A sweeping NIH-funded study tested the urine of 200 toddlers and found a startling mix of 96 chemicals—some of which aren’t even tracked by government health surveys.
These toxins, from plastics, flame retardants, and pesticides, show up in kids through everyday exposures like food, air, and playtime. The study revealed that 90% of children carried unmonitored substances, and in many cases, their bodies held more chemicals than their mothers had during pregnancy.
Widespread Chemical Exposure in Toddlers
A major new study has revealed that children between the ages of 2 and 4 in the United States are routinely exposed to a wide variety of potentially harmful chemicals, many of which aren’t even monitored by national health surveys.
The research, published in Environmental Science & Technology, was carried out by scientists from institutions across the country. It was part of the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program, which is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Counting the Hidden Toxins
Researchers tested urine samples from 201 young children and looked for 111 different chemicals. The results were eye-opening:
- 96 chemicals were detected in at least five children.
- 48 chemicals were found in over half of the children.
- 34 chemicals were detected in more than 90% of children, including nine chemicals not currently tracked in national health surveys like the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
“Our study shows that childhood exposure to potentially harmful chemicals is widespread. This is alarming because we know early childhood is a critical window for brain and body development,” said Deborah H. Bennett, lead author and UC Davis professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences. “Many of these chemicals are known or suspected to interfere with hormones, brain development, and immune function.”
Everyday Sources of Exposure
The NIH-funded ECHO Cohort combines data from pregnancy and pediatric cohorts to examine the impacts of early environmental exposures on child health and development. This study looked at samples of 201 children from four states (California, Georgia, New York and Washington).
The researchers looked for childhood exposure to common environmental chemicals, including:
- Phthalates and phthalate alternatives used in plastics like toys and food packaging, as well as personal care products and household items.
- Parabens commonly used in cosmetics, lotions, shampoos and pharmaceuticals.
- Bisphenols found in plastic containers, food can linings and thermal paper receipts.
- Benzophenones found in sunscreens, cosmetics and plastics.
- Pesticides used in agricultural and residential pest control.
- Organophosphate esters (OPEs) used as flame retardants in furniture and building materials and as plasticizers in food packaging.
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), byproducts of combustion found in vehicle exhaust, grilled foods and tobacco smoke.
- Bactericides found in antibacterial soaps and personal care products.
Children are exposed to these environmental chemicals through everyday activities, such as eating, drinking, breathing indoor and outdoor air, and touching contaminated surfaces.
Frequent hand-to-mouth contact, playing close to the ground, and higher intake rates relative to their smaller body weight make kids especially vulnerable to chemical exposure.
Trends and Disparities
In addition to the widespread exposure, the researchers noted some trends.
- Levels of triclosan, parabens, PAHs and most phthalates decreased over the years the samples were collected (from 2010 to 2021).
- An alternative plasticizer, DINCH (di-iso-nonyl-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid), and emerging pesticides, such as the neonicotinoid acetamiprid, pyrethroid pesticides, and the herbicide 2,4-D, showed an upward trend.
- Firstborn children had significantly lower chemical levels than their younger siblings.
- Chemical levels were often higher in younger children (age 2) than in 3- or 4-year-olds.
- Children from racial and ethnic minority groups had higher levels of parabens, several phthalates and PAHs.
Most of the children’s mothers had provided urine samples during pregnancy. This allowed the researchers to analyze the chemicals in the mother’s urine with the chemicals in the children’s urine.
They found the children had higher levels of several chemicals than their mothers did during pregnancy. These included two phthalates, bisphenol S (often used as a BPA replacement) and the pesticide biomarkers 3-PBA and trans-DCCA.
Call for Stronger Oversight
The researchers emphasize that further studies are necessary to comprehend the long-term health implications of these chemicals.
“Exposure to certain chemicals in early childhood — such as pesticides, plasticizers and flame retardants — has been linked to developmental delays, hormone disruption and other long-term health issues,” said Jiwon Oh, first author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar in the UC Davis Department of Public Health Sciences. “This new study highlights the urgent need for expanded biomonitoring and stronger regulations to protect children from harmful exposures.”
How to Limit Chemical Exposure
It is impossible to eliminate all chemical exposures. Yet, there are many simple steps parents can take to help reduce their children’s contact with harmful chemicals.
- Choose safer products: Look for “phthalate-free,” “paraben-free,” and “fragrance-free” labels.
- Avoid plastics labeled #3, #6, and #7: These may contain BPA or similar chemicals.
- Wash hands frequently, especially before eating.
- Ventilate your home and use HEPA filters, when possible.
- Limit pesticide exposure: Wash produce thoroughly and consider organic options.
- Clean regularly: Use a damp cloth to reduce dust that may contain chemical residues.
