Alert as forever chemicals that can cause birth defects and cancer found in bottled AND tap water in Britain

‘Forever chemicals’, which are used in everything from cookware to clothing and to make items stain and water resistant, are present in both bottled and tap water in Britain, scientists say.

Earning their nickname because they can persist in the environment for thousands of years, these industrial substances are more commonly known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

Numerous studies have linked PFAS exposure to an increased risk of certain cancers, birth defects, immune system problems and infertility.

Now British and Chinese experts have found PFAS in tap and bottled water supplies in both countries.

But they said simple tips that anyone could do at home could dramatically reduce exposure levels.

Results published in the journal ACS ES&T Water found that PFAS was present in 99 percent of all bottled water tested

In the study, experts analyzed the water supply for ten different types of PFAS, comparing levels in tap water from Birmingham Worcester, Coventry and Derby and the Chinese city of Shenzhen.

They also tested 112 bottled water samples sold in British and Chinese stores from 15 countries around the world.

Results, published in the journal ACS ES&T Water, showed that PFAS was present in 99 percent of all bottled water tested.

Analysis found that levels in bottled mineral water were generally higher than in non-mineral brands.

They also found that PFAS were present in tap water, although levels were higher in China than in Britain.

Only the tap water sampled in Shenzhen exceeded the level that experts from the University of Birmingham, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen and Hainan University in Haikou, China, had determined as safe in their research.

These are the 4 nanograms (one nanogram represents one billionth of a gram) per liter of water recently promoted by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

For context, the highest PFAS level recorded in the study was 9.2 nanograms per liter.

However, another aspect of the study, namely what actions people could take to reduce levels of PFAS exposure in drinking water, yielded promising results.

Experts found that boiling water or using simple filter pitchers commonly available in stores reduced PFAS concentrations by as much as 90 percent.

Professor Stuart Harrad from Birmingham and co-author of the study said: ‘Although current PFAS levels in most water samples do not pose a major health risk, continued monitoring and regulation are crucial to protect public health.

Co-author Professor Yi Zheng from Southern added: ‘Increased awareness of the presence of PFAS in both tap and bottled water could lead to more informed choices by consumers, encouraging the use of water purification methods.’

However, he added that a person’s exposure to PFAS in drinking water can be influenced by a person’s lifestyle choices and economic circumstances, and this was an area that warranted further research.

Independent experts said the findings of the recent study, while interesting, are not a reason to panic.

Professor Oliver Jones, an expert in chemistry at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, said the mere presence of PFAS in water supplies does not guarantee that damage will occur.

“Any discussion of toxicity is meaningless without dose and context,” he said.

‘For example, we know that you can get skin cancer from exposure to UV light, but that does not mean that you will immediately get cancer when you go outside.’

He also said that PFAS, which is now ubiquitous in the general environment, may have gotten into samples through other means, and this is a limitation that should be recognized.

PFAS are found in a range of everyday items, from non-stick cookware, clothing, food packaging, carpets, paint, toiletries and antique products

‘Forever chemicals’ and the effects of their exposure on human health were the focus of the 2019 legal thriller ‘Dark Waters’, starring Mark Ruffalo

“Background contamination from clothing and laboratory equipment is an issue when assessing PFAS at such low levels, but the authors do not say how they explained this in the body of the article,” he said.

Professor Jones concluded that although the article was interesting, ‘it does not mean you should avoid bottled water (or tap water)’.

Dr. Ovokeroye Abafe, an expert in environmental sciences at Brunel University of London who was also not involved in the research, said one of the key insights was how much PFAS exposure can be reduced by simple interventions.

“It is interesting to see very simple and easily adaptable home solutions that can significantly minimize PFAS concentrations in drinking water and thus protect public health,” he said.

‘However, the sample size is relatively small, and that is a limitation that should be taken into account.’

Concerns about PFAS have been growing for years, and although some have been banned in certain countries, they are still widely used.

are PFAS found in a range of everyday objects, from non-stick cookware, clothing, food packaging, carpets, paint, toiletries and antique products.

Studies have linked exposure to a host of health problems: cancer of the kidneys and testicles, lower immune response, reduced liver function, reduced birth weight and infertility.

PFAS were the subject of the 2019 Hollywood film Dark Waters, starring Mark Ruffalo, after a community’s water was poisoned by a local factory’s chemicals.