E-waste in the environment: Unveiling the sources, carcinogenic links, and sustainable management strategies

25 Oct 2024 | Toxicology

PFAS, present in e-waste, can leach into the environment when improperly disposed of, posing serious health risks by accumulating in human tissues, disrupting cellular functions, and contributing to cancer development, which underscores the importance of proper e-waste recycling and disposal practices.

Predictions of groundwater PFAS occurrence atdrinking water supply depths in the United States

24 Oct 2024 | Science

Researchers developed a predictive model using machine learning to estimate the likelihood of PFAS contamination in groundwater across the United States, revealing that 71 to 95 million people could be using drinking water with detectable levels of these harmful "forever chemicals" prior to any water treatment.

Statistical Mapping of PFOA and PFOS in Groundwater throughout the Contiguous United States

23 Oct 2024 | Environ Sci Technol

Mapping PFAS contamination in U.S. groundwater is challenging due to inconsistent testing, but a new statistical approach using ecological modeling helps create continuous maps of PFAS distribution, guiding future sampling and addressing health risks from these chemicals.

Personal care product use and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in pregnant and lactating people in the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals study

22 Oct 2024 | Environ Int

Personal care product (PCP) use during pregnancy and postpartum is linked to higher PFAS concentrations in prenatal plasma and human milk, indicating that PCPs may be a modifiable source of PFAS exposure and underscoring the importance of informed choices and potential regulations to reduce exposure in pregnant and lactating individuals.

Regulation of terrestrial input and ocean processes on the occurrence and transport of traditional and emerging per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the inner shelf of the East China Sea

21 Oct 2024 | Water Research

Coastal oceans show significant accumulation of PFAS in nearshore waters due to terrestrial inputs, industrial sources, and hydrological conditions, with certain PFAS compounds posing elevated ecological risks in regions like the East China Sea.

PFAS profiles in Biosolids, Composts, and Chemical Fertilizers Intended for Agricultural Land Application in Quebec (Canada)

21 Oct 2024 | J. Hazard. Mater.

Biosolids, sewage sludge, and composts used for sustainable agriculture may contain PFAS chemicals that can accumulate in soil and enter the food chain, with this study finding significant PFAS levels across various biowastes in Quebec, Canada, highlighting concerns about long-term environmental and health risks from repeated applications.

Insights into PFAS contaminants before and after sewage discharges into a marine protected harbour

21 Oct 2024 | Chemosphere

Untreated wastewater discharges in the UK are causing elevated levels of harmful PFAS chemicals in protected marine areas, with significant contamination found in water, seaweed, and oysters, underscoring the need for better wastewater management and a deeper understanding of PFAS impacts on marine ecosystems.

Trends in NHANES Biomonitored Exposures in California and the United States following Enactment of California’s Proposition 65

21 Oct 2024 | EHP

California's Proposition 65 aimed to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals like PFAS, but despite overall declines in these substances nationwide, it's uncertain if the law directly drove the reductions, as broader regulations and public awareness may have played significant roles.

Role of Fluorocarbon Chain Length in the Adsorption of Perfluoroalkyl Substances on Nanoplastic Particles

20 Oct 2024 | ACS ES&T Water

In aquatic environments, nanoplastics and PFAS can interact through electrostatic forces, with PFAS adsorption on oppositely charged nanoplastics leading to changes in particle stability depending on PFAS chain length and water chemistry, influencing how these contaminants might spread in different water conditions.

Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, fetoplacental hemodynamics, and fetal growth

20 Oct 2024 | Environ Int

Legacy PFAS exposure during pregnancy may be linked to reduced fetal growth, but the effects of next-generation PFAS and PFAS mixtures are less clear, with further research needed to understand their impact on fetoplacental blood flow.

Fluorotelomer Alcohol (FTOH) Emission Rates from New and Old Rain Jackets to Air Determined by Iodide High-Resolution Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry

16 Oct 2024 | Indoor Environments

Older rain jackets released high amounts of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) into indoor air, raising concerns about indoor PFAS exposure through clothing, and even newer “PFAS-free” jackets emitted small amounts of PFAS, likely through contamination during transport or storage.

Comprehensive analysis of PFAS presence from environment to plate

16 Oct 2024 | npj Science of Food volume

Fish, seafood, and biota show the highest PFAS concentrations due to environmental contamination and bioaccumulation, along along with frequent detections in surface water, raising concerns about long-term ecological and human health effects.

Removal of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Fixed Bed Anion Exchange Reactors: Factors Determining PFAS Uptake Capacity and Models Predicting PFAS Breakthrough

13 Oct 2024 | Water Research

Anion exchange processes can effectively remove PFAS from water, but their efficacy is influenced by PFAS structure and other chemicals dissolved in the water. New models were developed to predict PFAS removal based on these factors in water treatment.

Partitioning of Neutral PFAS in Homes and Release to the Outdoor Environment: Results from the IPA Campaign

10 Oct 2024 | Indoor Environments

A study measuring neutral PFAS in 11 North Carolina homes found that (fluorotelomer alcohols) FTOHs dominate in dust, HAC filter, and dryer lint samples, while perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanols (FOSEs) are most prevalent in airborne particles.

The potential mediating role of the gut microbiome and metabolites in the association between PFAS and kidney function in young adults: A proof-of-concept study

10 Oct 2024 | Sci Total Environ

Researchers reported for the first time that changes to the gut microbiome may explain the association between high PFAS exposure and impaired kidney function.