“These contaminants (PFAAs), which are on the increase, are an additional environmental injustice,” Université Laval researcher says.
Pregnant women in the Nunavik region in northern Quebec are twice as exposed to certain chemicals produced far from home than a representative sample of other Canadian women of the same age group, according to a study led by a researcher from Université Laval.
“These contaminants, which are on the increase, are an additional environmental injustice,” said Mélanie Lemire, a professor in the Quebec City university’s medical faculty who is affiliated with the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec.
Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are chemical compounds used in particular in the manufacture of water-repellent or stain-resistant treatments, non-stick coatings, food packaging, paints, cosmetics and cleaning products.