EXETER, England, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Researchers in Britain have linked thyroid disease with human exposure to stain repellent containing perfluorooctanoic acid.
Senior author Tamara Galloway, a professor at the University of Exeter University, and colleagues at the Peninsula Medical School said perfluorooctanoic acid is a persistent organic chemical used in industrial and consumer goods, including non-stick cookware and stain- and water-resistant coatings for carpets and fabrics.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, revealed that people with higher concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid in their blood have higher rates of thyroid disease.
The researchers analyzed samples from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
"Our results highlight a real need for further research into the human health effects of low-level exposures to environmental chemicals like perfluorooctanoic acid that are ubiquitous in the environment and in people's homes," Galloway said in a statement. "We need to know what they are doing."
