Toxic metals like lead and arsenic detected in tampons used regularly by millions

A recent study published in the Environment International journal revealed the disturbing details that tampons, commonly used by millions of people, contain a variety of toxic metals such as lead and arsenic. Researchers tested 30 tampons from 14 brands purchased in the U.S., U.K., and the European Union / Greece. All 16 metals they examined were detected in at least one product.

A new study led by a @UCBerkeleySPH researcher found that tampons from several brands can contain toxic metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium. Future research will test how much of these metals can leach out of the tampons and be absorbed by the body. https://t.co/ILDI13tNFw

— UC Berkeley (@UCBerkeley) July 5, 2024

Excerpts from the Study:

• Between 52–86% of people who menstruate in the United States use tampons;
  
• Half of the global population has or will experience menstruation;

• Given the average age at menarche (12 years), age at natural menopause (51 years), cycle length (29 days), and bleeding duration (4 days), menstruators need to manage menstrual bleeding for several days each month over the course of decades;

• Menstruators may use more than 7,400 tampons (4 tampons/day × 4 days/cycle × 12 cycles/year × 39 years of cycles) over their reproductive years, with each tampon being retained in the vagina for several hours;

• Given the high prevalence and long-term use of tampons, there is a growing interest in understanding tampons as a potential source of chemical exposure.

Results from the recent study showed that measurable concentrations of all 16 metals that were assessed, were found to be present in the tampons with some of those metals falling into the category of being toxic, those toxic metals being identified as showing elevated concentrations of lead and arsenic. 

• The concentrations of those detected metals varied by where the tampons were purchased, as in the U.S. versus the U.K. or European Union.

• The concentrations of metals also varied by whether the material used in the manufacture of the tampons was organic or non-organic, and whether the tampons were generically manufactured versus name-brand tampons.

• No category had consistently lower concentrations of all or most metals.

CBS News shared that tampons are made with cotton, rayon or both, and the study noted that that the metals could have come from the soil by the plants used to make the materials. The presence of metals could also be the result of chemicals used as antimicrobials or to control odor.

The study highlights the need for safety regulations mandating metal testing in tampons due to the very strong possibility of those toxic metals leaching from the tampons into the bloodstream.

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(Source: Environment International)
(Image credits: Twitter)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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