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Nearly half of US drinking water may contain toxic 'forever chemicals'
美国近半自来水或被有毒“永久性化学品”污染
Nearly half of U.S. tap water samples contain toxic "forever chemicals," substances used in hundreds of household items from cleaning supplies to pizza boxes to which broad exposure can carry serious health risks, according to a new study.
一项新研究显示，近一半的美国自来水样本中含有有毒的“永久性化学物质”，从清洁用品到披萨盒等数百种家庭用品都含有这种化学物质，广泛接触可能会带来严重的健康风险。
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study tested tap water samples from more than 700 residences, businesses and drinking-water treatment plants across the country for the presence of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl chemicals known as PFAS.
美国地质调查局的研究收集了来自全美700多个住宅、企业和饮用水处理厂的自来水样本，检测其中是否含有全氟及多氟烷基物质（PFAS化学物质）。
At least one such synthetic chemical was detected in 45% of the samples at levels exceeding benchmarks and U.S. proposed regulations, the researchers said.
研究人员表示，在45%的样本中至少检测到一种此类合成化学物质，其含量超过了测量基准和美国拟议的法规标准。
PFAS are water resistant, meaning they do not break down in the environment and last in human bodies for years. Developed in the 1940s with the creation of Teflon, a non-stick cookware coating, today they are used in everything from clothing to plastic products.
PFAS不溶于水，这意味着其不会在环境中分解，能在人体内存在数年。在20世纪40年代，随着不粘炊具涂料“特氟龙”的发明而得到开发的这些物质，如今被用于从服装到塑料制品的各种产品中。
Previous studies have measured PFAS in ground water, reservoirs and water treatment plants. But analyzing tap water allows for a more accurate assessment of what people are drinking, said Kelly Smalling, a USGS hydrologist who led the research.
此前研究已经测量了地下水、水库和水处理厂中的PFAS物质。但领导这项研究的美国地质调查局水文学家凯丽·斯莫林说，分析自来水可以更准确地评估人体摄入该物质的情况。
Exposure to high levels of PFAS can disrupt hormones, disturb liver function, increase the risk of kidney or testicular cancer, reduce birth weight in infants and compromise the health of pregnant women, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
美国疾病控制与预防中心称，暴露于高水平的PFAS会破坏激素，扰乱肝功能，增加肾脏或睾丸癌症的风险，降低婴儿出生体重，并危害孕妇的健康。
Tests exist for a fraction of the 12,000 known types of PFAS. The study samples, which came from public supplies and private wells between 2016 and 2021, were tested for 32 types.
已知的PFAS物质有12000种，检测只针对其中一小部分。研究样本来自2016年至2021年间的公共供应和私人水源，共测试了32种PFAS物质。
There was no difference in PFAS exposure between samples from private wells and the public supply, which "was very surprising,” Smalling said.
斯莫林说，私人和公共水源样本在PFAS暴露量方面没有差异，这一结果“令人惊讶”。
Public water supplies are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency while private wells are not.
公共供水由环境保护局监管，而私人水源则不受监管。
Compared with people in rural areas, those in urban areas are at higher risk of exposure to PFAS in drinking water, the study found.
研究发现，与农村地区的人相比，城市地区的人接触饮用水中PFAS的风险更高。
编辑：董静
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