PFAS are detrimental to Society
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products. PFAS have raised concerns due to their persistence in the environment and potential health effects on humans and wildlife. Studies have linked exposure to certain PFAS with adverse health outcomes, such as cancer, developmental delays, and immune system disorders. Because of their widespread presence and persistence in the environment, efforts are being made to regulate and reduce the use of PFAS in everyday products.
PFAS are rapidly becoming a health concern. The following excerpts are from recent peer reviewed scientific journals. These PFAS are nano-elements, molecular in size and were created by humans to withstand degradation from all Earths’ elements including father time. Now, over 80 years after their creation, global society is realizing the detrimental impacts of creating a molecule that never goes away…
Since their introduction to the global market in the early 1940s, a great diversity of PFAS and their derivatives have been continuously developed and introduced as consumer products impacting every phase of human life. (Malovany, A., 2023) The celebrated material properties of PFAS that made them achieve the ‘forever chemicals’ label has created a great concern about their persistence, transport and toxicity in the environment and to all forms of terrestrial and marine biota. (Buttle E., 2023)
The physicochemical properties of PFAS make their detection through analytical techniques tedious. This in turn contributes to low excretion rate of ingested PFAS from living organisms leading to bioaccumulation and biomagnification. (Ambaye, T.G., 2022) The entry of the PFAS into living organisms including humans can occur through dermal contact, ingestion and inhalation. (Munoz, G., 2022)
PFAS have now been widely applied in products such as adhesives, ammunition, cleaning products, construction, cosmetics, electronics, fertilizers, firefighting foam, manufacturing, medical devices, mining, oil and gas, paints, pesticides, propellants, refrigerants, semiconductors, textiles, transportation, varnish, and much more. (Gaines, L.G.T., 2023) PFAS chemicals contribute to environmental pollution by leaching into the soil surrounding landfills or from wastewater and by contaminating surface and ground water through the release of airborne particles and precipitation. These pollutants and contaminants directly or indirectly affect plants, animals, and humans. Biomagnification increases the concentration of PFAS in the human body, which could lead to potentially fatal health issues. (Wang, Y., 2023)
Their ubiquity and persistence, in addition to the significant negative health effects elicited by PFAS, warrant the need to monitor these chemicals in drinking water, food products, and other environmental compartments. (Zhou et al., 2021)
Please reference WEL Blog post 6/04/24 to learn if your water company is supplying your home with potable water that is below or above the new PFAS limits set by the US EPA.
References:
Ambaye, T.G. et al., Recent progress and challenges on the removal of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from contaminated soil and water, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. Int. 29 (39) (2022) 58405–58428.
Buttle E., E.L. Sharp, K. Fisher, Managing ubiquitous ‘forever chemicals’ : morethan-human possibilities for the problem of PFAS, N. Z. Geogr. 79 (2) (2023) 97–106.
Gaines, L.G.T. Historical and Current Usage of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): A Literature Review. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2023, 66, 353–378.
Malovany, A. et al., Comparative study of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) removal from landfill leachate, J. Hazard Mater. 460 (2023) 132505.
Munoz, G. et al., Bioaccumulation and trophic magnification of emerging and legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in a St. Lawrence River food web, Environ. Pollut. 309 (2022) 119739.
Wang, Y.; Munir, U.; Huang, Q. Occurrence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Soil: Sources, Fate, and Remediation. Soil Environ. Health 2023, 1, 100004.
Zhou et al., 2021; Xu et al., 2019; Sie (2013); Zhao et al. (2013); Xia et al. (2013); Miranda et al. (2021); Ojo et al., 2021; Fenton et al., 2021; Danish Environmental Protection Agency Report, 2015)