A new study led by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed the presence of 19 metals, including lead and arsenic, in tampons from six manufacturers. As scientists stated, the situation does not create a danger for women, since metals are present in quantities that are insufficient for them to enter the body. The article was published by the journal Toxicological Sciences and the FDA website.
Lead, arsenic and cadmium are among the most toxic metals to humans. As RTVI wrote, in 2024, another group of scientists found them and more than a dozen others in 30 samples of tampons from 14 brands, which were sold in both the USA and Europe.
Researchers then noted that, at a minimum, lead does not have safe exposure levels, and the characteristics of the female genital organs allow toxic substances to be directly absorbed into the bloodstream.
The new work by FDA scientists is positioned as a response to previous research on the topic. Doctors confirmed the presence of 19 metals in at least 11 samples examined from six brands, which, like last time, were not named.
The authors noted that the tests used “extreme conditions” of use—the swabs were placed in acidified water at 50°C for 24 hours.
“According to the results of an in-depth toxicological test, all identified metals were within acceptable safety limits, which indicates an insignificant toxicological risk,” the study notes.
As the authors of the work noted, metals could end up in tampons due to the presence of natural materials in the composition, which in turn absorbed them through the soil. Another factor in the situation could be the use of titanium dioxide to give the tampons a white color.
