CANBERRA, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in tap water, at levels currently deemed safe, could harm embryos and impair female fertility, a new Australian study reveals.
The concerning findings, which examined the effects of tap water on female mice following daily consumption for four weeks or six months, showed exposure to PFAS chemicals disrupts female fertility, causing cellular damage to ovulated eggs and embryos, said a statement released Tuesday by Australia's Adelaide University.
"Our study shows just four weeks of consuming regular tap water with low levels of PFAS chemicals was enough to reduce the number of cells and their function in embryos, causing DNA damage and impairing the viability of the embryo," said the study's lead author Yasmyn Winstanley from Adelaide University's Robinson Research Institute.
"These effects were more obvious after six months of drinking tap water, with reductions in the fetal weight of the offspring after maternal exposure," Winstanley said, adding that low birth weight has been linked to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.
The damage appeared irreversible and was passed down across generations, according to the findings published in the journal Environmental Research.
PFAS, known as "forever chemicals," are man-made chemicals that persist in the environment and have contaminated food and drinking water worldwide.
The study tested water sampled from the Australian city of Adelaide's municipal supply and modelled exposure using three common PFAS compounds -- PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS.
Researchers also found that carbon filtration was able to remove PFAS levels, protecting the mouse embryos from contamination. ■