United States – Researchers from the University of Florida have warned that toilet paper could contain “forever toxic chemicals” that are potentially carcinogenic.
Previous studies have linked these chemicals, known as Polyfluoroalkyl Surfactants, or PFAS, which are synthetics that last for thousands of years, to certain cancers (such as testicular and kidney cancer) and even to lower sperm counts.
In the new study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, researchers discovered substances in toilet paper known as diPAPs, or perfluoroalkyl phosphonic acids.
These precursors have the potential to become different types of fluorescent surfactants, called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and are potentially carcinogenic.
This is not the first time that fluorescent surfactants (PFAS) have been detected in toilet paper. And last year, scientists found high levels of fluorine in four major brands.
The study’s lead author, Dr Timothy Townsend, said: “Seeing this distinctive chemical that we’ve already seen in sewage sludge (a semi-solid left over from a wastewater treatment process), and also showing up in toilet paper, certainly indicates that this is another resource we need to address.” Think about it when it comes to reducing the amount of fluorescent surfactants that enter the environment.”
And when toilet paper is used, the chemicals seep into the sewage system forever.
In addition to some types of cancer, fluorescent surfactants have been linked to a myriad of other conditions including liver failure, thyroid disease, asthma, and decreased fertility.
Fluorosurfactants are commonly found in cosmetics and other personal care products, stain-resistant coatings on carpet and upholstery, insecticides, and firefighting foam.
The Florida research team, led by Dr. Townsend, an environmental engineering expert at the University of Florida, collected rolls of toilet paper sold in North, South and Central America, Africa and Western Europe, and samples of sewage sludge collected from wastewater treatment plants in the United States.
Next, they extracted the fluorescent surfactants from the paper and solid sludge in the wastewater and analyzed them for 34 chemical compounds.
The most prevalent among them was the chemical perfluoroalkyl phosphonic acids (diPAPs), which are precursors that can migrate to other cancer-causing fluorescent surfactants.
“Our results indicate that toilet paper should be considered as a potential major entry source for fluorescent surfactants in wastewater treatment systems,” the researchers said.
The researchers then combined their findings with data from other studies that measured levels of fluorescent surfactants in wastewater and per capita toilet paper use in several countries. They concluded that toilet paper contributed about 4% of diPAPs in the United States and Canada, 35% in Sweden, and up to 89% in France.
“Despite the fact that North Americans use more toilet paper than people living in many other countries, the calculated percentages indicate that most fluorescent surfactants enter US wastewater systems from cosmetics, textiles, and packaging materials,” the study said. food or other sources.
Source: Daily Mail