Forever chemicals (PFAS) found in 99% of drinking water

In a recent scientific study, scientists have proven that "forever chemicals" are present in more than 99% of all bottled water samples. This percentage is close to 100%. The study titled "Factors Influencing PFAS Concentrations in Drinking Water: Implications for Human Exposure" was recently published; specialists examined PFAS samples in drinking water from both tap and bottled sources across various countries: the United Kingdom, China, and others.

What are "forever chemicals"?

These are PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) — a group of artificial chemical compounds that are extremely resistant to degradation. This is why they are called "forever chemicals." They circulate with evaporating water on Earth and atmospheric precipitation, making it impossible to remove them from nature! Moreover, they accumulate in all ecosystems and living organisms.

In other words, humans have created extremely dangerous substances and spread them everywhere, and now they do not know how to remove them from the environment and protect against their effects.

Why are "forever chemicals" dangerous?

• They have high bioresistance and accumulate in the tissues of all living organisms (including humans). The more they accumulate, the higher the risk of dangerous diseases, such as cancer.
• PFAS are highly toxic: they have been proven to cause immune system dysfunction, provoke cancer, destroy the reproductive system, and disrupt hormonal balance. They also suppress the thyroid gland and increase cholesterol levels.
• PFAS do not break down and can affect ecosystems and the human body for a very long time. As a result, even the smallest doses over time can lead to serious consequences.
• They are found everywhere — in ecosystems, atmospheric precipitation, and even in human blood. But few people know this! Therefore, when fatal diseases occur, few doctors may be able to link them to high concentrations of "forever chemicals."

PFAS substances do not degrade under the influence of heat, ultraviolet, chemical, or biological factors. They come from all sorts of materials that are water-, dirt-, and grease-resistant. They have been produced for over 70 years, consciously creating substances that are resistant to external influences.

Simply put: non-stick cookware, food packaging, textiles and carpets, firefighting foam, cosmetics, the automotive and electronics industries, cleaning and polishing products, and industrial emissions — all of these are sources of PFAS.

Ultimately, "forever chemicals" enter our bodies with food through contaminated products or packaging, with water, with air and dust (when we breathe), and through the skin when we use cosmetics.

I think I have explained enough. The scale of the problem should be clear.

Now let’s return to the scientific study.

According to scientists' data from 2024, "forever chemicals" have been found in almost 100% of all water on the planet, including bottled water.

The most common substances confirmed by scientists in 99% of water samples collected from 15 countries worldwide are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS).

These two compounds from the PFAS group are the most toxic, persistent, and have the highest degree of accumulation in organisms. PFOA was commonly used in non-stick coatings (for example, in cookware), while PFOS was used in firefighting foams and the textile industry.

Both compounds are banned or restricted in a number of countries, but over the last 70 years, so much has been produced that scientists are now finding them in almost all water on the planet, including bottled water.

Unsurprisingly, according to the study, there is significantly more "forever chemicals" in water in China than in the United Kingdom.

Also, according to the study, there is far more "forever chemicals" in natural mineral water than in regular purified water. But even purified water is contaminated with PFAS.

What should be done to reduce consumption of "forever chemicals"?

1. Use natural cleaning products and cosmetics; avoid buying and using cheap chemical products. There are alternatives — find what works best for you.
2. Filter all water you drink using activated charcoal (charcoal-based filters) or boil it. According to the study, these methods can remove 50–90% of PFAS from water.

Comment from Stuart Harrad of the University of Birmingham, one of the study’s authors: “Our results show that PFAS are widespread in drinking water, but simple purification methods can effectively reduce their concentration. For example, using regular filters or boiling can significantly decrease the amount of these substances.”

I would also like to add that a vast amount of scientific data is emerging only now. Over the past couple of years, using advanced technologies and combined data, meta-analyses and studies on a new level have become possible. Previously, there were simply no such opportunities, and few suspected the real scale of ecocide and destruction of Earth's biosphere.

Suppose people are dying en masse from cancer due to PFAS, but they are also dying from pesticides on fields and in food that is “fertilized” in agriculture.

So, “neither water to drink nor an apple to eat”?

People must unite and speak out about the problems! Everyone must stand up and declare: “We need change! We want change! We are ready to act.” And when millions of people around the world raise their voices, global changes will begin.

© PAVEL PASHKOV