Drinking rainwater is extremely dangerous, according to a recent study by researchers at Stockholm University, as levels of poisonous substances known as PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl) exceed recommended levels. Chemicals are always going to be chemicals. This is due to how slowly they break down. Environmental Science and Technology published the study.
PFAS were initially found in shampoos and cosmetics, but they have now migrated to the air and water, as well as other parts of the environment.
In conversation with AFP, Ian Cousins said, ‘There is nowhere on Earth where the rain would be safe to drink, according to the measurements that we have taken.’ He further said, ‘even in Antarctica or the Tibetan plateau, the levels in the rainwater are above the drinking water guidelines that the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) proposed,’ as his team compiled data since 2010.
According to studies, PFAS exposure can also lower cholesterol levels, slow down foetal development, increase the chance of obesity, and even impact fertility.
Cousins claimed that because PFAS are so persistent and pervasive, they can never be completely eliminated from the environment. Referring to a key paradigm for assessing Earth’s ability to withstand the effects of human activity, he added, ‘We have exceeded a planetary limit.’ He observed that over the past 20 years, the ambient levels of PFAS in the environment have stayed constant while they have significantly decreased in humans.
‘It is not going away, therefore we need to learn to accept it and live with it, according to cousins. He stated: ‘The rules have been modified. Since the early 2000s, they have decreased by millions of times as a result of our increased understanding of the toxicity of these compounds’ AFP stated.
Post Your Comments