通常用于食品包装和家用产品的化学物质具有致癌特性

通常用于食品包装和家用产品的化学物质具有致癌特性

Chemicals commonly used in everyday products – from pizza boxes to nonstick pans – are found to have characteristics similar to known carcinogenic chemicals.

从披萨盒到不粘锅等日常用品中普遍使用的化学物质被发现具有与已知致癌化学物质相似的特性。

Since the 1950s, thousands of different per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used for a variety of reasons, but it was their use in firefighting foams that have resulted in extensive contamination around the world. Because PFAS build up in the human body over time and never break down in the environment, human exposure is extensive and detectable in nearly every person, starting with exposure in the womb. Exposure has been linked to a variety of ailments, including hormonal dysregulation, weakened immune system, reproductive and developmental harms, as well as reduced effectiveness of vaccines.

自20世纪50年代以来，成千上万种不同的单氟烷基和多氟烷基物质(PFAS)因各种原因被使用，但正是它们在灭火泡沫中的使用导致了世界范围内的广泛污染。由于PFAS随时间在人体内积累，不会在环境中分解，所以几乎每个人体内都能检测到大量的PFAS，从子宫开始。暴露与多种疾病有关，包括激素失调、免疫系统减弱、生殖和发育损害，以及疫苗效力降低。

Madison Dapcevich

Now, scientists at the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Indiana University report that nearly every PFAS analyzed presents the same characteristics as other cancer-causing chemicals. Used the Key Characteristics of Carcinogens, a framework established to evaluate and identify carcinogenic products, researchers conducted a review of 26 PFAS to determine whether a chemical causes damage to DNA, induces oxidative stress, or causes chronic inflammation, among other things.

现在，环境工作组(EWG)和印第安纳大学的科学家们报告说，几乎每一种分析的PFAS都具有与其他致癌化学物质相同的特征。利用致癌物质的关键特性，建立了一个评估和识别致癌产品的框架，研究人员对26种PFAS进行了评估，以确定一种化学物质是否会导致DNA损伤、诱导氧化应激或导致慢性炎症等。

Every PFAS analyzed displayed at least one characteristic of other carcinogenic chemicals, despite differences in reporting and approaches for estimating levels across the studies reviewed.

尽管所分析的PFAS在报告和评估方法上存在差异，但每个PFAS至少显示出一种其他致癌化学物质的特征。

“We found strong evidence that multiple PFAS induce oxidative stress, are immunosuppressive, and modulate receptor-mediated effects. We also found suggestive evidence indicating that some PFAS can induce epigenetic alterations and influence cell proliferation,” write the authors in the journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

“我们发现强有力的证据表明，多重PFAS可诱导氧化应激，具有免疫抑制作用，并可调节受体介导的效应。”我们还发现了有启发性的证据，表明某些PFAS可以诱导表观遗传学改变并影响细胞增殖，”作者在《国际环境研究与公共卫生杂志》上写道。

The findings build on previous work that further illuminated the potential dangers of these “forever chemicals.” A previous analysis of more than 70,000 people who lived or worked where drinking water was contaminated with PFOA chemicals was found to have an increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma as well as kidney, testicular, prostate, and ovarian cancers. PFOA chemicals were used by DuPont to make Teflon. Earlier this year, the EWG found that PFAS chemicals were present in drinking water of dozens of US cities and are widespread in rainwater, making it likely that the chemicals are found in a majority of major US water supplies.

这些发现建立在先前的工作上，进一步阐明了这些“永久化学物质”的潜在危险。之前的一项分析发现，在饮用水被PFOA化学物质污染的地方生活或工作的7万多人患非霍奇金淋巴瘤以及肾癌、睾丸癌、前列腺癌和卵巢癌的风险更高。杜邦公司曾使用PFOA化学品生产特氟隆。今年早些时候，EWG发现，美国几十个城市的饮用水中都含有PFAS化学物质，雨水中也普遍存在PFAS化学物质，这使得美国大部分主要水源都含有PFAS化学物质。

"Our research has shown that PFAS impact biological functions linked to an increased risk of cancer," said Alexis Temkin, PhD, EWG toxicologist and the primary author of the new study, in a statement. "This is worrisome, given that all Americans are exposed to PFAS mixtures on a daily basis, from contamination in water, food and everyday products."

“我们的研究表明，PFAS会影响生物功能，从而增加患癌症的风险，”EWG毒理学家、这项新研究的第一作者亚历克西斯·特金博士在一份声明中说。“这令人担忧，因为所有美国人每天都接触到PFAS混合物，包括水、食品和日常产品中的污染。”

The researchers conclude that officials should focus on preventing cancer by preventing human exposure to potential carcinogens, perhaps beginning with PFAS.

研究人员得出结论，官员们应该把重点放在预防癌症上，方法是防止人类接触潜在的致癌物，或许可以从PFAS开始。