New research on horses and dogs found elevated levels of PFAS “forever chemicals,” establishing horses as sentinel species.

Sentinel species provide advance warning of a danger to people.

The work also advanced knowledge about PFAS exposure and liver and kidney function in these animals. PFAS stands for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of chemicals used in plastics an...

Using gas stoves can increase indoor air levels of benzene, a chemical linked to higher risk of leukemia and other blood cell cancers, a new study reports.

Analysis of dozens of stoves revealed that a single gas cooktop burner on high or a gas oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit can raise indoor levels of benzene above those typically released by secondhand tobacco smoke, the researchers r...

Humans are inhaling microplastics from the degradation of plastic products in the environment, and these tiny plastic particles are sticking in human airways, according to researchers.

People inhale about 16.2 bits of these microplastics every hour --- the equivalent of a whole credit card each week --- according to a study published June 13 in Physics of Fluids. These micr...

Microplastic pollution is altering the gut microbiomes of wild seabirds and that could be a warning sign for humans, researchers report.

Scientists from McGill University in Montreal, along with colleagues from around the world, found that tiny bits of plastic present in the gastrointestinal system of seabirds have modified the gut's microbiome. The plastics are also reducing levels of ad...

A chemical used to degrease industrial parts that was also used as a surgical anesthetic until the 1970s may increase the risk for Parkinson's disease, researchers report.

Their new study found that two years of heavy exposure to the liquid chemical TCE may boost Parkinson's risk by 70%.

TCE, or trichloroethylene, lingers in the air, water and soil. It has been linked to certain can...

Black and Hispanic communities in the United States are more often poor — and also more likely to have harmful levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their drinking water, a new study reveals.

Sources of PFAS pollution — including major manufacturers, airports, military bases, wastewater treatment plants and landfills — are disproportionately sited near watersheds t...

Pollutants produced by the U.S. oil and gas industry cause thousands of deaths and cost the country tens of billions in health care expenses, a new study reports.

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter and ozone all contribute to air pollution, and all are emitted as part of oil and gas production, the researchers said.

The new study estimates that the oil and gas industry ...

Many common household products emit airborne toxins that can harm your health in ways up to and including cancer, a new study reports.

Dozens of different types of consumer products contain toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that escape as gases and accumulate in indoor air, researchers from the Silent Spring Institute and the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkele...

U.S. water utilities will be required to remove certain “forever chemicals” from drinking water as the Biden administration sets first-ever limits on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, better known as known as PFAS.

Nearly all Americans have PFAS in their bloodstream. The toxic chemicals are found in an enormous range of goods from dental floss to waterproof clothing. The c...

Canned tuna is known to contain low levels of mercury, but a new Consumer Reports investigation has found spikes of the neurotoxin in some cans.

The organization tested five popular tuna brands, CBS News reported.

While the mercury levels were all within U.S. Food and Drug Administration standards, Consumer Reports urged pregnant women to "avoid canned tuna altogether."

Chemicals found in plastic personal care products, kids' toys, and food and drink packaging could be raising the risk of type 2 diabetes among women, new research suggests.

To study the impact of these chemicals, known as phthalates, researchers followed just over 1,300 U.S. women for six years to see if exposure contributed to the incidence of diabetes.

About 5% of the women devel...

Parents in the United States may assume baby food is free of impurities, but a recent research review highlights the much different reality: Most foods made for babies and toddlers have some amount of toxic heavy metals.

The contaminants include metals, such as lead and arsenic, that can harm brain development, and contribute to learning and behavior problems in children. And they are fou...

Black and Hispanic women who work as hairdressers are exposed to an array of chemicals, including many that have not been previously identified, a small study finds.

Researchers found that compared with women of color in office jobs, hair stylists had higher levels of various chemicals in their urine. Those substances included expected ones -- ingredients known to be in salon products -- ...

Natural gas stoves have become the latest flashpoint in America's increasingly volatile political culture, after a top federal regulator publicly mulled over banning the appliances.

"This is a hidden hazard," the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) commissioner, Richa...

Being evicted can have a significant impact on a person's health, according to new research.

In U.S. counties where eviction rates were elevated, death rates were higher for all causes, especially if those areas were home to a higher proportion of Black residents and women.

Study author

U.S. communities with higher Hispanic, American Indian or Black populations also have the highest concentrations of metal in public water systems, new research reveals.

Researchers from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City found significantly higher arsenic and uranium levels in public drinking water in Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native communities...

Diets higher in fruit, vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids could improve astronaut health during long spaceflights while still sticking to requirements for what can go on board, according to new research.

A new study tested this theory on a spaceflight simulation chamber on Earth with 16 people: 10 men and six women.

Four individuals participated in each 45-day, Earth-based, closed-...

Uterine fibroids can cause uncontrolled bleeding and infertility in women, and now a new study finds an unexpected culprit: Toxic chemicals called phthalates that are present in everything from fast-food packaging to plastic water bottles.

“We detected the phthalate DEHP and its breakdown products in much higher quantities in the urine of women who also happen to have symptomatic uterin...

Lead is known to damage young children's brains, and a new study suggests the effects may still be apparent in old age.

Researchers found that among nearly 1,100 older U.S. adults, those who grew up in cities with lead-contaminated drinking water generally scored worse on tests of memory and thinking skills.

The findings, experts said, suggest that older adults who were exposed to l...

Equipping offices with "healthier" furnishings could reduce human exposure to risky PFAS chemicals, new research suggests.

To look at indoor PFAS levels, a team led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston, analyzed building dust in classrooms and common campus spaces.

“Our findings provide desperately needed scientific evidence for the success of healthier material...

A Missouri woman has sued L'Oréal and several other beauty product companies, alleging that their hair-straightening products caused her uterine cancer.

The

Alligators along North Carolina's Cape Fear River have high blood levels of 14 toxic chemicals, along with signs of immune system damage, new research shows.

The study of levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) in the reptiles' blood adds to concerns that the chemicals may cause genetic and immune system harm. Alligators are a

Do the majority of Americans want government to make sure the products they buy are free of harmful chemicals?

Yes, a new survey shows, and they are even willing to pay more to get that assurance of safety.

“At a time when most issues are politically polarized, the issue of keeping people ...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken a major step to curb the largest remaining source of airborne lead pollution.

The agency has proposed a so-called endangerment finding that aircraft that use leaded fuel cause or contribute to