Public Poison

Evidence is mounting on the health problems linked to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of manufactured chemicals used in consumer products that accumulate in the body and take a very long time to break down. These substances increase risk for a number of medical concerns, including cancer, liver damage and fertility issues.

A bottle of water can contain a quarter of a million pieces of plastic, a study has found. Scientists have found a new category of plastic pollution called nanoparticles, which are created when microplastics break down even further. It had previously been impossible to tell how many particles smaller than one micron, one seventieth of the width of ...

New research from Columbia University found that long term exposure to one naturally occurring metal found in drinking water across the country may lead to an increased risk of heart disease.

Chronic, low-level lead poisoning is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in adults and cognitive deficits in children, even at levels previously thought to be safe, according to a paper by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Simon Fraser University in Canada, and Harvard Medical School, and Boston Children's Hospital.