Researchers have found that benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)—which is added to plastic—can be dangerous for our DNA and even chromosomes, News Medical reports.

The respective research—led by Monica Colaiacovo of Harvard Medical School—has alarmed the scientific world, and its findings were published in the journal PLOS Genetics. According to it, BBP can be dangerous for our DNA, in particular, for egg cells, Focus reports. Chromosomal abnormalities can have consequences for our reproductive health, as BPF is a widely used chemical found in many consumer products, including food packaging, personal care products, and children's toys.

BBP is used in order to give flexibility and strength to plastic, and it can disrupt the hormonal background and have a negative effect on reproductive health.

In the new study, researchers exposed roundworms to the BBP effect. The chemical has been shown to disrupt normal chromosome division during cell division. Also, BBP causes acid stress for DNA and, as a result, the cells die.

The researchers hypothesized that the effect observed in Caenorhabditis elegans worms may also be specific to humans, as the nematodes cause BBP and the levels tested represent what a person might experience in everyday life. The damage caused by them is great for our body.

By studying changes in gene expression, researchers have a clear understanding of how these substances disrupt the integrity of the genome during reproduction.

The researchers emphasized that their findings reinforce their concerns about the role of the BBP. The presence of BBP in many consumer products raises serious questions for public health. Regulators may need to reconsider the allowable exposure levels for BBP given the widespread use of these chemicals, the researchers suggest.

Caenorhabditis elegans is often used as a model organism in genetic studies, and the parallels drawn between its metabolic effects on BBP and human biology strengthen the argument in favor of reassessing the safety of BBP in consumer products.