Read the full article by Reyna Drake (The Daily Tar Heel)
“According to a study conducted by North Carolina researchers, high levels of PFAS — per and polyfluoroalkyl substances — were detected in the fish in the Jordan Lake State Recreation Areaand the Haw River State Park. PFAS are toxic chemicals resistant to heat, water and soil.
PFAS are utilized in manufacturing and industrial processes and present in products ranging from non-stick cookware to firefighting foam. The chemicals do not naturally break down in the environment or organisms, deeming them ‘forever chemicals.’
Erin Baker, an associate professor in the department of chemistry at UNC and one of the co-authors of the study, said ‘when [PFAS] go into your body, they actually don’t excrete very well so they bioaccumulate in your blood and in your organs.’
Long-term exposure to PFAS have been associated with multiple health concerns, including infertility, increased risk of cancer and a decrease in immune system function. Exposure has also been linked with a negative affect in growth, development and behavior in infants and children, according to the North Carolina Division of Public Health.”…