Sydney —— Dangerous concentrations of long-lived “forever chemicals” have been found in surface and groundwater around the world, according to a study published Tuesday that showed Australia, the United States and Europe as hotspots.
The paper, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, analyzed data from 45,000 water samples globally and found that a “significant proportion” of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) were present at levels higher than recommended.
It can be found in everyday household items such as non-stick frying pans, food packaging materials, and waterproofing. clothesThis substance has been linked to serious health conditions, including cancer and birth defects.
They are found everywhere from turtle eggs to Antarctic snow, but recent studies have shown that they are widespread in surface and groundwater used by humans for drinking.
“Most of our water sources exceed regulatory limits for PFAS,” said Denis O’Carroll, one of the study’s authors and a professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
O'Carroll said it was already known that thousands of types of persistent chemicals were “pervasive in the environment” but expressed shock at how high the levels sampled were compared to recommended levels. “We’re talking more than 5% and in some cases more than 50%.”
The study found that 69 per cent of groundwater samples from around the world exceeded Canada's minimum standards, and 6 per cent of samples exceeded EU standards.
Australia, China, the United States and parts of Europe have emerged as global hotspots for high PFAS concentrations.
A separate study published in the summer of 2023 found that nearly half of the water entering U.S. homes was tap water. It is believed that one or more PFAS are present.There are over 12,000 of them.
But the new study acknowledged that the regions with the highest measured concentrations of PFAS were also those with the highest levels of testing, and that more research could find similar results across the world.
PFAS are believed to be widespread globally, but the extent of contamination of the Earth's surface, waterways, and drinking water sources is unknown.
Canada, the United States, the European Union and Australia have begun limiting the use of PFAS due to health and environmental concerns.