通常用于食品包裝和家用產(chǎn)品的化學(xué)物質(zhì)具有致癌特性

通常用于食品包裝和家用產(chǎn)品的化學(xué)物質(zhì)具有致癌特性

Chemicals commonly used in everyday products – from pizza boxes to nonstick pans – are found to have characteristics similar to known carcinogenic chemicals.

從披薩盒到不粘鍋等日常用品中普遍使用的化學(xué)物質(zhì)被發(fā)現(xiàn)具有與已知致癌化學(xué)物質(zhì)相似的特性。

Since the 1950s, thousands of different per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used for a variety of reasons, but it was their use in firefighting foams that have resulted in extensive contamination around the world. Because PFAS build up in the human body over time and never break down in the environment, human exposure is extensive and detectable in nearly every person, starting with exposure in the womb. Exposure has been linked to a variety of ailments, including hormonal dysregulation, weakened immune system, reproductive and developmental harms, as well as reduced effectiveness of vaccines.

自20世紀(jì)50年代以來，成千上萬種不同的單氟烷基和多氟烷基物質(zhì)(PFAS)因各種原因被使用，但正是它們在滅火泡沫中的使用導(dǎo)致了世界范圍內(nèi)的廣泛污染。由于PFAS隨時間在人體內(nèi)積累，不會在環(huán)境中分解，所以幾乎每個人體內(nèi)都能檢測到大量的PFAS，從子宮開始。暴露與多種疾病有關(guān)，包括激素失調(diào)、免疫系統(tǒng)減弱、生殖和發(fā)育損害，以及疫苗效力降低。

Madison Dapcevich

Now, scientists at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Indiana University report that nearly every PFAS analyzed presents the same characteristics as other cancer-causing chemicals. Used the Key Characteristics of Carcinogens, a framework established to evaluate and identify carcinogenic products, researchers conducted a review of 26 PFAS to determine whether a chemical causes damage to DNA, induces oxidative stress, or causes chronic inflammation, among other things.

現(xiàn)在，環(huán)境工作組(EWG)和印第安納大學(xué)的科學(xué)家們報告說，幾乎每一種分析的PFAS都具有與其他致癌化學(xué)物質(zhì)相同的特征。利用致癌物質(zhì)的關(guān)鍵特性，建立了一個評估和識別致癌產(chǎn)品的框架，研究人員對26種PFAS進(jìn)行了評估，以確定一種化學(xué)物質(zhì)是否會導(dǎo)致DNA損傷、誘導(dǎo)氧化應(yīng)激或?qū)е侣匝装Y等。

Every PFAS analyzed displayed at least one characteristic of other carcinogenic chemicals, despite differences in reporting and approaches for estimating levels across the studies reviewed.

盡管所分析的PFAS在報告和評估方法上存在差異，但每個PFAS至少顯示出一種其他致癌化學(xué)物質(zhì)的特征。

“We found strong evidence that multiple PFAS induce oxidative stress, are immunosuppressive, and modulate receptor-mediated effects. We also found suggestive evidence indicating that some PFAS can induce epigenetic alterations and influence cell proliferation,” write the authors in the journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

“我們發(fā)現(xiàn)強(qiáng)有力的證據(jù)表明，多重PFAS可誘導(dǎo)氧化應(yīng)激，具有免疫抑制作用，并可調(diào)節(jié)受體介導(dǎo)的效應(yīng)。”我們還發(fā)現(xiàn)了有啟發(fā)性的證據(jù)，表明某些PFAS可以誘導(dǎo)表觀遺傳學(xué)改變并影響細(xì)胞增殖，”作者在《國際環(huán)境研究與公共衛(wèi)生雜志》上寫道。

The findings build on previous work that further illuminated the potential dangers of these “forever chemicals.” A previous analysis of more than 70,000 people who lived or worked where drinking water was contaminated with PFOA chemicals was found to have an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as kidney, testicular, prostate, and ovarian cancers. PFOA chemicals were used by DuPont to make Teflon. Earlier this year, the EWG found that PFAS chemicals were present in drinking water of dozens of US cities and are widespread in rainwater, making it likely that the chemicals are found in a majority of major US water supplies.

這些發(fā)現(xiàn)建立在先前的工作上，進(jìn)一步闡明了這些“永久化學(xué)物質(zhì)”的潛在危險。之前的一項分析發(fā)現(xiàn)，在飲用水被PFOA化學(xué)物質(zhì)污染的地方生活或工作的7萬多人患非霍奇金淋巴瘤以及腎癌、睪丸癌、前列腺癌和卵巢癌的風(fēng)險更高。杜邦公司曾使用PFOA化學(xué)品生產(chǎn)特氟隆。今年早些時候，EWG發(fā)現(xiàn)，美國幾十個城市的飲用水中都含有PFAS化學(xué)物質(zhì)，雨水中也普遍存在PFAS化學(xué)物質(zhì)，這使得美國大部分主要水源都含有PFAS化學(xué)物質(zhì)。

"Our research has shown that PFAS impact biological functions linked to an increased risk of cancer," said Alexis Temkin, PhD, EWG toxicologist and the primary author of the new study, in a statement. "This is worrisome, given that all Americans are exposed to PFAS mixtures on a daily basis, from contamination in water, food and everyday products."

“我們的研究表明，PFAS會影響生物功能，從而增加患癌癥的風(fēng)險，”EWG毒理學(xué)家、這項新研究的第一作者亞歷克西斯·特金博士在一份聲明中說。“這令人擔(dān)憂，因為所有美國人每天都接觸到PFAS混合物，包括水、食品和日常產(chǎn)品中的污染。”

The researchers conclude that officials should focus on preventing cancer by preventing human exposure to potential carcinogens, perhaps beginning with PFAS.

研究人員得出結(jié)論，官員們應(yīng)該把重點放在預(yù)防癌癥上，方法是防止人類接觸潛在的致癌物，或許可以從PFAS開始。