Hello people!
I was very excited to see the widespread impact that this paper had particularly because a friend and colleague of mine, Margaret Dickinson, was responsible for this project. I thought I would take some time to explain a little about the process of using PIGE to analyze fast food wrappers and look at how these molecules affect you.
What is PFAS?
PFAS stands for perflouroalkyl and polyflouroalkyl substances. They are synthetic molecules which have been developed because they bond so strongly to each other that they resist change. These properties make them good for waterproofing fabrics, stain-resisting materials, etc.
What is the problem?
The problem is that these bonds are so strong, that they do not ever want to let go. This remains true whilst inside the human body. Hence, these compounds tend to build up in the body. Where the presence of PFAS in adults used to be nearly undetectable, there are now measurable, part per billion, quantities in the blood streams of adults and children. Studies are being done to analyze whether PFAS are harmful to us, and how they get into our bodies.
How do we detect it?
To determine if PFAS were contaminating fast foods, fast food wrappers, paperboards, and cups were analyzed using an ion beam analysis technique called PIGE. PIGE, or Particle-Induced X-ray Emission, if you want to get carpal tunnel, is a nuclear technique that allows you to analyze light elements. A characteristic Flourine-19 peak in the gamma ray spectrum is indicative as to whether the PFAS is present in the sample or not.
PIGE occurs when a high energy proton beam interacts with the surface of the sample. The beam will penetrate the electron cloud and transfer the energy from the protons to the nucleus where they will excite to higher energy levels. In order for the nucleons to decay back down to the lower energy levels, they will emit a photon, or gamma ray, to do so. The energy of the gamma ray is equal to the energy difference between the nucleic levels, which allows us to infer both the nucleus and the beginning and final energy levels of the photon. Hence, we see a characteristic Flourine-19 gamma ray.
Will I die?
Will PFAS kill you? Probably not. However, it would be a good idea to regulate your fast food consumption and microwave popcorn such that you do not build up high levels of PFAS in your blood stream. The article states found exposure to PFAS was associated with kidney and testicular cancers, low birth weight, thyroid disease, decreased sperm quality, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and immunotoxicity in children. [1]
Where can I learn more?
You can read the actual article here. In fact, I would recommend it. While it is a scientific article, it is not overtly technical and is relatively short.
INTJ Input 