Devolution of research on PFAS in the environment

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances are a type of hand-made chemical compound and a current concern, which reflects the health of the environment. PFAS products have unique properties – against heat, water, oil and stains – that make them useful in a number of industrial applications and popular in consumer products. Many PFAS are stable and permanent in the environment, earning the name “chemicals forever.” The industrial use of some of these fertilizers has been discontinued; however, many by-products are still in trade and more are being developed. PFAS is now found in many areas of the environment.

To regulate the PFAs in the environment, much research has been conducted to understand the sources, fate and transport in the environment, and their potential impact on humans and wildlife. Recently, Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (ET&C) published a special case dedicated to PFAS with 32 articles, providing a valuable summary of risk assessment procedures for PFAS, required for environmental managers and regulatory bodies to meet appropriate drinking water standards and health advisory guidelines set.

The published research shows that PFAS is ubiquitous and raises more questions than answers about the potential poisoning of humans and wildlife. The articles in the journal report that PFAS was found near protected centers, urban environments, treatment plants and waste disposal sites but also in remote, uninhabited areas. PFAS has been found in breeding kittiwakes in Svalbard, Norway, and ducks in Australian estuaries. They have been found in chicken eggs, earth, tadpoles, zebrafish, house crickets; the list goes on. The scope of the published research shows that PFAS is spread in all media in the environment (soil, water and wildlife).

In some studies, the presence of PFAS was associated with a nearby source but in others it was not confirmed. For example, the authors of the article examining PFAS in Australian ducks found a correlation between local sources of PFAS and bioaccumulation in ducks and noted that “Human health risk assessment showed that only ducks that were living in wetlands near local PFAS sources tends to pose a risk to consumers, ”and continues,“ Controlling the consumption of food from these areas is an effective measure to limit visibility. . ”In another study published in this same journal, long-chain PFAS was found in eight fish species across ten European glacial lakes in the Alps, and although they were linked to urban areas, they were not. can be donated to a nearby specialist business store.

The case shows that there is a very large number of PFAS products, and it is a challenge for environmental managers and regulatory bodies to devise a way to identify, understand and manage them all. The series provided a major review of the state of the science of PFA risk assessment and also identified data gaps and the work needed to fill them to design an effective approach to managing PFAS.


Fecal prohibition of PFAS by pets


Presented by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Citation: A collection of research on PFAS in the environment (2021, 25 February) was retrieved 25 February 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2021-02-published-pfas-environment.html

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