InstalabEnvironmental Toxins + Consumer Chemicals
Should you take a Environmental Toxins + Consumer Chemicals test?
This test is most useful if any of these apply to you.
39 biomarkers included
- Kidney1
- CreatinineA waste product excreted at a steady rate, used to correct every other marker for how dilute or concentrated your urine was.It keeps a well-hydrated sample from looking falsely clean or a concentrated one falsely high.
- Toxins38
- 4-NonylphenolA breakdown product of detergents and surfactants that also appears in some plastics and can act like a weak hormone.A high level suggests exposure through detergents, cleaning products, or contaminated food and water.
- Bisphenol ATracks a chemical in hard plastics, food-can linings, and receipt paper that can act like a weak hormone.Elevated levels point to packaged food, plastic containers, and canned goods as active exposure sources.
- TriclosanAn antibacterial agent added to some soaps, toothpastes, and household products.Elevated levels point to antibacterial personal-care products; population exposure has fallen since it was restricted in hand soaps.
- 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic AcidMeasures 2,4-D, a widely used lawn and agricultural weed killer.A high level points to recent contact with treated lawns, gardens, or agricultural areas.
- AtrazineOne of the most common herbicides used on corn and a frequent contaminant of drinking water.A detectable level points to water or agricultural exposure, especially in farming regions.
- Atrazine MercapturateA specific breakdown product your body makes from atrazine, more source-specific than measuring atrazine alone.Its presence confirms genuine atrazine exposure rather than a look-alike environmental chemical.
- GlyphosateMeasures the most heavily used weed killer in the world, absorbed mainly through food and water.A high level signals recent glyphosate contact, most often from conventionally grown grains and produce.
- TiglylglycineNot an exposure marker but a byproduct of protein and energy metabolism, best established as a sign of rare inherited metabolic and mitochondrial disorders.Some frameworks read a high level as an early sign of metabolic stress, but this general-population use is exploratory, not established.
- Diphenyl PhosphateA breakdown product of triphenyl phosphate, a flame retardant and plasticizer in electronics, furniture foam, and nail polish.A high level points to close contact with treated furnishings, electronics, or certain cosmetics.
- N-Acetyl (Carbomethyl) CysteineA mercapturic acid the body forms to neutralize a reactive volatile chemical, adding to the solvent-exposure profile.A high level contributes to the panel's overall read on reactive-chemical exposure rather than naming one source.
- PerchlorateA chemical from some water, food, and fireworks that competes with iodine for uptake into the thyroid.An elevated level is worth pairing with a thyroid check, since it can blunt the gland's iodine supply.
- ButylparabenOne of the more potent parabens at mimicking estrogen, used in some cosmetics and creams.A detectable level identifies a specific personal-care source worth tracing, given its stronger hormone-like activity.
- EthylparabenA paraben preservative used in cosmetics and personal care products.In population studies, higher levels have been associated with greater odds of obesity and diabetes, though cause is unproven.
- MethylparabenThe most common paraben preservative, found in cosmetics, lotions, and some foods and medicines.A high level reflects heavy cosmetic or personal-care use; paraben exposure runs highest in reproductive-age women.
- PropylparabenA preservative paraben used alongside methylparaben in creams, cosmetics, and processed foods.Elevated levels corroborate frequent personal-care product use and, with methylparaben, map your total paraben load.
- 2,2-bis(4-Chlorophenyl) acetic acid (DDA)A urinary breakdown product of the long-banned pesticide DDT and its residue DDE.A detectable level reflects lingering environmental or dietary exposure to a pesticide restricted decades ago.
- 3-Phenoxybenzoic AcidA shared breakdown product of many pyrethroid insecticides, the bug sprays used on crops, lawns, and inside homes.A high level reflects recent pyrethroid contact; prenatal exposure has been linked to poorer child neurodevelopment in population studies.
- DiethylphosphateThe most frequently detected organophosphate breakdown product, shared across many diethyl-type insecticides.Detected in most people, so its value is in tracking change over time rather than in a single reading.
- Diethyldithiophosphate (DEDTP)A breakdown product of specific diethyl organophosphates such as disulfoton.Though the least often detected of these markers, its presence narrows the source toward a specific subset of diethyl organophosphates like disulfoton.
