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The NanoAptamer assay is a bisphenol A (BPA) quantification method that uses magnetic beads, quantum dot nanoparticles, and a BPA-specific aptamer. In this study, screening of various consumer and household products for BPA was demonstrated utilizing the NanoAptamer assay. First, the experimental conditions suitable for BPA detection using the NanoAptamer assay were examined in terms of incubation time, temperature, and buffer composition. The range of BPA quantification via the NanoAptamer assay was determined to be 0.005-1000 ng/mL of BPA. The selectivity was confirmed by detecting BPA in an analog mixture containing bisphenol S and bisphenol F. Finally, a leaching experiment using 20 consumer and household products classified into 4 categories was performed to demonstrate the capability of the NanoAptamer assay for BPA detection. The experiment was validated by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis (correlation coefficient, r = 0.99)., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Endocrine disrupting chemicals, a group of exogenous chemicals that can interfere with hormone action in the body, have been implicated in disrupting endocrine function, which negatively affects human health and development. Endocrine disrupting chemicals are ubiquitously detected in consumer products, foods, beverages, personal care products, and household cleaning products. Due to concerns about their negative effects on human health, several professional health provider societies have recommended the reduction of common endocrine disrupting chemical exposures. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief overview of common endocrine disrupting chemicals (bisphenol A, phthalates, triclosan, polybrominated ethers, and parabens) and potential effects on child development and health. In addition, we aim to provide guidance and resources for pediatricians and other health care providers with counseling strategies to help patients to minimize exposures to common endocrine disrupting chemicals., (Copyright © 2017 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential hazard of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) added consumer products. Using the Monte Carlo method, the radioactive products were simulated with ICRP reference phantom and the organ doses were calculated with the usage scenario. Finally, the annual effective doses were evaluated as lower than the public dose limit of 1mSv y(-1) for 44 products. It was demonstrated that NORM-added consumer products could be quantitatively assessed for the safety regulation., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Asthma is a complex syndrome with significant consequences for those affected. The number of individuals affected is growing, although the reasons for the increase are uncertain. Ensuring the effective management of potential exposures follows from substantial evidence that exposure to some chemicals can increase the likelihood of asthma responses. We have developed a safety assessment approach tailored to the screening of asthma risks from residential consumer product ingredients as a proactive risk management tool. Several key features of the proposed approach advance the assessment resources often used for asthma issues. First, a quantitative health benchmark for asthma or related endpoints (irritation and sensitization) is provided that extends qualitative hazard classification methods. Second, a parallel structure is employed to include dose-response methods for asthma endpoints and methods for scenario specific exposure estimation. The two parallel tracks are integrated in a risk characterization step. Third, a tiered assessment structure is provided to accommodate different amounts of data for both the dose-response assessment (i.e., use of existing benchmarks, hazard banding, or the threshold of toxicological concern) and exposure estimation (i.e., use of empirical data, model estimates, or exposure categories). Tools building from traditional methods and resources have been adapted to address specific issues pertinent to asthma toxicology (e.g., mode-of-action and dose-response features) and the nature of residential consumer product use scenarios (e.g., product use patterns and exposure durations). A case study for acetic acid as used in various sentinel products and residential cleaning scenarios was developed to test the safety assessment methodology. In particular, the results were used to refine and verify relationships among tiered approaches such that each lower data tier in the approach provides a similar or greater margin of safety for a given scenario., (Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Lead-based paint and occupational lead hazards remain the primary exposure sources of lead in New York City (NYC) children and men, respectively. Lead poisoning has also been associated with the use of certain consumer products in NYC. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene developed the Intervention Model for Contaminated Consumer Products, a comprehensive approach to identify and reduce exposure to lead and other hazards in consumer products. The model identifies hazardous consumer products, determines their availability in NYC, enforces on these products, and provides risk communication and public education. Implementation of the model has resulted in removal of thousands of contaminated products from local businesses and continues to raise awareness of these hazardous products.

Two patients presented to the University of Illinois at Chicago Eye and Ear Infirmary within 1 year with penetrating eye injuries caused by similar collapsible cloth and wire laundry hampers. Penetrating eye injuries in children are relatively rare but can result in poor visual outcomes and multiple vision-threatening complications. Both injuries at the University of Illinois resulted in an eye laceration as well as retinal complications similar to those reported with a high velocity injury. This now represents a significant pattern of eye injury and suggests that there exists a nontrivial risk for all children in households with this type of collapsible laundry hamper. Parents should receive a warning of the risks of these hampers.

