Charles Benbrook's analysis of USDA data for 1996-2011 found herbicide use on Roundup Ready soy acres rose from 0.89 to 1.68 pounds per acre while use on non-GM soy fell from 1.19 to 0.96, challenging claims that GM crops reduce pesticide use.
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Page 16 of 28
Chemical
Chemical hazards: fluoride, pesticides, BPA and other contaminants.
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Chemical
Fluoridation boosts risk of fluorosis - new study
A study in the Journal of Public Health Dentistry followed 588 Australian children and found more very mild to mild fluorosis in fluoridated areas, where mixing infant formula with tap water raised the risk further. Children in those areas also had less tooth decay.
Chemical
Harvard Study Finds Fluoride in Water Lowers IQ – Published in Federal Gov’t Journal
A Harvard review of fluoride studies, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, concluded the results support the possibility of adverse effects on children's neurodevelopment, finding significantly lower IQ in high-fluoride areas. The studies reviewed used high water fluoride levels.
Chemical
Folate fortification may boost breast cancer risk
Among 34,388 postmenopausal Iowa women, folate intake alone showed no link to breast cancer. But among women taking 400 ug of folate a day, those with the highest nitrate intake carried 40% higher risk; no such link appeared in women with low folate intake.
Chemical
Cadmium causes both liver cancer, type 2 diabetes
A review in Current Drug Metabolism argues cadmium, a food contaminant and cigarette smoke constituent, may be a shared risk factor behind rising liver cancer and type 2 diabetes. Animal work has established a causal link to liver cancer; urinary cadmium tracked with diabetes in NHANES III.
Chemical
Industry finds alternative to Bisphenol A, but is it safe?
The federal government has barred BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups, acting on a request from the American Chemistry Council after manufacturers had already dropped the chemical. The FDA still backs BPA in food packaging, which some researchers dispute on animal evidence.
Chemical
Genotocity of metal nanoparticles: Animal studies
Reviewing animal studies for Arh Hig Rada Toksikol, Austrian researchers report some nanoparticles cause DNA strand breaks and chromosomal damage, with genotoxicity depending on particle size, surface modification, exposure route and duration. They urge caution, saying the evidence is limited.
Chemical
Chemicals in personal care products linked to type 2 diabetes
Researchers measured urinary phthalate levels in 2,350 women from a national survey and found those with the highest concentrations of several phthalates were up to twice as likely to have type 2 diabetes. The lead author calls it a first step in exploring the connection.
Chemical
Common metal oxide nanoparticles damage and kill cells
Testing 20-nanometre particles on human fetal lung fibroblasts, Chinese researchers found silicon dioxide, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and aluminium oxide all caused mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death at 0.25 to 1.50 mg/mL, with zinc oxide the most toxic.
Chemical
Silicon dioxide induces oxidation/inflammation
Researchers found amorphous silicon dioxide nanoparticles, widely used in processed food, supplements and cosmetics, prompted human epithelial and endothelial cell lines to produce high levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8, an effect potentiated by monocytic THP-1 cells.
Chemical
High exposure to fluoride may make men infertile
In a Toxicology International study, N. Kumar's team fed 60 male rabbits diets including fluoride and found it cut sperm count and motility. Vitamin E restored sperm count better than vitamin D did, and the two vitamins together brought count and motility close to normal.
Chemical
Is Your Food Exposing You To This Pesticide?
An interview with toxicologist Janette Sherman on endocrine disruptors, which are linked to breast cancer, infertility, low sperm counts and early puberty. Her 1999 paper anticipated later PNAS findings of structural brain changes in children exposed to chlorpyrifos in the womb.
Chemical
This pollutant could be riskier than pesticides
A Mycobiology study found silver nanoparticles at 100 ppm gave the greatest inhibition of fungal growth and spore germination in pepper anthracnose, working best when applied before an outbreak. The article notes plants take nanoparticles up and that nanoparticles are toxic to animals.
Chemical
This food ingredient can damage your DNA
Y. Li and colleagues exposed cultured human liver cells to silica nanoparticles of four sizes and saw lowered viability, DNA damage and more reactive oxygen species, with smaller particles doing greater harm. A second Chinese team reported similar results in skin cells.
Chemical
Trans fat linked to high risk of ischemic stroke
Among 87,025 women aged 50 to 79 in the Women's Health Initiative, those in the highest fifth of trans fat intake were 39% more likely to have an ischemic stroke than those in the lowest. Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats showed no such link. Annals of Neurology.
Chemical
High fructose corn syrup linked to vascular/metabolic dysfunction
Rats drinking beverages with 10 or 20 percent high fructose corn syrup showed raised triglycerides, VLDL, insulin and blood pressure, impaired vessel relaxation and lower eNOS and SIRT1. Adding resveratrol at 50 mg/L offset some of those changes.
Chemical
Cancer-causing agent in your soft drinks?
California added 4-methylimidazole, a byproduct of caramel coloring, to its Proposition 65 list of cancer-causing chemicals, prompting Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Whole Foods to alter recipes. The FDA had refused CSPI's petition, insisting the coloring is safe.
Chemical
Be aware of man-made toxins in your foods, dietary supplements
Rigitta Szalay's doctoral thesis found iron oxide nanoparticles delivered into rats' airways altered body and lung weights, damaged lung tissue, lowered IgM and IgG in the bronchioles and irreversibly injured alveolar cell membranes. Human A549 cells proved more sensitive than animal cells.
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