by David Gutierrez
(NaturalNews) Toxic chemicals used in nonstick coatings and stain-resistant fabrics were
found in the breast milk of every woman tested in a recent study conducted by researchers
from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Researchers tested the milk from 45 different nursing mothers for two different varieties
of perflourinated compounds (PFCs): perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic
acid (PFOA), also known as C8. PFOA is used in nonstick coatings such as Teflon, while
PFOS is an ingredient in stain-resistant fabric.
PFCs were found in the milk of every woman tested, at an average concentration of 131
billionths of a gram of PFOS and 44 billionths of a gram of PFOA per liter.
The researchers said that this concentration would expose infants to PFC levels below the
maximum set by the British Food Standards Agency Committee, but noted that infants may
also be exposed to PFCs from other sources.
"Breast milk should be considered as an additional source of PFCs when determining a
child's [total] exposure," researcher Kathleen Arcaro said.
She urged parents to keep in mind that breastfeeding still provides important nutritional
and immune system benefits to infants.
The researchers also found that concentrations of PFCs in the milk of women who were
nursing for the first time actually increased during the first six months of nursing.
"This may be related to increased food
intake to meet the energy demands of nursing, and changes in food consumption
patterns," said Arcaro. "In a Canadian study, diet was shown to contribute 61
percent of a person's total daily [PFC] intake."
PFCs are persistent organic pollutants that resist environmental breakdown and instead
accumulate in the bodies of living beings, including humans. Research has linked them to
cancers, birth and developmental defects and disruptions of the hormonal system. They have
been found in the blood of most adults tested around the world. Prior studies have also
found that unborn children may absorb PFCs through their mother's blood.
The United States has not set any regulations for exposure to PFCs.
Sources for this story include: wvgazette.com.
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