AbstractSynthetic organic chemicals can be used in person-al care and consumer products. Data on potential human health effects of these chemicals are limited—sometimes even contradictory—but because several of these chemicals are tox-ic in experimental animals, alternative compounds are enter-ing consumer markets. Nevertheless, limited information ex-ists on consequent exposure trends to both the original chemicals and their replacements. Biomonitoring (measuring concentrations of chemicals or their metabolites in people) provides invaluable information for exposure assessment. We use phthalates and bisphenol A—known industrial chemicals—and organophosphate insecticides as case studies to show exposure trends to these chemicals and their replace-ments (e.g., other phthalates, non-phthalate plasticizers, vari-ous bisphenols, pyrethroid insecticides) among theUS general population. We compare US trends to national trends from Canada and Germany. Exposure to the original compounds is still prevalent among these general populations, but expo-sures to alternative chemicals may be increasing. KeywordsBiomonitoring. Bisphenol.DINCH.Endocrine
disruptors.Exposure. Insecticides. Pesticides. Phthalates