LAIST - Chances are you’re inhaling the toxic chemicals used to make plastics more flexible, according to a new study by UC Riverside and Duke researchers.
Plasticizers are used in a variety of everyday products like lunch boxes, shower curtains, and garden hoses. The chemicals in this study — known as phthalates — have been linked to cancer, birth complications, and reproductive harm.
What researchers learned
Researchers tracked groups of UCR students to measure how much they were absorbing chemical compounds in the air. Each student wore a silicone wristband continuously for five days, with the band acting like a sponge. The levels of plasticizers “were through the roof,” said David Volz, a professor of environmental toxicology at UC Riverside.