Band-Aids May Exposure You to Dangerous 'Forever Chemicals'

Bandages applied to open wounds may contain toxic polyfluoroalkyl or perfluoroalkyl chemicals, collectively known as PFAS. Mamavation worked with Environmental Health News to test various brands of bandages and found that more than half showed signs of PFAS.^One

Bandages are just the latest consumer product to be found to contain toxins. Often referred to as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are synthetic compounds that are highly persistent in the environment and human bodies. This means that it does not break down and can accumulate over time.

PFAS are known to make surfaces slippery and are found in a variety of products, including non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics and water-repellent clothing, as well as certain cosmetics and products that resist grease, water and oil, including food packaging. . It has now been revealed that the bandages may also have been contaminated.

Do bandages contain PFAS?

Mamavation sent 40 bandages from 18 brands to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified laboratory for testing. Bandages were purchased at stores such as Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Target, or Amazon. Signs of PFAS were found in 65% of the bandages tested. Additionally, organic fluorine, an indicator of PFAS, was detected at levels of 10ppm (parts per million) or higher in 26 of the 40 samples.

“Ten parts per million is the limit of detection, and that’s a huge amount,” study author Terrence Collins, a chemistry professor at Carnegie Mellon University, told TIME. “We know that there is no safe dose for endocrine disruptors. They manipulate hormonal regulation.”²

Collins said chemicals can enter the body through pads placed over open wounds, as well as through the skin through adhesive flaps. “You have to assume that the body will have an affinity for a variety of PFAS compounds,” he said.^three

Sixty-three percent of bandages sold to people with black or brown skin showed signs of PFAS, with 10 of 16 bandages tested containing more than 10 ppm organic fluoride. Overall, organic fluoride in the bandages ranged from 11 ppm to 328 ppm.⁴

“It’s troubling to know that children and adults can also be exposed to PFAS because they apply bandages to open wounds,” said Linda Birnbaum, scientist emeritus and former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. He said. She said, “The data is clear that PFAS are not needed in wound care, so it is important for the industry to eliminate their presence and instead select PFAS-free materials to protect the public from PFAS.”⁵

Although laboratory tests did not separate the adhesive from the bandage, PFAS were detected in the adhesive, the bandage's sticky flap, and the absorbent pad. “Even if you think this is a small exposure, you add up a lot of small exposures and you have a big exposure,” said Phil Brown, director of Northeastern University’s Institute for Social Sciences and Environmental Health.⁶

Band-Aid, Care Science, Curad and CVS Health were among the bandage manufacturers with the highest levels of PFAS. However, levels varied widely even between products made by the same overall brand.

Contact Lenses and Other PFAS Sources That May Surprise You

Bandages are just one route of PFAS exposure that people are exposed to on a regular basis. Mamavation's previous testing has revealed evidence of PFAS in a variety of products, including:⁷

When Mamavation sent 18 brands of contact lenses to an EPA-certified laboratory, they all tested positive for fluoride, ranging from 105 to 20,700 ppm. Of the contact lenses tested, 44% contained more than 4,000 ppm fluoride, and 22% contained more than 18,000 ppm.⁸ Contact lenses with the highest organic fluoride content include:⁹

• Alcon Air Optix color with Smartshield technology (20,700ppm)
• Alcon Total 30 Daily Use Contact Lenses (20,400ppm)
• Alcon Air Optix for Astigmatism (No Hydraglide) (20,000 ppm)

What does this mean in terms of your health? Pete Myers, senior scientist in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, said:¹⁰

“The assumption that these organic fluoride levels measured in contact lenses are safe is ridiculous. Last summer, the EPA issued health advisories against drinking alcohol for four common PFAS, ranging from 0.004 ppt to 2000 ppt. Consider exposure to safe drinking water.

Comparing drinking levels of water to concentrations in contact lenses is like comparing apples and oranges, but it's worth noting that all contact lenses tested exceeded 100 ppm. This is equivalent to 100,000,000 ppt, or 50,000 times higher than the highest level considered safe. “This is drinking water provided by the EPA.”

