Its Raining PFAS Forever Chemicals in Miami, Study Finds [Video]

A new study has found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Miami’s rainwater.

It is the most recent evidence that “forever chemicals” get caught up in the water cycle and circulate over great distances.

“PFAS are practically everywhere,” said Natalia Soares Quinete, author of the study and an assistant professor of chemistry at Florida International University (FIU), in a press release from FIU. “Now we’re able to show the role air masses play in potentially bringing these pollutants to other places where they can impact surface water and groundwater.”

PFAS, widely found in consumer products — from nonstick cookware to cosmetics, clothing, food packaging and firefighting foams — have been associated with health issues in humans and wildlife.

Researchers at FIU spent over a year collecting and analyzing 42 rainwater samples from three sites in Miami-Dade County. They detected 21 PFAS, including PFOS and PFOA — which has …