GROUP:

EWG Study #6, consumer product chemicals in mothers and daughters

health & safety concerns:	chemicals found
	on average	indivi- dual range	entire group
Brain and nervous system	20	5-32	39
Reproduction and fertility	20	5-32	39
Immune system (including sensitization and allergies)	5	4-6	6
Respiratory system	4	3-4	4
Endocrine system	2	1-3	3
Birth defects and developmental delays	2	2-2	2
Chronic effects, general	2	2-2	2
Cancer	2	2-2	2

Group members:

(22 People)

Participant #1
Participant #10
Fred Gellert
Adelaide Gomer
Ann Hunter-Welborn
Jesse Johnson
Anonymous Adult
Winsome McIntosh
Judi Shils
Participant #18
Lynde Uihlein
Participant #2
Participant #20
Jessica Welborn
Alicia Wittink
Irene Crowe
Martha Davis
Emily Sayrs
Participant #6
Annette Gellert
Heather Gellert
Landon Gellert

Locations:

CA, USA
Belvedere, CA
Ithaca, NY
Encinitas, CA
New York, NY
Washington, DC
Ross, CA
VA, USA
Milwaukee, WI
CO, USA
San Francisco, CA
Littleton, CO
MD, USA

about this group:

In generations from grandparents to children, tests revealed 56 common consumer product chemicals, including plastic softeners, flame retardants, and stain repellants. Four mother-daughter pairs and 14 other people from across the country learned of their common exposures to untested mixtures of chemicals.

Group: EWG Study #6, consumer product chemicals in mothers and daughters
Found 51-56 of 70 tested chemicals (22 participants)

The blood and urine of the "EWG Study #6, consumer product chemicals in mothers and daughters" group contained 51-56 of 70 industrial compounds, pollutants and other chemicals tested, including chemicals linked to brain and nervous system toxicity, reproductive toxicity and fertility problems, and immune system toxicity.

Summary of chemicals found in EWG Study #6, consumer product chemicals in mothers and daughters

chemical family	level found in group	health effects	exposure routes
BADGE-4OH	41% high 45% moderate	Endocrine system	Food can linings, dental sealants
Bisphenol A	32% high		Polycarbonate plastics, food can linings, dental sealants
Lead	55% high 41% moderate 5% low		Lead-based paint in older homes, household dust, vinyl products, tap water
Methylmercury	82% high 14% moderate 5% low		Dietary sources, particularly seafood
Perfluorochemicals (PFCs)	27% high 50% moderate 23% low	Cancer, Birth defects and developmental delays, Endocrine system	Stain- and grease-proof coatings on food packaging, couches, carpets, pans
Phthalates	27% high 64% moderate 9% low	Endocrine system	Cosmetics, paint, soft plastic, food packaging, and other consumer products
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)	9% high 55% moderate 36% 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

2 of 2 found

BADGE-4OH

Metabolite of BADGE, used to make metal food can linings. Linked to hormone activity, skin and immune system toxicity and cancer.

• geometric mean: 17.3 ng/mL in blood serum (vs. 9.33 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in 19 of 22 people in the group (vs. 30 of 41 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Anonymous Adult, Annette Gellert, Judi Shils, Participant #1, Landon Gellert, Adelaide Gomer, Winsome McIntosh, Emily Sayrs, Irene Crowe, Participant #2, Jessica Welborn, Participant #18, Participant #6, Participant #20, Jesse Johnson, Participant #10, Martha Davis, Fred Gellert, Heather Gellert

3.02	ng/mL in blood serum	174

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: 1.16 ng/mL in blood serum (vs. 0.456 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in 7 of 22 people in the group (vs. 16 of 51 in all EWG/Commonweal studies)
• found in: Participant #18, Judi Shils, Anonymous Adult, Winsome McIntosh, Jesse Johnson, Participant #6, Jessica Welborn

0.445	ng/mL in blood serum	8.61

metals

2 of 2 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: 2.52 ug/dL in whole blood (vs. 1.33 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 22 of 22 people in the group (vs. 7,896 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Heather Gellert, Landon Gellert, Jessica Welborn, Judi Shils, Winsome McIntosh, Emily Sayrs, Fred Gellert, Annette Gellert, Adelaide Gomer, Jesse Johnson, Participant #10, Lynde Uihlein, Ann Hunter-Welborn, Alicia Wittink, Participant #6, Martha Davis, Participant #18, Participant #20, Participant #2, Participant #1, Irene Crowe, Anonymous Adult

0.222	ug/dL in whole blood	4.7

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: 3.2 ug/L in whole blood (vs. 0.56 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 22 of 22 people in the group (vs. 7,584 of 8,373 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Participant #10, Judi Shils, Participant #6, Alicia Wittink, Emily Sayrs, Jessica Welborn, Heather Gellert, Landon Gellert, Participant #18, Ann Hunter-Welborn, Anonymous Adult, Participant #1, Participant #2, Winsome McIntosh, Irene Crowe, Participant #20, Lynde Uihlein, Annette Gellert, Martha Davis, Fred Gellert, Adelaide Gomer, Jesse Johnson

0.0735	ug/L in whole blood	25.9

perfluorochemicals (pfcs)

7 of 13 found — see each chemical

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

• geometric mean: 27.7 ng/mL in blood serum (vs. 22.7 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 22 of 22 people in the group (vs. 3,684 of 3,959 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Jessica Welborn, Participant #1, Ann Hunter-Welborn, Judi Shils, Emily Sayrs, Adelaide Gomer, Alicia Wittink, Martha Davis, Fred Gellert, Participant #6, Heather Gellert, Participant #20, Lynde Uihlein, Anonymous Adult, Annette Gellert, Participant #2, Landon Gellert, Irene Crowe, Jesse Johnson, Participant #10, Participant #18, Winsome McIntosh

2.63	ng/mL in blood serum	77.7

phthalates

7 of 7 found — see each chemical

In cosmetics, paint, and plastics. Linked to sperm damage and birth defects of male reproductive system.

• geometric mean: 389 ug/g creatinine in urine (vs. 315 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
• found in 22 of 22 people in the group (vs. 7,928 of 8,020 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Landon Gellert, Jessica Welborn, Fred Gellert, Winsome McIntosh, Participant #10, Lynde Uihlein, Participant #20, Heather Gellert, Participant #2, Martha Davis, Ann Hunter-Welborn, Participant #18, Irene Crowe, Annette Gellert, Judi Shils, Participant #1, Anonymous Adult, Participant #6, Emily Sayrs, Jesse Johnson, Alicia Wittink, Adelaide Gomer

102	ug/g creatinine in urine	10800

polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes)

33-38 of 46 found — see each chemical

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

• geometric mean: 16.3 ng/g lipids in blood serum (vs. 26.3 in CDC biomonitoring [1])
    [excludes PBDE-154/PBB-153]
• found in 22 of 22 people in the group (vs. 2,037 of 2,337 in CDC biomonitoring)
• found in: Judi Shils, Winsome McIntosh, Irene Crowe, Lynde Uihlein, Jesse Johnson, Landon Gellert, Heather Gellert, Participant #2, Fred Gellert, Anonymous Adult, Alicia Wittink, Participant #1, Annette Gellert, Jessica Welborn, Participant #10, Adelaide Gomer, Emily Sayrs, Martha Davis, Ann Hunter-Welborn, Participant #20, Participant #18, Participant #6

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.)