Studying AFFF Fate and Exposure to Pursue Outcomes that Restore Trust: SAFE PORT

项目摘要 全氟烷基和多氟烷基物质(PFAS)是与肝脏毒性有关的高度持久性和有毒的化学物质， 各种癌症，免疫抑制。长期以来，全氟辛烷磺酸一直被用作特殊用途的有效成分 灭火泡沫。2021年7月下旬，含全氟辛烷磺酸的灭火泡沫不慎引入 宾夕法尼亚州麦基斯波特下10区的饮用水系统，影响到该地区约500名居民 环境正义社区。目前，人们对这种物质在前提下的行为知之甚少。 管道工。我们在2021年12月对住宅自来水进行的初步调查发现，15户中有2户 全氟辛烷磺酸的水平远远高于州和联邦的健康指南，表明污染已经 尽管自来水公司采取了冲洗配水管的行动，但仍坚持使用自来水管道。整体而言 该项目的目标是确定全氟辛烷磺酸在社区自来水中的存在程度以及 周围表层土壤(由于消火栓冲洗)，并评估减少全氟辛烷磺酸的干预措施的效果 曝光。我们的假设是，含有全氟辛烷磺酸的灭火泡沫可以在 住宅管道，导致居民长期接触。此外，我们预计冲厕用的消防栓会清除 来自分配系统的污染将导致周围土壤的表面污染，提供 对人类和野生动物来说，这是另一种潜在的接触途径。我们将使用水和土壤测试相结合的方法 确定污染程度，并通过分析评估住宅水龙头的全氟化肥负荷 在污染事件发生后安装滤水器，并部署带有流量计的新滤水器。最后， 我们将与社区和地区的主要利益攸关方合作，开发一个网络和模式 居民、公用事业公司、急救人员、科学专家和监管机构的参与。具体的 目标是：(1)确定下10病区的污染程度；(2)测试干预措施的有效性 随着时间的推移减少全氟辛烷磺酸的暴露，以及(3)发展社区主导的参与和应对 (明确)框架。该项目的广泛影响是开发和传播最佳做法，以减少 消防泡沫污染事件后的社区暴露，并提高社会性和实用性 以可持续的方式为社区参与的环境卫生应急响应提供基础设施。

Project Summary Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are highly persistent and toxic chemicals implicated in liver toxicity, various cancers, and immune suppression. PFAS have long been used as active ingredients in specialized firefighting foams. In late July 2021, PFAS-containing firefighting foam was inadvertently introduced into the drinking water system of the Lower 10th Ward of McKeesport, PA, affecting approximately 500 residents in this environmental justice community. Currently, little is known about how this substance behaves within premise plumbing. Our preliminary investigation in December 2021 of residential tap water found two out of 15 homes with PFAS levels well above state and federal guidelines for health, indicating that the contamination has persisted in the premise plumbing despite actions by the water utility to flush the distribution lines. The overall goal of this project is to determine the extent to which PFAS is present in the tap water of the community and surrounding surface soils (due to hydrant flushing) and to evaluate the efficacy of interventions to reduce PFAS exposure. Our hypothesis is that PFAS-containing firefighting foams can form or incorporate into deposits in residential pipes, leading to long-term exposure to residents. Moreover, we expect that flushing hydrants to clear contamination from the distribution system will have led to surface contamination of surrounding soils, providing another route of potential exposure for humans and wildlife. We will use a combination of water and soil testing to determine the extent of contamination, as well as estimate PFAS loads from residential taps by analyzing water filters put in place following the contamination event and by deploying new filters with flow meters. Finally, we will work with key stakeholders in the community and the region to develop a network and model for engagement among residents, utilities, first responders, scientific experts and regulatory agencies. The specific aims are: (1) Determine the extent of contamination in the lower 10th Ward, (2) Test the efficacy of interventions on reducing PFAS exposures over time, and (3) Develop a Community-Led Engagement and Response (CLEaR) framework. The broad impacts of this project are to develop and disseminate best practices to reduce community exposures following a firefighting foam contamination event, and to improve the social and practical infrastructure for community-engaged environmental health emergency response in a sustainable way.