First human biomonitoring study encounters plastic particles of four different polymer types in human blood; in vivo study reports polystyrene nanoparticles pass blood-brain barrier and induce neurotoxicity in mice; review summarizes plastic particle and titanium dioxide impacts on human gut epithelial integrity, gut homeostasis, and intestinal inflammation
Europe: efforts towards harmonized human biomonitoring
New study reports on the first Europe-wide biomonitoring project in 17 countries
BPA linked to prostate cancer
New study investigates effects of BPA exposure on human prostate cells, links BPA to prostate cancer
What is the best beverage packaging?
Article in Spiegel Online compares beverage packaging materials made of glass, plastic and aluminum; reusable glass or plastic bottles are considered most eco-friendly
Marketplace for chemical alternatives
Non-profit organization ChemSec launches new online resource aimed to facilitate advertising and finding commercially available substitutes to hazardous substances
JRC: New nanomaterial platform
European research center releases online nanomaterial platform, integrates information currently dispersed across the web
Chemical Hazard Data Commons
U.S. NGO Healthy Building Network launches free online resource Chemical Hazard Data Commons aggregating hazard determinations for over 85 000 substances, aimed to facilitate substitution of hazardous chemicals
The chemical and waste footprint of food delivery in China
Study uses online food delivery sales data from nearly 200 Chinese cities, combined with packaging samples from 18 of those cities to model packaging waste generation and chemical exposure from waste incineration; some degradation products with higher concentrations than intentionally added parent product; over 50 tons of the targeted additives likely released into the atmosphere from Chinese waste incinerators
Microplastics detected in human breastmilk and mice fetal thalamus
Two studies assess fetal and infant exposure to plastic particles and impacts on mouse fetuses; detect microplastics in 26 out of 34 human breastmilk samples; report polystyrene particles negatively impact mouse fetuses
Styrene may be a human carcinogen
US National Research Council concludes review of styrene; substance reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen