Study Finds Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Metals in Tampons from Multiple Brands

Jul 5, 2024, 11:00 PM

A recent large-scale study led by a researcher from UC Berkeley found that tampons from several brands contain toxic metals, including lead, arsenic, and cadmium. The study tested tampons from 14 brands purchased from major online retailers and stores in the US, UK, and Greece. The metals were detected in all 30 tampons tested, raising concerns about the safety of menstruation products used by millions of people across the US and Europe. The study noted that the metals could have come from the soil where the plants used to make the materials, such as cotton and rayon, were grown. More than a dozen metals were detected in the products. Future research will focus on how much of these metals can leach out of the tampons and be absorbed by the body.