pollutants
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The ISS Has Higher Levels of Potentially Harmful Contaminants Than Most Homes
The International Space Station (ISS) has been home to more than 250 astronauts who have lived and worked on board the orbiting lab for months at a time. Unlike homes on Earth, however, the space station has been discovered to have higher levels of chemical contamination lingering in dust. A group of scientists analyzed a…
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‘Forever Chemicals’ Are Everywhere. Is There a Way to Avoid Them?
Even the name makes the problem seem intractable: “forever chemicals.” This group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, broadly called PFAS, are persistent organic pollutants that don’t readily degrade and can affect human health, with links to liver problems, infertility, thyroid disruption, birth defects, hypertension, and many other harmful effects. They’re in our water, clothes, food,…
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Harmful ‘Forever’ Chemicals Linger in the Air of Homes, Offices, and Schools, Study Finds
A new study has found that contaminants known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can be readily measured in the air of indoor spaces like classrooms, offices, and homes. The findings indicate that inhalation may be yet another way these chemicals, thought to be harmful to our health, can end up in our bodies.