A group of manmade substances that can cause serious health problems in humans and animals is increasingly threatening U.S. drinking water systems, experts say. Scientists are working hard to better understand per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances — or PFAS — and develop technologies to minimize harm from these extraordinarily durable pollutants. More:

• PFAS chemicals are turning up in tap water across the country. How do we get them out  –  ENSIA

• Michigan Dept. of Military and Veteran Affairs Employs PlumeStop at Grayling Army Airfield (Case Study) – Regenesis
• Blasting 'Forever' Chemicals Out of the Water with a Blast of Cold Plasma  –  Drexel University Now
• Treating PFAS water contamination with cold plasma  –  The Michigan Engineer News Center
• Plasma-Based Water Treatment: Efficient Transformation of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Prepared Solutions and Contaminated Groundwater (Research abstract)
• Destruction of PFAS and Organic Co-Occurring Chemicals in Water and Soil Present in Investigation-Derived Waste Using Novel Adsorbent and Ultrasound (Research article)
• Defluorination of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) by Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6 (Research article)
• Degradation of Halogenated Hydrocarbons & Characterization of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Treated Wastewater Reclaimed For Direct Potable Reuse (Research article)

• DOD Moving Forward With Task Force to Address PFAS  –  U.S. Department of Defense
• EPA  Awards $2.7 Million to Small Businesses to Commercialize Environmental Technologies  –  U.S. EPA News Releases
• Bill Gates-Backed Venture Aims to Eliminate ‘Forever Chemicals’  –  Bloomberg
• Bill Gates-Backed Ginkgo Bioworks Has A New $40 Million Spinout Using Synthetic Biology To Clean Wastewater  –  Forbes

"Forever chemicals" used in water-repellant outdoor gear have been found in snow from the top of Mount Everest. These human-made per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—which have been linked to birth defects, high cholesterol and increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer—could eventually pose a risk for trekkers, climbers and residents who drink the water. More:

• Miner finds outdoor gear 'forever chemicals' in snow near Everest summit  –  Phys.org
• Deposition of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ on Mt. Everest (Research article)

Chemicals called PFAS – known as forever chemicals – are in the blood of virtually every person on the planet. And they will only accumulate. Studies are now raising concerns that some of these forever chemicals may negatively impact our immune system – and possibly even the efficacy of vaccines. More:

• The poison found in everyone, even unborn babies – and who is responsible for it  –  The Guardian

The troubles tainting his tap: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a broad category of chemicals invented in the mid-1900s to add desirable properties such as stain-proofing and anti-sticking to shoes, cookware and other everyday objects. Manufacturers in Fayetteville, North Carolina had been discharging them into the Cape Fear River — a regional drinking water source — for decades. More:

• From Alaska to Florida, harmful PFAS compounds pollute water at multiple sites in every state  –  Ensia
• PFAS Environmental Fate and Transport (Factsheet)  –  US ITRC
• Reducing PFAS in Drinking Water with Treatment Technologies  –  US EPA

• What are the health effects of PFAS?  –  ATSDR
• Severity of COVID-19 at elevated exposure to perfluorinated alkylates (Research article)
• Evaluation of Maternal, Embryo, and Placental Effects in CD-1 Mice following Gestational Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) or Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid (HFPO-DA or GenX) (Research article)

• Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFOA and PFOS  –  US EPA
• Michigan Adopts Drinking Water Criteria for 7 PFAS Compounds  –  The National Law Review

Cotton accounts for only around 2.3% of the world’s arable land, but it uses over 16% of global insecticides. Between pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, the global cotton crop uses 8.2 million metric tons of chemicals. Those inputs impoverish the soil, pollute waterways, decimate biodiversity and often poison people, too. More:

• Changing the Fabric of Our Clothes to Cut Climate Emissions  –  The Revelator

• Introducing Organic Cotton  –  KiRiVOO
• What Are the Most Sustainable Fabrics?  –  Goon On You
• Yield and Economic Performance of Organic and Conventional Cotton-Based Farming Systems – Results from a Field Trial in India (Research article)
• Naturally Colored Organic Cotton and Naturally Colored Cotton Fiber Production (Research abstract)
• 2020 Organic Cotton Market Report (OCMR) Released  –  Textile Exchange

