FLOURIDE Food and drinking water typically contain at least small amounts of fluorides.

They occur in the environment both naturally and as a result of human activities. Fluorides are commonly added to dental products and sometimes to tap water to prevent cavities. Under what conditions can fluoride exposure be beneficial or detrimental to human health?

WATER To protect drinking water against germs and fight disease transmitted through water, disinfectants such as chlorine, chloramines, ozone and chlorine dioxide are used.

Some consumer products are packaged to imitate food or appeal to children. This is for instance the case of certain shower gels, liquid soaps and dish-washing liquids. It is likely that these could be swallowed if confused with food.

Triclosan is added to many consumer goods such as cosmetics and detergents to kill microorganisms or inhibit their growth. It is a widely used disinfectant, and there is concern that this widespread use may lead to the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to both biocides and antibiotics.

Dioxins are mainly released by human activities such as incineration and fuel combustion. Some dioxins and some "dioxin-like" PCBs are known to be harmful.

olychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of man-made compounds that were widely used in the past, mainly in electrical equipment, but which were banned at the end of the 1970s in many countries because of environmental concerns.

Because these compounds are generally very stable, they remain present in the environment today. Diisodecyl-phthalate (DIDP) and Diisononyl-phthalate (DINP) are two closely related substances that are mainly used as additives in plastics to make them more flexible. Their widespread use in everyday products, from floorings and shoe soles to toys has raised some concerns about their safety. Do DIDP and DINP pose a risk to health or the environment?

Arsenic is a poisonous substance, which is released both from certain human activities and naturally from the earth's crust. Humans may be exposed to arsenic mainly through food and water.