A toxic chemical once used in dry cleaning could trigger a Parkinson's disease 'timebomb', according to new research. People exposed to the industrial solvent are 70% more likely to develop the disease, warn scientists.
The findings are based on tens of thousands of former marines stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, USA, over a decade. Its water supply was contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and other volatile organic compounds.
Corresponding author Professor Samuel Goldman, of California University in San Francisco, said: "Exposure to trichloroethylene in water may increase the risk of Parkinson's disease. Millions worldwide have been and continue to be exposed to this ubiquitous environmental contaminant."
