Study detects lead, arsenic, and other toxic metals in 14 tampon brands

A recent study has found that in numerous tampons sold across the United States, more than a dozen metals, including lead, arsenic, and others considered toxic, were detected.

The study was published this week in the journal Environmental International and saw researchers examine 30 tampons from 14 brands purchased from major online retailers and stores across the US, United Kingdom, and Greece.

While examining the feminine hygiene products, researchers searched for concentrations of arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium, and zinc.

In one product, all 16 metals were detected.

While the study’s results were worrisome, more research is necessary to determine whether the metals leach out of tampons, which could put women using the products at risk, researchers shared.

Researchers shared that any substance that enters the bloodstream through the vagina would not be filtered by the liver, adding to the dangers of the findings.

Either way, those behind the study say that more regulation is needed to help ensure the safety of those using the products.

“Our findings point towards the need for regulations requiring the testing of metals in tampons by manufacturers,” the researchers wrote.

The brands tested in the study were not named by researchers.

However, the study did note that organic tampons had less lead and more arsenic than non-organic ones. It also found that those sold in the US had a higher lead concentration than those sold in Europe.

Tampons are typically made with cotton, rayon, or a mixture of both. The study mentions that the metals could come from the soil by the plants used to make the materials.

The presence of metals could also be the result of chemicals used as antimicrobials to control odor.