In recent decades, the scientific community has been warning about the high level of toxic chemicals in the waters of rains. This is due to the large increase in the emission of these toxins by us human beings. Now, a new study sheds more light on the why not drink rainwater.
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Rainwater is not drinkable
This new study comes from the University of Stockholm and was based on the guidelines of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA. In this case, the international community uses the recommendations of this body a lot when it comes to drinking water.
So, according to what the EPA qualifies as potable water, which is safe to drink, there is no rain anywhere in the world that is safe to drink. This is due to the presence of “Forever Chemicals”, something like “eternal chemicals”, in free translation.
These components are also known by the acronym PFAS, which stands for perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances. According to the study, these are substances that take a long time to decompose. Furthermore, we find them in packaging, shampoos, make-up, but also in the air and rainwater.
Therefore, the EPA's conclusion is that the presence of PFAS has increased significantly in rainwater, making it unfit for consumption. In fact, studies point out that even in Antarctica these levels are high, so that you cannot drink any rainwater.
Contact with rainwater is dangerous
Furthermore, the new findings also show that not only rainwater consumption is dangerous. This is because even simple contact with the skin can cause significant impacts, as the EPA has warned several times.
Among the main effects on health is the decrease in the protection of vaccines in children. But not only that, because obesity, high cholesterol, infertility and even some types of cancer can be effects of contact with the rains.
However, it is worth mentioning that the risk is much lower when contact occurs through the skin. On the other hand, the effects will be much more present in those who ingest rainwater.