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FULL REPORT
2: Babies are vulnerable to chemical harm 3: Human health problems on the rise
Printer-Friendly Version (PDF) RELATED DOCUMENTS
News Release: CDC Petition (21 July) EWG Ltr to Chemical Companies (21 July) EWG Letter to Chemical Lobby (PDF) Chemical Lobby Response #1 (PDF) Follow-Up Letter to Chemical Lobby (21 July) Stmt from US Rep. Slaughter (PDF) Stmt from Minority Leader Pelosi (PDF)
THE LATEST ON BODY BURDEN
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1,2,3,4,7,8-HxBDD (hexadioxin)*1,2,3,4,7,8-HxBDD (hexadioxin) was found in 1 of 10 umbilical cord blood samples from babies born in U.S. hospitals in 2004, at a concentration of 53.3 pg/g (lipid weight, in whole blood). *1,2,3,4,7,8-HxBDD (hexadioxin) co-eluted with 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxBDD (hexadioxin). Results shown indicate the total concentration of all the chemicals that co-eluted. Brominated dioxins and furans are toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative and lipophilic ('fat-loving'). They build up in human tissues, are stored in fatty tissues and fluid, such as breast milk, and can be passed on to fetuses and infants during pregnancy and lactation. Brominated dioxins and furans are formed unintentionally, either from incineration of wastes that include consumer products infused with brominated flame retardants like PBDEs, or as trace contaminants in mixtures of bromine-containing chemicals. Brominated dioxins and furans have dioxin-like activity, meaning that they cause birth defects in animals and otherwise disrupt the reproductive development, immune and hormone systems. They add to the total dioxin body burden, which are near levels where effects may be occurring in the general population (Birnbaum 2003; EPA 2000a; WHO 1998).
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