Read the full article by Darren Orf (Popular Mechanics).
“One of the downsides of modern life is the proliferation of chemicals in the natural environment. Arguably the most well-known of these chemical culprits are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are used for stuff like non-stick surfaces on frying pans. They are also known as ‘forever chemicals’ for their tendency to linger in the environment.
But this environmental scourge is only one of many similar substances. Of the others, one of the most concerning is a type of toxin known as medium-chain chlorinated paraffins, or MCCPs. Like PFAS, these chemicals take a longtime to break down, and have been shown to be the driver behind health issues like liver and kidney toxicity, thyroid malfunction, and certain neurological issues. MCCPs have been detected in the atmosphere on other continents (including Asia and even Antarctica) but a 2025 study from the University of Colorado Boulder claims that North America has now joined that unlucky list.
In setting out to detect how aerosols form and grow in an agricultural region of Oklahoma, the team of scientists behind this recent study stumbled across trace amounts of MCCPs in the atmosphere. They detected these particles using a technique known as nitrate ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry, and the results were published in the journal ACS Environmental AU.”…