DRAFT Third Report of the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel for Jersey – Testing, biomonitoring and management of PFAS in the human body
By PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel
April 8, 2025
"This report is the third in a series produced by the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel for Jersey. It focuses on the testing, biomonitoring, and management of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in the human body.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic compounds that have been used extensively in industrial processes (e.g. fluoropolymer manufacturing) and consumer products (e.g. non-stick cookware and water-repellent textiles) since the 1950s. From the late 1960s onwards, PFAS have also been used in aqueous film forming foams (AFFF), which are used to extinguish certain types of fires. The exceptional durability of PFAS, while advantageous in industrial settings and consumer products, also renders them highly persistent in the environment. This high persistence combined with the ability of certain PFAS with long perfluoroalkyl chains to bioaccumulate in humans means that they are capable of building up in human tissues. Certain long-chain PFAS have also been linked to multiple adverse human health outcomes.
In Jersey, extensive use of AFFF at the airport’s firefighting training facility led to PFAS contamination of nearby groundwater and subsequently private drinking water wells used by residents. While the extension of mains water in 2006 reduced some direct exposures, PFAS can remain in human bodies for years, prompting the Government of Jersey in 2022 to initiate blood testing for potentially affected residents. They subsequently recruited a PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel to offer independent advice."