Fridges a few years back weren’t only just ice boxes, instead, they used to rely on a chemical through the back to keep them cold. Methyl Chloride, a toxic gas, was used for this purpose, and people didn’t even know that they were getting killed by this odorless gas from their fridges. Pair this up with a bit of sparking, and the whole house could end up in flames. But then one company created a ‘magical substance’ which made its way into countless household products, especially American homes.
But there was one drawback to these chemicals and it was that they were leaking into the environment and harming it, and contaminating not only humans but wildlife as well. Those synthetic chemicals were even found in polar bears, fish, and even all living things and there were some companies behind it.
This article sheds light on the biggest chemical coverups in history, based on the publicly available documents, recordings, and third-party opinions.
DuPont: Where It All Started
In 1936, a chemical company called DuPont set out to find a gas that was neither toxic nor inflammable. The scientist on the project at that time was a 27-year-old chemist called Roy J. Plunkett, and he was experimenting with a gas called tetrafluoroethylene (TFE). One day, he took the cylinder full of gas and cut it in half, and found that it was full of white slippery powder. It happened because one of the double bonds between TFE atoms broke, while allowing each carbon to bond with other TFE molecules. Polymerization happened as the process kept on being repeated, forming long chains of TFE molecules, and the result was the white powder called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
DuPont compressed the PTFE into solid blocks, shaped it into seals and pipe linings, and used it in nuclear facilities, and it worked well. DuPont saw the potential in it and trademarked it in 1944 and named it Teflon. However, making Teflon wasn't easy as it couldn't be dissolved in solvents or water, and it was hard to shape as well. It could only be molded into solid parts, but its resistance to chemicals and heat made it invaluable during World War 2.
Turning TFE into PTFE Using PFOA
Turning TFE gas into solid Teflon (PTFE) isn't easy, and you have to start the reaction with an initiator, which can break the first double bond in TFE to start the chain reaction. Whenever TFE joins the chain, it gives off heat, and too many TFE molecules give off too much heat. If it reaches 200°C, the TFE breaks down and releases more energy, and can cause an explosion.
To prevent explosions, scientists needed to cool the reaction, and as water is good at absorbing heat, they tried doing the reaction in water. But there was the problem that TFE doesn't dissolve in water and just sits on top of it. The solution to this problem was a special chemical DuPont bought from 3M called PFOA or C8, a molecule which looked like Teflon but had a hydrophilic end too.
When C8 is added to water, it forms tiny bubbles with dry insides, and when TFE gas is stirred, it gets trapped inside the bubbles and evenly spreads through the water. Now, when the initiator is added, polymerization happens inside the bubbles, and the water absorbs heat, which stops the explosions. It was also now possible to spray Teflon as a coating, as it was suspended in liquid. But the question is, if Teflon doesn't stick to anything, how do you make it stay? The trick for this is to roughen the surface, which creates tiny grooves. When Teflon is sprayed, it gets stuck in the grooves.
Teflon Being Used Commercially and Its Impacts
After World War 2, the US military allowed DuPont to sell Teflon commercially, and people began using it in all kinds of products. In 1954, a French engineer named Marc Gregoire coated his fishing gear with Teflon, and his wife suggested using it on pans, and that's how non-stick pans came into being. Teflon and its related chemicals, like C8, were being used in:
● Water-proof clothing
● Stain-resistant carpets and fabrics
● Bullets
● Medical Implants
● Even the Statue of Liberty needed it to be protected from corrosion
By the late 1990s, DuPont was making $1 billion a year because of Teflon.
Harmful Effects of Teflon and Lawsuits on DuPont
Around that time, a farmer noticed that his cows were getting sick, growing tumors, losing weight, and foaming at the mouth. This was because of a pipe from the DuPont landfill draining near the creek. So the farmer hired a lawyer, and the lawyer started investigating. The town people weren't happy because DuPont was providing people with jobs and community services. The lawyer named Rob Billot requested DuPont for its records and received 60,000 documents, and he found constant references to the chemicals called C8 (PFOA), which is the same one used to produce Teflon.