- Diethylthiophosphate (DETP)A common marker of diethyl-type organophosphate insecticides such as chlorpyrifos and diazinon.A high level reflects recent contact with diethyl organophosphate pesticides used on crops and, historically, in homes.
- Dimethyl phosphate (DMP)A shared breakdown product of dimethyl-type organophosphate insecticides.Read with the other dimethyl markers, it confirms class-level organophosphate exposure rather than one specific pesticide.
- Dimethyldithiophosphate (DMDTP)A breakdown product specific to certain dimethyl organophosphates such as malathion.Its presence narrows the likely source toward malathion-type insecticides within the broader organophosphate group.
- Dimethylthiophosphate (DMTP)The most abundant urinary marker of dimethyl-type organophosphate insecticides, a major class of agricultural bug sprays.A high level signals recent contact with dimethyl organophosphate pesticides, most often through diet.
- Mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP)A stable breakdown product of the most common plastic softener (called DEHP), used in vinyl, medical tubing, and food packaging.Being longer-lasting than the parent chemical, it is one of the more reliable markers of recent plastic-softener exposure.
- Mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) PhthalateAnother oxidized breakdown product of the plastic softener DEHP, formed as your body processes it further.Elevated levels corroborate DEHP exposure and, read with the other DEHP markers, strengthen confidence in the finding.
- Mono-2-ethylhexyl PhthalateThe first breakdown product of the plastic softener DEHP, common in flexible plastics and processed-food packaging.A high level flags recent DEHP intake, often from packaged or fatty foods that absorb the softener.
- MonoethylphthalateThe breakdown product of diethyl phthalate, used to hold fragrance in perfumes, lotions, and other scented personal care products.Elevated levels point specifically to fragranced cosmetics and personal care products rather than food packaging.
- 2-Hydroxyethyl Mercapturic AcidA mercapturic acid the body forms from several volatile organic compounds (which evaporate into the air), including acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, and ethylene oxide.A high level flags reactive-chemical exposure but does not pinpoint one source, since several chemicals feed into it.
- 2-Hydroxyisobutyric AcidA metabolic byproduct that can reflect either internal metabolism or exposure to certain solvents and fuel additives.A high level is hard to interpret alone, since it blurs the line between chemical exposure and normal metabolism.
- 2-Methylhippuric AcidA breakdown product of ortho-xylene, a solvent in paints, glues, gasoline, and cleaning products.A high level reflects recent xylene exposure, often occupational or from solvents and fuels.
- 3-Methylhippuric AcidA breakdown product of meta-xylene, another solvent common in paints, fuels, and adhesives.Read with the other methylhippuric acids, it confirms xylene exposure and hints at the specific solvent mix.
- 4-Methylhippuric AcidA breakdown product of para-xylene, a solvent used in fuels, plastics manufacturing, and coatings.Its level rounds out the xylene picture and helps separate everyday from heavier occupational exposure.
- N-Acetyl (2-Cyanoethyl) CysteineYour body's breakdown product of acrylonitrile, a toxic compound found in large amounts in tobacco smoke.A high level is one of the clearest urine signals of combusted-tobacco exposure, first- or secondhand.
- N-Acetyl (2-Hydroxypropyl) Cysteine (NAHP)A breakdown product of propylene oxide, an industrial chemical used to make plastics and other materials.An elevated level suggests industrial or environmental exposure rather than a common household source.
- N-Acetyl (3,4-Dihydroxybutyl) CysteineA breakdown product of 1,3-butadiene, a compound in vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, and plastics manufacturing.A high level points to traffic, smoke, or industrial air as the exposure source.
- N-Acetyl (Propyl) CysteineA mercapturic acid marker reflecting exposure to a specific reactive industrial solvent.A detectable level adds to the overall solvent-exposure picture built from the other volatile-compound markers.
- N-Acetyl Phenyl CysteineA breakdown product of benzene, a cancer-causing compound in gasoline, vehicle exhaust, and tobacco smoke.An elevated level flags benzene exposure; levels run roughly ten times higher in smokers than nonsmokers.
- Phenylglyoxylic AcidA shared breakdown product of the solvents ethylbenzene and styrene, found in fuels, plastics, and adhesives.A high level points to solvent or plastics-related exposure, often in workplace or hobby settings.
