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    Scientists Identify Bacteria That Can Break Down Some PFAS and Their Byproducts

    Scientists Identify Bacteria That Can Break Down Some PFAS and Their Byproducts

    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have taken on the nickname “forever chemicals” for their inability to break down in the environment. These chemicals, which are found in everything from food packaging to camping gear, are popular for their stain-, moisture- and grease-resistant properties, but they have been found to accumulate in the environment and […]

    3M Knew PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Its Firefighting Foams Were Toxic for Decades, Documents Reveal

    3M Knew PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Its Firefighting Foams Were Toxic for Decades, Documents Reveal

    For decades, 3M — a multibillion-dollar chemical company based in Minnesota — sold its firefighting foams as safe and biodegradable, while having knowledge that they contained toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), according to newly uncovered documents, reported The Guardian. Starting in the 1960s and continuing until 2003, 3M’s firefighting foams contained perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) […]

    Nearly One-Third of U.S. Residents Exposed to Dangerous, Unregulated Contaminants in Drinking Water, Analysis Finds

    Nearly One-Third of U.S. Residents Exposed to Dangerous, Unregulated Contaminants in Drinking Water, Analysis Finds

    More than 97 million United States residents have been exposed to contaminants in their drinking water that are unregulated and could affect their health, a new analysis by Silent Spring Institute has found. Hispanic and Black communities have a higher likelihood of their water being contaminated by unsafe levels of toxic chemicals, a press release […]

    Microplastics Exposure Linked to Digestive, Reproductive and Respiratory Health Risks

    Microplastics Exposure Linked to Digestive, Reproductive and Respiratory Health Risks

    Microplastics exposure has been linked to multiple health risks, including increased colon cancer risk, sperm and testicular damage, and injury or inflammation to the lungs, according to a recent report led by researchers at University of California San Francisco’s (UCSF) Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Researchers […]

    PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Used on Farms Could Significantly Raise Health Risks, EPA Draft Guidelines Warn

    PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Used on Farms Could Significantly Raise Health Risks, EPA Draft Guidelines Warn

    Toxic chemicals from sewage sludge used as fertilizer pose health risks to those who regularly consume products from farms that use it, in some instances raising cancer risk by “several orders of magnitude” over what is considered acceptable by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), federal officials said on Tuesday. EPA’s draft risk assessment, […]

    Australia Mosquito Population Researchers Developing Genetically Modified ‘Toxic Males’ to Kill Females by Mating With Them

    Australia Mosquito Population Researchers Developing Genetically Modified ‘Toxic Males’ to Kill Females by Mating With Them

    In Australia, researchers are considering how genetic engineering could allow mosquitoes to produce venom proteins, like those produced by spiders and sea anemones, in their sperm to transfer the poison to female mosquitoes when mating. In a study led by Macquarie University, researchers first used genetically modified fruit flies to test what has been dubbed […]

    Scientists Identify 11 Genes That Could Help Understand How PFAS Affects the Brain

    Scientists Identify 11 Genes That Could Help Understand How PFAS Affects the Brain

    It’s no secret that per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, are now well-established in the human body, with their presence detected in blood, umbilical cords and human milk. And while experts have linked PFAS exposure to health concerns like elevated cancer risks, endocrine disruption, developmental disruption and reduced immune system […]