PFAS
PFASs include more than 1400 harmful chemical substances that are produced during the manufacture of everyday products and thus end up in our groundwater.
Sources of exposure
PFASs belong to the group of man-made chemicals that have negative effects on human health and can contaminate water. Furthermore, they cannot be degraded but still accumulate in the environment. PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) are the two most commonly produced PFAS worldwide.
PFOA and PFOS are used extensively in the manufacture of many industrial and consumer products, e.g. fire-fighting foams, stain-proofing agents, non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing.
These chemicals caught on in the 1950s when industry began to make products such as stainless steel pots or water-repellent jackets. Takeaway containers were also made with PFAS. Many of these containers still contain PFAS today.
These chemicals are continuously released into the environment. They are found in the soil, air, surface water, groundwater and drinking water wells.
Most consumers are exposed to PFAS, although their occurrence is slowly decreasing. They are simply no longer used. However, people who live or work near PFAS-producing plants have higher concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in their blood compared to the general population. They are exposed to these chemicals through their drinking water or by inhaling soils and dust in the vicinity of the plant. PFOA and PFOS enter the public water supply, especially in areas near these production facilities.
Possible health effects
Exposure to PFASs can have various health effects, many of which can be long-lasting. The human body is unable to excrete these chemicals, so they gradually accumulate until they can cause harm. Some of the possible adverse health effects of PFAS exposure are:
- Effects on the development of foetuses during pregnancy or of breastfed infants (low birth weight, accelerated puberty, skeletal changes).
- Testicular or kidney cancer
- Damage to the liver
- Immune effects (antibody production and immunity)
- Changes in the thyroid gland and cholesterol levels
Sources: https://lifestraw.com/blogs/news/a-psa-on-pfas
)
)
