Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: Spanish Parliament has overwhelmingly voted in favor of legislation banning arms sales to "Israel"
Syrian leadership approved the return of spy Eli Cohen's archive to "Israel": Reuters citing sources
Government Media Office in Gaza: The [Israeli] policy of starvation has led to more than 300 cases of miscarriage among pregnant women during the same 80-day period
Government Media Office in Gaza: The [Israeli] policy of starvation has resulted in the deaths of 326 people due to malnutrition and the lack of food and medicine over the past 80 days
UN says no aid distributed yet in Gaza
EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas asks for a review of EU-"Israel" trade deal
Rubio says Syria could be weeks away from 'full-scale civil war'
Sweden seeks EU sanctions targeting "individual Israeli ministers": Minister to AFP
UK pauses trade deal talks with "Israel", summons ambassador over new Gaza offensive
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 67 martyrs in Israeli strikes on Gaza since morning.

Toxic PFAS absorbed through skin at levels higher than thought

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 30 Jun 2024 21:39
3 Min Read

Researchers at Birmingham University used studies that model lab-grown tissue to evaluate the percentage of PFAS compounds being absorbed into human skin.

Listen
  • x
  • Toxic PFAS absorbed through skin at levels higher than thought
    A water researcher pours a water sample into a smaller glass container for experimentation as part of drinking water and PFAS research at the US Environmental Protection Agency Center For Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response on February 16, 2023, in Cincinnati. (AP)

A new study "for the first time proves" that hazardous PFAS chemicals are absorbed via human skin at significantly higher quantities than previously believed.

Though modeling and studies have shown that the harmful chemicals are absorbed via the skin, University of Birmingham researchers say they utilized lab-grown tissue that resembles human skin to quantify the amount of PFAS compounds that may be absorbed.

According to main author Oddný Ragnarsdóttir, "Uptake through the skin could be a significant source of exposure to these harmful chemicals."

Known as "forever chemicals," PFAS are a group of about 16,000 chemicals used to make items resistant to water, stains, and heat. They do not naturally degrade and have been discovered to accumulate in people. The chemicals have been linked to cancer, birth abnormalities, liver illness, thyroid disease, low sperm counts, and a variety of other major health issues.

Humans are most typically exposed to them through water and nutrition, but researchers have focused on inhalation and skin absorption recently. The latter is especially concerning given the extensive spectrum of PFAS-containing goods that come into contact with the skin, including bandages, waterproof clothes, cosmetics, personal care goods, furniture, baby items, and guitar strings.

Related News

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham intend to deploy toxic materials in Aleppo, Idlib

Banned chemicals in EU since Brexit still allowed for use in UK

The researchers placed samples of 17 distinct PFAS compounds into a three-dimensional tissue model and were able to determine the percentage of the chemicals that were absorbed.

The skin absorbed "substantial" levels of 15 PFAS, including 13.5% of PFOA, one of the most hazardous and prevalent forms of the toxin. A prolonged treatment allowed the skin to absorb 38% more of the PFOA dosage. US officials determined that nearly no amount of PFOA exposure in drinking water is safe.

PFOA is a bigger molecule, but smaller "short-chain" PFAS, which the industry currently more regularly makes and claims to be safer, were absorbed in higher amounts - up to nearly 60% of one short-chain compound dosage was absorbed through the skin.

Co-author of the study Stuart Harrad explained that “this is important because we see a shift in industry towards chemicals with shorter chain lengths because these are believed to be less toxic – however the trade-off might be that we absorb more of them, so we need to know more about the risks involved."

In 2023, a major mapping project found that forever chemicals were found in high concentrations at thousands of sites across the UK and Europe.

A US Geological Survey suggested in 2023 that almost 50% of tap water in the US is contaminated with them. 

  • forever chemicals
  • toxic chemical
  • PFAS contamination
  • PFAS
  • PFAS chemicals

Most Read

Gaza and the logic of necropolitics: Sovereignty measured by killing

Gaza and the logic of necropolitics: Sovereignty measured by killing

  • Politics
  • 15 May 2025
Two F-35 jets arrive at it's new operational base Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, at Hill Air Force Base, in northern Utah. (AP)

F-35 near-misses over Yemen signal new risks for 'Israel': Forbes

  • Politics
  • 14 May 2025
Abu Obaida

Abu Obeida posts shortly after Israeli reports about his assassination

  • Palestine
  • 15 May 2025
YAF say struck 'Israel's' Ben-Gurion Airport with missiles, drones

YAF say struck 'Israel's' Ben Gurion Airport with missiles, drones

  • MENA
  • 18 May 2025

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
Gulf investments quietly boosted Elon Musk and family fortunes
US & Canada

Gulf investments quietly boosted Elon Musk and family fortunes

A 3D render of China's planned 'drone mothership' Credit: X/@XH_Lee23
US & Canada

China unveils drone mothership capable of swarm attacks

Relatives of Venezuelan migrants deported by the US to a Salvadoran prison protested outside the UN building in Caracas on April 9, 2025 (AP)
US & Canada

At least 50 migrants deported to El Salvador prison entered US legally

A city bus goes by the historic city of Santiago, Spain during a major power outage across Spain and Portugal on April, 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
Europe

Spain hit by major phone network outage weeks after nation blackout

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS