Anti-fog wipes and sprays, which eyeglass wearers regularly use, could contain potentially toxic substances.
- Chemical substances are said to be present in large numbers in anti-fog products.
- Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOH) and fluorinated telomer ethoxylates, contained in anti-fog sprays and wipes, could be endocrine disruptors.
Since the start of the pandemic, many people have used products to prevent their glasses from fogging up when they wear their mask. Problem: These anti-fog wipes and sprays could pose a health hazard. This was revealed a study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology January 5.
“Given their water-repellent properties, we sought to analyze the composition of four sprays and five anti-fog wipes”, sold on the Amazon site, the American researchers said. They identified fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOH) and fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEO), two types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in the nine anti-fog products. “Our tests show that the sprays contain up to 20.7 milligrams of PFAS per milliliter of solution, a fairly high concentration,” the scientists said.
Substances potentially harmful to the body
To date, few studies have been conducted on the health effects of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and fluorotelomer ethoxylates (FTEOs). But the study authors know that other perfluoroalkyl substances, such as perfluorooctanoic acid, are associated with impaired immune function, cancer or thyroid disorders. Other research, viewed by scientists, has suggested that when inhaled or ingested in large numbers, these substances can break down in the body into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or other types of PFAS, which are toxic.
“FTOH and FTEO could be endocrine disruptors but the only way to find out is to test in vivo on organisms. We only performed laboratory tests,” specified the researchers. They added that more work needs to be done to really understand the effects of these substances, contained in anti-fog products, on health.
“Due to Covid-19, many more people are using these sprays and wipes to keep their glasses from fogging up when wearing masks. They deserve to know what’s in the products they use “, concluded the authors of the research.
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