Misplaced Pages

#294705

68-523: The river is the most industrialized river in North Carolina, lined with power plants, manufacturing plants, wastewater treatment plants, landfills, paper mills, and industrial agriculture. Relatedly, the river is polluted by various substances, including suspended solids and manmade chemicals. These chemicals include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), GenX , perfluorooctanesulfonic acid , perfluorooctanoic acid , byproducts of production of

136-424: A carbon-fluorine bond , one of the strongest in organic chemistry . They move through soils and bioaccumulate in fish and wildlife, which are then eaten by humans. Residues are now commonly found in rain and drinking water . Since PFAS compounds are highly mobile, they are readily absorbed through human skin and through tear ducts , and such products on lips are often unwittingly ingested. Due to

204-468: A colloid or due to motion of the water. Suspended solids can be removed by sedimentation if their size or density is comparatively large, or by filtration. It is used as one indicator of water quality and of the strength of sewage , or wastewater in general. It is an important design parameter for sewage treatment processes. It is sometimes abbreviated SS , but is not to be confused with settleable solids , also abbreviated SS, which contribute to

272-620: A dam to fail, which caused a mass leakage of coal ash into the Cape Fear River about 5 miles northwest of Wilmington, North Carolina. GenX is a chemical in the group of manmade per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS used for nonstick, water- and stain-repellent items. GenX is a replacement PFAS, since older and more toxic PFAs are being phased out. GenX is made at the Chemours plant in Fayetteville, NC and has gotten into

340-556: A few noted exceptions, any chemical with at least a perfluorinated methyl group ( −CF 3 ) or a perfluorinated methylene group ( −CF 2 − ) is a PFAS." This definition notably includes Carbon tetrafluoride . The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines PFAS in the Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 5 as substances that contain "at least one of the following three structures: R−CF 2 −CF(R')R" , where both

408-529: A field study published in 2021 by researchers at Stockholm University found that they are often transferred from water to air when waves reach land, are a significant source of air pollution , and eventually get into rain. The researchers concluded that pollution may impact large areas. In 2024, a worldwide study of 45,000 groundwater samples found that 31% of samples contained levels of PFAS that were harmful to human health; these samples were taken from areas not near any obvious source of contamination. Soil

476-562: A long legal battle against the Veneto Region and ISS, which for years has denied access to data, despite values known since or even before 2017. The Veneto region has not carried out further monitoring or taken resolutive actions to eliminate pollution and reduce, at least gradually, the contamination of non-potable water. Although in 2020 the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has reduced by more than four times

544-434: A municipal level). By eliminating most of the suspended solids in a water supply, the significant water is usually rendered close to drinking quality. This is followed by disinfection to ensure that any free floating pathogens, or pathogens associated with the small remaining amount of suspended solids, are rendered ineffective. The use of a very simple cloth filter , consisting of a folded cotton sari , drastically reduces

612-564: A segment of the route of the Intracoastal Waterway . The East Coast Greenway runs along the river. The Cape Fear River is polluted by industry, cities, and farmland in its drainage basin . The pollution comes from both point source and nonpoint sources , including farms, city runoff, and erosion of the river's banks, which contribute pollution such as harmful chemicals and fertilizers, and larger sediments like suspended solids. Pollutants include coal ash. As with any river,

680-585: A series of projects to understand the scale and nature of PFAS in the environment. The Drinking Water Inspectorate requires water companies to report concentrations of 47 PFAS. Many PFASs are either not covered by European legislation or are excluded from registration obligations under the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) chemical regulation. Several PFASs have been detected in drinking water, municipal wastewater, and landfill leachates worldwide. In 2019,

748-471: A significant exposure source of PFOA , PFNA , PFHxS and PFOS for Swedish adolescents (ages 10–21). Even though the median concentrations in the municipality drinking water were below one ng/L for each individual PFAS, positive associations were found between adolescent serum PFAS concentrations and PFAS concentrations in drinking water. Suspended solids Suspended solids refers to small solid particles which remain in suspension in water as

SECTION 10

#1732766272295

816-460: A so-called restriction proposal based on the REACH regulation to achieve a European ban on the production, use, sale and import of PFAS. The proposal states that a ban is necessary for all use of PFAS, with different periods for different applications when the ban takes effect (immediately after the restriction comes into force, five years afterward, or 12 years afterward), depending on the function and

