Imagine chemicals that never leave your body, yet they turn up in over 85% of Australians' blood. That's the eye-opening result from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which has just published its first national survey of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels among people aged 12 and over.
PFAS, a group of more than 4,000 industrial compounds known as "forever chemicals," persist in the environment and our bodies. Exposure to certain types has been linked to increased cancer risk. The ABS tested for 11 PFAS and found three major culprits in most participants:
- PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid): detected in 99.1% of males and 98.3% of females.
- PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid): found in 98.1% of males and 94% of females.
- PFHxS (perfluorohexanesulfonic acid): present in 93.6% of males and 82.8% of females.
Two additional PFAS appeared in 15–45% of samples, while the remaining six were detected in less than 10% of participants. In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified PFOA as carcinogenic to humans and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic.
James Eynstone-Hinkins, head of health statistics at the ABS, noted that PFAS blood levels generally rose with age and were higher in males than females. He said this dataset will serve as a national baseline, opening the door for ongoing monitoring and deeper research into how these stubborn pollutants affect human health.
For young global citizens, entrepreneurs and health advocates, these findings are a powerful reminder of the importance of tracking our exposure to chemicals designed to last forever—and a call to support data-driven policies that protect public health.
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'Forever chemicals' detected in blood of over 85% of Australians
cgtn.com
