Do you know what PFAS is? We are sure that many people have not even heard of this abbreviation, which stands for a group of chemicals. Consequently, they do not know about the health hazards of such substances either. Then we advise you to fill the gap in your knowledge of chemistry and carefully read this article, which the staff of the Foundation “Inna” prepared based on the results of scientific research.
So, PFAS (PFAA) is an organic pollutant containing fluoride ions. The full name is polyfluoroalkyl compounds (substances). These are very common compounds that are usually found in water as particles or microparticles. It is estimated that over 50% of tap water worldwide, contains varying levels of PFAS contamination. These substances do not degrade in the environment or in the human body, for which they are called “everlasting chemicals”.
These chemicals can get into tap water when washing dishes, into food if the packaging is made of grease-resistant material, or if the non-stick coating of pots and pans begins to deteriorate. They are also used in the textile industry. Thanks to such chemicals, for example, jackets and tents repel water and save from rain.
PFASs are also commonly found in pesticides used to feed crops, resulting in chemical-laden runoff that can enter drinking water. It is important to know that there is no safe level of exposure to such chemicals.
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California (USA) have found a link between levels of “everlasting chemicals” in drinking water and the incidence of cancers of the digestive, endocrine, and respiratory systems, as well as many other cancers.
Researchers found that increased rates of mouth and throat cancers were associated with perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), which is a type of PFAS. Men living in counties with PFAS-containing water had higher rates of leukemia as well as cancers of the urinary system, brain, and soft tissues compared to men living in areas with uncontaminated water. Thyroid, oral cavity, throat and soft tissue cancers were more common in women.
In their article, scientists report that in the United States, about 45% of tap water used by 150 million Americans is saturated with PFAS. For this category of residents of the States, the risk of cancer increases by 33%! And every year, due to the impact of polyfluoroalkyl compounds on the human body, several thousand people in the U.S. get different types of cancer. Specialists indicate approximately 7,000 such cases, but, given the fact that PFAS has an accumulative effect, the number of people who got cancer from such substances, may increase dramatically in the near future many times over! And so, it is best to refrain from drinking tap water unless you are sure that it does not contain dangerous chemicals! Let’s remember that it is not for nothing that the great physician Hippocrates assured, “We are what we eat”.
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