A huge new study has found that nearly every blood sample tested contained PFAS, a group of chemicals often called “forever chemicals” because they remain in the environment and the human body for an extremely long time.
The research involved more than 10,500 blood samples and found PFAS in 98.8% of them. Scientists say the results show just how widespread these chemicals have become in everyday life.
The study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene and is one of the largest investigations ever carried out on PFAS levels in human blood.
PFAS are short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are a large family of man-made chemicals that have been used for decades in products designed to resist water, grease, stains, and heat.
These chemicals are found in many everyday items, including nonstick pans, waterproof jackets, food wrappers, carpets, furniture, cosmetics, electronics, and firefighting foams. Because PFAS break down very slowly, they can stay in water, soil, and living organisms for many years.
Scientists now believe that PFAS contamination is present almost everywhere in the modern world. The chemicals have been detected in rivers, oceans, rainwater, wildlife, food, and even remote regions far from cities and factories.
The new study adds more evidence that PFAS exposure has become nearly unavoidable for many people.
Researchers found that most people were carrying several PFAS chemicals at once rather than just one. About 98.5% of the samples contained multiple PFAS chemicals together.
This matters because scientists are becoming increasingly concerned that mixtures of chemicals may affect the body differently from single chemicals alone.
Many earlier studies focused on one PFAS chemical at a time. However, in real life, people are exposed to combinations of many PFAS chemicals simultaneously through drinking water, food, household dust, and consumer products.
Researchers identified dozens of different PFAS combinations in the blood samples. The most common mixture included five different PFAS chemicals and was found in more than 2,700 samples.
Some of the most common chemicals detected included PFOS and PFOA, two PFAS compounds that were heavily used for years before concerns about their safety increased.
Previous research has linked some PFAS chemicals to serious health problems, including certain cancers, infertility, thyroid disease, liver damage, weakened immune function, high cholesterol, and developmental issues in children.
One chemical frequently found in the study, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, has already been associated with possible effects on the immune system, liver, and thyroid.
Even though scientists know some PFAS may be harmful, there are still major gaps in knowledge because there are roughly 10,000 PFAS chemicals in existence. Most have not been thoroughly studied.
The researchers used blood samples provided through NMS Labs, a major independent testing laboratory in the United States. Most samples were tested for 13 PFAS chemicals, while a smaller number were screened for 18.
Lead researcher Dr. Laura Labay said the study provides valuable information about the real-world patterns of PFAS exposure in humans.
She explained that understanding which PFAS combinations commonly appear together may help scientists better study the health risks linked to these chemicals and improve future public health guidance.
The researchers also pointed out that their findings may actually underestimate exposure levels because not every possible PFAS chemical was included in the testing.
Concern about PFAS has grown rapidly worldwide over the past several years. In many communities, PFAS contamination has been discovered in drinking water supplies near military sites, airports, factories, and industrial areas where firefighting foams and chemical products were heavily used.
Governments around the world are now under pressure to strengthen regulations and clean up contaminated areas. Some PFAS chemicals have already been restricted or phased out in certain countries, but replacement chemicals are still being widely used.
Scientists say one challenge is that PFAS have been useful in manufacturing because of their unusual chemical properties. They resist heat and water extremely well, which made them attractive for many industries.
Health experts say reducing personal exposure completely may not be possible because the chemicals are now so widespread. However, some steps may help lower exposure, such as using water filters designed to remove PFAS, avoiding unnecessary stain-resistant or waterproof products, and limiting heavily packaged foods.
Researchers believe the findings highlight the urgent need for more studies examining the combined effects of multiple PFAS chemicals over long periods of time.
The study also shows how environmental pollution can quietly spread into daily life over decades without most people realizing it.
Scientists say future research will need to better understand which PFAS combinations are most dangerous and whether long-term exposure to multiple chemicals increases health risks.
The study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene.
The findings are important because they suggest PFAS exposure is now nearly universal in the population. At the same time, researchers still know surprisingly little about the long-term effects of carrying several PFAS chemicals in the body at once.
The study does not prove these chemicals caused disease in the people tested, but it strongly supports concerns that widespread exposure may become a major public health challenge in the future. Scientists say stronger regulation and more research will likely be needed to fully understand the risks.
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Source: NMS Labs.
