Fetuses likely have more ‘forever chemicals’ in blood than thought
US test of 120 umbilical blood cord samples identified 42 Pfas compounds, which do not naturally break down
TL;DR
- A new Mount Sinai study analyzed 120 umbilical cord blood samples, identifying 42 PFAS compounds, much higher than previous limited analyses.
- The findings suggest that fetuses are exposed to a greater number and higher total levels of PFAS 'forever chemicals' than previously understood.
- PFAS chemicals, used to make products water-, stain-, and grease-resistant, are linked to numerous health issues and do not break down naturally.
- Current regulatory methods for detecting PFAS in blood and water are slow to keep pace with the thousands of existing compounds, potentially undercounting exposure levels.
- While the study did not directly link exposure to health problems, higher PFAS levels are generally associated with increased health risks.