Researchers with the University of Florida — who are investigating the prevalence of a certain class of toxic chemical in our environment — found the chemicals in every swimming pool that they tested.
They are known as “Forever Chemicals” because they take an extended period of time to break down. These chemicals bioaccumulate in our bodies, environment, and water supply, and according to the EPA, there is evidence that they can lead to adverse health effects.
Scientifically, they are called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and they belong to a group of man-made toxic chemicals that have been used in the United States in consumer products since the 1940s. They are an emerging concern because they are now being detected nearly everywhere including in our soil, air, and water.
The research is headed by Dr. John Bowden, who is interested in both the effects humans have on the environment and the effect that environment then has on human health. Current research has included detecting PFAS in natural water supplies, among other areas. Now, they have provided the first report of the presence of PFAS in swimming pools, which “may present a high risk of direct human exposure.”
The study is entitled “Swimming with PFAS in public and private pools” and was published in the January issue of the peer-reviewed scientific journal Chemosphere.
“PFAS exposure, particularly through contact or ingestion of contaminated water, has been linked to cancers, endocrine diseases, and a myriad of other adverse health effects, leading to concern over their persistence and ubiquity in the environment,” the authors note in the paper.
Because of this, the researchers thought it prudent to investigate both public and residential swimming pools to assess the risk of PFAS exposure through accidental ingestion of pool water for frequent swimmers and particularly children, who could have an elevated burden through this exposure route.
Researchers collected water samples from 54 swimming pools in six cities across Florida, including Miami, Gainesville, Orlando, Melbourne, Naples, and Tampa.
PFAS concentrations in different pools were compared as a function of region and pool type (i.e., private, hotel, apartment complex, and public city pools; or indoor vs. outdoor pools) to identify characteristics that could be contributing to high PFAS contamination.
The results were surprising. PFAS were detected in every single sample tested, and there was no significant difference between the amounts found in public pools versus residential, nor between geographic regions.
PFAS represent a range of specific chemicals that can each be measured individually, and the EPA has published health advisory limits for some of the various chemicals. All of the samples that were tested had PFAS concentrations that were significantly higher than the EPA’s suggested limits. This is concerning to the authors considering that the average accidental swallowing of swimming pool water is about 24 milliliters per hour for children and about 12 milliliters per hour for adults.
The researchers conclude that swimming in these PFAS-laden waters may expose swimmers, and particularly young children, to negative health risks.
Image credit: Children’s Health Defense
