(JP)Endocrine disrupter discovered in newborn

[Guest guest]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20011004a5.htm

 

Endocrine disrupter discovered in newborn

 

A study carried out by the Environment Ministry found

a substance believed to be an endocrine disrupter in

the umbilical cord of a newborn baby, the ministry

said Wednesday.

 

The study's findings, reported by the ministry's

investigative commission on endocrine disrupters,

showed that dicyclohexyl phthalate, or DCHP, was

detected in the umbilical cord of one of five infants

studied.

 

The ministry said DCHP, which is used in some kinds of

acrylic paint, cellophane, toys and plastic gloves,

has previously been detected in indoor air, but has

never been detected in humans -- until now.

 

Endocrine disrupters are chemicals that are believed

to interfere with the hormonal functions of people and

animals, potentially wreaking havoc on sexual and

mental development. , as well as immune functions. In

the latest study, the ministry said the umbilical cord

of one of the five newborns showed 2,700 nanograms of

DCHP per gram of fat. A nanogram is one-billionth of a

gram.

 

In research overseas, DCHP has been found to cause

abnormalities in lab rats when administered in amounts

about 1,000 times over that in the latest find.

 

In Japan, where about 100 tons of DCHP is produced

annually, there are no regulations on its emission.

 

Another suspected endocrine disrupter, diethylhexyl

phthalate, was found in umbilical cords in the study

last year, and again in the latest study, according to

the ministry. Twenty analyzed umbilical cords showed

concentrations of between 23 picograms and 29

picograms per gram of fat, compared with 8.5 picograms

to 30 picograms a year before. A picogram is a

trillionth of a gram.

 

Officials attributed the higher levels in umbilical

cords to more precise methods of analysis, making the

data unsuitable for comparison.

 

The officials said the data were insufficient for

drawing any concrete conclusions and that more studies

are needed to build upon current surveys.

 

In a separate study targeting levels of suspected

endocrine disrupting chemicals in wildlife, water and

sediment, the eggs of common cormorants inhabiting

Tokyo Bay that failed to hatch in the wild showed

slightly higher levels of suspected endocrine

disrupting chemicals than eggs gathered and analyzed

before they could hatch, according to the ministry.

 

In addition, six of 245 male frogs examined were found

to have slight sexual irregularities, such as cells in

their testes typically found in the ovaries of female

frogs.

 

Also Wednesday, the ministry added bisphenol A and

seven other suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals

to a list of chemicals to be given priority attention,

bringing the total to 20. Experiments to evaluate the

risk of the newly added chemicals will start this

year.

 

Bisphenol A is used in plastic, antioxidants,

fungicides, dyes and flame retardants. It has been

found in school cafeteria eating utensils.

 

Recent laboratory experiments indicate increased doses

could induce feminization, so it merits increased

attention, ministry officials said.

 

Production of the chemical increased by 25 percent to

400,000 tons in 1999, officials said.

 

In early August, the ministry confirmed for the first

time that one suspected endocrine disrupter on the

high-priority list -- nonylphenol, which is used in

cleaning products and is already being evaluated --

does feminize fish. Some male fish administering the

chemical in experiments developed eggs in their

testes.

 

The Japan Times: Oct. 4, 2001

© All rights reserved

 

 

 

 

 

NEW from GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month.

http://geocities./ps/info1