• Environmental Impact of the Global Apparel and Footwear Industries Study (Report) –  Quantis
• The High Price of Fast Fashion  –  The Wall Street Journal

Elevated levels of a PFAS compound were associated with more severe forms of Covid-19, according to a Danish study. The research, which involved 323 patients infected with the coronavirus, found that those who had elevated levels of a chemical called PFBA were more than twice as likely to have a severe form of the disease. More:

• PFAS Chemical Associated With Severe Covid-19  –  The Intercept
• Severity of COVID-19 at elevated exposure to perfluorinated alkylates (Research article)

In the weeks before the coronavirus began tearing through California, the city of Commerce made an expensive decision: It shut down part of its water supply. More:

• Well water throughout California contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’  –  Cal Matters
• With new state law, Pico Rivera’s water is now considered tainted  –  Whittier Daily News
• CompTox Chemicals Dashboard - PFAS MASTER LIST  –  US EPA

Human Exposure

• PFAS - How can I be exposed?  –  US ATSDR
• The C8 Health Project: Design, Methods, and Participants (Research article)
• Polyfluoroalkyl chemicals in the U.S. population: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (Research article)
• Pre- and Postnatal Exposure to Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) (Research abstract)

• Immunotoxicity Associated with Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) or Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) (Monograph)
• Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Exposures and Incident Cancers among Adults Living Near a Chemical Plant (Research article)
• Serum Vaccine Antibody Concentrations in Children Exposed to Perfluorinated Compounds (Research article)
• Structural equation modeling of immunotoxicity associated with exposure to perfluorinated alkylates (Research article)

• Notification Level Recommendations for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)  –  California OEHHA
• PFOA PFOS Response Levels Lowered for Water Systems  –  California Water Boards
• AB-756 Public water systems: perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances.  –  California Legislative Information
• USEPA Announces Major Actions to Address PFAS; California Water Utility Files Landmark PFAS Lawsuit in Federal District Court  –  Downey Brand
• DuPont Agrees to EPA Request To Phase Out Teflon Compound  –  The Wall Street Journal

• Reducing PFAS in Drinking Water with Treatment Technologies  –  US EPA Science Matters Newsletter
• PFAS in Orange County  –  Orange County Water Distric
• PFAS In-Home Filtration Systems  –  Michigan.gov
• SCV Water Celebrates the Completion of Water Treatment Facility During Virtual Ribbon Cutting  –  SCV Water
• How DuPont may avoid paying to clean up a toxic 'forever chemical'  –  NBC News

Scientists have detailed more than 200 uses of PFAS chemicals in 64 industrial areas, including mining, book conservation, plastics production, photography, printing, watchmaking, car manufacturing, air conditioning, fingerprinting, and particle physics. Many of the uses, which are laid out in the research article below, were previously unknown. More:

• Toxic PFAS Chemicals Discovered in Hundreds of Products  –  The Intercept
• An overview of the uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (Research article)

• Contaminants in New Jersey Soil and Water Are Toxic, Records Reveal  –  The Intercept
• Top Toxicologist Banned From Saying PFAS Causes Disease  –  The Intercept
• Did the White House Block EPA Action on PFAS Chemicals  –  The Intercept

• These Five Brands Of Dental Floss May Expose People To Harmful Chemicals, Study Finds  –  BuzzFeedNews
• Tests Find PFAS Chemicals in Cosmetics at ‘Elevated Levels’  –  Environmental Working Group

A single PFAS chemical featured in the movie “Dark Waters” last year about contamination from a Teflon plant in Parkersburg, W.Va. resulted in a $670 million court settlement. A community study showed the chemical was linked to six diseases: kidney cancer, increased cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, preeclampsia and testicular cancer. More:

• PFAS chemicals are ubiquitous. A Pitt scientist is working to protect you from thousands of types at once.  –  Public Source
• An overview of the uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (Research article)

• Potentially Hazardous Chemicals Are Found in Fast-Food Packaging, a New Report Finds  –  Consumer Reports
• The Secret Ingredient in Your Microwave Popcorn: PFAS Chemicals  –  Discover Magazine

