WHAT ARE PFAS "Forever Chemicals"?

#Labocosmetica is a leading company in environment and health protection because it has never used PFAS in any of its productsand #Labocosmetica always focused its scientific research efforts in using alternative molecules obtaining although excellent performances.

 

EXPOSURE METHODS

PFAS waste is disposed of around the production plant and in local landfills. PFAS are highly volatile substances which can persist in the air for days and can be transported before falling on the ground; here they move easily through underground lands where they can travel long distances and contaminate groundwater and surface water, including local drinking water wells: pollution is therefore dispersed and not confined near the production sites.

The main sources of exposure to PFAS are:

• processing of PFAS and products containing them
• ingestion of contaminated drinking water or foods (such as fish products, fruits and meat)
• inhalation of dust containing traces of these substances deriving from the treated surfaces, such as carpets, clothes and shoes; moreover, at the time of opening the containers of PFAS-based products, part of these is breathed due to their volatility
• the passage through skin: the absorption of PFAS, pure or dissolved in water, also occurs through the skin, therefore contact with products in the detailing sector can constitute a source of contamination by PFAS.

Exposure to PFAS is also due to the degradation of materials; the most striking example is the loss of water repellency of fabrics or bodycar: the decrease in water repellency implies the disappearance of PFAS from surfaces and their diffusion into the air.

As they are not biodegradable, PFAS have been the subject of many environmental studies: PFOS has a half-life in the environment of 41 years, while PFOA has a half-life in the environment of 8 years; this means that they have a high potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification.

EFFECTS ON HEALTH

There are high levels of PFAS in the blood of consumers and workers because these molecules are not destroyed by the body or by the sun. Since PFAS bind to plasma proteins and are not metabolized by the body, they accumulate in the liver and to a lesser extent in the kidneys; their elimination is very slow, because once filtered in the urine they undergo a process of reabsorption which brings them back into circulation. The half-life, which is the time required for blood levels to be reduced to half, is on average 5.4 yearsfor PFOS and 3.8 years for PFOA, with gender differences: in men half-lives are longer than in women.

Epidemological studies have shown the association of PFOA with various diseases:

• High cholesterol, which causes an increased risk of arteriosclerosis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Gestational hypertension
• Male reproductive system dysfunction: in particular PFOS and PFOA influence sperm parameters and affect the action of sex hormones, such as testosterone
• Increased uric acid value, which is a risk factor for gout and kidney stones

PFOS and in particular PFOA have been subject to evaluation by IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) and US EPA (USA Environmental Protection Agency) for their carcinogenic potential and in 2017 IARC classified PFOA as “possibly associated” (group 2B) to kidney and testicular tumors.

As PFAS are responsible for alterations in metabolism and determine certain risk conditions that can lead to an increase in chronic diseases, the exposure to these substances could be considered the fifth risk factor for chronic non-communicable diseases:

• Smoke
• Use of alcohol
• Incorrect feeding
• Physical inactivity
• Exposure to PFAS