A study reports that a class of synthetic chemicals called PFAS, which have links to cancers and other health issues, are “nearly ubiquitous” in surface waters across the United States.
Manufacturers use the chemicals, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, to make coatings that resist heat, oils, stains, and water.
They apply these materials to various products, including clothing, furniture, food packaging, nonstick cookware, and dental floss.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the health effects of low PFAS levels in the environment are uncertain.
However, the trouble with PFAS is that they are highly stable molecules and, therefore, don’t break down naturally, earning them the title “forever chemicals.” This means they steadily accumulate not only in the environment but possibly also in people’s bodies.
The CDC note that animal studies suggest exposure to high levels of PFAS can affect growth and development, reproduction, thyroid function, immunity, and the liver.
Around 97% of people in the United States have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood.
Epidemiological studies link high serum levels of two particular PFAS — perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) — to increased cholesterol, thyroid disease, and weakened immunity.
PFOA was formerly used by the chemical company DuPont to make Teflon. PFOS was once an ingredient in Scotchgard, made by 3M.
One study looked at a local population with exposure to high PFOA levels in drinking water due to chemical plant emissions. The research found a link between the substance and kidney and testicular cancers.
The health effects of much lower levels of environmental exposure among the general population are not known.
However, according to a study, females who used particular dental floss brands and regularly ate preprepared food sold in coated cardboard packaging, such as takeout, had higher serum levels of PFAS than those who did not.
The extent of PFAS exposure in people from their drinking water is uncertain.
Now, scientists at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and campaign group, have analyzed water test data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Geological Survey, and Colorado, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.