• PFAS contamination is likely at Pittsburgh airport. Airports may face legal challenges by doing nothing.  –  Public Source
• Coraopolis drinking water shows PFAS contamination among highest in PA, but below federal advisory  –  Public Source

Now, after years of criticism from environmental advocates who have long raised health concerns about the treatment, the pesticide has been found to also contain an array of toxic compounds known as PFAS. The so-called “forever chemicals,” which are found in a range of commercial products and never fully degrade, have been linked to cancer, low infant birth weights, and a range of diseases. More:

• Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ found in pesticide used on millions of Mass. acres when spraying for mosquitoes  –  The Boston Globe

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of concern because of their high persistence (or that of their degradation products) and their impacts on human and environmental health that are known or can be deduced from some well-studied PFAS. Currently, many different PFAS (on the order of several thousands) are used in a wide range of applications, and there is no comprehensive source of information on the many individual substances and their functions in different applications. More:

• An overview of the uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (Research article)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic organic substances with diverse structures, properties, uses, bioaccumulation potentials and toxicities. Despite this high diversity, all PFAS are alike in that they contain perfluoroalkyl moieties that are extremely resistant to environmental and metabolic degradation. More:

• The high persistence of PFAS is sufficient for their management as a chemical class (Research article)

PFAS compounds released in New Jersey are toxic to lab animals and people, stay in the human body for years, and were found in the blood of workers at two of Solvay’s plants. More:

• Contaminants in New Jersey Soil and Water Are Toxic, Documents Reveal  –  The Intercept
• New PFAS Chemical Contamination Discovered in New Jersey  –  The Intercept
• Solvay Withholds Data About PFAS Pollution in New Jersey  –  The Intercept

A scientist tracks the dangers of flame retardants, meant to protect children, and why manufacturers cannot seem to stop using them. More:

• The Harmful Chemical Lurking in Your Children’s Toys  –  The New York Times
• Tackling toxics  –  Science

• Young infants’ exposure to organophosphate esters: Breast milk as a potential source of exposure (Research article)
• Identification of Flame Retardants in Polyurethane Foam Collected from Baby Products (Research article)
• Children’s Car Seats Contain Legacy and Novel Flame Retardants (Research article)
• Novel and High Volume Use Flame Retardants in US Couches Reflective of the 2005 PentaBDE Phase Out (Research article)
• Children's exposure to brominated flame retardants in indoor environments - A review (Review article)
• Investigating A Novel Flame Retardant Known as V6: Measurements in Baby Products, House Dust and Car Dust (Research article)

• Developmental PBDE Exposure and IQ/ADHD in Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Review article)
• Cross-sectional study of social behaviors in preschool children and exposure to flame retardants (Research article)
• In Utero and Lactational Exposure to Flame Retardants Disrupts Rat Ovarian Follicular Development and Advances Puberty (Research article)
• Tetrabromobisphenol A (CASRN 79-94-7) in F344-NTac Rats and B6C3F1-N Mice and Toxicology and Carcinogenesis  –  US NTP (Report) TR-587

New Jersey has sued Solvay Specialty Polymers over its refusal to release secret studies of its PFAS chemicals. The company has forbidden the state agency from sharing the details of the chemicals’ effects on health and the environment on the grounds that they are confidential business information. More:

• Solvay Withholds Data About PFAS Pollution in New Jersey  –  The Intercept
• New PFAS Chemical Contamination Discovered in New Jersey  –  The Intercept
• 3M Knew About the Harms of PFOA and PFOS  –  The Intercept
• New Jersey Making Companies Pay for Toxic Contamination  –  The Intercept
• The Teflon Toxin  –  The Intercept
• Emerging Contaminants  –  NJDEP SRP
• Evaluation of the Immunomodulatory Effects of 2,3,3,3-Tetrafluoro-2-(Heptafluoropropoxy)-Propanoate in C57BL-6 Mice - Toxicol (Research article)

Research found that children exposed to PFAS had significantly reduced antibody concentrations after given tetanus and diphtheria vaccinations. A follow-up study of adult healthcare workers found similar results. Now researchers worry PFAS, will reduce the immunization’s effectiveness. More:

