Rainwater is no longer potable anywhere on Earth, study says

rainwater It has been discontinued everywhere on our planet, a new study points out. A group of environmental scientists were the authors of this report, indicating that pollution with permanent chemicals in the liquid are associated with cancer, which excludes its consumption by living beings without consequences for their health.

According to an article published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology On August 2, researchers from Stockholm University They concluded that rainwater across the Earth is not safe to drink by standards. pollution from the United States.

The report explains that this is because the rainwater on our planet now contains perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS).

The scientists involved in the study studied these components for a decade and found evidence that they spread throughout the Earth’s atmosphere without exception.

PFAS polluted rainwater

There are thousands of types PFAS and they can be found in human-made items such as food containers, waterproof clothing, furniture, rugs, non-stick coatings on pots and pans, fire-fighting foam, electronics, and some shampoos and cosmetics.

Even worse, in their production and everyday use, these substances they can be released into the air and seep into ocean water or aerosolized by sea spray, spread through the atmosphere and fall as rain.

Another name given PFAS they are “eternal chemicals” because they remain for a long time without decomposing, allowing their possible accumulation in the human body, animals and even in the environment. For this reason, their traces were found in Antarctica and arctic sea ice.

Availability PFAS worldwide, it poses a risk to human health, as research by experts has linked it to certain types of cancer, reduced fertility, reduced response to vaccines, high cholesterol, and developmental complications in children.

However, as with microplastics, it is difficult to detect all of the long-term effects of exposure. PFAS in human health, as there are many of them and they are of different types. The study suggests that the entire planet is in danger due to its seepage into the entire atmosphere and because Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tightened its recommendations on how much can be safely consumed in drinking water.

PFAS and their harmful effects on humans

Researchers Stockholm University They assessed the levels PFAS in rainwater and soil on Earth to compare against limits set by regulators and conclude that levels of these substances in rainwater far exceed the amounts allowed by the EPA.

“Based on the latest US recommendations on PFOA in drinking water, rainwater would be considered unsafe for consumption worldwide.”said Jan Cousinslead author of the study and professor Department of Environmental Sciences from Stockholm University.

“Although in the industrial world we don’t usually drink rainwater [directamente]many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink, and it provides many of our sources of drinking water,” he said.

In addition to rainwater, the document also stated that the soil was “pervasive polluted” PFAS. Because they persist for so long and circulate so efficiently in Earth’s oceans, atmosphere and soil, scientists have said levels will remain dangerously high.

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