884-474: A subgroup of PFAS characterized by a hydrophobic fluorinated "tail" and a hydrophilic "head" that behave as surfactants . These are more effective at reducing the surface tension of water than comparable hydrocarbon surfactants. They include the perfluorosulfonic acids , such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and the perfluorocarboxylic acids like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). As with other surfactants, fluorosurfactants tend to concentrate at

952-518: A total industry profit of $ 4 billion per year on 16% profit margins . Due to health concerns, several companies have ended or plan to end the sale of PFAS or products that contain them; these include W. L. Gore & Associates (the maker of Gore-Tex ), H&M , Patagonia , REI , and 3M . PFAS producers have paid billions of dollars to settle litigation claims, the largest being a $ 10.3 billion settlement paid by 3M for water contamination in 2023. Studies have shown that companies have known of

1020-844: Is a shift towards anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages and/or T-helper (TH2) response in intestinal epithelial tissue which allows sulfate-reducing bacteria to flourish. Elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide result, which reduce beta-oxidation and nutrient production, leading to a breakdown of the colonic epithelial barrier. Hypothyroidism is the most common thyroid abnormality associated with PFAS exposure. PFASs have been shown to decrease thyroid peroxidase , resulting in decreased production and activation of thyroid hormones in vivo. Other proposed mechanisms include alterations in thyroid hormone signaling, metabolism and excretion as well as function of nuclear hormone receptor . Bioaccumulation controls internal concentrations of pollutants, including PFAS, in individual organisms. When bioaccumulation

1088-569: Is also contaminated and the chemicals have been found in remote areas such as Antarctica . Soil contamination can result in higher levels of PFAs found in foods such as white rice, coffee, and animals reared on contaminated ground. From 2005 to 2013, three epidemiologists known as the C8 Science Panel conducted health studies in the Mid-Ohio Valley as part of a contingency to a class action lawsuit brought by communities in

1156-549: Is classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) based on "sufficient" evidence for cancer in animals and "strong" mechanistic evidence in exposed humans. IARC also classified PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2b) based on "strong" mechanistic evidence. There is a lack of high-quality epidemiological data on the associations between many specific PFAS chemicals and specific cancer types, and research

1224-729: Is less regulation. In the United States, the Republican Party has filibustered bills regulating the chemicals. Cover-ups and the suppression of studies in 2018 by the Trump administration led to bipartisan outrage. The market for PFAS was estimated to be $ 28 billion in 2023 and the majority are produced by 12 companies: 3M , AGC Inc. , Archroma, Arkema , BASF , Bayer , Chemours , Daikin , Honeywell , Merck Group , Shandong Dongyue Chemical, and Solvay . Sales of PFAS, which cost approximately $ 20 per kilogram, generate

1292-511: Is looked at in the perspective of the entire food web, it is called biomagnification, which is important to track because lower concentrations of pollutants in environmental matrices such as seawater or sediments, can very quickly grow to harmful concentrations in organisms at higher trophic levels, including humans. Notably, concentrations in biota can even be greater than 5000 times those present in water for PFOS and C 10 –C 14 PFCAs . PFAS can enter an organism by ingestion of sediment, through

1360-739: Is ongoing. A response is observed in humans where elevated PFOS levels were significantly associated with elevated total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, highlighting significantly reduced PPAR expression and alluding to PPAR independent pathways predominating over lipid metabolism in humans compared to rodents. PFOA and PFOS have been shown to significantly alter immune and inflammatory responses in human and animal species. In particular, IgA , IgE (in females only) and C-reactive protein have been shown to decrease whereas antinuclear antibodies increase as PFOA serum concentrations increase. These cytokine variations allude to immune response aberrations resulting in autoimmunity . One proposed mechanism

1428-496: Is still some concern that they may be harmful to both humans and the environment. Since the 1970s, DuPont and 3M were aware that PFAS was "highly toxic when inhaled and moderately toxic when ingested". Producers used several strategies to influence science and regulation – most notably, suppressing unfavorable research and distorting public discourse. In 2018, under the Presidency of Donald Trump , White House staff and

SECTION 20

#1732766272295

1496-399: Is thought to be Europe's biggest PFAS-related environmental disaster. While Italy's National Health Institute (ISS, Istituto Superiore di Sanità ) set the threshold limit of PFOA in the bloodstream at 8 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), some residents had reached 262 and some industrial employees reach 91,900 ng/mL. In 2021 some data was disclosed by Greenpeace and local citizens after

