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NEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, WINTER ISSUE 2006 |
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Upcoming Event: February 22, 7-9 pm Are lawn pesticides putting your family at risk for health problems? Come and learn about why pesticides are harmful and what alternatives you can use on your lawn.The Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, in conjunction with Community Co-sponsors Rochesterians Against the Misuse of Pesticides (RAMP) and the University of Rochester’s Department of Environmental Medicine present Patricia Wood, Founder and Executive Director of Grassroots Environmental Education, Westchester County. This free event will take place at the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, 840 University Avenue. If you have any questions please contact the BCCR office at 473-8177. | |
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Phthalates are a class of industrial chemicals (dialkyl or alkyl/aryl
esters of 1,2 benzenedicarboxylic acid) that are often added to products
people use on a daily basis. A majority of the phthalates are used as plasticizers. Plasticizers allow plastic to be
soft, strengthened, flexible, and durable. Phthalates are also used as solvents in products such as
perfume in order to extend the fragrance durability. Human exposure to phthalates is
often measured by the related metabolites ("breakdown products") of
the phthalates. Phthalates are colorless oily liquids, with high
boiling points and low volatility.
These characteristics make phthalates a useful additive in a
variety of industrial and commercial products.
How are you exposed
to phthalates?
Ingestion:
Inhalation:
Skin Absorption: (research suggests that this is the least common exposure route)
Where can you find phthalates?
Common Types of Phthalates:
What is the potential harm from exposure to phthalates? In the past, there has been little research on phthalate exposure
in humans, although there have been animal studies. This is partially due to the
complications presented by human studies because of the ever-present
nature of phthalates in the environment. Humans are constantly exposed to
phthalates. It can be
difficult to identify how much, what kind, and from which products
phthalates present potential harm to humans. What research exists does not give
a decisive verdict on the health effects of phthalates.
The debate about the safety of phthalates is of international
concern. One side of the
dispute claims that there has been sufficient research on phthalates which
has found no significant evidence that phthalates cause harm to humans. According
to the United States Food and Drug Administration- “It’s not clear
what effect, if any, phthalates have on health.”
The Phthalates Information Center claims that “research suggests
that health effects seen in rodents may be specific to that species, and
not relevant to humans.” On the other hand, new studies are beginning to shed light on potential human health effects of phthalate exposure. This research has persuaded Europe to regulate phthalates based on the Precautionary Principle. (see Precautionary Actions below) “Research suggests that exposure to phthalates can cause
reproductive and respiratory health effects.” Phthalate Analysis in Household Air
Freshener (A. Turner, 2004) In fall 2005, Europe permanently banned the use of six types of phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, DNOP) that are often used in items such as toys for children. The European Commission has begun looking at limiting the use of phthalates in medical devices. The EU aims to use precaution while acknowledging major implications, such as displeasing major industries or creating alternatives that are more costly and less is known of them, when creating new policies. For More News and Information on Phthalates:
Journal of the American Medical Association, July 2005 Wall Street Journal, October 2005
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Center
for Reproductive Epidemiology:
Focus on Environment,
Fertility,
Family Health
New Research Explores How Chemicals
Effect Reproduction
Some evidence
suggests that ubiquitous chemicals to which pregnant women might be
exposed to around the
time of conception or later in pregnancy may be harming the fetus, and
ultimately impacting the child’s future health. To explore this question,
the University of Rochester Medical Center has established a Center for
Reproductive Epidemiology, which is among the first in the United States
to focus on this area of research. Shanna H. Swan, Ph.D., professor
of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is serving as Director of the Center
for Reproductive Epidemiology. Swan is
internationally recognized for her work on links between male and female
reproduction and environmental toxins. Since 1998 she has served as
principal investigator for a federally funded, multi-center Study for
Future Families, an investigation into the environmental causes of
geographic variations in reproductive health. Her most recently published
research suggested that phthalates in a mother’s body during pregnancy had
subtle effects on the development of the genitals of infant boys.
