Investigating the sources and fate of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food waste compost

1 Apr 2024 | Waste Manag

Researchers investigating PFAS in food waste compost at a pilot-scale facility found that PFAS concentrations increased with compost maturity with food contact materials having the highest PFAS levels. This highlights the need for source-separation practices to effectively mitigate PFAS contamination.

Life in the PFAS lane: The impact of perfluoroalkyl substances on photosynthesis, cellular exudates, nutrient cycling, and composition of a marine microbial community

26 Mar 2024 | Sci Total Environ

This study investigated the effects of PFAS on microbial communities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, revealing that PFOS but not 6:2 FTS induced significant phototoxicity and shifts in community structure, highlighting the importance of understanding PFAS impacts on microbial ecosystems.

Public Health Risks of PFAS-Related Immunotoxicity Are Real

25 Mar 2024 | Curr. Environ. Health Rep.

Clinical recommendations for PFAS-exposed individuals and communities should be revisited and strengthened to provide guidance on incorporating immune system monitoring and other actions that can be taken to protect against adverse health outcomes.

Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and high-throughput proteomics in Hispanic youth

23 Mar 2024 | Environ Int

PFAS exposure in Hispanic youth was linked to changes in plasma proteins associated with inflammation and immunity, suggesting potential cardiometabolic toxicity.

Crowdsourcing citizens for statewide mapping of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Florida drinking water

22 Mar 2024 | Sci Total Environ

This study examined 448 drinking water samples collected from taps across Florida, revealing PFAS concentrations ranging from non-detectable to 219 ng/L, with a median of 2.90 ng/L and a mean of 14.06 ng/L, providing crucial baseline data for monitoring and the opportunity to educate impacted communities in water quality issues.

Plasma per-and polyfluoroalkyl substance mixtures during pregnancy and duration of breastfeeding in the New Hampshire birth cohort study

22 Mar 2024 | Int J Hyg Environ Health

Higher maternal levels of a mixture of PFAS, particularly PFOA, was associated with a higher risk of stopping exclusive breastfeeding before 6 months.

Personal Wearable Sampler for Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Exposure Assessment

21 Mar 2024 | ES&T L

Assessing individual PFAS exposure has been limited due to sampling tool constraints, so researchers employed a new personal air wearable sampler which was found to effectively capture diverse PFAS, offering a potential methodology for quantitative inhalation exposure assessment.

Retention of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances by syringe filters

19 Mar 2024 | Environ. Chem. Lett.

Researchers found that all tested filters commonly used in water analysis retained PFAS, with glass-fiber cellulose acetate filters showing the lowest retention, and discussed factors influencing PFAS retention as well as alternative pretreatment methods.

Predictors of Serum Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Concentrations among US Couples Attending a Fertility Clinic

19 Mar 2024 | ES&T

PFAS concentrations among couples seeking fertility treatment in the U.S. were correlated within couples and with factors like race, body mass index, and dietary habits, particularly fish and shellfish consumption, shedding light on potential interventions to mitigate exposure in the preconception period.

Predictors of Serum Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Concentrations among U.S. Couples Attending a Fertility Clinic

19 Mar 2024 | Environ Sci Technol

PFAS concentrations among couples seeking fertility treatment in the U.S. were correlated within couples and with factors like race, body mass index, and dietary habits, particularly fish and shellfish consumption, shedding light on potential interventions to mitigate exposure in the preconception period.

Evaluation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in landfill liquids from Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Wisconsin

19 Mar 2024 | Chemosphere

Average PFAS levels in landfills from Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Wisconsin were 6,900, 22,000, 280, and 260 ppt in leachate, gas condensate, stormwater, and groundwater, respectively, with variations attributed to landfill design and local climate and higher PFAS levels in leachate exposed to open air and in groundwater near landfills without bottom liners.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Food Packaging: Migration, Toxicity, and Management Strategies

19 Mar 2024 | Environ Sci Technol

This study systematically maps evidence of PFAS in migrates and extracts of food contact materials, revealing the presence of 68 PFAS, predominantly perfluorocarboxylic acids and fluorotelomer-based compounds, highlighting the need for international regulations to limit PFAS as a group in food packaging for human and environmental safety.

Two for the Price of One: Deriving Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Fillet and Whole-Body Conversion Equations in Fish

18 Mar 2024 | ES&T Letters

This study developed conversion equations between filet and whole-body concentrations of PFAS in fish from New York State, crucial for both human health advisories and ecological risk assessments, with conversion factors consistent across multiple PFAS chemicals but less consistent across species.

Temporal variability and sources of PFAS in the Rio Grande, New Mexico through an arid urban area using multiple tracers and high-frequency sampling

18 Mar 2024 | Emerg. Contam.

Significant temporal and spatial variability of PFAS were found in the Rio Grande, with notable increases in PFAS from urban runoff and wastewater effluent, and researchers demonstrated the use of longer-term passive samplers to compare PFAS concentrations in water bodies against one-time measurements.

Prenatal Exposure to Poly/Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Risk for Congenital Heart Disease in Offspring

18 Mar 2024 | J. Hazard. Mater.

PFAS exposure during pregnancy was found to potentially increase the risk of congenital heart disease, the most common type of birth defect worldwide.