1564-536: The −CF 2 − and −CF− moieties are saturated carbons, and none of the R groups can be hydrogen; R−CF 2 −O−CF 2 −(R') , where both the −CF 2 − moieties are saturated carbons, and none of the R groups can be hydrogen; or CF 3 −C−(CF 3 )RR' , where all the carbons are saturated, and none of the R groups can be hydrogen. A summary table of some PFAS definitions is provided in Hammel et al (2022). Fluorinated surfactants or fluorosurfactants are

1632-455: The ABC 's current affairs program Four Corners reported that the storage and use of firefighting foams containing perfluorinated surfactants at Australian Defence Force facilities around Australia had contaminated nearby water resources. In 2019, remediation efforts at RAAF Base Tindal and the adjacent town of Katherine were ongoing. In the 2022 Australian federal budget $ 428   million

1700-610: The European Council requested the European Commission to develop an action plan to eliminate all non-essential uses of PFAS due to the growing evidence of adverse effects caused by exposure to these substances; the evidence for the widespread occurrence of PFAS in water, soil, articles, and waste; and the threat it can pose to drinking water. Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden submitted

1768-493: The European Economic Area . In the United States, PFAS-attributable disease costs are estimated to be US$ 6–62 billion. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a group of synthetic organofluorine chemical compounds that have multiple fluorine atoms attached to an alkyl chain. Different organizations use different definitions for PFAS, leading to estimates of between 8,000 and 7 million chemicals within

1836-656: The Geographic Names Information System , the Cape Fear River has also been known historically as: It is formed at Haywood , near the county line between Lee and Chatham Counties, by the confluence of the Deep and Haw Rivers just below Jordan Lake . It flows southeast past Lillington , Fayetteville , and Elizabethtown , then receives the Black River about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Wilmington . At Wilmington, it receives

1904-545: The Northeast Cape Fear River and Brunswick River , turns south, widening as an estuary and entering the Atlantic about 3 miles (5 km) west of Cape Fear. During the colonial era , the river provided a principal transportation route to the interior of North Carolina. Today the river is navigable as far as Fayetteville through a series of locks and dams . The estuary of the river furnishes

1972-793: The Ohio River Valley against DuPont in response to landfill and wastewater dumping of PFAS-laden material from DuPont's West Virginia Washington Works plant. The panel measured PFOA (also known as C8) serum concentrations in 69,000 individuals from around DuPont's Washington Works Plant and found a mean concentration of 83 ng/mL, compared to 4 ng/mL in a standard population of Americans. This panel reported probable links between elevated PFOA blood concentration and hypercholesterolemia , ulcerative colitis , thyroid disease , testicular cancer , kidney cancer as well as pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia . The severity of PFAS-associated health effects can vary based on

2040-571: The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants since 2009, with some jurisdictions, such as China and the European Union , planning further reductions and phase-outs. However, major producers and users such as the United States, Israel, and Malaysia have not ratified the agreement and the chemical industry has lobbied governments to reduce regulations or has moved production to countries such as Thailand, where there

2108-624: The United States Environmental Protection Agency pressured the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to suppress a study that showed PFASs to be even more dangerous than previously thought. In 2024, research at McGill University in Quebec, indicated that PFASs were being brought to the Arctic from polluted southern waters by migrating birds. Although it is much less than compared to

Cape Fear River - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-688: The male infertility crisis . A report in 2023 by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai linked high exposure to PFAS with a 40% decrease in the ability for a woman to have a successful pregnancy as well as hormone disruption and delayed puberty onset. A meta-analysis for associations between PFASs and human clinical biomarkers for liver injury, analyzing PFAS effects on liver biomarkers and histological data from rodent experimental studies, concluded that evidence exists that PFOA, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) caused hepatotoxicity in humans. PFOA

2244-439: The Cape Fear River from the plant's wastewater. Like other PFAS, GenX does not easily break down and can accumulate in the environment. Because of this quality, GenX can cause problems for both people and wildlife. Chemours' wastewater put into the Cape Fear River poses a drinking-water issue for residents of the Fayetteville area and people further down the river. Several groundwater wells in Fayetteville had detections of GenX. At

2312-661: The Cape Fear River. In July 2023, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issued a fish consumption advisory for certain freshwater fish species from the middle and lower Cape Fear River due to contamination with perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). Suspended solids refers to any particle (living or nonliving) discharged into an aquatic system that remains in suspension. These particles can find their way into rivers via nonpoint-source pollution or through larger point-source pollution events such as Hurricane Florence in 2018. The storm caused

