Carcinogens

New tests of 100 "natural" and "organic" soaps, shampoos and other consumer products show that nearly half of them contained a cancer-causing chemical that is a byproduct of petrochemicals used in manufacturing. Many items that tested positive for the carcinogen are well-known brands, including Kiss My Face, Alba, Seventh Generation and Nature's Gate products, sold in retail stores across the nation. The findings of the Organic Consumers Assn.

California's attorney general has filed suit against four manufacturers, including Whole Foods Market Inc., accusing them of failing to label soap products that contain a potentially cancer-causing chemical. The suit, filed by Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown in Alameda County Superior Court late last month, didn't name the specific body washes, gels and liquid dish soaps that allegedly contain 1,4-dioxane.

CALIFORNIANS who use hands-free cellular devices while driving may be doing themselves a favor in the long run. That's because scientists still can't say with certainty that placing a cellphone against the head is completely safe, especially for heavy users and people who began using the devices as children. They point to lingering questions over the potential health effects from the energy emitted by the phones, specifically the long-debated risk of developing brain cancer.

U.S. scientists have developed a tiny sensor that can detect small amounts of cancer-causing toxins or trace the effectiveness of cancer drugs inside living cells. The finding, reported in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, offers a new tool for tracking specific chemicals in the body. The sensors are made of filaments of carbon molecules, known as carbon nanotubes, that are wrapped with DNA.

California will become the first state to phase out the use of perchloroethylene, or perc, a chemical used by commercial dry cleaners that has been linked in studies to bladder, esophageal and other cancers.

Some shampoos and other bath products still contain traces of a cancer-causing petrochemical that federal health officials have expressed concerns about for more than 20 years, according to test results announced Thursday by environmental activists.

A San Fernando Valley nail polish maker that is a major supplier to salons across the country said that it had removed the chemical toluene from its products. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics had asked OPI Products Inc. to remove toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate, or DBP, from its products. In a letter to an activist group, OPI also said it had stopped using DBP and was looking for alternatives to formaldehyde.

More than 200 chemicals -- many found in urban air and everyday consumer products -- cause breast cancer in animal tests, according to a compilation of scientific reports published today. Writing in a publication of the American Cancer Society, researchers concluded that reducing exposure to the compounds could prevent many women from developing the disease.

Coca-Cola Co. said it settled three lawsuits by consumers who said pineapple-flavored Fanta and Vault Zero sodas contained cancer-causing benzene if exposed to heat. Coca-Cola paid $500 each to an unspecified number of plaintiffs and agreed to refund or replace pineapple Fanta and Vault Zero drinks purchased before September, when the beverages were reformulated to minimize benzene formation, court documents show.

Last week, scientists unveiled a report that named more than 200 chemicals that appear to cause mammary gland tumors in animals. Among them: ingredients in mace sprays used to ward off attackers, compounds released from cooking with canola oil, pesticides, industrial solvents and many other commonly encountered chemicals. But this does not mean women should stop cooking with canola or cower indoors for fear of getting breast cancer, experts say.