The safety of phthalates — one of the most commonly used families of chemicals in the world — is being called into question again. Researchers at the University of Washington's Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Rochester have found that babies whose moms had recently applied infant care products like baby lotion, shampoo, and powder were more likely to have phthalates in their urine than babies whose moms didn't use these products.
The study, "Baby Care Products: Possible Sources of Infant Phthalate Exposure," will appear in the February issue of the Journal of Pediatrics.
"We found that infant exposure to phthalates is widespread, and that exposure to personal care products applied onto the skin may be an important source," says Sheela Sathyanarayana, an acting assistant professor in the University of Washington's Department of Pediatrics. This is disturbing because the safety of phthalates has been in question, with studies over the years raising more and more red flags. And, as Sathyanarayana points out, "Babies may be more at risk than children or adults because their reproductive, endocrine, and immune systems are still developing."
Phthalates (pronounced "thah-lates") are chemical compounds used to soften plastics (especially polyvinyl chloride, or PVC). You'll find them in some toys, household products, cars, and plastic bottles and containers. They're used in personal care products, too — to help lubricate and soften other substances, to help lotions penetrate and soften the skin, and to help fragrances last longer, for example.
The chemical industry asserts that there are no conclusive studies in humans to suggest that phthalates are dangerous in the amounts to which we're currently exposed. But some consumer advocacy, environmental, and medical experts disagree.
"The animal studies suggest there is a potential for phthalates to impact birth outcomes, including gestational age and birth weight, fertility (lower sperm production), and anatomical abnormalities related to the male genitalia," says Maida Galvez, a pediatrician and director of the Mount Sinai Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit in New York City. "Human studies are now looking at the relationship between phthalates and asthma. There are also studies examining whether phthalates influence the timing of puberty or the risk for childhood obesity." (While phthalates have been shown to cause kidney and liver cancers in animal studies, the mechanism involved isn't likely to be relevant to humans, says Galvez.)
Sathyanarayana and fellow researchers tested urine samples from babies 2 months to 28 months old whose mothers had used infant care products on them in the previous 24 hours. They found that every baby had at least one phthalate in his urine sample, and 81 percent of them had seven or more phthalates in their system. Babies 8 months or younger had the highest levels, along with babies whose moms used more infant personal care products.
The products with the strongest phthalate association were baby powder, lotion, and shampoo. Baby wipes and diaper cream did not have a strong association.
What makes this new study unique is its focus on absorbing these chemicals through the skin via personal care products. Most of the previous concerns raised about phthalates — and another plasticizer, bisphenol A (BPA) — revolved around kids ingesting the chemicals. Ingestion can happen when children are mouthing or teething on plastic toys and nipples, when the chemicals leach from a bottle or storage container into something kids eat or drink, and when they breathe in chemicals "off-gassed" by vinyl products like shower curtains and flooring.