Swan is a first-ever recipient of the Jenifer Altman Awards, created in 2005 to honor scientists whose work promotes the protection of human and ecological health, through a commitment to science in the public interest. These scientists demonstrate a deep commitment to scientific integrity and the public’s right to know, even in the face of controversy. “At the Center for
Reproductive Epidemiology we will continue to focus on understanding how
chemicals in our bodies affect our fertility and the outcome of
pregnancy,” said Swan, who joined the University of Rochester faculty in
January 2005 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. “Science is
recognizing that adult diseases often originate in the womb. Animal
studies have shown that exposures at the earliest stages of life may
predict future health. So it is important to conduct epidemiological
studies to determine whether these common exposures also impact human
development and adult health.” Swan and colleagues are
planning a long-term study of families living in the Rochester area to
better understand how phthalates and other environmental exposures can
impact infant development. Adapted from: Leslie Orr, September 13, 2005
Researchers Investigate Prenatal Phthalate Exposure Anogenital distance and prenatal phthalate Swan and Research Team Project Summary
Study background
We examined several androgen dependent developmental
endpoints in baby boys in relation to the concentration of phthalates in
their mothers’ urine. The primary outcome for our study was the anogenital
distance (AGD).
The mothers in our study participated, while
pregnant, in the Study for Future
Families (SFFI), which we conducted in Minneapolis MN, Los Angeles CA
and Columbia MO. If a woman agreed, and the baby was 3-24 months old when
we recontacted her, mother and baby were enrolled in the current study
(SFFII). This study is still ongoing, and this analysis is based on data
available at the end of 2004, which includes 134 mother-son pairs, of
which 85 had phthalate measurements.
Anogenital Distance Anogenital distance (AGD) is a measurement of the length of the perineum, the length between the anus and the genitals. It is easily measured and in rodents and humans it is about twice as long in males as females. Experiments have demonstrated that in rodent studies this distance is shortened when the mother is exposed to chemicals that are anti-androgenic, such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or benzylbutyl phthalate (BBzP). We hypothesized that the same was true in human boys.
Methods
We invited mothers to bring their babies, if they were 3- 24 months
old, to one of our clinical centers for a physical examination
administered by study staff, using a protocol developed for our study. For
boys this examination included measurement of AGD and development of the
testicles, the penis and the scrotum. Boys with an AGD that was quite
short (<25% of expected) for their age and weight were classified as
having short AGD. Study results We found that:
Prior to our study, the only
studies on effects of prenatal phthalate exposure were conducted in
rodents. However, two recent studies found adverse effects of some
phthalates on semen quality in adult males and one study found increased
rates of prematurity among infants whose mothers had high levels of one
phthalate (di-2-ethylhexyl
phthalate or DEHP)
Dr. Swan hopes to study a new group of mothers to further examine these associations. We will also be analyzing our data to learn more about sources of mothers and babies phthalate exposure. We will be working with colleagues to examine phthalate levels in relation to prematurity and low birth weight. And we will be looking at phthalate levels in the fathers in relation to their semen quality. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE NEWS ARCHIVES University of Rochester Receives $21 Million Terrorism Research Grant: Jacob N. Finkelstein, Ph.D. Study of Mercury and Fish to Focus on Teenagers: Thomas Clarkson, Ph.D. The Dangerous Legacy of Lead: Michael McCabe Jr., Ph.D. Scientists Probe Air Pollution-Heart Disease Link: Gunter Oberdoerster, Ph.D. and Mark J. Utell, M.D.
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TOXICOLOGY TRAINING PROGRAM NEWS Congratulations to alumnus (Class of 1989),George M. Gray Ph.D., for his recent appointment as the Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development. Welcome to the students who entered the Toxicology Training
Program in Fall 2005: David Adenuga, Sophia Fang, and Sam
Caito. |
In October 2005, the Department of Environmental Medicine opened the Neurobehavioral Facility Laboratory. Dr. Troy Zarcone is the Director of the laboratory, and Dr. Bernard Weiss is the Senior Advisor. This facility provides state-of-the-art equipment and expertise in the neurobehavioral field to researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center. This facility provides consultations in interpreting data on behavioral changes and helps support research that builds collaborations between scientists.
