Harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS), called “perpetual pollutants,” may be found in drinking and bottled water around the world, according to a new study cited by UPI.
Researchers report that ten specific PFAS chemicals were found in bottled and tap water samples from 15 countries around the world. For example, the chemicals perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroethanesulfonic acid (PFOS) were found in more than 99% of bottled water samples tested.
The scientists also found that boiling water or passing it through a carbon filter can significantly reduce PFAS levels in drinking water by 50% to 90%.
For the purpose of the study, the researchers examined 112 samples of bottled water from stores in the UK and China. The samples covered 87 brands, with water sources from 15 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania.
In total, PFAS chemicals were found in 63% of bottled water. According to the scientists, there was no significant difference in PFAS levels between water in glass or plastic containers, and between bottled carbonated and still water. They also examined 41 tap water samples from Britain and China and found that Chinese tap water had higher concentrations of PFAS than British tap water.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds include more than 15,000 synthetic chemicals. Their high stability is due to the fluorine-carbon bond, which is one of the strongest in organic chemistry. PFASs hardly break down naturally, which is why they are called “perpetual.”
The study is published in the journal ACS ES&T Water.
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