New Study Finds Tampons Contain Lead, and Other Metals

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A recent new study has found that tampons can in fact be harmful. The study states that their findings point towards the need for regulations. The regulations would require the test of metals in tampons by the manufacturers.

The study, which was published by Environment International on on July 3rd, analyzed 30 tampons from 14 tampon brands and found they had measurable concentrations of the following metals:

• Arsenic.
• Barium.
• Calcium.
• Cadmium.
• Cobalt.
• Chromium.
• Copper.
• Iron.
• Manganese.
• Mercury.
• Nickel.
• Lead.
• Selenium.
• Strontium.
• Vanadium.
• Zinc.

Kathrin Schilling, one of the co-authors of the study, stated that although we are typically exposed to low levels of toxic metals, women are now being put at a high risk of exposure after using menstrual products.

According to a news release about the study, the exposure to the toxic metals and chemicals raises a public concern to women due to the skin of the vagina having a higher potential for chemical absorption than skin elsewhere on the body.

The study lead author, Jenni A. Shearston, stated that despite this large potential for public health concerns, very little research has been done to measure chemicals in tampons. To her knowledge, this would be the first paper to measure metals in tampons.

Unfortunately, the study found concentrations of all metals, including the toxic metals, in all 14 brands of tampons.

The study also found that the amount of metals that are found in tampons can be found in both organic and non organic products.

The metals and chemicals end up in these products from either the cotton material absorbing metals from surrounding environments, or from the company and manufacturer adding pigment, whitener, or an antibacterial agent into the tampons.