Dr. Troy Zarcone Dr. Bernard Weiss
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COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Center for Science Education and Outreach Faculty Member Presents at World Environmental Education Congress in Torino, Italy, October 2-6 2005
Camille Anne Martina, Ph.D., Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Medicine, and David Hursh, Ph. D, Associate Professor of the Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, presented their paper “We all live downstream: Transforming knowledge and thinking through teaching and learning about the relationship between the environment and human health” at the World Environmental Education Congress in Torino, Italy.
This Congress addressed diverse participants including: university professors and researchers, educators, politicians, scientists, technicians, teachers, students, environmentalists, and the mass media. The objectives of the Congress were to exchange observations and best practices of environmental education at a worldwide level, to develop the main themes for the agenda on environmental education and to jointly discuss the theses and proposals presented in the speeches and posters from around the world.
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Environmental Medicine Team Develops a Series of
Environmental Health Education Materials for Health Care Professionals and Lay Community
Audiences Environmental
Medicine faculty members William
Beckett, MD, Ph.D., Dina Markowitz, Ph.D., Katrina Korfmacher, Ph.D., Camille Martina,
Ph.D., and Kate Kuholski collaborated on a grant from the Association of
Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC) during Spring and Summer of
2005. The team developed
educational materials on the heath effects of exposure to mercury,
arsenic, and lead. These materials will be used by
the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to educate health
care professionals and lay community audience about potentially toxic substances and other environmental health
topics. How Does Arsenic Get into the Environment?: Graphic by Jenny Smith of the University of Rochester Medical Center
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Healthy
Home Pilot
Katrina
Smith Korfmacher received pilot funding to establish
a model “Healthy Home” in southwest
This “Healthy Home” will be
established in a typical residential home in southwest
Get the Lead Out (GLO)
Project
Outreach
Project Finds Extensive Lead Hazards in Rochester Neighborhoods An intensive outreach project in two inner-city Rochester neighborhoods has revealed that up to 88% of homes may have some form of exterior lead paint hazards. The event, jointly
conducted by Action for a Better Community and the University of Rochester
Medical Center, represents the most ambitious outreach project undertaken
by the “Get the Lead Out” (GLO) project. Sixteen community interns and
staff from the University of Rochester’s Environmental Health Sciences
Center conducted education, visual assessments, and resident surveys over
a two-week period in July.
Homeowners, landlords, and tenants were notified in advance of the
inspection visits and were provided with information about lead
hazards. The outreach teams
documented deteriorated paint in 385 homes. Because all of these houses were
built before 1978, any deteriorated paint may pose a lead hazard. Over 800
Monroe County children are lead poisoned each year. Lead poisoning is most serious for
children six years and younger, potentially damaging the child’s central
nervous system, kidneys and other organs. Even low levels of lead are
harmful and are associated with decreased intelligence, impaired
neurobehavioral development, decreased growth and impaired hearing. The major source of lead exposure
among U.S. children is lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found
in housing built before 1978.
Eighty-seven percent of Rochester’s housing was constructed prior
to 1950.
Interns/Volunteers: Veronica Siaca, Trey McCullough, Kazuko
Sharp, Ann Walter,Obidi Ikpeze |
Rochester City
Lead Ordinance Passes Unanimously
Making good on the Mayor’s pledge at the
Coalition to Prevent Lead Poisoning’s June 2004 Lead Summit, the
Rochester City Council has passed an amendment to its municipal code
requiring inspection for lead hazards. Advocates have long
recognized the need for stronger lead policy to address
The final bill has several notable
features:
Community Advisory Board Our Community Advisory Board provides a unique forum for members of Rochester-area community
organizations to discuss local and regional environmental
health issues. Recent CAB meetings have
featured presentations on dental health, air pollution and the connection
to cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, and phthalates. The
presentation on dental health by Dr. Gene Watson and
Dr. T. Kopycka-Kedzierawski of the University of Rochester’s Eastman
Dental Center inspired one of the
members of the Community Advisory Board to create an educational outreach
project. Dr. Hoffman Moka Lantum of Kodak,
hosted a Day of Caring Event that focused on educating city residents
about children's dental health. The December meeting featured a presentation by Dr. Shanna Swan on her research on phthalates (see other articles, this issue). In January 2006, Dr. Andrew Doniger, Director of the Monroe County Public Health Department, and two of his colleagues made a special presentation on the Monroe County Environmental Health Report Card to CAB as well additional graduate students and faculty members from the University of Rochester Medical Center. |
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Precautionary Actions Regarding Phthalates and Other Plasticizers Shanna H. Swan, Ph.D. Consumers and journalists often ask me about precautionary measures I would recommend (or use myself) to limit exposure to phthalates and others plasticizers of concern. Some recommendations are summarized here.
