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A recent biomonitoring study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), the Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental
Chemicals, has revealed that out of 212 chemicals tested, all 212 were found to be in
the blood and urine of most Americans. Six chemicals in particular, found in virtually
every person, were identified by the CDC as probable health hazards.
Every two years the CDC conducts the chemical study which identifies human exposure to
toxic chemicals. This year 75 new
chemicals were added to the assay that had never before been studied in the U.S.
population. Every chemical tested in the study, including the 75 new ones, was found to be
present in most or all of the study participants.
The six most widespread chemicals identified, all of which are also highly dangerous,
include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PDEs), bisphenol A (BPA),
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), acrylamide,
mercury, and methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE).
Flame retardant PDEs are chemicals added to all sorts consumer products that are meant to
decrease fire risk. They are known to build up in human fat tissue, causing damage to the
nervous system, liver and kidneys. Studies also implicate PDEs in causing sexual
dysfunction, thyroid problems and brain
disorders.
Bisphenol A, a chemical that has received much attention recently, is another toxin added
primarily to plastic products and can linings that contributes to many of the same
problems that PDEs do. More than 90 percent of those tested in the CDC study were found to have BPA in their bodies.
Perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical first developed by 3M and later used by DuPont, is used
in non-stick cookware, stain-resistant clothing, certain food packaging and other heat-resistant
products. Studies verify that PFOA contributes to infertility and other reproductive
problems. Liver and immune system dysfunction are also associated with the use of PFOAs.
Acrylamide is a chemical carcinogen that forms when carbohydrate foods are cooked at high
temperatures. French fries, fried chicken, and even coffee are all examples of foods that
have high acrylamide content. The chemical is also used in plastics, cosmetics and water treatment products. Perpetual
exposure to acrylamides is responsible for causing cancer and neurological dysfunction.
Most people are aware of the dangers of mercury,
another common toxin found in most Americans. Mercury can cause permanent brain damage.
Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a gasoline additive that is not used today, however it
has been detected in water supplies as well as in most Americans' bodies. Second-hand
cigarette smoke also releases MTBE which caused neurological and reproductive problems.
The report indicates suggestions to help avoid these chemicals and the products that
contain them. Cleansing and detoxification regimens are highly effective at continually
ridding the body of toxic build-up. (Natural News,
1.20.2010, E. Huff, staff writer) http://www.naturalnews.com/027980_synthetic_chemicals_exposure.html
Sources for this story include: http://www.thedailygreen.com/enviro... http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/
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