Overview
- Researchers analyzed 1,614 U.S. adults in NHANES 2017–2020 and found detectable tetrachloroethylene in about 7% of participants.
- Each one nanogram per milliliter increase in blood PCE was associated with a fivefold rise in the odds of significant liver fibrosis.
- The study, published in Liver International, is cross-sectional, so it identifies associations but cannot establish causation.
- PCE is used in dry cleaning and various products such as adhesives, spot removers and metal degreasers, with exposure occurring at work, at home and through contaminated water.
- The findings arrive as the EPA’s December 2024 rule restricts many PCE uses under TSCA, with implementation guidance issued in January 2025.