Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in tap water, at levels currently considered safe, affected the development of embryos, causing irreversible damage that may be passed on to future generations.
The concerning findings were revealed in an Adelaide University study, which examined the effects of tap water on female mice following daily consumption for four weeks or six months.
The results showed exposure to PFAS chemicals, even in trace amounts, disrupts female fertility, causing cellular damage to ovulated eggs and embryos.
“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 Dr 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. Low birth weight can have long-term consequences and has been linked to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.
“Most concerning was our finding that these developmental abnormalities appear to be passed on to the daughters and granddaughters of those exposed.”
PFAS chemicals are man-made, long-lasting chemicals that are resistant to degradation. Widespread use of these chemicals throughout the world over decades means trace levels are now present in the environment, food and drinking water.
The study is the first of its kind and focused on the three most common PFAS chemicals detected in water – PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS. Tap water collected from Adelaide’s CBD and four metropolitan residences was analysed, with chemicals added to the water given to animal models to match the concentrations present in municipal water.
“Our study modelled PFAS exposure at levels considered safe by regulatory guidelines. The detrimental effects that were observed were not reversed when exposure stopped or through any antioxidant treatment,” said senior author Professor Rebecca Robker from Adelaide University’s Robinson Research Institute.
“This has important implications for health and highlights the urgent need for better water quality standards to reduce exposure to PFAS and other chemicals.”
Part of the study also looked at filtered water and found carbon filtration was able to remove PFAS levels, protecting the mouse embryos from contamination.
“We not only need to eliminate PFAS from our environment, we need greater awareness of the presence of trace levels in our tap water, and strategies to avoid the ongoing health effects that may come from exposure to these chemicals,” said Professor Robker.
The study was funded by the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation and has been published in the journal Environmental Research.
The next steps include testing new technologies to remediate PFAS in tap water, with the aim of ultimately preventing effects on fertility.