• Covid: chemicals found in everyday products could hinder vaccine  –  The Guardian
• Why you need to know about PFAS, the chemicals in pizza boxes and rainwear  –  The Guardian
• PFBA and Drinking Water  –  Minnesota Department of Health
• Severity of COVID-19 at elevated exposure to perfluorinated alkylates (Research article)
• Estimated Exposures to Perfluorinated Compounds in Infancy Predict Attenuated Vaccine Antibody Concentrations at Age 5-Years (Research article)

Studies suggest a connection between PFAS exposure and suppressed immune function, lower vaccine effectiveness, hypersensitivity and greater risk of autoimmune diseases. A recent review of human epidemiological studies by Rappazzo et al. shows that PFAS may influence antibody response to vaccination and other health issues, such as asthma. More:

• PFAS Chemicals Harm the Immune System, Decrease Response to Vaccines, New EWG Review Finds  –  EWG
• Children’s Exposure to PFAS Chemicals Begins in the Womb  –  EWG
• EWG Proposes PFAS Standards That Fully Protect Children’s Health  –  EWG

• Perfluorooctanoic Acid or Perfluorooctane Sulfonate  (Monograph) –  US NTP
• Exposure to Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances and Health Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Literature (Scientific review)
• Pre-natal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances may be associated with altered vaccine antibody levels and immune-related health outcomes in early childhood (Research article)
• Serum Polyfluoroalkyl Concentrations, Asthma Outcomes, and Immunological Markers in a Case–Control Study of Taiwanese Children (Research article)
• Antibody Response to Booster Vaccination with Tetanus and Diphtheria in Adults Exposed to Perfluorinated Alkylates (Research article)

The UN Special Rapporteur on Toxics and Human Rights was established 25 years ago because of growing concern regarding hazardous waste generated in Europe being dumped in Africa. A briefing discussed a report on issues of concern, detailing eight emerging policy issues and other issues of concern and a report on strengthening the science-policy interface for chemicals and waste management. More:

• UN Special Rapporteur Emphasizes Right to Science in Managing Toxics  –  IISD
• UNEP Compares Options for Science-Policy Interface on Chemicals and Waste  –  IISD
• UNEP Assesses Eight Issues of Concern for Chemicals and Waste Management  –  IISD

A chemical introduced by a manufacturer to replace a now-regulated PFAS substance has been found in New Jersey drinking water, and the company’s own research suggests that it can cause liver damage, according to emails obtained by Consumer Reports. More:

• New PFAS Compound in N.J. Water May Be More Toxic Than Older One, Regulators Say  –  Consumer Reports
• New Jersey Sues Solvay Over Alleged Water Contamination From New PFAS Compound  –  Consumer Reports
• New 'Forever Chemicals' Are Contaminating the Environment, Regulators Say  –  Consumer Reports
• South Jersey company confirms use of unregulated replacement for toxic chemical  –  NJ Spotlight News

• EPA’s ENTACT Study Breaks New Ground with Non-Targeted Research  –  US EPA
• Integrating tools for non-targeted analysis research and chemical safety evaluations at the US EPA (Review article)
• Emerging Chlorinated Polyfluorinated Polyether Compounds Impacting the Waters of Southwestern New Jersey Identified by Use of Nontargeted Analysis (Research abstract)

While communities across the U.S. have been struggling with massive pollution from the military’s use of firefighting foam that contains PFAS, Japan has awoken to its own environmental crisis from the industrial chemicals in the foam. More:

• U.S. Military Responsible for Widespread PFAS Pollution in Japan  –  The Intercept
• The U.S. Military Is Spending Millions to Replace Toxic Firefighting Foam with Toxic Firefighting Foam  –  The Intercept
• PFCs from Toxic Foam in Drinking Water  –  The Intercept
• Bad Chemistry  –  The Intercept
• Kyoto University professors detect PFOS concentration of 4 times national average in Ginowan residents’ blood  –  Ryukyu Shimpo
• PFAS Contamination from US Military Facilities in Mainland Japan and Okinawa (Research article)