BPA, PCBs, PBDE, PFOA, DEHP ... analyze a fat, blood or urine sample from many Americans and those are a few of the acronyms you can expect to find in the lab report. All are persistent organic compounds that have found their way into the human body and the environment as a result of being used in myriad consumer products. Recent research is showing not only widespread exposure to some of those compounds, but also new insights about their potential effect on fertility and human development, strengthening calls for stricter regulations for chemicals used in consumer products.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published new findings for The National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, an ongoing survey of chemical exposure in the U.S. population. Some of this research found median blood levels of brominated flame retardents  seven to 35 percent higher than those reported in Europe, where such compounds have not been so widely used. Animal studies have linked PBDE and other brominated flame retardants to certain cancers and adverse effects on endocrine and thyroid function as well as on brain development.

The CDC survey has also analyzed blood for perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which were widely used in non-stick coatings and stain protection finishes like Scotchgard. Though the Environmental Protection Agency took steps in 2000 to begin to limit production and use of some types of PFCs, analyses of blood samples taken between 2003 and 2004 found the compounds in 98 percent of the samples tested. While levels of the most notorious compounds (PFOA and PFOS) were lower than in samples taken between 1999 and 2000, levels of one compound were actually higher, and levels of all compounds remained high relative to levels that have been linked to reproductive and developmental effects in laboratory animals.

A new study by University of California researchers now suggests that women with higher body burdens of certain PFCs may experience greater difficulty getting pregnant. The study looked at a group of 1,400 Danish women who had recently become pregnant and found that those with higher levels of certain PFCs in their blood took up to twice as long to get pregnant and were more likely to have had a history of irregular menstrual periods and miscarriage. 

Exactly how these chemicals get into the body and which products cause the greatest exposure remains unclear, in large part because manufacturers don't have to list product ingredients or track where the chemicals go. And once a chemical is out in the marketplace, tracking it down in food, air, and even the products themselves is an expensive and technically challenging task. Tests by Consumer Reports found that contrary to popular expectations, non-stick cookware is not likely to be the biggest culprit. The chemicals have been found, however, in vapors released from microwave popcorn packaging and in the packaging itself. Other organizations have reported high levels of PFCs as well as brominated flame retardants at higher levels in residential indoor air than outdoor air, suggesting they are likely released through the use of the many consumer products made with these compounds.

CU calls for ban on BPA in children's products
Consumers Union Tuesday reiterated its plea for the Food and Drug Administration to ban the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from children's products. BPA—a chemical found in the linings of cans and in many plastic products, including sports bottles, food-storage containers and baby bottles—has potential links to a wide range of health effects. “Given the currently existing body of scientific knowledge about the health risks of BPA to consumers, we ask that the FDA act immediately to protect high risk populations, such as children and babies, while it gathers more data,” said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, a Senior Scientist and Policy Analyst for Consumers Union.