About Environmental Toxins + Consumer Chemicals
Every day your body takes in traces of the chemicals around you: weed killers on produce, softeners in plastic, preservatives in lotion, and fumes from traffic and cleaning products. Most of these leave your body within hours to a couple of days, passing out through your urine. This panel captures a snapshot of that recent traffic.
It measures the breakdown products of dozens of pesticides, plastics, and consumer chemicals from a single urine sample. It cannot diagnose a disease or prove that any chemical is harming you. What it can do is show which exposures are actually reaching your body, so you can find and reduce the sources that matter most to you.
What This Panel Reveals
The pesticide and herbicide markers make up the largest part of the panel. A cluster of organophosphate insecticide breakdown products (the dialkyl phosphates) reflects your recent contact with a whole class of bug sprays used on crops and in homes. Separate markers track the weed killers glyphosate and 2,4-D, the corn herbicide atrazine, a shared breakdown product of pyrethroid insecticides, and a leftover from the long-banned pesticide DDT.
Another group covers the chemicals in plastics and personal care products. Phthalate markers reflect the softeners that make plastic flexible and that carry fragrance in lotions and shampoos. Bisphenol A comes from hard plastics and receipt paper, parabens from cosmetic preservatives, and triclosan from antibacterial soaps and toothpaste.
A further set of markers reveals exposure to volatile organic compounds (chemicals that evaporate easily into the air), including benzene, toluene, xylene, and acrylonitrile. Your body attaches these to small molecules and excretes them, and those excreted forms show up here as mercapturic acids and hippuric acids. The panel also tracks perchlorate, which can interfere with how your thyroid takes up iodine, plus a breakdown product of flame retardants.
A final pair of markers, tiglylglycine and 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, are not exposure markers at all. They are byproducts of your body's energy and protein metabolism that some frameworks read as early signs of metabolic strain, though this use is exploratory. Creatinine is measured alongside everything to correct for how dilute or concentrated your urine was.
How to Read Your Results Together
The point of testing so many chemicals at once is to see your exposure as a pattern. Nearly everyone tested shows several chemicals at once, so a single detected chemical rarely means much on its own. What matters is which groups stand out together and how your levels compare with the general population.
| Pattern | What It May Suggest |
|---|---|
| Many classes detected at low levels | The expected background pattern of modern life, useful as a baseline to track over time. |
| Pesticide markers stand out | Points toward diet or your local environment, such as produce, water, or nearby agriculture. |
| Volatile-compound markers high, especially the acrylonitrile marker | Strongly suggests tobacco smoke exposure, first- or secondhand. |
| Plastic and personal-care markers high | Points toward packaged food, plastic storage, and cosmetics as the main drivers. |
Comparison with the population matters because being detectable is not the same as being high. In one large European survey, levels high enough that a health concern could not be ruled out were seen for 15 of the measured chemicals, including a pyrethroid breakdown product in 36% of children. If the metabolic byproduct markers are elevated alongside high exposure markers, some practitioners read that as possible metabolic strain, but the human evidence for that link is preliminary and it should not be treated as a diagnosis.
What to Do with Your Results
Because these chemicals clear quickly, your results reflect the days just before the test, which is good news: change your habits and your numbers usually follow. If a group stands out, focus your effort there. High plastic markers point to food packaging and storage, while high pesticide markers point to washing produce, choosing organic for the foods you eat most, and checking your water.
One urine sample is a snapshot, not your long-term average. To act on a result with more confidence, collect a first-morning sample and retest a second time before concluding that a level is truly high. Retest six to twelve weeks after changing a source to confirm the direction is what you wanted, and a yearly baseline makes sense if you are tracking exposure over time. If your perchlorate or occupational solvent markers are high, add a thyroid check or involve an occupational health or toxicology clinician.
When Results Can Be Misleading
The whole panel shares a few blind spots. Every marker here is short-lived, so a single sample can miss a large exposure from last week and catch a small one from this morning. Hydration shifts every number at once, which is why creatinine is measured to adjust for it. And a detected chemical only proves contact, not harm, since these chemicals are so widespread that nearly everyone tests positive for many of them.
Repeat testing also shows that some markers are steadier than others. Bisphenol A in particular bounces around a lot from sample to sample, so one reading is a weak guide to your usual level, while several phthalate markers hold moderately steady over time.