Pfas compounds known as “eternity chemicals” can be absorbed through the skin and affect sperm formation

Wide A range of Pfas compounds can penetrate the human skin and can end up in the blood through this.

Environment International -a study published in the scientific journal tested the absorption of chemicals with artificial skin grown in the laboratory.

Based on the tests University of Birmingham researchers state that a significant portion of exposure to harmful chemicals may be absorbed through the skin.

Researchers investigated the absorption of 17 different Pfas compounds, i.e. per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds.

15 of them seemed to be absorbed through the skin significantly, i.e. five percent of the dose placed on the artificial skin. About half or more than half of the dose of some compounds was absorbed through the skin, at most 58.9 percent.

Lead author of the study Oddný Ragnarsdóttir states that the results change the previous understanding of the entry of chemicals into the body.

“Absorption of chemicals through the skin has previously been ignored because the molecules are ionized. The electrical charge that makes them water and stain resistant was also thought to prevent them from penetrating the skin,” says Ragnarsdóttir from the University of Birmingham in the bulletin.

Pfas compounds are called “eternity chemicals”, because they remain in the environment and in humans for tens of years.

Due to their durability and properties that repel water, dirt and grease, pfas compounds are used, for example, in waterproof and windproof clothing, extinguishing foams and Teflon-coated pans.

Chemicals are known to end up in humans at least through food and drinking water. Research has shown that exposure is harmful to health. Immortality chemicals have been found, among other things, to weaken the effectiveness of vaccines and the functioning of the liver and thyroid gland.

In Environment International scientific journal published in the spring in the study, Pfas compounds accumulated in the testes of mice and affected sperm formation.

Immortality chemicals have already been linked to birth defects in the past, but attention has focused on mothers’ health.

Chemicals attempts have been made to restrict use around the world.

For example, in the state of Colorado in the United States, it is in force According to The Guardian a law is coming to ban daily products containing Pfas compounds.

Wider restrictions than the current ones are also underway in Europe. European Chemicals Agency ECHA is preparing statements for the proposal on the limitation of Pfas compounds. The comments will be submitted to the European Commission.

Several European media research project Forever Pollution according to the chemical industry has widely lobbied against the banning of Pfas compounds.

According to the report, more than a hundred parties have tried to influence the European Commission and the decision-makers of the member states in order to weaken the future Pfas restrictions.

of Birmingham university professor of geography and environmental sciences Stuart Harradin according to the recent years, the industry has seen a shift to Pfas compounds with shorter chains. They are believed to be less harmful.

However, the new study found that the short-chain Pfas compounds were absorbed into the skin most efficiently of all.

According to the researchers, the risks of the compounds need to be further investigated.