Researchers in North Carolina have uncovered alarming evidence that PFAS, or forever chemicals, may be accumulating in unexpected ways in the human body.
What’s happening?
In a new study published in Environmental Science and Technology, researchers found high levels of ultrashort-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in blood samples taken from Wilmington residents between 2010 and 2016 in a previous study.
Researchers detected two ultrashort-chain PFAS, perfluoromethoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA) and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), in almost every blood sample.
Both compounds are believed to have come from the Chemours Fayetteville Works chemical plant, which discharged PFAS into the Cape Fear River, Wilmington’s main drinking water source, for decades. While GenX, the chemical that first drew public concern in the area, appeared in only 20% of samples, PFMOAA and TFA were much more prevalent, with PFMOAA reaching the highest-tested median concentrations of 42 nanograms per milliliter, according to the study…