suggestions, see The Green Guide's Lawn Care Product Report.

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