Evolution Of Drinking Water Contaminants
There are groups of contaminants that are of emerging concern for the Environmental Protection Agency, because they can affect aquatic life and they threaten our sources of drinking water. These contaminants include pharmaceuticals and personal care products like shampoo, body washes, lotions, hair care products to name just a few. There is also another group of contaminants referred to as PFC’s or perfluorinated compounds that are emerging as a threat to our drinking water resources and aquatic life. PFC’s were used in a great variety of items that we would come into contact with every day. Some products that PFC’s are present in, include fast food wrappers, carpet and furniture spray protection, rain coats, water repellent sprays,
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The two most common of them being perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOS have been phased out by the EPA, except in highly technical applications in which there is no good alternative. PFOS was used in the Aqueous Film Fighting Foam, which was used to fight flammable liquid fires. Contamination sites for PFOS seem to be centering around military bases where firefighting foam was used in training exercises. A site in Warminster, PA and Willow Grove, PA, where there are military operations has the highest levels of PFOS and PFOS in the country, according to the recent results of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3). PFOA has been widely used in a variety of products including Teflon cookware, stain-resistant carpeting, microwave popcorn bags and other food containers. The EPA has been working with manufacturers to phase out the use of these materials by 2015. Unfortunately, it seems the damage is already done. Trace levels of these contaminants are found in our drinking water across the country and even scarier it’s already found in our blood. The biggest concerns about this group of contaminants is they are persistent in the environment, they do not easily break-down. They are also known to bio-accumulate, which means they can concentrate in our food chain. For example, PFOS is the only PFC which is concentrated in fish tissue to levels of concern. Health effects associated with these compounds include they are likely carcinogenic, thyroid disease and can be damaging to the liver and
The two most common of them being perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOS have been phased out by the EPA, except in highly technical applications in which there is no good alternative. PFOS was used in the Aqueous Film Fighting Foam, which was used to fight flammable liquid fires. Contamination sites for PFOS seem to be centering around military bases where firefighting foam was used in training exercises. A site in Warminster, PA and Willow Grove, PA, where there are military operations has the highest levels of PFOS and PFOS in the country, according to the recent results of the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3). PFOA has been widely used in a variety of products including Teflon cookware, stain-resistant carpeting, microwave popcorn bags and other food containers. The EPA has been working with manufacturers to phase out the use of these materials by 2015. Unfortunately, it seems the damage is already done. Trace levels of these contaminants are found in our drinking water across the country and even scarier it’s already found in our blood. The biggest concerns about this group of contaminants is they are persistent in the environment, they do not easily break-down. They are also known to bio-accumulate, which means they can concentrate in our food chain. For example, PFOS is the only PFC which is concentrated in fish tissue to levels of concern. Health effects associated with these compounds include they are likely carcinogenic, thyroid disease and can be damaging to the liver and