Reference: “Exposures to Contemporary and Emerging Chemicals among Children Aged 2 to 4 Years in the United States Environmental Influences on the Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Cohort” by Jiwon Oh, Jessie P. Buckley, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Edo Pellizzari, Rachel L. Miller, Theresa M. Bastain, Anne L. Dunlop, Christian Douglas, Frank D. Gilliland, Julie B. Herbstman, Catherine Karr, Christina A. Porucznik, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Rachel Morello-Frosch, Sheela Sathyanarayana, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Tracey J. Woodruff, Deborah H. Bennett and the ECHO Cohort Consortium, 30 June 2025, Environmental Science & Technology.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c13605
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5 Comments
Hummm……. Could these mysterious chemicals and toxins be injected when they tell you your vaccines are safe!🤣🤣🤣🤣 what a lie!!! Who ever heard of acceptable levels of mercury in vaccines???!
Before antibiotics were developed, doctors would often try sub-lethal doses of mercury compounds as a treatment, particularly for syphilis. Look up the phrase, “The dose makes the poison,” attributed to Paracelsus. If humans weren’t able to tolerate even a single molecule of toxins then we probably wouldn’t have survived as long as we have. Different toxins (and even things not generally considered toxic, like water) have different toxicities, which varies with the individual and method of administration. Therefore, the level of toxicity is generally established conservatively with what is called “LD50,” or the weight of toxin per unit weight of body (commonly milligrams per kilogram) that kills 50% of the subject animals that are proxies for humans. I once inadvertently poisoned myself with mercury vapor in my twenties. The symptoms passed in a couple of weeks. I’m still alive and healthy some 60 years later.
I prefer to take medical advice from someone who actually knows a little about chemistry and medicine, rather than some stranger who makes fun of claims by physicians.
What was the amount of the various chemicals? 1 part per one billion? Release the analyses. List the 34 chemicals. What are the permissible dosage for each 34 chemicals? What was the found concentrations of the chemicals?
You are 10% in the right area of children’s urine tests try to research the 1940s onwards PFAS PFOA PFOS Gen X Neonicotiniods Growmore Glyphosate Round Up pesticides herbicides insecticide fungicide but also the Per and Polyfluoroalkyl molecules 3M Dupont Monsanto GMO seeds Sugatbeet seeds and Sugarcane billets dipped or sprayed the coating on all farmers seeds billets have a 5. 8 year half life but the soils are lifeless worms soil life biolife see YouTube
But each seed roots bioaccumulate to the crops flower pollen bees affected the Sussex University bee professor on YouTube about the PFAS chemicals on all insects but the spraying kills most so wildlife that eat and drink all killed by spraying vinyards wine schools local workers all contaminated
Banana plantation pineapples plantations orange groves all sprayed by aeroplanes drones tractors manual The French children have chemicals 96 different in their hair locks and blood tested lots of farmers died or ill from PFAS PFOA PFOS chemicals
The liquid and food chains are all contaminated with the 5.8 years half life
Hawaii where the PFAS chemicals are tested off the 1400 chemicals six companies of PFAS chemicals new ones birdicide Neonicotiniods fleaicides pet pollute the homes vehicle owners area clothing hands etc
But Hawaii locals workers children and the hospital each year pregnancies deformities miscarriages stillborn blindness lungs cancers Leukemia Autism memory loss Altzheimers Parkinsons Diabetes Dementia Thyroid liver kidney pancreas Prostate ovaries from spraying
Argentina populations near fields all polluted
The liquids and food chain consumption glucose from all causes blood brain bone umbilical cord liver Pancras Kidneys and many diseases just eating food
The urine and biosolids are all contaminated with PFAS chemicals they cannot be removed from any plant or powder oils and is there for 5.8 years half life that bioaccumulate in the bloods and brain
So the immune systems are ineffective blocked by the levels of PFAS chemicals in the bloods
So medicines vaccines MMR Covid19 penicillin antibiotics won’t heal or work cancers and radiation therapy
The chemicals cannot be removed from bloods along with Aliminium Sulphate particles in the tap water so a cup of tea milk sugar water all go to the brain where the brain is a filter for Aliminium Sulphate particles boiaccumulates with the PFAS PFOA PFOS chemicals the electrical messaging communication system shorts out conversation speech function gait loss memory etc put down as Altzheimers Dementia Thyroid Autism
But milk butter beef cheese cream smoothies Coca-Cola lemonades beer wines are polluted by PFAS even the powder canned ketchup
peanuts rapeseed tobacco leaves sugarbeet sugarcane soyabean Haricot beans fruits vegetables canola grain sugar rapeseed soya almonds Sultanas Raisins plumbs eggs poultry meats grass sillage the USA beef with Hormone injections
There was no mention of how many diluted pesticide chemicals are used for cleaning hard surfaces in early childhood education that the children are being exposed to through their lungs and skin.