Don’t look up now, but new research indicates that industrial chemicals called fluorotelomer alcohols, or FTOHs, may remain suspended in the air for several weeks on average. Their longevity in the atmosphere suggests that they may widely disperse before degrading into durable environmental contaminants that have been found far from industrialized areas.
FTOHs are ingredients in many consumer products, including paints, polishes, adhesives, waxes, and stain-repellent coatings.
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