PFAS and Heavy Metals at Age 2 Can Hurt Kids' Lungs by Age 10
NonToxCo Research
Science & Safety Team · 4/7/2026
Kids exposed to PFAS and heavy metals at age 2 had measurably worse lung function by age 10. That's years of damage building up from chemicals they were exposed to as toddlers.
What the Research Found
A 2026 study in Environ Res tracked 505 children from a Korean birth cohort. Researchers measured PFOA, PFOS, mercury, and cadmium levels in their blood at ages 2, 4, and 6. Then they tested lung function at ages 8 and 10.
The results were clear. Children with higher PFAS levels at age 2 had lower FEF25-75 scores (a measure of small airway function) at ages 8 to 10. Children with higher heavy metal levels at age 2 had lower FEV1/FVC ratios, meaning their airways weren't working as well as they should.
Age 2 was the critical window. Exposures measured at ages 4 and 6 didn't show the same strength of association. Something about that toddler stage made their developing lungs especially vulnerable.
Where These Chemicals Come From
PFAS are in nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and food packaging. Mercury and cadmium show up in certain foods, household dust, and secondhand smoke. Toddlers crawl on floors, put everything in their mouths, and breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults. They get hit harder.
How to Reduce Exposure
Start early. Ditch nonstick pans. Avoid stain-resistant treatments on furniture and clothing. Wet-mop floors instead of dry sweeping. Filter your drinking water. Check out non-toxic baby products that skip the chemicals your kid doesn't need in their body.
Also see glass food storage for safer alternatives.