Julia Hoffmaster - PFAS Water Project Activity
Storyboard Text
- Hey...are you drinking water from the tap in the kitchen?
- Yeah...why?
- I wouldn't drink it. Apparently, there's a chemical called PFAS, which stands for polyfluoroalkyl substances, in our town tap water and it's pretty harmful to humans if it is drank.
- Yeah. According to the U.S. EPA, PFAS chemicals are very difficult to remove from water and substances because their chemical carbon fluorine bonds are so strong and they don't break down in the environment, so we might not be able to drink the town water for a while.
- Oh, yeah. Now that you mention it, I think I read something about PFAS somewhere.
- Not much research has been finalized about the effects of PFAS, but the CDC says PFAS may affect reproduction, thyroid function, liver injuries, and the immune system. The CDC also conducted a study on the levels of PFAS in human's blood, and scientists found four PFAS in every participants' blood serum, which indicates a widespread contamination of PFAS in human blood in the U.S.
- That sounds so scary. You said that it's difficult to remove PFAS from water, but have any scientists found ways to get rid of it?
- What does PFAS do to you if you drink it?
Over 30 Million Storyboards Created