How Bizarre Environment

Tampons: Not just for feminine hygiene

Inexpensive product could help environmental engineers spot polluted rivers

LIGHT STICK  A tampon half coated with laundry detergent glows under UV light.

S. Egts

By Kate Baggaley

- More than 2 years ago

Tampons are cheap and highly absorbent, which makes them the perfect tool for testing rivers for pollution. Tampons submerged in contaminated water shine blue under ultraviolet light because of the brightening chemicals they have sucked in, researchers report March 30 in the Water and Environment Journal.