PFAS, chemicals widely used in our daily environments, can alter the biological development of children, including their thyroid function, increasing the risk of certain diseases such as cancer.
- PFAS are chemical products, not very degradable, and very widespread in the environment.
- This study is the first to focus on the effects of exposure to a mixture of PFAS on the health of children and adolescents.
- In particular, PFAS affect their thyroid hormones, which increases the risk of cancer, diabetes and developmental disorders.
They are called eternal chemicals: PFAS, for per and polyfluoroalkyl, have many health consequences. “They cause an increase in cholesterol levels, can lead to cancer, cause effects on fertility and fetal development. develops theNational Health Security Agency (Anses). According to a new study, published in Environmental Health Perspectivesthey alter the biological development of children, which can lead to various diseases.
Eternal pollutants: substances that threaten the health of children
The term PFAS brings together more than 400 different chemical compounds. “Non-stick, waterproof, resistant to high heat, PFAS have been widely used since the 1950s in various industrial fields and everyday consumer products: textiles, food packaging, fire-fighting foams, non-stick coatings, cosmetics, phytosanitary products, etc., explains ANSES. They are both very resistant and not very degradable, and can thus be found in the environment. “The highest concentrations of PFOA and PFOS (of the PFAS subfamilies, editor’s note) are found in crustaceans and molluscs”warns the health agency.
PFAS: the first research to assess the effects of combined exposure
While several studies have focused on these chemical compounds and their consequences on human health, this American research is the first to assess the effects of exposure to a combination of PFAS. “Which is important because most people carry a mixture of chemicals in their blood.”specify the authors in a communicated. They analyzed blood samples from more than 400 children and adolescents. The researchers chose this population group because “they are going through critical developmental stages that may make them more susceptible to the negative health effects of PFAS exposure.”.
Children and adolescents: PFAS increase the risk of disease
They found that all children and adolescents had a mixture of several common PFASs in their blood. Using a biostatistical method, they observed that exposure to PFAS alters the way the body metabolizes lipids and amino acids as well as thyroid hormone levels. These hormones are essential for growth and metabolism. “Changes in thyroid hormones play an important role in a child’s development during puberty, which can have important effects on a range of diseases later in life, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.”, they conclude. They believe it can also lead to developmental disabilities.
Eternal Chemicals: Tighten Use Restrictions
“We are really beginning to understand the range of effects these chemicals have on human health, said Leda Chatzi, professor of population science and public health and co-author of the study. While current policies have focused on phasing out the use of individual PFASs, such as PFOS and PFOA, this research shows why the focus should be on reducing exposure to all PFAS chemicals.” In Europe, a project for the global restriction of PFAS is under study.
