UNC Chapel Hill asking for breastmilk samples to test for chemicals
NORTH CAROLINA (WWAY) — Does your breastmilk have PFAS? There’s a way you can find out for free.
A post on social media says researchers at UNC Chapel Hill are recruiting members of the community who are actively breastfeeding or who will be breastfeeding in the near future to donate samples of breastmilk to test for PFAS and other chemicals.
To be in the study you must meet the following requirements:
- Actively breastfeeding
- Pickup a sample collection kit
- Provide ~1 fl. oz. of breastmilk using provided pump
- Provide ~1 fl. oz. of tap water
- Drop off samples two weeks after pickup
- Fill out a brief survey
Anyone interested in taking part can contact Dr. Erin Baker for more information via email at erinmsb@unc.edu.
A report in 2017 found high levels of PFAS in the Cape Fear River.
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s facilities now have “granular activated carbon filters” which work to filter forever chemicals like PFAS.
