Date: July 11, 2018
Source: Indiana University
Scientists have raised concerns
for decades about toxic chemicals in the environment that accumulate in the
tissues of birds, fish and other animals. New research from Indiana University
that examined bald eagles suggests that's only part of the story.
A study led by IU environmental
scientists finds that chemicals used in flame retardants, plasticizers and
other commercial products are broken down through the process of metabolism
into other compounds. Researchers say not enough is known about the dangers
posed by those compounds, known as metabolites.
"Most of these flame
retardants and related chemicals can be readily metabolized," said Marta
Venier, a scientist in the IU Bloomington School of Public and Environmental
Affairs and one of the authors of the study. "The issue here is that, in
some cases, the metabolites can be more toxic than the parent compounds."
The study was published
in Environmental Science & Technology. Authors, in addition to Venier,
are William Stubbings, Jiehong Guo and Kevin Romanak of the School of Public
and Environmental Affairs and Kendall Simon and William Bowerman of the
University of Maryland, College Park.
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