Household aerosols release more harmful smog chemicals than UK cars

Household aerosols now release more harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than all vehicles in the UK, a new study reveals. In 2017, the UK population emitted around 60,000 tonnes of VOCs from aerosols but only around 30,000 tonnes from UK cars running gasoline.  But even accounting for all forms of road transport in the country – not … Read more

Mum reveals how to clean dirty lunchboxes with ease – and you don’t need any nasty chemicals

A mum-of-four has revealed how to get your kids’ lunchboxes to look and smell brand new before the beginning of term two.  Creative home stylist, Liz Amaya, from Brisbane, Australia, shared a video on Instagram of her lunchbox cleaning method on Instagram as her kids’ finished school for term one. The busy mum sprinkles the … Read more

Scientists find evidence of toxic chemicals in some face masks

Scientists have found evidence that some face masks that are on sale and being used by members of the general public are laced with toxic chemicals.  Preliminary tests have revealed traces of a variety of compounds which are heavily restricted for both health and environmental reasons.  This includes formaldehyde, a chemical known to cause watery … Read more

Chemicals from plastic packaging are migrating into our FOOD

Chemicals and pieces of plastic produced through the use of packaging are migrating into food and harming plants and soil ecosystems, scientists warn.  Ecologists from the Free University of Berlin contributed one of three evidence-based essays exploring the problem of microplastics and how best to tackle them. The German team, led by Matthias Rillig, they … Read more

Exposure to industrial chemicals in pregnancy ‘more likely to lead to autistic children’

Women exposed to industrial chemicals including metals and pesticides while pregnant are more likely to have autistic children, study finds Researchers looked for evidence of industrial chemicals in Canadian women They found metals, pesticides, PCBs and BPS chemical were linked to autism They discovered the link by looking at autistic traits in pre-school children  By … Read more

Scientists detect 55 chemicals in pregnant women never before seen in humans

US scientists detect 55 chemicals in blood of pregnant women and their children that have never before been reported in humans and are linked to plastics and cosmetics – along with 42 ‘mystery’ compounds Scientists discovered 96 unique and strange chemicals in pregnant women The team found the chemicals in their blood and newborn babies … Read more

Scientists detect 55 chemicals in pregnant women never before seen in humans

Scientists detect 55 chemicals in pregnant women never before seen in humans, along with 42 ‘mystery’ compounds with no source or known use Scientists discovered 96 unique and strange chemicals in pregnant women The team found the chemicals in their blood and newborn babies as well This suggests the chemicals are traveling to the baby … Read more

Electronic ‘nose’ that detects chemicals in breath may help spot early signs of oesophageal tumour 

An electronic ‘nose’ that sniffs out chemicals in breath may help spot early signs of oesophageal cancer, which can be linked to acid reflux. The breathalyser-type device uses sensors to identify patterns of compounds found in breath that are unique to Barrett’s oesophagus, a ‘pre’ condition to the cancer. Improving diagnosis of oesophageal (or gullet) … Read more

Underwater ‘Roombas’ are searching the ocean floor for barrels of toxic chemicals off California

Ocean scientists are using robot submariness to detect barrels of toxic chemicals under the sea. Thousands of barrels of DDT and other substances are believed submerged in the Pacific Ocean near Los Angeles, but authorities aren’t sure where or how many. To get an idea, researchers have launched two ‘underwater Roombas,’ Remote Environmental Monitoring UnitS (REMUS) … Read more

Cannabis-like chemicals made by the human body create the ‘runner’s high’

The ‘runner’s high’ – that feeling of euphoria and reduced anxiety that you get after exercise – is not directly caused by endorphins, according to new research from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. Instead, it’s caused by endocannabinoids, molecules naturally produced by the body, which act similarly to cannabis. The researchers found this by measuring … Read more