Posted on 02/24/2005 12:26:21 PM PST by sure_fine
A toxic component of rocket fuel has been found in breast milk of women in 18 states and store-bought milk from various locations around the country.
The chemical, perchlorate, can impede adult metabolism and cause retardation in fetuses, among other things. It leaches into groundwater from various military facilities.
Previous studies have found perchlorate in drinking water, on lettuce, and in cows milk.
The new research, announced this week, suggests perchlorate is a bigger problem than thought, scientists said.
Texas Tech University researchers studied 36 samples of breast milk from women in 18 states and 47 samples cow's milk purchased from stores in 11 states. Every sample of breast milk contained perchlorate, as did all but one sample of dairy milk.
The highest levels were found in women from New Jersey, New Mexico, Missouri, Nebraska and California, in that order. The results are detailed in the online version of Environmental Science & Technology, a journal of the American Chemical Society. The work was led by Texas Tech biochemist Purnendu Dasgupta.
"We've got to come to grips with the perchlorate situation quickly,'' said California Senator Dianne Feinstein in a statement. "And EPA has to move quickly to set a national drinking water standard that protects the health and safety of all Americans.''
The details
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
The article title is highly misleading. It also states clearly that the same toxin was found in store milk-- i.e., cow milk, in approxiamately the same proportions. Therefore it is ubiqutiously found, not just in human milk.
(Human)Breast is still BEST (for Human babies).....
This'll be a fun thread. Where'd I put that popcorn?
Used in solid rocket fuel also in these more common items: fireworks, matches, and roadside flares. Id hazard a guess that the average Joe (or cow) has more exposure to matches than to rocket fuel.
sorry...it was wide open
Accepting applications for technicians to take samples I wonder?
Bringing an entirely new meaning to the expression "fall down and go boom"...
In California Ammonium Perchlorate (sp?) from rocket manufacture was dumped on the ground in the 50's, 60's and 70's near Sacramento, Ca. The AP leached into the American River. There was a fortune spent on environmental evaluation, testing, etc. even before remediation (over $100 million). It's a big problem.
We had a thread on this yesterday. Perchlorate is generated by the HUMAN BODY.
Now, when they find BREAST MILK in the ROCKET FUEL, then we will have something unusual to discuss.
FIB (Fuel Injected Breasts), sure to give your man a lift off.
OK, I volunteer to be the research assistant.
Don't discriminate by age. :)
I think it was the comedian Gallagher who asked: "where would they put the warning label?"
Wouldn't it be interesting to know the actual levels they found, the method used and its accuracy and precision?
From there, it would be nice to know the known toxicity.
Perchlorate is a strong oxidizer and will react and decompose rapidly in most wet media.
Another case of scientific pontification without the actual science!
Got perchlorate?
It's no wonder the babies are really active!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.