Uncovering hidden chemicals
Leah Burrows
Editor s note: Reprinted with permission from the Harvard Gazzette. T
he Harvard scientists in this study are part of the STEEP Superfund Research Program Center, a partnership between the University of Rhode Island, Harvard, and the Silent Spring Institute, working closely with the Town of Barnstable and the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition.
Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have found large quantities of previously undetectable compounds from the family of chemicals known as PFAS in six watersheds on Cape Cod using a new method to quantify and identify PFAS compounds. Exposures to some PFAS, widely used for their ability to repel heat, water, and oil, are linked to a range of health risks including cancer, immune suppression, diabetes, and low infant birth weight.