Toxic Chemicals Found in Cord Blood of Newborns

Infants are Exposed to Harmful Substances Before Birth

Mar 26, 2010

The results of a two-year study show that infants had been exposed to over 200 different toxic environmental
pollutants while still in the womb.

The Environmental Working Group and Rachel's Network commissioned a two-year study carried out by five
independent laboratories to test for the presence of toxic contaminants in the cord blood of newborn minority
infants.

Results of the study showed that the cord blood contained up to 232 different toxic substances, demonstrating
prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants. Many of the environmental toxins found in the cord blood are
under strict regulatory control and some have been banned because exposure is known to cause significant
health risks.

Parameters of the Cord Blood Contaminant Study

The ten infants in the study were born between late 2007 and mid-2008 in California, Florida, Massachusetts,
Michigan and Wisconsin. All of the newborns were of African-American, Asian or Hispanic descent, but their
identities were otherwise anonymous. The laboratories performing the analyses were located in the U.S.,
Canada and the Netherlands.

While other studies have examined chemical contamination of cord blood, this study was the first of its kind
carried out to specifically address the health risks to minority children due to environmental pollutants. For an
overview of the correlation between ethnicity and environmental health, see Brulle and Pellow, 2006.

Toxic Pollutants Found in Newborn Cord Blood

Some of the toxic environmental pollutants found in the cord blood samples include:

 Bisphenol A (BPA): a widely used component of plastics that is linked to a host of health problems including
cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, endocrine disruption, infertility, impaired brain function and abnormal
behavior.

 Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): These chemicals have been banned in the United States since the late
1970s, but they persist in the environment and move up the food chain by the process of bioaccumulation. PCBs
are carcinogens and cause decreased thyroid hormone levels.
 Perfluorochemicals (PFCs): used in non-stick and stain-resistant products such as Teflon and Scotchgard,
these chemicals are linked to low birth weight, high cholesterol, reproductive problems and immune
suppression.

 Perchlorate: A component of rocket fuel, perchlorate contaminates the groundwater and has been detected in
many common foods. It affects thyroid hormone levels that are vital for normal fetal development.
 Dioxins and furans: Found in fire retardants, they also enter the air, soil and water when plastics are
incinerated, and accumulate in dairy products, meat and fish. They are known carcinogens and are also linked to
lowered levels of hormones necessary for reproductive development.

 Lead: Found in lead paint and water pipes, lead is a neurotoxin that damages the brain and nervous system
and causes problems with behavior, learning, hearing and reproduction.

 Mercury: A pollutant of coal-fired power plants, mercury is also found in contaminated fish and seafood. It
causes abnormal brain and nervous system development and increases the risk of cardiovascular and immune
disorders.

Potential Consequences of Prenatal Exposure to Toxic Chemicals

In addition to the risks posed by individual carcinogens, neurotoxins, endocrine disruptors and other chemical
toxins, researchers are further concerned that the additive effects of exposure to several toxins can create greater
damage than would be caused by exposure to a single chemical.

The developing fetus is particularly vulnerable to health risks caused by environmental toxins for several
reasons, including:

 small size of the fetus in relation to the concentration of the toxic chemicals in the mother's body
 rapid cell growth and differentiation
 undeveloped blood-brain barrier
 inability of the fetus to neutralize or remove toxic chemicals from the blood

While toxins can directly damage the cells and organs of the developing fetus, exposure to mercury and other
chemicals before birth can also increase the incidence of certain diseases in adulthood. The long-term
consequences of exposure to environmental toxins by these infants may not be seen for many years.

Sources:

Environmental Working Group. "Pollution in People: Cord Blood Contaminants in Minority Newborns."
December 2, 2009. Accessed March 26, 2010.

Brulle, Robert and Pellow, David. "Environmental Justice: Human Health and Environmental Inequalities."
Annual Review of Public Health 27:103-124. April, 2006.

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