Volatile chemical emissions from fragranced baby products

Fragranced consumer products have been associated with adverse effects on human health. Babies are exposed to a variety of fragranced consumer products, which can emit numerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), some considered potentially hazardous. However, fragranced baby products are exempt from disclosure of all ingredients. Consequently, parents and the public have little information on product emissions. This study investigates VOCs emitted from a range of fragranced baby products, including baby hair shampoos, body washes, lotions, creams, ointments, oils, hair sprays, and fragrance. The products were analysed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) headspace analysis. Of the 42 baby products tested, 21 products made claims of green, organic, or all-natural. Results of the analysis found 684 VOCs emitted collectively from the 42 products, representing 228 different VOCs. Of these 684 VOCs, 207 are classified as potentially hazardous under federal regulations, representing 43 different VOCs. The most common VOCs emitted were limonene, acetaldehyde, ethanol, alpha-pinene, linalool, beta-myrcene, acetone, and beta-pinene. A comparison between ingredients emitted and ingredients listed reveals that only 5% of the 684 VOCs, including 12% of 207 potentially hazardous VOCs, were listed on the product label, safety data sheet, or website. More than 95% of both green and regular products emitted one or more potentially hazardous VOCs. Further, emissions of the most prevalent VOCs from green, organic, or all-natural products were not significantly different from regular products. Results from this study can help improve public awareness about emissions from baby products, with the aim to reduce pollutant exposure and potential adverse effects on babies

Alcohol and Its Effect on Adolescent Brain Development and Executive Functioning: Some Results from Neuroimaging

ur na l o f A lco ho lism and Drug Depe ndenc

Antioxidative response of Atriplex codonocarpa to mercury

Seedlings of Atriplex codonocarpa were grown for 4 weeks in hydroponic culture containing 0, 0.05, 0.1 and 1mg L−1 Hg. Mercury concentrations increased in both shoots and roots with increasing Hg concentration in the medium. The greatest accumulation (6001mgkg−1 dry weight, DW) was in roots as a result of the 1mg L−1 Hg treatment. Mercury inhibited plant growth, mainly in roots. Membrane integrity, measured as solute leakage from roots, increased with the increase in external Hg concentration whereas total glutathione decreased in both shoots and roots. In roots of plants treated with 0.1mgL−1 Hg, total ascorbate (AsA + DHA) was 4.5-fold higher than in the control. The AsA/DHA ratio in shoots was found to increase proportionally with the increase in the external Hg concentration while in roots this ratio was much lower than in shoots and decreased up to 0.1mgL−1 Hg after which it slightly increased. Glutathione reductase (GR) activity was inhibited by 65% in roots and by 20–30% in shoots after 1mg L−1 Hg treatment. However, mercury enhanced the activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in both shoots and roots with the maximum activity in roots at 0.05mgL−1 Hg treatment more than doubling. A significant Hg induced increase in the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in roots of A. codonocarpa seedlings was observed which peaked at 0.1mgL−1 Hg. In shoots, SOD activity increased gradually and levelled off at 0.1mgL−1 Hg. Two isoforms of SOD were detected in both shoots and roots of A. codonocarpa under Hg stress and they were identified as CuZn-SODs.