Environmental Chemicals in Fetal Cord Blood and Maternal Urine
This research study explores the presence of environmental chemicals linked to endocrine disruption and certain cancers in maternal/fetal pairs among patients undergoing Cesarean sections. These chemicals have become ubiquitous and are present to varying degrees in cosmetics, personal hygiene products, food additives, detergents, medications, and an array of plastics including baby bottles and children’s toys. As exposure to these chemicals rises, so does the concern over their potential adverse health effects. The study is a collaboration between The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center®, the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute at Rutgers University, and New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Abstract
The use of Bisphenol A (BPA) has widely been replaced in consumer products by analogs BPB, BPE, BPF, BPS, and BPAF. Recent studies have linked these substitutes to similar adverse health outcomes as BPA, including disruption of endocrine pathways in animal and human studies. We designed a novel MS method, developed specifically for this study, to capture the most relevant BPA alternatives, BPB, BPE, BPF, BPS, BPAF and 4-NP in human blood and urine to quantify potential in utero exposures.