2380-546: The Deep River, a major tributary to the Cape Fear River. One sample contained PFOS at 1 part per billion, "more than 14 times greater than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's health advisory of 70 parts per trillion for drinking water", North Carolina Heath News reported. In 2020, a national study of tap water found the highest concentration of PFAS in Brunswick County , which gets its drinking water from

2448-461: The EPA's lifetime drinking water health advisories as well as comparable Danish, Dutch, and European Union safety standards, leading to the conclusion that "the global spread of these four PFAAs in the atmosphere has led to the planetary boundary for chemical pollution being exceeded". It had been thought that PFAAs would eventually end up in the oceans, where they would be diluted over decades, but

2516-546: The EPA's monitoring programs showed freshwater fish ubiquitously contain high levels of harmful PFAS, with a single serving typically significantly increasing the blood PFOS level. Bioaccumulation and biomagnification of PFASs in marine species throughout the food web, particularly frequently consumed fish and shellfish, can have important impacts on human populations. PFASs have been frequently documented in both fish and shellfish that are commonly consumed by human populations, which poses health risks to humans and studies on

2584-749: The GenX chemical. However, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has set a “health goal”, a non-regulated, and non-enforceable low contamination level where no side effects, over time, would be expected. Little is known about the effectiveness of GenX and PFEA removal from contaminated waters using methods such as ozonation and bio-filtration. Carbon in various forms can be used to treat water that has been contaminated. Experiments done with this technique showed that shorter PFAS did not absorb.    Featured in Season 4 of

2652-810: The [TV series] "Outlander". Season 4 of Outlander, on IMDB Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS or PFASs ) are a group of synthetic organofluorine chemical compounds that have multiple fluorine atoms attached to an alkyl chain; there are 7 million such chemicals according to PubChem . PFAS came into use after the invention of Teflon in 1938 to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. They are now used in products including waterproof fabric such as Nylon , yoga pants , carpets, shampoo, feminine hygiene products, mobile phone screens, wall paint, furniture, adhesives, food packaging , heat-resistant non-stick cooking surfaces such as Teflon , firefighting foam , and

2720-813: The areas concerned: eggs (up to 37,100 ng/kg), fish (18,600 ng/kg) spinach and radicchio (only one sampling carried out), kiwis, melons, watermelons, cereals (only one sample was analyzed), soy, wines and apples. A study of public water bodies ending in March 2022 showed that the sum of PFOS and PFOA concentrations exceeded 50 ng/L in 81 out of 1,133 test sites and in some cases are present at elevated levels in blood. This has led to pressure to increase regulations. Highly contaminated drinking water has been detected at several locations in Sweden. Such locations include Arvidsjaur, Lulnäset, Uppsala and Visby. In 2013, PFAS were detected at high concentrations in one of

2788-404: The availability of alternatives. The proposal has not assessed the use of PFAS in medicines, plant protection products, and biocides because specific regulations apply to those substances (Biocidal Products Regulation, Plant Protection Products Regulation , Medicinal Products Regulation) that have an explicit authorization procedure that focuses on risk for health and the environment. The proposal

Cape Fear River - Misplaced Pages Continue

2856-510: The bioaccumulation in certain species are important to determine daily tolerable limits for human consumption, and where those limits may be exceeded causing potential health risks. This has particular implications for populations that consume larger numbers of wild fish and shellfish species. PFAS contamination has also resulted in disruptions to the food supply, such as closures and limits on fishing. Fluorosurfactants with shorter carbon chains may be less prone to accumulating in mammals; there

2924-429: The blocking of sewer pipes. Suspended solids are important as pollutants and pathogens are carried on the surface of particles. The smaller the particle size, the greater the total surface area per unit mass of particle in grams, and so the higher the pollutant load that is likely to be carried. Removal of suspended solids is generally achieved through the use of sedimentation and/or water filters (usually at

2992-646: The blood of exposed industrial workers, but cited no ill health effects. These results were consistent with the measured serum concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in 3M plant workers ranging from 0.04 to 10.06 ppm and 0.01 to 12.70 ppm, respectively, well below toxic and carcinogenic levels cited in animal studies. Given, however, the serum elimination half-life of four to five years and widespread environmental contamination, molecules have been shown to accumulate in humans sufficiently to cause adverse health outcomes. In 2022, levels of at least four perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in rain water worldwide greatly exceeded

3060-472: The fluoropolymer Nafion ; and intermediates used to make other fluoropolymers (e.g. PPVE, PEVE and PMVE perfluoroether ). Industrial chemicals such as 1,4-Dioxane and other pollutants have been found in its tributary, the Haw River . In 2020, a national study of tap water found the highest concentration of PFAS in Brunswick County , which gets its drinking water from the Cape Fear River. According to

