Korup, Ida Møller

Lindholm, Malene

Trust, Line Babette

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) er et syntetisk kemikalie, som findes globalt i miljø og i blodet hos næsten hele befolkningen. PFOA’s bindinger mellem carbon og fluor, har nogle unikke egenskaber, som man har draget stor nytte af i industrien. Disse egenskaber bruges bl.a. i non-stick-stegepander, farmaceutiske produkter og brandslukningsskum. PFOA er kræftfremkaldende og bioakkumulerende, og bliver udledt fra industrien til vandløb og/eller ved gasudledning. Udledningen til vandløb fra produktionen ender i floder, drikkevand m.m., og er i dag at finde mere eller mindre overalt - fra grundvandet til atmosfæren, og alle lag derimellem. Da der udledes mere end der nedbrydes, akkumuleres PFOA i miljøet, hvor planter og organismer optager PFOA fra det forurenede vand. Ydermere akkumuleres PFOA gennem de trofiske niveauer i fødekæden. Når PFOA optages i kroppen f.eks. ved indtagelse af forurenet drikkevand, ophobes det i blodet. Dette har ført til sundhedsmæssige konsekvenser ved diagnosticeret højt kolesteroltal, colitis ulcerosa, skjoldbruskkirtelsygdom, testikelkræft, nyrekræft og graviditetsinduceret hypertension.DuPont har produceret og derved også udledt PFOA siden 1951. Trods DuPonts kendskab til giftigheden af PFOA, bl.a. gennem DuPonts egen forskning, valgte de at forsætte produktionen uden ændringer. Efter United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (U.S. EPA) grundlæggelse, blev det et lovkrav at indrapportere om brugen af farlige kemikalier. I sidste ende blev DuPonts interessekonflikt, et brud på kemikalielovgivningen, og de normer for det forskningsparadigme de befandt sig i. Perfluorooctanioc acid (PFOA) is a synthetic chemical, which can be found everywhere in the environment and in the blood of nearly the entire population. PFOAs bindings between carbon and fluor has some unique properties, that is used in the industry. These properties are used for non-stick frying pans, pharmaceuticals, and firefighting foam. PFOA is carcinogenic and bioaccumulating and is derived from the industry by emitting to watercourses and/or air by gas. Emission to watercourses from the production enter rivers, drinking waters etc. and today it can be found almost everywhere – from groundwater to the atmosphere, and everywhere in between. Due to a larger emission than decomposition, PFOA accumulates in the environment, where plants and organisms absorbs PFOA from the contaminated water. Furthermore, PFOA accumulates through trophic levels in the food chain. When PFOA absorbs in the body, for example by intake of contaminated drinking water, it builds-up in the blood. This has resulted in health consequences with high cholesterol, colitis ulcerosa, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, kidney cancer and pregnancy induced hypertension. DuPont has been producing and thereby also emitting PFOA since 1951. Despite DuPont’s knowledge of the toxicity of PFOA, i.a. through DuPont’s own research, they continued the production without any changes. After the foundation of United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), it became law to submit any use of toxic chemicals. In the end DuPonts conflict of interests became a violation of the chemical law and the standard for the research paradigm they were in. <br/

Perfluorooctanoic Acids - Violation of the science standards: Violation of the science standards

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Roskilde Universitet