Three common environmental chemicals– lead, organophosphate pesticides and methylmercury– may have effects on children’s IQ in the overall population to the impacts of major medical conditions such as preterm birth or ADHD – two of the most prevalent in U.S. children. The finding from this reanalysis of published data hints that the societal toll of exposures to these invisible yet widespread contaminants – lead, organophosphate pesticides and methylmercury – may be more severe than what previous studies of individual risk would suggest.
Lead had the most severe calculated impact, with an estimated drop in IQ of 23 million points in the population. In contrast, the predicted loss due to preterm birth was 13 million points. Any drop in IQ is considered detrimental to people’s success and society’s needs.
That’s the news from Environmental Health News this week. And this is based on no small study:
“In one of the first studies of its kind, the author analyzed published data from 25.5 million children and compared estimates of population-wide IQ loss from exposures to those of several well-known childhood medical conditions.”
For more, check out the full piece, linked above, or the journal article: Dose–Response Relationship of Prenatal Mercury Exposure and IQ: An Integrative Analysis of Epidemiologic Data.
Young child image via shutterstock
We live on the coast in the state of Washington where Japanese eel grass has recently been classified as a class ‘c’ weed. This allows for even more spraying of the chemicals imazapyr and glyphosate (ROUNDUP) on commercial shellfish beds to control this grass, along with spartina grass, which has been sprayed since 1996.
A new chemical – imadicloprid – is being tested to replace carbaryl (SEVIN) for mud shrimp control on these same beds. SEVIN use started in 1964 and, after 48 years, was outlawed in 2012, more than likely after scientists figured out the long-term effects.
There are numerous independent university and research facility studies on the potential dangers of these chemicals to humans. “The EPA, FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) should immediately order more extensive and unbiased testing for all chemicals in these products — sprayed or otherwise — and, if appropriate, set consumption limits especially for pregnant women and children as they do on other many foods like freshwater fish and other seafood.
Please tell all your family members and friends of the potential dangers of eating chemical/water filtering GMO shellfish that have been exposed to these chemicals. Don’t be the guinea pigs for the next new and improved poison.
Whales are dying and autism is becoming epidemic. Could there be a connection?
Steve and Cynthia