Birnbaum told Mamavation:¹¹

“The eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the body, so it is concerning to see the presence of organic fluorides, possibly a type of PFAS, found in all soft contact lens products tested. There is no evidence that these products are safe. Is there a lack of safety studies and that's what's happening here?”

Research conducted on PFAS and vision is cause for concern. A large population-based study conducted in China found that exposure to PFAS increased the risk of visual impairment.¹² Researchers have suggested that PFAS may have harmful effects on the eyes by causing oxidative stress.

“PFAS are proven pro-oxidants, and exposure to these emerging contaminants causes DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, reactive species (ROS) production, inhibition of antioxidant enzymes, as well as triggering signaling cascades such as apoptosis,” they explain. I did.¹³ Soldiers exposed to PFAS at military bases also suffer from various eye diseases, including myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia.¹⁴

Most Kale Contaminated with Forever Chemicals

More than 12,000 chemicals make up the PFAS class. “What binds these chemicals together is the presence of the carbon-fluorine bond, which is one of the strongest in chemistry. This strength is also the source of the danger of these chemicals. PFAS chemicals are highly persistent in the environment and in soil. It has been accumulating over decades, according to the American Natural Health Alliance (ANH-USA).¹⁵

Exposure is so widespread that PFAS have been found in 97% of Americans.¹⁶ The half-life of PFAS in the human body is 2 to 5 years.¹⁷ The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is testing foods in the general food supply to estimate PFAS exposure in foods of U.S. consumers.¹⁸

ANH-USA analyzed organic, conventionally grown kale samples from four states – New York, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Arizona – to learn more about how widespread PFAS contamination is in the food supply. Two samples were purchased from stores in each state, some loose leaf and others prepackaged in plastic bags or containers.

PFAS were not detected in only one of eight samples. Of these, the highest levels of total PFAS were found in conventionally grown kale purchased from Georgia Publix stores. However, overall, PFAS levels were higher in organic kale samples than in conventional samples.¹⁹

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set the acceptable weekly intake level for PFAS at 4.4ng per kg of body weight. “Disturbingly, this equates to eating two portions (67 grams each) of kale per week, equivalent to what is sold at Publix stores (GA). That is, any intake exceeding this amount (from any source) is equivalent to consuming 2 servings of kale (67 grams each) per week, according to ANH-USA. There is a potential health risk.²⁰

Levels of PFAS have also been found in a variety of other foods, including peanut butter, pasta sauce, cooking oil, and more.²¹ Another study found that leafy greens grown within 10 miles of PFAS plants contained very high amounts of PFAS, and even chocolate cake was contaminated.²²

One reason our food supply is polluted has to do with biosolids, toxic human waste sludge that can be contaminated with PFAS that are sold as cheap fertilizer and spread across farmland.²³ Eating even one freshwater fish each year can be dangerous because water supplies and waterways can also be polluted.²⁴

PFAS exposure can cause cancer, reproductive effects, and more

PFAS can cause changes in the epigenome, immunosuppression, oxidative stress, inflammation, or cause cancer through hormonal and metabolic pathways. The accumulation of epigenetic events resulting from PFAS exposure “may synergistically amplify tumorigenesis and cancer progression,” the researchers explained, adding that immune system suppression and chronic inflammation are also likely to play a role.²⁵

Exposure to high levels of PFAS is known to affect the immune system, and there is evidence from both human and animal studies that such exposure may reduce resistance to infectious diseases.²⁶ EPA also acknowledges that PFAS exposure is harmful, and peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that PFAS exposure can cause:²⁷

Tips to Reduce PFAS Exposure

PFAS have no taste or odor, so they are undetectable in consumer products. Filtering your drinking water is important to avoid these common exposure routes, as is avoiding stain-resistant, waterproof, or non-stick products, most of which contain PFAS. To further reduce exposure, the Environmental Working Group recommends avoiding:²⁸