Exposure through the skin to the toxic fluorinated chemical once used to make Teflon could pose the same health hazards as ingesting the compound in water or food, according to a new animal study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH.
The study, which will appear in next month’s issue of the peer-reviewed journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, examined the effects of the chemical PFOA on the immune systems of mice exposed to high levels of the compound through the skin. The chemical is one of thousands in the family of fluorinated compounds known as PFAS.
NIOSH found that after four days of heavy exposure to PFOS through their skin, rodents’ spleens showed significantly reduced levels of antibodies. The researchers also noted a significant decrease in the weight of the spleen and thymus, indicating PFOA was absorbed through the skin and caused immunosuppressive effects. Studies in humans have shown that exposure to low levels of PFOA, and other PFAS, can harm the immune system of children and adults.
PFOA is one of the most studied compounds of the PFAS family. The chemicals are used to make water-, grease- and stain-repellent coatings for a vast array of consumer goods and industrial applications.
