Internet entrepreneur and branding consultant Amy Ziff says she had to become a “weekend toxicologist” five years ago when she discovered her twins were allergic to diapers, baby wipes, creams and lotions.

For some time now, wristbands in various colors have been worn to show the wearer’s embrace of certain causes, like the fight against cancer or the need to end cruelty to animals. A new wristband could help scientists determine the potential disease risks of exposure to substances like pesticides. The project was reported recently in the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) journal Environmental Science & Technology.