University of Massachusetts Amherst. (2019, December 13). Perinatal exposure to flame retardant alters epigenome, predisposing metabolic disease. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 8, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191213115438.htm

A new study by the University of Massachusetts Amherst examined perinatal exposure to flame retardants found in common household items in the United States. The study, which used rats as test subjects, found that exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) through the “umbilical cord and breast milk permanently changed liver metabolism in rats”. The study subjected the rats to amounts of PBDE similar to those found in people living in big cities. The study says that these findings are applicable to humans and other organisms. Moreover, the study detailed that PBDE can be found in common household items like baby pajamas, plastics and furniture. The study asserts that the exposure could cause an “increased risk in adulthood of diabetes, metabolic disorders and heart disease”.

The outcome of this study is not surprising to me, but it is saddening. It is very upsetting that such toxic chemicals are found in items like baby pajamas, which one would hope are safe to have in your house. I wonder how many items that I use everyday which expose me to toxic chemicals. I think many household items and items which I use at work, like cleaning chemicals, must expose me to toxins. I would hope that they aren’t too much to cause genuine damage, but it seems like I cannot be completely sure. The study said that it may be difficult to predict what would happen further in the life of children exposed to the toxins, and I believe much more research should be done to help assess the treatment necessary to help those exposed to these toxins.