Dr. Joe Schwarcz

And there are all kinds of uses, you know, as you can imagine for duct tape. It saved the lives of the Apollo 13 astronauts where a catastrophe was averted because the astronauts were able to rig up a contraption to remove carbon dioxide from the air that they exhale. And they used duct tape in order to do that.

You know, it's been said that WD-40 is what you need to make things go, and duct tape is what you need to make things stop. We hear a lot today about PFAS.

You know, it's been said that WD-40 is what you need to make things go, and duct tape is what you need to make things stop. We hear a lot today about PFAS.

You know, it's been said that WD-40 is what you need to make things go, and duct tape is what you need to make things stop. We hear a lot today about PFAS.

PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl substances. which are really a family of compounds that have some very interesting properties that are commercially useful because they make substances water-resistant and oil-resistant. So PFAS would be used, for example, in the making of rain gear. It is used in firefighting foams because it can very effectively blanket a fire and seal out oxygen.

PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl substances. which are really a family of compounds that have some very interesting properties that are commercially useful because they make substances water-resistant and oil-resistant. So PFAS would be used, for example, in the making of rain gear. It is used in firefighting foams because it can very effectively blanket a fire and seal out oxygen.

PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl substances. which are really a family of compounds that have some very interesting properties that are commercially useful because they make substances water-resistant and oil-resistant. So PFAS would be used, for example, in the making of rain gear. It is used in firefighting foams because it can very effectively blanket a fire and seal out oxygen.

It is used in the manufacture of Teflon. It has a myriad of uses. Your pizza box in which your pizza is delivered. You don't want that box to be greasy or wet. So it is treated with these chemicals. Now, the problem is that whatever makes these so useful also creates a problem.

It is used in the manufacture of Teflon. It has a myriad of uses. Your pizza box in which your pizza is delivered. You don't want that box to be greasy or wet. So it is treated with these chemicals. Now, the problem is that whatever makes these so useful also creates a problem.

It is used in the manufacture of Teflon. It has a myriad of uses. Your pizza box in which your pizza is delivered. You don't want that box to be greasy or wet. So it is treated with these chemicals. Now, the problem is that whatever makes these so useful also creates a problem.

The carbon-fluorine bond is a very, very strong bond, and it is responsible for all the beneficial properties of these compounds, but it also means that they are very difficult to break down. So these are not biodegradable. These substances build up in the environment. Now, of course, then the question comes up, so what?

The carbon-fluorine bond is a very, very strong bond, and it is responsible for all the beneficial properties of these compounds, but it also means that they are very difficult to break down. So these are not biodegradable. These substances build up in the environment. Now, of course, then the question comes up, so what?

The carbon-fluorine bond is a very, very strong bond, and it is responsible for all the beneficial properties of these compounds, but it also means that they are very difficult to break down. So these are not biodegradable. These substances build up in the environment. Now, of course, then the question comes up, so what?

Well, once we find that they build up in the environment, we start looking for them everywhere, including in our urine and including in our blood. And it turns out that they are there. It is, however, always important to point out that the presence of a chemical cannot be equated to the presence of risk. That's a different question.

Well, once we find that they build up in the environment, we start looking for them everywhere, including in our urine and including in our blood. And it turns out that they are there. It is, however, always important to point out that the presence of a chemical cannot be equated to the presence of risk. That's a different question.

Well, once we find that they build up in the environment, we start looking for them everywhere, including in our urine and including in our blood. And it turns out that they are there. It is, however, always important to point out that the presence of a chemical cannot be equated to the presence of risk. That's a different question.

So just because they're present in our urine and our blood doesn't mean that they're creating some sort of havoc in our body, but it does mean that it requires further exploration. And that further exploration has been done. And it turns out that there are links to elevated blood pressure,

So just because they're present in our urine and our blood doesn't mean that they're creating some sort of havoc in our body, but it does mean that it requires further exploration. And that further exploration has been done. And it turns out that there are links to elevated blood pressure,

So just because they're present in our urine and our blood doesn't mean that they're creating some sort of havoc in our body, but it does mean that it requires further exploration. And that further exploration has been done. And it turns out that there are links to elevated blood pressure,

to greater risk of kidney disease, to greater risk of diabetes when there is an excessive amount of these chemicals in the bloodstream, which unfortunately can happen because they are so widely used in so many commercial items. However, the real problem is that they get into the environment not from the products that we tend to use on a daily basis, but from their manufacture.