Perchlorate is a chemical that occurs both naturally and from manmade operations. It is used in a wide variety of industrial processes, and is a primary ingredient of solid rocket propellant. Perchlorate also has been used as a medicine to treat hyperthyroid conditions.
Perchlorate, at very high levels, can cause interruptions in iodide uptake into the thyroid gland, which can disrupt its functions. For this reason, perchlorate has been used as a drug to treat hyperthyroidism or to diagnose thyroid disorders. It is neither a carcinogen nor a reproductive toxin. Since the mid-1990s, scientists have been researching perchlorate and its possible human health effects, primarily because of its presence at trace levels in a number of water systems. Drinking water has been the primary focus of study regarding perchlorate.
Perchlorate is found in soil, groundwater and irrigation water, which can be absorbed by plants or by animals that drink perchlorate-containing water. has been found in some samples of lettuce, milk and bottled water. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has collected and analyzed a variety of additional foods to see if they contain perchlorate. Because perchlorate is found in groundwater and irrigation water around the country, it is possible that perchlorate may be found in a wide range of foods.
Q&A About PerchlorateCenter for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food & Drug Administration | ||
Perchlorate ResourcesU.S. Environmental Protection Agency |