Miner finds outdoor gear forever chemicals in snow near Everest summit phys.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from phys.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
âForever chemicalsâ used in water-repellant outdoor gear have been found in snow from the top of Mount Everest.
Kimberley Miner says these human-made per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) â which have been linked to birth defects, high cholesterol and increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer â could eventually pose a risk for trekkers, climbers and residents who drink the meltwater.
Miner, a research assistant professor at the University of Maine Climate Change Institute, is lead author of the paper âDeposition of PFAS âforever chemicalsâ on Mt. Everest,â published Dec. 17 in the online journal Science of the Total Environment.
Other recent studies suggest that exposure to high levels of PFAS may suppress peoplesâ immune systems and increase their risk of getting COVID-19, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.