Collection of Concordant Multimedia Measurements to Evaluate PFAS Human Exposure Pathways Grants
EPA awarded $748,180 in grant research funding to support research to better understand important exposure pathways of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in selected study communities.
The pervasive nature of PFAS-containing products, their resistance to environmental degradation, their mobility, and their potential for bioaccumulation and toxicity present serious environmental health challenges. In addition, PFAS chemicals may be present in and released from a vast number of building materials and consumer products in residential environments. Measurement data on the nature and level of PFAS in the residential environment and diet is required to understand and mitigate important pathways for human exposure.
The research from these awards will advance PFAS exposure measurement methodologies with biomonitoring data and lead to the development of evaluated protocols for measuring a targeted set of PFAS chemicals in a residential environment.
Silent Spring Institute, Newton, Massachusetts
Award: $250,000
Project Title: PFAS-HOME: Characterizing Residential PFAS Exposure Pathways among Children and Adults Using Multimedia Measurements and Questionnaires
Principal Investigator: Robin Dodson
Study Location: Ayer, Massachusetts
The goal of the proposed study is to characterize residential PFAS exposures by measuring PFAS in air and dust in homes with children and adults and to evaluate associations between PFAS occurrence and potential residential sources. The proposed study will measure concentrations of 37 volatile and semivolatile PFAS in indoor air and house dust samples and total fluorine (TF) and extractable organofluorine (EOF) in dust collected in 50 homes with at least one child and one adult participating in the MA PFAS and Your Health Study, one of seven Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)-funded Multi-Site Studies. To evaluate the degree to which the total PFAS load in dust is accounted for by targeted analysis, TF and EOF will also be measured in dust. Additional information on residential and dietary exposures sources will be collected by questionnaire. Anticipated results include exposure measurements from 50 homes concordant with biomonitoring data in the MA PFAS and Your Health study, as well as evaluated protocols and SOPs for measuring a targeted set of PFAS in the residential environment. The researchers propose a preliminary assessment of residential exposures, including the relationship between measured indoor air and house dust concentrations and associations with housing characteristics and behaviors related to consumer products within the home. Results will enhance understanding of the contribution of residential exposure pathways to PFAS exposures and improved interpretation of PFAS biomonitoring data.
View the research abstract for this project.
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Award: $248,180
Project Title: Multimedia Measurement of PFAS in the Residential Environment: Evaluating Human Exposure Pathways
Principal Investigator: Jennifer (Kate) Hoffman
Study Location: Durham, North Carolina; South Bend, Indiana; Irvine, California
PFAS are commonly detected in indoor air and dust, suggesting these exposure pathways may be particularly relevant for the general population. However, investigations of exposure via the indoor environment are limited. This study aims to address this data gap by evaluating PFAS in the residential environment and estimating its contribution to total PFAS exposure in the general population. Researchers propose characterizing total organic fluorine (TOF) in indoor air and dust, evaluating variation within the home, and potential PFAS sources (e.g., carpet and textiles). They also plan to assess the relative contributions of PFAS measured in drinking water and the indoor environment in determining human PFAS exposure. The principal investigator (PI) partnered with a University of California, Irvine (UCI) PFAS Health Study, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) /ATSRD Multi-site Study cohort based in Orange County, California where collection of blood and urine from UCI PFAS Health Study participants took place in fall of 2021. These samples will be evaluated for PFAS. In addition, drinking water wells in this study area have been tested for PFAS quarterly since 2019. This research will complement these existing data sources with additional collection of paired passive indoor air samples and dust samples from 50 participants’ homes. Participants will also wear a silicone wristband for 7 days to capture exposure across multiple microenvironments. Samples will be evaluated for PFAS as well as TOF, a marker of PFAS. The researchers anticipate that these additional measurements will allow them to address key questions on the most relevant PFAS exposure pathways for the general U.S. population. They expect to determine how much variability in PFAS serum levels in this study population is explained by water consumption and residential sources and will assess variation due to other sources (e.g., diet and product use), which is a critical first step in designing exposure reductions strategies and policies. In addition, they plan to evaluate the minimal set of measurements that can be implemented to classify individual exposure levels and determine whether silicone wristbands are sufficient to capture residential exposure information needed to estimate PFAS exposure.
View the research abstract for this project.
Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Award: $250,000
Project Title: Multimedia Measurement and Dose Reconstruction of PFAS in an Atlanta African American Birth Cohort
Principal Investigator: Parinya Panuwet
Study Location: Atlanta, Georgia
The objectives of this study are to integrate, adapt and validate standardized protocols for measuring PFAS in multiple media. Researchers will quantify levels of PFAS in 100 previously collected longitudinal dust and air samples. The researchers will also measure PFAS levels from 40 prospectively collected longitudinal water samples from the homes and 40 prospectively collected personal silicon wristband samples in an existing African American birth cohort in Atlanta, GA, where serum levels of some PFAS are higher than U.S. population averages. The researchers also plan to estimate the potential contribution of food, food packaging, personal care products, water, dust and air PFAS to overall body burden using measured dust and air levels, dietary data, personal care product data and other environmental pathway data in this cohort. The researchers anticipate that they will be able to provide individual-level estimates of exposures through each of the multiple media exposure estimates and define population aggregate exposure estimates and distributional characteristics of the exposure to identify individuals and characteristics expected to receive the greatest exposure.
View the research abstract for this project.
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