exposure+to+chemicals

Every living thing is exposed to chemicals produced by humans. These chemicals include such sources as industrial solvents, over-the-counter and prescription drugs, pesticides, detergents, aerosols, feedstock byproducts, fuels, electronic devices, and plastics.

The effect these chemicals have on living things ranges from benign to lethal, and the amount of chemical found to be toxic ranges from part-per-billion to gram per liter.

Taken one at a time, the human body (like most living organisms) has defenses in place to combat chemical exposure. The liver and kidneys take the brunt of the load, metabolizing and filtering out these potentially toxic chemicals. Some of these toxins are able to avoid removal and find their way into many other parts of the body, however.

In reality, the human body is being exposed to hundreds, if not thousands, of potentially toxic chemicals - not just one at a time. A study of newborn babies in 2005 revealed [|287 of these chemicals in their blood].