Congratulations to our center researchers for being one of the three papers selected as an NIEHS Extramural Paper of the Month. The Extramural Papers of the Month are selected based on their important findings and potential for public health impact. The new study, “Sources of clinically significant neonatal intensive care unit phthalate exposure,” funded by NIEHS identified noninvasive respiratory support equipment — specifically, nasal prongs that deliver oxygen and air pressure — as a source of phthalate exposure in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Although multiple studies have demonstrated elevated phthalate markers in NICU patients, specific sources of phthalate exposure were not previously identified. According to the authors, their discovery of the source of potentially neuroactive phthalate exposure provides an avenue to reduce phthalate exposure among NICU patients. To see the papers for November, visit the NIEHS Environmental Factor website.