12 chemical compounds, including manganese and organic chemicals used in the production of packaging, exhibit neurotoxic properties and are largely responsible for neurological disorders, such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia, say scientists, postulating international cooperation that would eliminate these compounds from the environment of children and adults.
A team of scientists from Harvard School of Public Health and Icahn School of Medicine, led by prof. Philippe Grandjean, investigated whether it is possible that neurological diseases such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia were caused by the presence of poisonous chemicals in the child’s environment. As it turned out, this relationship is clear, and thus one of the causes of such diseases was discovered.
Find out about the most common causes of autism
The biggest problem is that many children who have been exposed to toxic substances and have caused damage during their brain development have not been properly diagnosed. They show reduced concentration, development delays, poor academic performance, and industrial chemicals are cited as one of the reasons for this. However, this problem has not been thoroughly investigated, notes Prof. Grandjean.
A toxic dozen
Earlier reports have listed five industry-related chemicals as developmental neurotoxins, chemicals that can damage the brain as it develops. Meanwhile, the group of prof. Grandjeana extended this list to 12, and it is now known that the most dangerous substances for children’s brain development are:
– chloropyrifos (organophosphorus agent) and DDT responsible for the decrease in the ability to associate,
– manganese, which scientists have linked to a decline in intellectual ability and a decline in motor skills
– fluorine compounds responsible for developmental disorders,
– tetracholorethylene and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) together with solvents and flame retardants – causing ADHD hyperactivity and aggressive behavior.
According to US researchers, there are likely to be many more toxic chemicals than the dozen they have tested have neurotoxic properties and are responsible for the silent pandemic of neurobehavioral disorders, causing intellectual decline, aggressive behavior and social problems.
However, controlling this pandemic, or even determining its extent, is very difficult, if only because there is no data on the negative impact of individual substances. Meanwhile, the spread and use of many of these chemicals should be regulated by government to prevent such negative effects from their use.
Scientists from the group of prof. Grandjeana proposes compulsory toxicity and cytotoxicity tests for individual industrial substances before they are placed on the market, and ask other researchers to jointly develop a catalog of toxic substances and the areas in which they have been used, in order to reduce their harmful effects on children and adults.
Dangerous phthalates, BPA, PBDE and HBCD
Meanwhile, scientists from the University of Texas Health Science Center, working under the leadership of Prof. Arnold Schecter, discovered another group of neurotoxic substances responsible for disturbances in the work of the brain, both in children and adults. It’s phthalates. These phthalic acid salts and esters are used in the production of phthalate-glycerine resins (so-called gliftali), which are the basis for phthalic varnishes and paints, adhesives (synthetic gum arabic) and some laminates. They are also used as plasticizers in the production of, for example, soaps or cheaper bath gels and shampoos.
They are present almost everywhere, because they are found in food packaging, items intended for infants and children, such as toys, and even in the housings of medical devices. As prof. Schecter, phthalates contribute to food poisoning, in addition to damaging brain cells, they also destroy sperm in men, cause hormonal disorders in women, are also responsible for the so-called. premature puberty syndrome in girls and prematurity.
Researchers from the University of Texas examined samples of 72 food items from all supermarkets in Albany, USA. The study looked at items such as pizza, packaged meats and cold cuts, and drinks, not only cheap, but also high-end ones. Researchers determined the level of phthalates in each of the products. According to the researchers, the highest levels of phthalates were found in products containing fats in which these substances dissolve perfectly, such as salami with a long period of consumption. In general, the shorter the shelf life of a given product and the lower its fat content, the less phthalates it had. There were exceptions, e.g. colored bottles containing sweetened sodas contained as much phthalates as salami with a long shelf life.
The second category of chemical substances with known neurotoxicity, which was examined by the group of prof. Schectera is bisphenol A (BPA), widely used in the production of epoxy resins and plastics, present in, inter alia, on printouts from cash and card terminals and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) – flame retardants, used in food packaging. These compounds dissolve perfectly in fats and alcohols and, like phthalates, are present in food packaging and commonly used substances, such as food foil. BPA damages the hormonal mechanism of women, is responsible for the increasing percentage of miscarriages and accumulates in the testes of men, causing the destruction of sperm, while PBDE and HBCD damage brain cells, causing both children and adults to have problems associating the so-called cognitive deficits, leading to dementia in the elderly. Their percentage in food is the higher the more fat the food contains.
Chip list
In turn, according to the research of the American National Academy of Sciences (NAS), long-term exposure to toxic agents in the environment is responsible for a large part of diseases such as autism and ADHD.
As stated by a team of scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine, conducting research under the auspices of the NAS, constructing a list of neurotoxic substances – present in paints, building and finishing materials, packaging of all types, including food and everyday products, including toys – is quite difficult and long-lasting; it will also require the collaboration of scientists from many countries. However, Dr. Landrigan’s team has compiled an overall list of the most poisonous substances and chemicals that must be eliminated from the environment of children and adults. These substances are:
– lead,
– methyl mercury, present in water, marine and freshwater organisms, damaging the fetus and the brain of a child,
– polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) widely used in the chemical and electrotechnical industries, even present in printing inks of newspapers and packaging,
– organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticides responsible for fetal malformations, brain, kidney and liver damage in children and adults,
– fuel additives widely used in the so-called leaded petrol and unleaded petrol parts for contactless combustion and increased engine life. They cause lung disease and are neurotoxic,
– BPA, PBDE and HBCD – bromine flame retardants as endocrine disruptors in both mothers and children,
– polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, more than 200 compounds, used in the production of plastics and in food processing. They are carcinogenic and neurotoxic,
– perfluorinated organic compounds (PFC) – very persistent organic compounds, used e.g. in waterproof fabrics and upholstery and preventing food from sticking to dishes and kitchen utensils, responsible for a significant increase in LDL cholesterol even in children and neurotoxic.
As the scientists stated, the identification of other poisonous compounds will be laborious, and the postulate of cooperation of researchers from all major research centers in the world – necessary for implementation. Meanwhile, the threat from these relationships is considerable. Only in Denmark in 2010 the use of only PFCs reached 50 tonnes per year, and these compounds are practically irreducible.
Tekst: Marek Mejssner