As stated on the National Library of Medicine (NIH) website (http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/chemical.php?name=phthalates), “You can be exposed to low levels of phthalates through air, water, or food. You can be exposed to phthalates if you use cosmetics, personal care products, cleaning products, or other plastic and vinyl products that contain them. Exposure to low levels of phthalates may come from eating food packaged in plastic that contains phthalates, or breathing dust in rooms with vinyl miniblinds, wallpaper, or recently installed flooring that contain phthalates. You could be exposed by drinking water that contains phthalates, though it is not known how common that is. Children can be exposed to phthalates by chewing on soft vinyl toys or other products made with them. Children can be exposed by breathing household dust that contains phthalates, or using IV tubing or other medical devices made with phthalates”.
In other words, the sad truth is that virtually all of us are regularly exposed to low levels of phthalates and other plasticizers. But there are some measures we can take to avoid at least some of these exposures, until the time when the use of these chemicals in everyday materials and products is more aggressively restricted.
Unfortunately, since these chemicals are so pervasive in our environment it is unclear what precautionary measures are most effective in reducing risk. Food is probably a large source, but it is not possible to know when phthalates are present. As a precautionary action, choose microwave-safe plastic wrap, and never let it directly contact food. In fact, you can avoid using plastic wrap—try waxed or parchment paper instead. If possible, choose containers made of polyethylene, which is plasticizer-free. Otherwise, you can use microwaveable glass and ceramic cookware. Don’t microwave plastic containers used for cold food storage—they often melt and warp, because they are not designed to withstand the high heat of microwaving. Also, it is probably safer to avoid microwaving food in freezer cartons or on Styrofoam trays. If in doubt, choose food containers with recycling codes #1, #2, #4 or #5. Avoid those with #7 (PC or polycarbonate) and #3 (PVC or polyvinyl chloride).
Only one phthalate (diethylhexyl phthalate) is regulated in drinking water, and even that chemical may be present at higher than permissible levels if levels fluctuate, since water is tested only intermittently. That may be of concern for couples trying to get pregnant, or during pregnancy, when the time around and the weeks after conception are most critical. And other phthalates are not regulated at all. So consumers may decide to use a home water treatment method. The recommended method to remove phthalates from drinking water is with a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter. There are no regulatory requirements for phthalates. The National Resources Defense Council tested a number of brands of bottled water and some, but not all, contained phthalates (http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp).
Children can be exposed to phthalates by chewing on soft vinyl toys or other products made with them. Parents may want to dispose of all teethers, pacifiers, nipples and heavily mouthed toys made of soft plastic, unless they know them not to contain phthalates. Parents may also want to dispose of all clear, shiny plastic baby bottles, unless the manufacturer states they are not made of polycarbonate, primarily because of concerns about the plasticizer bisphenol-A.
The European Union has imposed a ban on three types of phthalates in all children’s products, and has banned three other types from use in mouthing products marketed for children under three. California is currently considering a similar ban. Several phthalates are contained in personal care products, and some companies have removed some or all phthalates from their products. More information about specific products can be found at http://www.nottoopretty.org. Consumers, particularly pregnant women or couples attempting to conceive, may want to limit their use of phthalate-containing personal care products. Additional precautionary actions include asking for phthalate-free medical care, checking pharmaceutical labels for presence of phthalates and, when building or remodeling, avoiding PVC (vinyl) materials that will add phthalates to indoor environments.
While the risks from these products have not been established, these precautionary actions cannot be harmful, and it is likely they will reduce exposure to plasticizers, a class of chemicals now under intense scrutiny because of increasing evidence of their toxicity. | |
Your Health & the
Environment
Shanna H. Swan, Ph.D.