3128-503: The group. The EPA toxicity database, DSSTox, lists 14,735 unique PFAS chemical compounds. An early definition required that they contain at least one perfluoroalkyl moiety , −C n F 2 n +1 . Beginning in 2021, the OECD expanded its terminology, stating that "PFAS are defined as fluorinated substances that contain at least one fully fluorinated methyl or methylene carbon atom (without any H/Cl/Br/I atom attached to it), i.e., with

3196-470: The health dangers since the 1970s – DuPont and 3M were aware that PFAS was "highly toxic when inhaled and moderately toxic when ingested". External costs , including those associated with remediation of PFAS from soil and water contamination, treatment of related diseases, and monitoring of PFAS pollution, may be as high as US$ 17.5 trillion annually, according to ChemSec . The Nordic Council of Ministers estimated health costs to be at least €52–84 billion in

3264-476: The health of Canadians, including children, over a lifetime's exposure to these substances. The maximum allowable concentration for PFOS under the guidelines is 0.0002 milligrams per liter. The maximum allowable concentration for PFOA is 0.0006 milligrams per liter. In August 2024, Health Canada established an objective of 30 ng/L for the sum of the concentration of 25 PFASs detected in drinking water. The New Zealand Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned

3332-588: The insulation of electrical wire. PFAS are also used by the cosmetic industry in most cosmetics and personal care products , including lipstick , eye liner , mascara , foundation , concealer , lip balm , blush , and nail polish . Many PFAS such as PFOS and PFOA pose health and environmental concerns because they are persistent organic pollutants ; they were branded as " forever chemicals " in an article in The Washington Post in 2018. Some have half-lives of over eight years due to

3400-491: The introduction by wind and the oceans, the birds become vectors, transmitting the toxic chemicals. Rainer Lohmann, an oceanographer at the University of Rhode Island , noted that this has a significant localized affect that is devastating for Arctic predators who accumulate toxins in their bodies because the contaminants from the birds often enter the food chain directly since the birds are the prey of many species. In 2017,

3468-734: The large number of PFAS, it is challenging to study and assess the potential human health and environmental risks; more research is necessary and is ongoing. Exposure to PFAS, some of which have been classified as carcinogenic and/or as endocrine disruptors , has been linked to cancers such as kidney , prostate and testicular cancer , ulcerative colitis , thyroid disease , suboptimal antibody response / decreased immunity, decreased fertility, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, reduced infant and fetal growth and developmental issues in children, obesity, dyslipidemia (abnormally high cholesterol ), and higher rates of hormone interference. The use of PFAS has been regulated internationally by

SECTION 50

#1732766272295

3536-469: The length of exposure, level of exposure, and health status. Exposure to PFAS is a risk factor for various hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, including preeclampsia and high blood pressure . It is not clear whether PFAS exposure is associated with wider cardiovascular disorders during pregnancy. Human breast milk can harbor PFASs, which can be transferred from mother to infant via breastfeeding. Endocrine disruptors , including PFASs, are linked with

3604-483: The load of cholera carried in the water, and is suitable for use by the very poor; in this case, an appropriate technology method of disinfection might be added, such as solar water disinfection . A major exception to this generalization is arsenic contamination of groundwater , as arsenic is a very serious pollutant which is soluble, and thus not removed when suspended solids are removed. This makes it very difficult to remove, and finding an alternative water source

3672-455: The log-transformed concentrations of PFAS against the assigned trophic level and taking the antilog of the regression slope (10 ). In a study done on a macrotidal estuary in Gironde, SW France, TMFs exceeded one for nearly all 19 PFAS compounds considered in the study and were particularly high for PFOA and PFNA (6.0 and 3.1 respectively). A TMF greater than one signifies that accumulation in

3740-439: The maximum tolerable limit of PFAS that can be taken through the diet, the region has not carried out new assessments or implemented concrete actions to protect the population and the agri-food and livestock sectors. Some limits were added to monitoring the geographical area, which does not include the orange zone and other areas affected by contamination, as well as the insufficiency of analysis on important productions widespread in

3808-465: The mouth of the river, the city of Wilmington uses the Cape Fear as a drinking-water source. Blood samples of a group of Wilmington residents showed detections of GenX. In several studies, GenX has been shown to affect wildlife. PFAS were detected in striped bass caught from the Cape Fear, and the chemical affected the liver and immune system. In plants, GenX reduced the biomass and bioaccumulated in