Purpose: To quantify and characterize eye injuries related to consumer products in the infant population (0-12 months) treated in United States hospital emergency departments during the period from 2001 to 2008., Methods: This study is a descriptive analysis of consumer-product related eye injury data derived from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a probability sample of 100 hospitals nationwide with 24-hour emergency departments. Narrative data were used to assign each case with the consumer products (CPs) causing the eye injury. The proportions of eye injury visits were calculated by age, sex, diagnosis, disposition, locale of incident, and CP categories. We examined the US Consumer Product Safety Commission National Electronic Injury Surveillance System data for all nonfatal eye injuries (853 cases) in the infant population (0-12 months) treated in US emergency departments from 2001 to 2008. These data can be used to project national, annual, weighted estimates of nonfatal injury treated in US emergency departments., Results: There were an estimated 21,271 visits to US emergency departments by patients aged 0-12 months for CP-related eye injuries during the study period. Of these, 63% involved infants aged 9-12 months and 54% involved male patients; 78% of all injuries occurred at home. The CPs causing the most eye injuries belonged to the categories of chemical (46%) and household items (24%). Contusions and abrasions were the leading eye injuries diagnoses (37%)., Conclusions: This study suggests that most CP-related infant eye injuries in the United States occur at home and are predominantly caused by chemicals and household products., (Published by Mosby, Inc.)

Background: Laboratory and human studies raise concerns about endocrine disruption and asthma resulting from exposure to chemicals in consumer products. Limited labeling or testing information is available to evaluate products as exposure sources., Objectives: We analytically quantified endocrine disruptors and asthma-related chemicals in a range of cosmetics, personal care products, cleaners, sunscreens, and vinyl products. We also evaluated whether product labels provide information that can be used to select products without these chemicals., Methods: We selected 213 commercial products representing 50 product types. We tested 42 composited samples of high-market-share products, and we tested 43 alternative products identified using criteria expected to minimize target compounds. Analytes included parabens, phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), triclosan, ethanolamines, alkylphenols, fragrances, glycol ethers, cyclosiloxanes, and ultraviolet (UV) filters., Results: We detected 55 compounds, indicating a wide range of exposures from common products. Vinyl products contained > 10% bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and could be an important source of DEHP in homes. In other products, the highest concentrations and numbers of detects were in the fragranced products (e.g., perfume, air fresheners, and dryer sheets) and in sunscreens. Some products that did not contain the well-known endocrine-disrupting phthalates contained other less-studied phthalates (dicyclohexyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, and di-n-propyl phthalate; also endocrine-disrupting compounds), suggesting a substitution. Many detected chemicals were not listed on product labels., Conclusions: Common products contain complex mixtures of EDCs and asthma-related compounds. Toxicological studies of these mixtures are needed to understand their biological activity. Regarding epidemiology, our findings raise concern about potential confounding from co-occurring chemicals and misclassification due to variability in product composition. Consumers should be able to avoid some target chemicals-synthetic fragrances, BPA, and regulated active ingredients-using purchasing criteria. More complete product labeling would enable consumers to avoid the rest of the target chemicals.

The revised consumer product safety law was enforced in 2007. Then, the collection and publication system of the information of product accidents was newly included. Serious product accidents due to the chemical substances used in household products had 32 cases in fiscal years 2007 and 2008. These household products were a desk mat, a sectional bed, a spray-type adhesive, a paint and an adhesive for table tennis rackets. The safety measure of the household product was explained based on the law for the control of household products containing harmful substances.

The article contains to forecast risk of toxic effects caused by contemporary household chemicals. The article contains data on evaluating potential risk of health disorders among individuals contacting synthetic detergents and cleansers. The authors summarized experience of Public Health Research center on toxicologic hygienic research of various household chemicals, conducted for safety certification of the end products household application.

This study examines which consumer products are most commonly associated with pediatric eye injuries that are treated in emergency departments in the United States. The results demonstrate that, overall, boys experienced proportionally more consumer product-related eye injuries than girls, but eye injuries from specific product categories are more likely to be associated with one sex than the other. Age-specific patterns also revealed that certain product categories are more likely to be associated with eye injuries among different age groups. These findings are salient because children experience a disproportionate amount of ocular trauma, possibly resulting in visual disability or blindness and concomitant developmental delays. Given the heretofore lack of detailed information on products that may contribute to the burden of pediatric eye injuries in the United States, the results of the current study provide valuable information for identifying priorities for prevention and intervention.

Chemicals in household products have been paid much attention as main cause of health damage on consumers, such as allergic contact dermatitis. Preventive measures against health damage due to chemicals in fabric, plastic and rubber products for household uses, are reviewed, focusing on (1) regulation and voluntary control by manufacturers, (2) incidence of health damage from household products, (3) causative product-chemical investigation, (4) case studies on skin damage and respiratory tract damage.

A thorough understanding of the routes and magnitudes of chemical exposures that consumers experience during the use of a household product is needed as part of a well-founded risk assessment for that product and its components. This review describes some sources of generic consumer data (eg, relevant body weight or total body surface area for a given human age), and exposure-related data (eg, task frequency and duration) for specific product types needed for exposure assessments. The review also contains a discussion of the importance of statistical characterization of the consumer data (eg, does its range follow a normal, log-normal, or other type of distribution?). The importance of examining these data for correlative interactions is emphasized.

The forensic pathologist can provide invaluable aid in all product liability death cases, regardless of the theory of recovery being used. Depending on the circumstances of the individual case, an attorney may emphasize the role of the pathologist as the initial investigator of the cause of death for the local government, as private consultant in the preparation and development of the case, or as expert witness on the issues of defect and causation.