德國法蘭克福大學的研究人員測試市面上10種嬰兒固齒器後發現，經過嬰兒吸咬，有2款會釋出干擾人體內分泌的內分泌干擾素，隨著唾液進入嬰兒體內。
圖說：嬰兒容易受到內分泌干擾素影響。圖片來源：Scott SM
固齒器驗出化妝品常用防腐劑
研究發表於當期《應用毒理學期刊》，不過沒有指明固齒器的品牌。
內分泌干擾素干擾人體的內分泌系統，影響發育、生殖、神經和免疫系統。此次研究檢出的物質，包括甲基、乙基和丙基對羥基苯甲酸酯，會模仿人體內的天然雌激素，並抑制睾甾酮等雄性激素的作用。
2款釋出內分泌干擾素的固齒器中，一款含有化妝品常用防腐劑對羥基苯甲酸酯，另一款含有6種未知內分泌干擾素。
「好消息是大部分我們檢測的固齒器沒有任何內分泌干擾素。不過，有固齒器檢出對羥基苯甲酸酯相當不可思議，因為這種添加物並不常用於塑膠玩具。」研究作者之一、法蘭克福大學水生態毒理學系學者Martin Wagner博士說。
歐盟早禁用 嬰幼兒健康風險更高
為了避免兒童接觸內分泌干擾素，歐盟早在2005年起禁用鄰苯二甲酸鹽製的塑膠軟化劑。而由於對羥基苯甲酸丙酯會透過龜裂肌膚進入人體，歐洲執委會近期已禁用以羥基苯甲酸丙酯作為嬰兒肌膚霜的防腐劑。
「根據研究結果，以冷卻凝膠填充的塑膠固齒器，可能釋出對羥基苯甲酸酯。然而，對羥基苯甲酸酯用於固齒器的原因並不清楚，可能是加入填充凝膠作為防腐劑，結果進入塑料並釋出。」Wagner說。
對羥基苯甲酸酯改善產品品質的效果有限，但卻造成健康風險，尤其嬰兒的發育牽涉多種荷爾蒙複雜地交互作用，比成人更容易受到內分泌干擾素的傷害。
同樣的內分泌干擾素劑量，對嬰兒的影響比成人更嚴重，因為嬰兒體重較輕。
「問題是，許多用於塑膠製程的化學物質欠缺內分泌干擾相關資訊。此外，企業為了保護商業機密，不揭露塑膠製品的詳細化學成分和釋出物質。」作者指出。
研究作者認為，塑膠材料的內分泌干擾素風險很可能被低估了。
Endocrine disrupting chemicals, which can interfere with the actions of hormones in the body, are present in some plastic teethers for babies, new research reveals.
The chemicals can leach out of plastic teethers when they are chewed or sucked and enter the babies’ bodies through their saliva.
Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects.
Researchers at Goethe University at Frankfurt am Main found that of the 10 teethers they tested in the lab, two released endocrine disrupting chemicals.
One product contained parabens, which are often used as preservatives in cosmetics, while the second contained six as yet unidentified endocrine disruptors.
The findings were reported in the current issue of the “Journal of Applied Toxicology,” but the brands of the teethers containing the endocrine disrupters were not named.
“The good news is that most of the teethers we analyzed did not contain any endocrine disrupting chemicals. However, the presence of parabens in one of the products is striking because these additives are normally not used in plastic toys,” said Dr. Martin Wagner of the Department of Aquatic Ecotoxicology at Goethe University, one of the study’s authors.
The substances detected – methyl, ethyl and propyl parabens – can act like natural estrogen in the body and, in addition, inhibit the effects of androgens such as testosterone.
The European Commission has recently banned propylparaben as a preservative in skin creams for babies because the chemical can enter the body through cracked skin.
“Based on the current study, plastic teethers filled with a cooling gel can be expected to leach parabens. However, no clear conclusion regarding the function of parabens in teethers can be drawn. It appears plausible that the parabens were added intentionally to the gel filling as preservatives and they subsequently migrate to the plastic and leach from the product,” the authors state.
The additives have only limited benefits for the quality of the product, but can present a potential health issue, Wagner warned. This is especially true for babies and infants, whose development is orchestrated by a delicately balanced hormonal control and who are more susceptible to chemicals exposures than adults.
At the same dose the effects of endocrine disrupters in babies is higher than in adults due to their comparatively low body weight.
To protect children from exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, the use of plastic softeners known as phthalates has been restricted in toys in the European Union since 2005.
“The issue is, however, that for many chemicals used in plastic manufacture no information regarding their endocrine activity is available,” the authors state. “Moreover, the exact chemical composition of most plastics and their leachates remains unknown due to corporate non-disclosure.”
The authors say plastic materials may be an underestimated source of human exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.
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