GROUP:

Adult Minority Leader Report

health & safety concerns:	chemicals found
	on average	indivi- dual range	entire group
Birth defects and developmental delays	34	27-40	41
Reproduction and fertility	34	25-39	41
Brain and nervous system	31	24-37	38
Endocrine system	11	7-13	13
Gastrointestinal (including liver)	7	4-9	9
Cancer	6	5-6	6
Immune system (including sensitization and allergies)	5	4-5	5

bio- accumulative pollutants:	chemicals found
	on average	indivi- dual range	entire group
Persistent, accumulates in wildlife and/or people	20	11-24	24

Group members:

(5 People)

Dr. Beverly Wright
Vivian Chang
Jennifer Hill-Kelley
Suzie Canales
Jean Salone

Locations:

Corpus Christi, TX
Green Bay, WI
New Orleans, LA
Oakland, CA

Group: Adult Minority Leader Report
Found 43-48 of 75 tested chemicals (5 participants)

The blood and urine of the "Adult Minority Leader Report" group contained 43-48 of 75 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals tested, including chemicals linked to birth defects and developmental delays, reproductive toxicity and fertility problems, and brain and nervous system toxicity.

Summary of chemicals found in Adult Minority Leader Report

chemical family	level found in group	health effects	exposure routes
Bisphenol A	60% high 20% moderate 20% low	Reproduction and fertility, Endocrine system, Birth defects and developmental delays, Cancer	Polycarbonate plastics, food can linings, dental sealants
Lead	60% moderate 40% low	Brain and nervous system, Birth defects and developmental delays	Lead-based paint in older homes, household dust, vinyl products, tap water
Mercury	40% high 20% moderate 40% low	Birth defects and developmental delays, Brain and nervous system	Seafood, flu shots/vaccines, dental fillings
Methylmercury	40% high 20% moderate 40% low	Birth defects and developmental delays, Brain and nervous system	Dietary sources, particularly seafood
Nitro- and polycylic- musks	80% high 20% moderate	Endocrine system	Cosmetics, perfumes, cleaning agents, detergents, soaps
Perchlorate	100% low	Hematologic (blood) system, Endocrine system, Birth defects and developmental delays	Contaminated food and drinking water
Perfluorochemicals (PFCs)	40% high 60% low	Cancer, Birth defects and developmental delays, Endocrine system	Stain- and grease-proof coatings on food packaging, couches, carpets, pans
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)	40% high 40% moderate 20% low	Reproduction and fertility, Brain and nervous system	Foam furniture, carpet padding, computers, televisions, contaminated house dust, food

Test results by chemical family (see each chemical)

bisphenol a & badge

1 of 1 found

Bisphenol A

Detected in polycarbonate plastic, dental sealants, and resins that line metal cans. Linked to hormone disruption, birth defects, cancer with effects at very low doses.

• geometric mean: 3.36 ug/g creatinine in urine (vs. 2.06 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 2,350 of 2,612 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Vivian Chang, Dr. Beverly Wright, Jean Salone, Jennifer Hill-Kelley, Suzie Canales

1.2	ug/g creatinine in urine	6.06

metals

3 of 3 found

Lead

Neurotoxic heavy metal linked to IQ deficits and behavioral problems. Found in dust from chipping lead paint in older homes, and in some tap water.

• geometric mean: 0.98 ug/dL in whole blood (vs. 1.33 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 7,896 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Suzie Canales, Jennifer Hill-Kelley, Dr. Beverly Wright, Vivian Chang, Jean Salone

0.222	ug/dL in whole blood	4.7

Mercury, total

Mercury is used in dental fillings and to preserve vaccines; it is also a common pollutant in seafood. Mercury harms brain development and function.

• geometric mean: 0.706 ug/L in whole blood (vs. 0.56 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 7,584 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Suzie Canales, Jean Salone, Jennifer Hill-Kelley, Dr. Beverly Wright, Vivian Chang

7.0E-5	ug/L in whole blood	12

Methylmercury

Forms from mercury, a pollutant from coal-fired power plants and other sources. Methylmercury accumulates in seafood and harms brain development and function.

• geometric mean: 0.449 ug/L in whole blood (vs. 0.56 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 4 of 5 people in the group (vs. 7,584 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Jean Salone, Jennifer Hill-Kelley, Dr. Beverly Wright, Vivian Chang

0.0735	ug/L in whole blood	25.9

nitro- and polycylic- musks

2 of 10 found — see each chemical

Fragrance ingredients. Build up in human tissues. May harm hormone system.

• geometric mean: 1.35 ng/g in blood serum (vs. 0.295 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 35 of 42 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Jean Salone, Vivian Chang, Suzie Canales, Dr. Beverly Wright, Jennifer Hill-Kelley

0.0547	ng/g in blood serum	4.23

perchlorate

1 of 1 found

Perchlorate

Explosive component of solid rocket and missile fuel. Widespread contaminant of food, drinking water, and people. Disrupts thyroid hormones, particularly in women with lower iodide intake; may harm brain development.

• geometric mean: 0.743 ug/L in urine (vs. 3.77 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 2,818 of 2,818 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Jean Salone, Jennifer Hill-Kelley, Suzie Canales, Dr. Beverly Wright, Vivian Chang

0.2	ug/L in urine	5.6

perfluorochemicals (pfcs)

7 of 13 found — see each chemical

Includes Teflon, Scotchgard, Stainmaster. Linked to cancer and birth defects.

• geometric mean: 15 ng/mL in blood serum (vs. 22.7 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 3,684 of 3,959 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Vivian Chang, Suzie Canales, Jennifer Hill-Kelley, Jean Salone, Dr. Beverly Wright

2.63	ng/mL in blood serum	77.7

polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes)

29-34 of 46 found — see each chemical

Fire retardants in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulate in human tissues. May harm brain development.

• geometric mean: 76.5 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 26.3 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
    [excludes PBDE-154/PBB-153]
• found in 5 of 5 people in the group (vs. 2,037 of 2,337 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Dr. Beverly Wright, Suzie Canales, Jennifer Hill-Kelley, Vivian Chang, Jean Salone

1.11	ng/g lipids in blood serum	314

References/Notes

[1] CDC (2005). National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/. (Methylmercury results have been compared to total mercury in CDC biomonitoring.)