PFAS: The secret toxins in our body

PFAS

              PFAS pose a severe risk to health and Environment, and worst of all; They never degrade. For this reason, they are also called "Forever chemicals". PFAS is currently in more than 98% of the population. It is linked to several health complications. They have an impact on practically all of us. PFAS is an umbrella term for over 4000 different chemicals. They do a brilliant job of repelling water, grease, and dirt. Superior to any other substances, nearly every branch of industry uses them. We find them in everything from non-stick cookware, artificial leather, furniture, fire retardants, cleaning liquids, electronics, make-up, cars, pesticides, soils, drinking water, and our food. They are everywhere. 

 

                PFAS enters the soils and water sources via landfill discharge, emission from industrial facilities, commercial wastewater, or simply washing our rain jacket. Most wastewater treatment plants can't filter them. This Map shows more than 2000 contaminated sites in the U.S.- polluting the drinking water of an estimated 200 million people. 

Map of contaminated PFAS in USA

         Studies showed the presence of PFAS in almost all breast milk samples taken from women in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. High concentration can lead to increased liver weight and even cause cancer. Kidneys are at risk too. PFAS can also affect sperm quality, while the birth weight of newborns can likewise be lowered.

               The CDC's Agency for toxic substances and disease registry says, "PFAS contamination has the potential to affect growth, learning, and behavior of infants and older children.PFAS contamination could lower a woman's chance of getting pregnant and could increase the risk of cancer." 

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How the substances work in the body is unclear?

        According to one hypothesis, they restructure cell barriers. What scientists do know is that the immune response is lowered. A recent study linked PFAS accumulation in the lungs to increased severity of COVID-19 infections.

Covid-19 vaccine

 And in general, vaccines can be rendered less effective. Of Course, PFAS are also found in our blood. The characteristics that make PFAS so great for products, from food packaging to waterproof footwear, make them so dangerous. Forever chemicals are no exaggeration. This model shows PFOA, one of the most researched and commonly found PFAS. It is also contained in our bodies. The carbon and fluorine atoms form among the strongest chemical bonds in organic chemistry. That's the reason they don't degrade and can only be destroyed by exposing them to extremely high temperatures of over a thousand degrees Celsius for two seconds. 

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HISTORY OF PFAS

      Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS compounds are man-made carbon and fluorine-based chemicals. There are two types of PFAS: PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS(Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid). 

Types of PFAS

PFAS compounds are incredibly resistant to breaking down. Since the early 1940s, PFAS has been used in various consumer and industrial products, including protective coatings, waterproof fabrics, and firefighting foam. Their resistance to heat, oil, and water is what makes them so valuable. There are hundreds of known compounds, each with varying uses in our daily lives.PFAS compounds don't occur in nature, and it takes a significantly longer time for these compounds to break down in the Environment and the human body. 

                              The first PFAS was discovered by accident in 1938 by researchers working for chemical giant Dupont. What made it special was its corrosion resistance. That's why PFAS used it for valves in the first nuclear bomb.

Nuclear Bomb

 After the second world war, PFAS found more everyday use in the kitchen. It became famous in the coating for non-stick pans under the brand name "Teflon". And it was soon being used everywhere. It was a success story until a farmer in the U.S. noticed that something was wrong with his cattle. Robert Billot represented the farmer in a 20 year-long legal battle against the multinational. He said that " it was the wildlife in the area, the deer, the fish, the birds and he thought that he himself and his family was getting sick, and he was convinced he knew what was happening?  He could see white foaming water coming out of a landfill next to his property."

                       It is probably the most significant legal case in history concerning PFAS contamination and even inspired the movie " Dark Waters".subsequent investigation revealed that PFAS contaminated thousands of people in Parkersburg and the entire Ohio River. Between 1951 and 2003, almost 800 tons of PFOA, that particular type of forever chemical found in our blood, were discharged by Dupont. Documents show the company has known for decades that these substances are highly toxic. 

Dupont document record

But they didn't inform anybody or halt production with forever chemicals and their subsequent release. According to Dupont, the company agreed to pay $671 million to settle thousands of personal injury lawsuits. This and similar cases in Italy and the Netherlands didn't go unnoticed, and PFAS like PFOA were banned in the E.U., the U.S., and Japan.

Dupont company

              Scientists are still learning about how PFAS exposure affects human health. Still, regulations to reduce their use and test water for contamination are the first step toward understanding how to combat what is known as forever chemicals.

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                  The Eu is thinking about banning all forever chemicals except for essential ones like those used in medical equipment. At the same time, their use in Asian countries like China, India, and Indonesia is increasing. Instead of banning individual PFAS like in the past, countries like Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are pushing to phase out all forever chemicals by 2030., potentially a decisive step towards preventing excessive levels in our water in the most remote areas of the world like the Antarctic and our bodies.

So what can be done to remove PFAS from our bodies and the water?

       Today many water sources are contaminated with PFAS, and most conventional water treatment processes are ineffective at removing PFAS from that water supply. As individuals, we need to take the following steps to remove PFAS from our body:-

• We can avoid packaged fast food and frozen food, microwave popcorn, and non-stick cookware.

Packed food

• We need to install an activated carbon filter to remove certain PFAS from our tap water. After pressure from a Greenpeace "detox campaign," some outdoor gear brands like Vaude, Paramo, and Rotauf removed forever chemicals from their production chain.

Filter water

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