{"id":119028,"date":"2023-12-12T00:08:50","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T05:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/?p=119028"},"modified":"2023-12-13T16:19:09","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T21:19:09","slug":"forever-chemicals-implications-for-newly-found-compounds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-implications-for-newly-found-compounds\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cForever Chemicals\u201d: Implications for Newly Found Compounds"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 18px;\">By Thu T. A. Nguyen, Publishing Associate: Researcher and Writer at Save the Water\u2122 | December 11, 2023<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become familiar to many of us. These chemicals have their names because they don\u2019t break down once released into the environment. They also negatively affect our health. For example, they have been associated with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-in-water-forever-gone\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">high blood pressure, thyroid issues, and increased risk of cancer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until October 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recorded <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cen.acs.org\/environment\/New-method-spots-unreported-forever\/101\/i36\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over 14 thousand PFAS<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These substances have been used <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-in-water-forever-gone\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">since the 1940s<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to make<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cen.acs.org\/environment\/New-method-spots-unreported-forever\/101\/i36\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">oil-, water-, and heat-resistant products<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Many products are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-found-in-nearly-half-of-us-faucets-a-new-study-says\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">everyday household objects<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-in-water-forever-gone\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nonstick cookware, textiles<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/npdwr-to-regulate-forever-chemicals\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">food packaging<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Due to its multiple applications, PFAS has been detected in drinking water <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-in-water-forever-gone\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over the last two decades<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Therefore, these substances can enter our bodies.\u00a0 Currently, approximately <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ewg.org\/news-insights\/news-release\/2023\/11\/new-epa-data-show-millions-more-have-forever-chemicals-drinking#:~:text=PFAS%20are%20known%20as%20%E2%80%9Cforever,of%20Americans%2C%20including%20newborn%20babies.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">99% of Americans have PFAS in their blood<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Unreported Forever Chemicals<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The statistics regarding the amount of PFAS in the environment can be overwhelming:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Environmental Working Group and Northeastern University reported that PFAS are found in the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/forever-chemicals-called-pfas-show-your-food-clothes-and-home\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> water systems in 50 US states<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-found-in-nearly-half-of-us-faucets-a-new-study-says\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nearly half of the faucets in the US<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are contaminated with \u201cforever chemicals.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In April, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) claimed it <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/forever-chemicals-called-pfas-show-your-food-clothes-and-home\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">found 26 new \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> some of which the EPA could have missed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The EPA allows the use of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/legal\/litigation\/epa-loophole-lets-600-toxic-pfas-chemicals-evade-review-petition-says-2022-10-13\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">more than 600 known harmful PFAS<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to a loophole in the federal government\u2019s reviewing procedure.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although Manufacturers <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-found-in-nearly-half-of-us-faucets-a-new-study-says\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aren\u2019t forced to disclose<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the use of these substances to consumers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a recent peer-reviewed article, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adj7048\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. Erin S. Baker and colleagues<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have used a new technique to find 36 known and 11 new \u201cforever chemicals.\u201d We know that tens of thousands of these chemicals exist, but only several hundred standards are available. The lack of chemical standards makes it difficult for PFAS to be identified and characterized. This could mean that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cen.acs.org\/environment\/New-method-spots-unreported-forever\/101\/i36\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">13 thousands more of these chemicals are yet to be noted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike previous techniques, Dr. Baker\u2019s group used a method called ion mobility and mass spectrometry. This technique can separate small molecules, such as PFAS, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cen.acs.org\/environment\/New-method-spots-unreported-forever\/101\/i36\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">based on their size and shape.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This is in addition to their chemical characteristics. Thus, this allows them to see what previous research could not.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Does the Identification of New Chemicals Mean for Us?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The discovery of new chemicals may seem alarming for many people. However, the fact that we can find new chemicals that already exist in our environment can be a good thing. It helps us better understand the effects of PFAS on human health and the environment. Among the substances found, only a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cen.acs.org\/articles\/96\/i7\/whats-genx-still-doing-in-the-water-downstream-of-a-chemours-plant.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">member of PFAS, called GenX<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is suspected to cause health issues. While<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2023\/06\/05\/forever-chemicals-state-bans-pfas\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the American Chemistry Council states that most PFAS are safe<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, we don\u2019t know much about many newly found substances. However, now that we can detect these substances in the environment, scientists have a way to study the characteristics of these chemicals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, this new detection method will improve PFAS regulations. Currently, manufacturers aren\u2019t required to publish <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-found-in-nearly-half-of-us-faucets-a-new-study-says\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whether these substances exist in their products<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Even worse, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/stories\/forever-chemicals-called-pfas-show-your-food-clothes-and-home\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the EPA doesn\u2019t test for most \u201cforever substances.\u201d<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The testing method that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/sciadv.adj7048\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">scientists in Chapel Hill<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> use can detect as many chemicals as possible instead of only targeting known substances. As we can characterize more chemicals, we can make more standardized tests to gauge the amount of PFAS in our environment. Additionally, we can find out where these chemicals come from.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Can You Do?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reading about \u201cforever chemicals\u201d may be overwhelming. However, the situation is not entirely hopeless. Some technologies, such as one developed by engineers in British Columbia, can help <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-can-now-be-eliminated-using-new-technology-breakthrough\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reduce PFAS contamination in drinking water<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On a smaller scale, we can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/forever-chemicals-found-in-nearly-half-of-us-faucets-a-new-study-says\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">use activated carbon and reverse-osmosis filters<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at home to help limit exposure to these unsafe chemicals in drinking water.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Thu T. A. Nguyen, Publishing Associate: Researcher and Writer at Save the Water\u2122 | December 11,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12906,"featured_media":119029,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,52,65],"tags":[176,3540,407],"yst_prominent_words":[649,652,632,2240,2207,3166,3164,2594,622,1181,2206,2203,612],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119028"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12906"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119028"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119030,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119028\/revisions\/119030"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/119029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119028"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=119028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}