Cathy Bloome

Occupational Therapist/Ergonomic Consultant, Bloome Ergonomics Consulting

Portland, OR

Cathy Bloome, 36, lives in Portland.  She is married with two young children. She is an occupational therapist and ergonomics consultant who works with business offices and industrial sites to assess for safety hazards.  She enjoys getting outside to hike, camp, canoe, and run. Cathy’s main motivation to participate in this study was to help educate the general public about toxic chemicals, especially around choices that can be made during pregnancy and while nursing.  When she was pregnant with her first child, she wasn’t aware of the potential health hazards in some consumer products. With her second child, Cathy knew of the dangers of phthalates and bisphenol A and made the choice to avoid them when possible.

Cathy had the fewest number of chemicals detected in her body.  She was one of two participants with no detectable bisphenol A, and her total phthalate level was less than half that of the second lowest participant.

Chemical Class		Commonly Found in		Potential Effects on Health		Found in Participant?
Phthalates		Personal care products, certain plastic toys and food containers, medical devices, and vinyl (PVC) products such as flooring, shower curtains, and wall covering		Effects on reproductive development, including feminization of male genital and early puberty onset in girls
Mercury		Heavy metal which enters the environment through multiple exposure routes—including coal-fired power plants, cement manufacturing plants, abandoned mines and consumer products		Harms nervous system development and can harm organs
PFCs (Perfluorinated chemicals)		Group of chemicals used as surfactants and stain protectors. The two PFCs most commonly found in the environment are known as PFOS and PFOA. They have been in use since the 1950s, and build up and persist in the environment and in animals		Cancer and organ damage
Pesticides		Insecticides are commonly used in agriculture and to a lesser extent in urban areas		Toxic effects may include nervous system harm, cancer, and hormone disruption
Bisphenol A		Reusable plastic water bottles and baby bottles, the linings in metal food cans and dental sealants		BPA has been linked to reduced fertility, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and obesity. Recent scientific studies have shown that even low-dose exposure can have negative health impacts
PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls)		Manufacture of PCBs ended in 1977, after extensive production for use as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment		PCBs bioaccumulate and persist in the food chain and in our bodies, and have been linked to cancer, effects on the immune and reproductive systems, and effects on nervous system development