A new one study from the UK suggests everyday tasks such as washing pots and washing your hair can seriously pollute the marine environment with harmful ‘forever chemicals’. Called PFASThese chemicals are known to leach into water, but the extent of their impact is only just being discovered.
What’s happening?
Scientists of the University of Portsmouth recently entered into a partnership with the Marine Conservation Society to investigate the presence of PFAS – or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – in marine environments.
PFAS are man-made chemicals found in food packaging, nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, and personal care items such as shampooand more. They are often called “forever chemicals” because they “usually take hundreds or thousands of years to break down,” according to the World Economic Forum. reports.
According to an article from the University of Portsmouth about Phys.orgscientists collected seawater samples before and after the discharge of sewage from a British wastewater treatment plant serving more than 400,000 people. The researchers found that PFAS concentrations increased significantly after sewage discharges. One detectable PFAS compound was found in the waterways tested prior to sewage discharge. Eight different PFAS compounds were subsequently detected, including two banned PFAS.
The research, recently published in Chemospherealso found that seaweed in the area studied contained more than 6,000 times the concentration of PFAS than the water surrounding it. Researchers say these data indicate that seaweed stores the eternal chemical in high concentrations – and that these stored PFAS can work their way up the food chain when ingested by algae-grazing marine animals.
Why is the presence of PFAS in waterways a concern?
Numerous studies have already been done linked Exposure to PFAS leads to human health consequences such as cancer, reduced fertility and increased risks of asthma and thyroid disease, CNN reported.
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PFAS too affect marine animalswith studies finding the “forever chemicals” in the livers of otters, seagull eggs, freshwater fish and more, according to Scientific American. According to Sustainability by the seaPFAS can make marine animals sick, shutting down the immune system and causing liver damage. Fish and other marine animals can also expose people to PFAS when they enter the human food chain.
People are exposed to PFAS by consuming contaminated food and water, using products made with PFAS, and breathing air containing PFAS. A Research from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found PFAS in the blood of 97% of Americans.
What is being done about PFAS?
In one statementthe study authors say further research is needed to understand the effects of PFAS on marine life. They also called for strategy development to reduce existing PFAS in the environment.
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Most importantly, the researchers emphasize the need to develop and implement less polluting replacements for PFAS in products.
“These findings underscore the need for an urgent ban on PFAS for all uses where alternatives exist,” co-author Francesca Ginley, chemicals policy and advocacy manager at the Marine Conservation Society, said in a study. statement. “These chemicals will impact us and the environment for generations to come.”
Researchers worldwide are also working to understand more about PFAS, with the Environmental Protection Agency reports that its researchers are particularly interested in how to better detect and measure PFAS, how to remove PFAS from water, how to get rid of PFAS, and more.
Check out this article to educate yourself about PFAS exposure list of products and applications for PFAS.
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