In 1961, DuPont’s scientists tested C8 on rats, and it caused them liver damage. Dogs showed the same toxic effects, and monkeys died from exposure to C8 when it was tested on them in the 1970s-1980s. DuPont’s studies showed that there should be extreme caution with C8 and to avoid contact with the skin. But they still continued using it.
Higher C8 Levels in Blood
In the 1970s, researchers who were studying fluoride in drinking water found organic fluorine in people’s blood, not from water but from chemicals like PFOA. DuPont and 3M (C8’s company) tested the blood of their own workers and found C8 levels 1000× higher than the general public, and some workers also had signs of liver disease.
DuPont was also dumping 10 tons of C8 per year into the Ohio River and storing thousands of tons in landfills, one of which leaked into that creek. There was also a link to cancer with C8, and tests on rats caused testicular tumors. DuPont also detected C8 in public water but kept it a secret, and they even discussed using a safer chemical, but didn't because C8 was profitable. The lawyer gathered all the evidence, and DuPont settled with the farmer but didn't admit guilt.
C8 in Water
The C8 chemical wasn't only found in farms, but it was also found in drinking water and wells near the Parkersburg area. In 2000, researchers tested blood samples of people across the US and found that 1000% of the samples had C8, and the average level was 5 parts per billion (ppb). Rob Billot filed a lawsuit and launched a medical study for the community that was exposed.
Over the seven years (2005-2013), different types of health surveys and blood tests were done, and an independent science panel found a link between C8 and six diseases: testicular cancer, high cholesterol, thyroid disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension, ulcerative colitis, and kidney cancer. The average C8 level in Parkersburg was 28 ppb, while 1 in 43 average males had a chance of kidney cancer because of it.
In 2017, DuPont paid more than $600 million in settlements, but also made $80 billion in sales every year and still kept on denying their wrongdoing.
DuPont then spun off its Teflon division to Chemours and replaced C8 with GenX, which was marketed as safer than C8, but its testing still caused testicular, liver, and pancreatic tumors in rats, and it was more mobile as well.
Forever Chemicals: PFAS in Our Blood
PFAS was the bigger problem, which is the family of 14000+ man-made chemicals with carbon-fluorine bonds. They are also known as Forever Chemicals because of their persistence. C8 and GenX are two members of PFAS. Forever Chemicals are used in different things, including:
● Food Wrappers
● Non-Stick Cookware
● Electronics
● Waterproof Clothing
● Contact Lenses
● Cosmetics
PFAS are contaminating everything and every continent and are found in fish, birds, polar bears, and in almost all humans. Many companies knew how much PFAS could be dangerous 50 years ago, but they chose not to tell regulators or the public. As a result, not many people are aware of it.
How Much PFAS is in Our Blood?
A PFAS tester said that he has never not detected PFAS in blood since 2007, and that means 98% of the population has PFAS in their blood.
There are two types of PFAS (Forever Chemicals):
1- Fluoropolymers (like Teflon)
● Larger molecules
● Mostly safe and passes through the body
● Too big to enter the bloodstream
2- Perfluoroalkyl Acids (like GenX, C8)
● Small enough to enter the blood
● Most dangerous PFAS
● Can bind to proteins and accumulate in organs
Health Issues Linked to PFAS:
● Kidney Cancer
● High Cholesterol
● Poor Infant Growth
● Reduced Immune Response to infections and vaccines
● Dozens of other possible conditions
Derek Muller’s Blood Results for PFAS
Veritasium’s host,
Derek Muller, tested his blood for PFAS, and the results showed that the amount of PFAS in his blood was too high. National Academies Guidance says that PFAS under 2 ppb is not harmful, while PFAS between 2-20 ppb has potential health effects. On the other hand, PFAS levels more than 20 ppb in the bloodstream are elevated at high risk. Derek’s total PFAS level was 17.92 ppb.
