3 ms·

I would also say this attitude was pervasive when we used leaded gasoline, which widely contaminated the biosphere, roads and people. It's everywhere. We all h

by mdrew 3y ago

I would also say this attitude was pervasive when we used leaded gasoline, which widely contaminated the biosphere, roads and people. It's everywhere. We all have it. Why bother. I think we now know there's no safe level of lead in the blood. If you have suspected exposure in 2023, doctors quantify your lead level through a blood test and if it's elevated, recommend a medical procedure called chelation to remove it. With PFAS, the medicine is just starting to catch up to the horrors of the news cycle. But I think in the future, PFAS contamination is going to be treated in a similar way to lead exposure. That is, medically. But right now, it's easy to throw up ones hands and say, it's all fucked. Why bother doing anything.

dingnuts 3y ago
Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the global lead poisoning hypothesis that was popularized by Neil DeGrasse Tyson's remake of Cosmos was determined to be based on extremely scant evidence and may have been outright false
- JBorrow 3y ago
  What are you talking about? This is an ongoing global public health crisis: https://www.who.int/news/item/23-10-2022-almost-1-million-people-die-every-year-due-to-lead-poisoning--with-more-children-suffering-long-term-health-effects https://www.who.int/news/item/23-10-2022-almost-1-million-pe...
- rcme 3y ago
  A recent study in New Zealand found that blood lead levels of 3.5 micrograms / dL, which is the lowest easily detectable level, were associated with a drop of 1 IQ. People during the times of lead paint and leaded gasoline often had levels of 80 micrograms / dL. It seriously messed them up.
  - mdrew 3y ago
    Our first version of the site was PFAS.wtf but that didn't test well
ShakataGaNai 3y ago
So the "what should I do?" was the big question. Even in your OP, you said you didn't know what to do about it. Neither does the website say much other than basically "lawyer". If there is something I can do to help me, then there is a purpose to the test. This chelation you mentioned. But again, this should be a "See a doctor first" situation. What are the risks of chelation? Is it safer for me to have PFAS than go through chelation? The lawyers ( https://www.pintas.com/pfas-class-action-lawsuit/can-pfas-be-removed-from-the-body/ https://www.pintas.com/pfas-class-action-lawsuit/can-pfas-be... ) say there is nothing I can do. So I should sue. The news says there might be a way soon ( https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-way-destroy-pfas-forever-chemicals-rcna43528 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-way-destroy-p... ) to get rid of PFAS, but nothing about from the human body. At least the EPA has some suggestions about how to reduce your risk: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/meaningful-and-achievable-steps-you-can-take-reduce-your-risk https://www.epa.gov/pfas/meaningful-and-achievable-steps-you...
- mdrew 3y ago
  I don't have all the answers. Just trying to provide one small solution in the chain.
- ars 3y ago
  So far as I know chelation is not effective for PFAS, chelation is for metals. PFAS will eventually (slowly) leave your body - focus on not getting anymore, not on removing it. I posted a comment with suggestions elsewhere in this thread.
  - mdrew 3y ago
    Correct. I was using lead chelation as an analogy for the medical management of PFAS contamination.
  - azinman2 3y ago
    Evidence so far is that plasma and blood donations can remove it slowly.
- giantg2 3y ago
eutectic 3y ago
Well, in the case of lead, I don't think it was irrational for individuals to feel disempowered. The solution was regulatory and societal change, but how many people want to devote their lives to being PFAS crusaders?
- mdrew 3y ago
  Society is starting to change. EPAs super aggressive new water quality standards. Bans on PFAS in packaging. PFAS crusader haha. Edit: forgot the word water
rcme 3y ago
Lead in the blood is really just a side effect of chronic exposure. What’s currently considered elevated is something like 3.5 micrograms / dL. It’s equivalent to just a few specks of lead dust in your blood. The bigger issue is that lead in your blood means you have lead in your bones where it will poison you throughout your life.

by mdrew 3y ago

dingnuts 3y ago

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought the global lead poisoning hypothesis that was popularized by Neil DeGrasse Tyson's remake of Cosmos was determined to be based on extremely scant evidence and may have been outright false

JBorrow 3y ago
What are you talking about? This is an ongoing global public health crisis: https://www.who.int/news/item/23-10-2022-almost-1-million-people-die-every-year-due-to-lead-poisoning--with-more-children-suffering-long-term-health-effects https://www.who.int/news/item/23-10-2022-almost-1-million-pe...
rcme 3y ago
A recent study in New Zealand found that blood lead levels of 3.5 micrograms / dL, which is the lowest easily detectable level, were associated with a drop of 1 IQ. People during the times of lead paint and leaded gasoline often had levels of 80 micrograms / dL. It seriously messed them up.
- mdrew 3y ago
  Our first version of the site was PFAS.wtf but that didn't test well

ShakataGaNai 3y ago

So the "what should I do?" was the big question. Even in your OP, you said you didn't know what to do about it. Neither does the website say much other than basically "lawyer". If there is something I can do to help me, then there is a purpose to the test. This chelation you mentioned. But again, this should be a "See a doctor first" situation. What are the risks of chelation? Is it safer for me to have PFAS than go through chelation? The lawyers ( https://www.pintas.com/pfas-class-action-lawsuit/can-pfas-be-removed-from-the-body/ https://www.pintas.com/pfas-class-action-lawsuit/can-pfas-be... ) say there is nothing I can do. So I should sue. The news says there might be a way soon ( https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-way-destroy-pfas-forever-chemicals-rcna43528 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/new-way-destroy-p... ) to get rid of PFAS, but nothing about from the human body. At least the EPA has some suggestions about how to reduce your risk: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/meaningful-and-achievable-steps-you-can-take-reduce-your-risk https://www.epa.gov/pfas/meaningful-and-achievable-steps-you...

mdrew 3y ago
I don't have all the answers. Just trying to provide one small solution in the chain.
ars 3y ago
So far as I know chelation is not effective for PFAS, chelation is for metals. PFAS will eventually (slowly) leave your body - focus on not getting anymore, not on removing it. I posted a comment with suggestions elsewhere in this thread.
- mdrew 3y ago
  Correct. I was using lead chelation as an analogy for the medical management of PFAS contamination.
- azinman2 3y ago
  Evidence so far is that plasma and blood donations can remove it slowly.
giantg2 3y ago

eutectic 3y ago

Well, in the case of lead, I don't think it was irrational for individuals to feel disempowered. The solution was regulatory and societal change, but how many people want to devote their lives to being PFAS crusaders?

mdrew 3y ago
Society is starting to change. EPAs super aggressive new water quality standards. Bans on PFAS in packaging. PFAS crusader haha. Edit: forgot the word water

rcme 3y ago

Lead in the blood is really just a side effect of chronic exposure. What’s currently considered elevated is something like 3.5 micrograms / dL. It’s equivalent to just a few specks of lead dust in your blood. The bigger issue is that lead in your blood means you have lead in your bones where it will poison you throughout your life.