POLLUTION AND HEALTH

  PFAS Contamination in the River Nile: Understanding the What, How, and Where — An Environmental and Policy Analysis Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have emerged as critical global contaminants due to their extreme chemical stability, mobility, and bioaccumulative nature. As synthetic compounds used widely in industrial, commercial, and domestic applications, PFAS have infiltrated key water systems, including Africa’s longest and most vital river — the Nile. This paper explores PFAS contamination in the Nile Basin through the lenses of what PFAS are, how they infiltrate the Nile system, and where contamination is concentrated. Drawing on global literature, environmental monitoring data, and policy analysis, the study underscores PFAS as a transboundary pollutant with implications for ecosystem integrity, food security, and human health across multiple nations. It concludes with a comprehensive policy framework emphasizing regional monitoring, industrial r...

  Reproductive Health, PFAS, and Cervical Cancer: Unveiling the Invisible Threat to Women’s Health Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have quietly infiltrated nearly every environmental compartment — from drinking water and soil to the human bloodstream. Known as “forever chemicals” for their extreme persistence, PFAS represent a growing global health crisis with multi-systemic impacts. Among their most insidious effects are those on women’s reproductive health , including endocrine disruption, immunosuppression, and heightened vulnerability to hormone-related cancers. This paper explores the linkages between PFAS exposure and cervical cancer , contextualized within reproductive health frameworks and gendered environmental risk. It outlines the biological mechanisms underpinning PFAS-induced carcinogenesis, reviews emerging epidemiological evidence, and underscores the disproportionate risks faced by women in low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya. The ...

  The Carcinoma–PFAS Nexus: What, How, and When — Health Implications and Policy Directions Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent one of the most complex chemical challenges in the 21st century. Known as “forever chemicals” due to their extraordinary stability, PFAS have become ubiquitous in the environment, infiltrating water sources, food chains, and human biological systems. Over recent decades, a growing body of toxicological and epidemiological evidence has linked PFAS exposure to carcinogenesis, particularly in vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, testes, thyroid, and mammary glands. This paper explores the PFAS–carcinoma nexus through three analytical dimensions: what defines the relationship between PFAS and cancer, how mechanistic pathways mediate carcinogenic outcomes, and when exposure windows and latency periods shape disease manifestation. It further integrates the scientific discourse with global and African policy frameworks, exami...

  Schizophrenia: The Nexus Between Schizophrenia and PFAS- Health Implications and Policy Recommendations Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) constitute a vast class of synthetic fluorinated compounds characterized by extraordinary chemical stability and environmental persistence. Although extensively used in firefighting foams, textiles, packaging, and industrial applications, these compounds are now recognized as global contaminants of concern. The expanding toxicological literature reveals PFAS interference with immune, endocrine, reproductive, and metabolic systems. Recent neurotoxicological evidence raises the possibility that chronic PFAS exposure may contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders, notably schizophrenia. This paper examines the biological plausibility and epidemiological trends underpinning the PFAS–schizophrenia nexus, analyzes its potential implications for public health, and provides structured, evidence-based policy recommendations. It emphasi...