PFAS Central: sharing notable news, scientific papers & events
Although useful, PFAS or highly fluorinated chemicals are associated with serious health harm and can remain in the environment forever.
Latest News
[Podcast] How PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ are harming our health, with Linda Birnbaum
27 Nov 2023 | UChicago News
Linda Birnbaum explains that while we cannot completely avoid PFAS, there are steps we can take to limit our exposure.
Forever Chemicals in Rainwater: A Global Threat to Human Health
26 Nov 2023 | One Green Planet
This widespread contamination underscores the urgency for immediate action and deeper research into the long-term effects of PFAS on our planet and our health.
Explore the World of PFAS With Dr. Carol Kwiatkowski
24 Nov 2023 | Technology Networks
Technology Networks invited Kwiatkowski to an Ask Me Anything session to answer your questions about PFAS and their impact on human health.
Legal Focus: PFAS litigation risks mount as EU claims rise
23 Nov 2023 | Kennedy's Law
A recent rise in PFAS-related claims led in the EU has raised questions as to whether the UK can expect to face similar litigation.
Australian dolphins have the world’s highest concentrations of ‘forever chemicals’
23 Nov 2023 | The Conversation
One young Burrunan dolphin had liver concentrations almost 30% higher than any other dolphin ever reported.
Latest Science
Analysis of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in plastic food storage bags by different analytical approaches
22 Nov 2023 | JCO
57% of plastic food storage bags were found to contain PFAS and migration studies showed no migration of diPAP (6:2) and rapid PFBS migration within 2 hours, with weekly exposure estimates remaining below the regulatory levels set by the European Food Safety Authority.
Validating blood microsampling for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances quantification in whole blood
20 Nov 2023 | JCA
A minimally invasive and cost-effective microsampling technique was evaluated for quantifying 75 PFAS in dried blood spots, with the most effective extraction method identified as filtered protein precipitation, demonstrating its potential as an extensive and practical tool for large-scale human biomonitoring studies.
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Canadian municipal wastewater and biosolids: Recent patterns and time trends 2009 to 2021
19 Nov 2023 | Sci. Total Environ.
PFOS and PFOA remain in Canadian wastewater and biosolids, with concentrations of long-chain PFAS – except for PFOS – decreasing over time, while short-chain PFAS, used as replacements, show a consistent increase in wastewater between 2009 and 2021.
Distribution of select per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances at a chemical manufacturing plant
19 Nov 2023 | J Hazard Mater
Testing around a PFAS manufacturing facility in New Jersey revealed that while PFCAs were likely to migrate in groundwater, FTOHs primarily moved in the vapor phase, emphasizing the potential for PFAS vapor intrusion and indoor air inhalation exposure in the surrounding area.
Let’s talk about PFAS: Inconsistent public awareness about PFAS and its sources in the United States
16 Nov 2023 | PLOS ONE
A nationwide survey revealed that nearly half of respondents were unaware of PFAS, with 97.4% expressing a belief that their drinking water had not been impacted by PFAS, highlighting a crucial need for improved communication and awareness efforts regarding PFAS information and health risks.
Latest Policy
Bipartisan senators want to take on ‘forever chemical’ pollution. Environmental activists are wary
25 Nov 2023
A key concern for environmentalists is not the provisions of the current draft bill, but discussions related to pollution cleanup and liability.
UN Probes DuPont, Chemours Over Human Rights Harms From PFAS
24 Nov 2023
A UN investigative office took aim at three companies tied to historical DuPont, along with the Netherlands and the US, for their role in violating human environmental rights due to PFAS released from a North Carolina factory, according to letters released on Friday.
PFAS and WHO: Major Conference This Week Will Impact Litigation
10 Nov 2023
This week, the International Agency For Research On Cancer is holding a week-long conference in Lyon, France to discuss the carcinogenicity of PFOA and PFAS.
Pappas to IRS: PFAS rebates should be nontaxable based on existing guidance
3 Nov 2023
Last spring, Congressman Chris Pappas filed legislation to change the Internal Revenue Service’s tax code in regard to state-issued PFAS remediation rebates. Now he’s working another avenue: asking the IRS to fix the issue itself.
Delaware AG Files PFAS Suit Against Numerous Companies
2 Nov 2023
On October 26, Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings filed a lawsuit against fourteen chemical companies for allegedly contaminating the state’s natural resources with PFAS traceable to the use and disposal of AFFF, a specialized firefighting foam product widely used at airports and military bases.
Opportunities
[Job] Notice of Recruitment for Population Health PhD Applicants in Environmental Health at Northeastern University
Event: 15 Dec 2023
Come join our growing team of environmental health researchers in the Department of Health Sciences at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
[Job] Ph.D. Student at the University of Delaware
Event: 31 Dec 2023
We are seeking a fully funded Ph.D. student to join Prof. Mi-Ling Li’s group at the University of Delaware to assess human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) via seafood consumption.