Recent news has highlighted concern about the presence in drinking water of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of more than 10 000 synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products since the 1950s.
The non-stick, water repelling, and grease repelling properties of PFAS mean they are widely used. Skin creams and cosmetics, floor and car polish, dishwasher rinse aid, fabric treatments, food packaging, non-stick cookware, and outdoor clothing and shoes are just some of the household items that rely on PFAS. Other uses include firefighting foams, human and animal medicines, and medical devices, and they are widely used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, automotive, and aerospace industries.12
Within their molecules, carbon and fluorine atoms form a strongly linked chain that is not easily broken down in the environment, leading them to be dubbed “forever chemicals.”3
How do they get into the water system?
PFAS enter the water system through two main pathways.2 They leach directly into groundwater from firefighting foams, plant protection products such as insecticides, landfills, and from industrial use and manufacturing processes.
Many also enter waterways from households, being shed from clothing during washing, from cookware, and from cosmetics into wastewater. Even after treatment many remain in the water that comes out of our taps.
What are the health effects of PFAS?
Different PFAS have been linked to a variety of health concerns, such as affecting the reproductive system, harming the development of fetuses, changing liver enzymes, disrupting thyroid function, increasing cholesterol concentrations, and lowering antibody responses to vaccines. …