3876-547: The organism is greater than that of the medium, with the medium being seawater in this case. PFOS, a long-chain sulfonic acid, was found at the highest concentrations relative to other PFASs measured in fish and birds in northern seas such as the Barents Sea and the Canadian Arctic. A study published in 2023 analyzing 500 composite samples of fish fillets collected across the United States from 2013 to 2015 under

3944-418: The organism. This bioaccumulation did differ between species. In a study done to test the ability of retention and how could the GenX chemical be transported in porous materials, results showed that for different forms of the GenX chemical the absorption rate was higher. This research is important to help future researchers understand the tendencies of this chemical. Contaminated sites should be inspected from

4012-446: The phase interfaces . Fluorocarbons are both lipophobic and hydrophobic, repelling both oil and water. Their lipophobicity results from the relative lack of London dispersion forces compared to hydrocarbons, a consequence of fluorine's large electronegativity and small bond length, which reduce the polarizability of the surfactants' fluorinated molecular surface. Fluorosurfactants are more stable than hydrocarbon surfactants due to

4080-657: The proposed restriction. Within a year of publication, the opinions are sent to the European Commission, which makes a final proposal that is submitted to the EU Member States for discussion and decision. Eighteen months after the publication of the restriction decision (which may differ from the original proposal), it will enter into force. 127,000 residents in the Veneto region are estimated to have been exposed to contamination through tap water, and it

4148-713: The stability of the carbon–fluorine bond . Perfluorinated surfactants persist in the environment for the same reason. Fluorosurfactants such as PFOS, PFOA, and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) have caught the attention of regulatory agencies because of their persistence, toxicity, and widespread occurrence in the blood of general populations. PFASs are used in emulsion polymerization to produce fluoropolymers , used in stain repellents, polishes, paints, and coatings . PFASs were originally considered to be chemically inert . Early occupational studies revealed elevated levels of fluorochemicals, including perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, C8), in

SECTION 60

#1732766272295

4216-446: The two municipality drinking water treatment plants in the town of Ronneby, in southern Sweden. Concentrations of PFHxS and PFOS were found at 1700 ng/L and 8000 ng/L, respectively. The source of contamination was later found to be a military fire-fighting exercise site in which PFAS containing fire-fighting foam had been used since the mid-1980s. Additionally, low-level contaminated drinking water has also been shown to be

4284-526: The use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetic products starting from 31 December 2026. This will make the country one of the first in the world to take this step on PFAS to protect people and the environment. The environmental consequences of PFAS, especially from firefighting activities, have been recognized since the mid-1990s and came to prominence after the Buncefield explosion on 11 December 2005. The Environment Agency has undertaken

4352-568: The water quality varies in different regions, depending on abiotic and biotic factors. In 2020, a study found that striped bass in the river have the highest rates of PFAS documented in North American fish. A 2018 study found that bass from the river had 40 times the amount of PFAS in their blood than did bass raised in an aquaculture facility. In 2020, studies by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality found "staggering" concentrations of forever chemicals begin dumped into

4420-483: The water to the soil due to the ability of GenX to travel/transport through porous material such as soil. The lack of information on the GenX chemical in North Carolina has led to the gap of knowledge about ways in which people may be exposed to these chemicals other than drinking water. Information is also limited on the health effects caused by the GenX chemical, little experiments on animals show liver damage, pancreas damage, etc. There are no federal guidelines regarding

4488-425: The water, or directly via their diet. It accumulates namely in areas with high protein content, in the blood and liver, but it is also found to a lesser extent in tissues. Biomagnification can be described using the estimation of the trophic magnification factor (TMF), which describes the relationship between the contamination levels in a species and their trophic level in the food web. TMFs are determined by graphing

4556-607: Was allocated for works at HMAS Albatross , RAAF Base Amberley , RAAF Base Pearce and RAAF Base Richmond including funding to remediate PFAS contamination. Although PFASs are not manufactured in Canada, they may be present in imported goods and products. In 2008, products containing PFOS as well as PFOA were banned in Canada, with exceptions for products used in firefighting, the military, and some forms of ink and photo media. Health Canada has published drinking water guidelines for maximum concentrations of PFOS and PFOA to protect

4624-477: Was submitted on 13 January 2023 and published by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) on 7 February. From 22 March to 21 September, citizens, companies, and other organizations commented on the proposal during a public consultation. Based on the information in the restriction proposal and the consultation, two committees from ECHA formulate an opinion on the risk and socio-economic aspects of

#294705