Is Forever Chemicals Dangerous to Us?           2/8/23         

By Caden Huynh    

What are forever chemicals? Are they considered a danger to public health? They are in almost everything we use and eat. Government agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are working to detect and regulate the number of poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), also known as “forever chemicals.” How do forever chemicals never degrade?

Forever chemicals were discovered accidentally in 1938 by Roy Plunkett. Plunkett discovered a chemical bond that was so powerful, it could last almost forever. It was used in the Manhattan Project a few years later to build the first-ever atomic bomb. Today, PFAs are in virtually any product. The fluorine atoms fit perfectly around the carbon atoms to create strong resistance that prevents substances like heat, oil, water, and grease from sticking to surfaces. Consequently, you can find them in clothes, carpets, nonstick pans, etc.

According to studies, PFAs can cause significant problems and complications such as increased risk of cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, and decreased fertility. Besides containers, it can also be in your food as well. According to an analysis run by the Food and Drug Administration, they are detected in meats, seafood, cake, water, etc. “So once they’re made, they accumulate in the environment. They end up in our water supply, they end up in our food, and they end up in us.” Kevin Loria, a scientist at Consumer Reports. The CDC believes the chemical is in almost every American because it’s so prevalent.

You might think that breaking or destroying forever chemicals will be challenging, but scientists discovered a new way to break them. In the past, the only way to destroy PFAs was by exposing them to extreme temperatures as high as 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. A report published by Northwestern University discovered that mixing sodium hydroxide with dimethyl sulfoxide and heating it to 248 degrees Fahrenheit degraded the PFAs into fluorine ions and other harmless byproducts. “ One specific portion of these molecules fall off and sets off a cascade of reactions that ultimately breaks these compounds down to relatively benign products,” William Dichtel, professor and co-author of the report.

In summary, PFAs are helpful in our everyday lives, but the risk they pose to our health is greater than their usefulness. In the past, it was seen as a game changer. It shows that someone or something can deceive you about what they can do. The US Government is working to regulate the number of PFAs and find new ways to destroy the chemical. Things that are meant to improve our everyday lives can also come with side effects.

Work Cited

Bendix, Aria. “Scientists find a new way to break down PFAS 'forever chemicals.'” NBC News, 18 August 2022, <nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-way-destroy-pfas-forever-chemicals-rcna43528.>

“PFAS | NIOSH.” CDC, <cdc.gov/niosh/topics/pfas/.> Accessed 15 February 2023.

“PFAS Explained | US EPA.” Environmental Protection Agency, 28 April 2022, <epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained.>

Morris, Amanda. “'Forever chemicals' destroyed by a simple new method.” Northwestern Now, 18 August 2022, <news.northwestern.edu/stories/2022/08/forever-chemicals-destroyed-by-simple-new-method/.> Accessed 15 February 2023.