Babies born between 2003 and 2006 were exposed to many more “forever chemicals” before birth than scientists previously understood, according to new research published in Environmental Science & Technology.
Thousands of these chemicals, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, remain in use today, and their human health effects are poorly understood-making it crucial to better understand cumulative PFAS exposure in utero.
The study, led by Shelley H. Liu, PhD, Associate Professor of Population Health Science and Policy at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is the first to use a data science–based method to estimate a newborn’s total PFAS exposure, drawing on advanced chemical detection in umbilical cord blood.
PFAS are a large class of man-made chemicals…