According to a major study by a US government agency, at least 45% of tap water in the United States is contaminated with PFASs, which are called “perpetual pollutants”, reports AFP.

Water from under the tapPhoto: dpa picture alliance / Alamy / Alamy / Profimedia

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of thousands of synthetic chemicals that are widely used in society and in the environment.

They all contain carbon-fluorine bonds, one of the strongest chemical bonds in organic chemistry. This means that it is resistant to degradation both during use and in the environment.

In addition, most PFAS are easily transported into the environment over long distances, far from the source of their release.

“The study by the US Geological Survey (USGS) is the first to compare the presence of PFAS in water distributed by both private and public suppliers on a national scale,” Kelly Smalling, lead author of the study, told AFP on Friday .

In a study published this week in the journal Environment International, the US Geological Survey estimates that the probability of detecting PFAS in water in urban areas is 75 percent, compared to 25 percent in rural areas.

“USGS scientists tested water samples collected directly from faucets in kitchens across the country,” said Kelly Smalling, USGS research scientist.

“The concentration of PFAS in public water supplies and private wells was similar,” she added, noting that the study focused on 32 types of PFAS out of more than 12,000, some of which cannot be detected with current technology.

U.S. group 3M, which has already been indicted in Belgium and the Netherlands, said last month it would pay up to $12.5 billion to settle lawsuits filed in the United States by several public water utilities over PFAS contamination.

The company said it plans to stop producing these pollutants by the end of 2025. PFAS contamination of underground, surface water and soil was often observed. Cleanup of contaminated sites is technically difficult and expensive.

If they continue to be released, these chemicals will accumulate in the environment, drinking water and food.