Derek was surprised and confused about where these chemicals came from, as he had switched from stainless steel cookware and tried to avoid PFAS. But his sources of contamination included:
1- Drinking Water
Derek lived in Los Angeles near Santa Clarita, where the water is contaminated with PFHxS, and the water was 37 parts per trillion (ppt) PFHxS. After ten years of exposure, Derek had 6.85 ppb of PFHxS in blood.
2- Food and Packaging
PFAS is found in fast food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, and paper cups. PFAS can be released from them when they are heated, and can go into the bloodstream if these products are being used long-term.
3- Environmental Exposure
PFAS are also found in waterproof gear, stain-resistant clothes, and cosmetics. Even though skin adaptation is low, their manufacturing and disposal can release PFAS into soil, air, and water.
Water and PFAS:
PFAS gets inside the body over time, and even 4 ppt of PFAS in drinking water can lead to 2 ppb in the bloodstream. In Derek’s case:
● Even low exposure added up over time.
● Local water sources are the key risk factors of PFAS.
● Because of global contamination, rainwater also contains PFAS, which means these chemicals are in the entire water cycle.
Removing PFAS from Drinking Water
Now, many of you must be wondering if PFAS (Forever Chemicals) can be removed from drinking water or not. There are some effective methods to eliminate or reduce PFAS exposure at home. But experts say that the individual level effort isn't enough, and PFAS should be stopped at the source.
Water Filtration Options:
1- Reverse Osmosis
You can use reverse osmosis and push water through a semipermeable membrane to remove contaminants. This method removes up to 99% of many PFAS compounds, and its cost is moderate to high. It also requires regular filter changes.
2- Granular Activated Carbon
Through this method, long-chain PFAS like PFOS and PFOA can be removed. A porous carbon is used for the granular activated carbon method to absorb chemicals from water. It has a lower cost, but it is less effective for short-chain PFAS.
3- Ion Exchange Resins:
This method of removing PFAS from water uses charged beads to swap PFAS ions for safer ones, and it is highly effective for short-chain PFAS, even the ones that are harder to remove with GAC. It is mostly used in industrial or professional settings.
The most sustainable approach is to remove PFAS from the source before they can enter the environment. To do this, the following methods can be used:
● Paraffinity’s PFAS Capture Tech can be used for factor-level filtration.
● It combines hydrophobic, electrostatic, and hydrophilic interactions to trap PFAS.
● It can clean thousands of gallons before the media needs replacing, and a 10-liter unit could treat an entire household for a year.
Lowering PFAS Levels in Your Body
There are no FDA-approved treatments to remove PFAS from the body, but there are a few things that can help.
1- Donate Plasma or Blood
A study in 2022 showed that there was up to a 30% decrease in PFAS levels in firefighters who donated blood regularly. But there should be ethical things considered as well, so if you suspect high levels of PFAS in yourself, don't give it off to someone else without disclosing health concerns.
2- Reduce Future Intake
● Always try to use filtered water for cooking and drinking
● Avoid foods that are in PFAS-treated packaging, like microwave popcorn bags or fast-food wrappers
● Check consumer products like outdoor gear and cosmetics for PFAS-free labels.
People At Highest Risks of PFAS:
1- PFAS can pass through the placenta and breast milk, so pregnant people and infants are more at risk.
2- Military personnel and firefighters who get repeated exposure to PFAS through gear and fire-fighting foam are also at risk.
3- People living near contaminated water resources or known contamination zones like military bases, airports, or PFAS factories are also at risk.
Conclusion:
PFAS cannot be banned everywhere yet because we need it for a lot of things like vaccine tubing, medical implants, semiconductor manufacturing, and space suits. But we can still stop using products like textiles, cosmetics, firefighting foam, and food packaging that use PFAS, while better alternatives are still available.
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