Scientists Warn That 'Forever Chemicals' Now Found Globally in Rainwater

Scientists Warn That , 'Forever Chemicals' , Now Found Globally in Rainwater.

According to newly released water quality guidelines, even the most remote parts of the world have levels of "forever chemicals" so high that rainwater is "unsafe to drink.".

Based on the latest US guidelines for PFOA in drinking water, rainwater everywhere would be judged unsafe to drink, Ian Cousins, Lead author of the study and professor at the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University, via 'The Independent'.

'The Independent' reports that forever chemicals are a group of manmade hazardous products called PFAS.

PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been linked to cancer in humans.

Those chemicals have spread globally through waterways, oceans, soils and the atmosphere in recent decades.

Those chemicals have spread globally through waterways, oceans, soils and the atmosphere in recent decades.

Now, traces of those chemicals can be found in the Earth's most remote locations, from Antarctica to the Tibetan Plateau.

Now, traces of those chemicals can be found in the Earth's most remote locations, from Antarctica to the Tibetan Plateau.

Although in the industrial world we don’t often drink rainwater, many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink and it supplies many of our drinking water sources, Ian Cousins, Lead author of the study and professor at the Department of Environmental Science at Stockholm University, via 'The Independent'.

The extreme persistence and continual global cycling of certain PFAS will lead to the continued exceedance of the [water quality] guidelines, Professor Martin Scheringer, a co-author of the study and based at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and Masaryk University in the Czech Republic, via 'The Independent'.

According to the research team, PFAS has been associated with a number of serious health impacts, including , cancer, learning and behavioral problems in children, infertility, pregnancy complications, increased cholesterol and immune system problems. According to the research team, PFAS has been associated with a number of serious health impacts, including , cancer, learning and behavioral problems in children, infertility, pregnancy complications, increased cholesterol and immune system problems