Chemicals

Engineers at the University of Washington have designed a reactor that can completely destroy PFAS forever chemicals. The technology could help treat chemicals at manufacturing sites before they can leak out into the natural environment.

New research presented at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society, analyzing nearly 100 currently used tattoo inks, found many inks contained chemicals not declared on their ingredient list, and at nanoparticle sizes suspected to be harmful.

In a new study, chemists claim to have found an Achilles’ heel to the ultra-stable molecules of toxic PFAS "forever chemicals." Using a relatively simple chemical reaction, the team could “decapitate” some kinds of PFAS into benign end products.

New research has reported a link between elevated blood levels of perfluooctane sulfate (PFOS) and increased risk of liver cancer. The study is the first to directly associate exposure from this “forever chemical” to liver cancer in humans.

A striking new article argues the global spread of certain hazardous chemicals is so pervasive that unsafe levels of PFAS chemicals can be found in rainwater all over the world, including remote areas such as Antarctica and the Tibetan Plateau.

Researchers have found strong evidence exposure to a common group of household chemicals can be associated with 13 different health conditions. The related economic costs have been estimated at between US$5 billion and $60 billion annually in the US.

A new report has estimated more than 10 percent of all cancer cases in Europe are likely caused by environmental and occupational exposure to pollution. The report indicates most of these cases could be prevented by improving environmental protections.

Scientists are ramping up their efforts to better break down dangerous PFAS "forever chemicals" before they can cause harm, and a new breakthrough demonstrates how this might be done in a matter of hours using UV light.

It’s an unfortunate truth that many important chemical reactions require rare and expensive metals as catalysts. But now, scientists have developed a device that actively tweaks plain old aluminum to make it behave like other metals on the fly.

A world-first clinical trial has found blood or plasma donations can reduce levels of toxic PFAS chemicals by up to 30 percent. The trial is the first to find an effective intervention that reduces blood levels of substances known as “forever chemicals”.

A new study has reawakened the debate over the safety of artificial sweeteners. The findings suggest an association can be detected between sugar substitutes and increased cancer risk, but experts not affiliated with the research question their validity.

Exposure to phthalates, a chemical used to manufacture thousands of everyday products, has been linked to an increased risk of childhood cancer. The findings add to research suggesting this chemical may have various deleterious health effects in humans.