Toxin in plastics harming unborn boys: Scientists say chemicals have gender bend

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Fri, 27 May 2005 05:39:11 -0700

[Zepps_News] Common chemical in plastics harming unborn boys

 

 

 

 

<http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1493570,00.html>

 

Toxin in plastics harming unborn boys

 

Scientists say chemicals have gender bending effect

 

Ian Sample, science correspondent

Friday May 27, 2005

The Guardian

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

The study was carried out by scientists from centres across the US,

including the University of Rochester and the National Centre for

Environmental Health.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

" It's going to take a while to work out which of these sources is most

relevant to human exposure, " she said.

 

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.

 

" 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.

 

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. "

 

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. "

 

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.

 

Gwynne Lyons, toxics adviser to the WWF, said: " At the moment regulation

of the chemicals industry is woefully inadequate. "

 

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.

 

" 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. "

--

 

 

" As democracy is perfected, the office of president

represents, more and more closely, the inner soul

of the people. On some great and glorious day the

plain folks of the land will reach their heart's

desire at last and the White House will be adorned

by a downright moron. " --- H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

 

 

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