In the air, in the water, in the soil… “Eternal pollutants”, bringing together several thousand chemical substances which decompose very slowly, are everywhere. And when we read the scientific studies, the consequences of these PFAS (for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) on our health seem overwhelming: increased risk of cancer, increased cholesterol levels, infertility, impact on the immune system, etc.
This work often focuses on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), barbaric names for two of the best-known PFAS. Distinguishing between each eternal pollutant would be mission impossible, especially since it is sometimes the combination of several of them that becomes deleterious. “It makes you dizzy!” » says Xavier Coumoul, professor of toxicology at Paris-Cité University, who has just completed a review of the scientific literature on this subject.
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