About half of all people on Earth menstruate at some point in their lives, and many of them manage their monthly periods with tampons. Yet new research suggests some worrying compounds are likely hiding inside those fiber wads. Detectable concentrations of 16 different metals and metalloids, some of which are toxic, have been found in widely used tampons, carried by major brands and retailers in the U.S., UK, and Europe, according to a study published June 22 in the journal Environment International.
