Exposure pathways and mental health impact of PFAS-contaminated biosolids

项目摘要 全氟烷基和多氟烷基物质(PFAS)是制造纸张和其他 产品耐污染，但也污染水和食物，几乎在每个人身上都能检测到 美国。一个未被研究的暴露源是全美农村地区的农田，那里有全氟辛烷磺酸污染 生物固体被用作肥料。关于非水暴露途径的不完整信息会影响到 社区，其中许多依赖于当地的农业和猎物来工作和食物，不确定如何 尽量减少暴露。全氟辛烷磺酸污染的生物固体威胁到这些农场主的生计和食物来源 社区，因为植物和野生动物暴露于生物固体中的全氟辛烷磺酸使其在当地销售和消费 农产品、动物产品或野生鱼类和野味不再安全。缅因州拥有独特的调查能力 这些问题是由于2021年州立法强制要求在土地上进行之前或正在进行的全氟辛烷磺酸测试 生物固体的应用。一个哨所，费尔菲尔德镇，被发现有高达1000‘S的PFAS 土壤中的毫克/公斤和私人水井饮用水中的30,000‘S/L-远远高于地方和国家健康 建议(美国环保局的饮用水建议全氟辛酸为0.004毫微克/L)。到目前为止，有足够多的人受到影响 缅因州中部地区的个人[缅因州健康咨询以上有319口井有PFAS(6个遗留PFAS之和 ≥20 ng/L)]建立一个队列，以指导美国各地受生物固体影响的其他社区。在这项研究中， 我们的目标是从生物固体中招募300名有接触全氟辛烷磺酸风险的成年人来(1)量化全氟辛烷磺酸 血清中的浓度，(2)评估水和非水暴露途径，以及(3)表征 全氟辛烷磺酸与焦虑、健康风险和污名化的认知之间的关系。对时间敏感的R21 这一机制将使我们能够立即获得对血清全氟辛烷磺酸水平的评估，这是至关重要的，因为 一些受影响的人知道了污染，并在长达两年前安装了滤水器。全氟辛烷磺酸 有很长的半衰期(3-8年取决于化合物)，血清在清洁后测量长达2年 水将与其他社区污染队列保持一致。为了最大限度地减少回忆偏差，它还 必须在更多的时间过去之前评估水的摄入量、其他潜在的暴露途径和焦虑 以及在了解污染前后对健康风险/污名化的看法。我们的 跨学科团队在环境流行病学、PFAS患者的临床护理方面具有专业知识 曝光率和社会心理学。我们将通过社区咨询委员会与社区合作， 背景丰富的个人结果报告，并在市政厅展示汇总的研究结果 开会。据我们所知，我们将是第一个建立接触生物固体中全氟辛烷磺酸的队列，以及 我们的结果将有助于产生减少暴露的建议和干预措施，以建立 生活在受全氟辛烷磺酸污染的生物固体影响的社区中的个人。

PROJECT ABSTRACT Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent “forever chemicals” that make paper and other products stain resistant, but also contaminate water and food and are detectable in almost every individual in the US. An understudied exposure source is farmland throughout the rural US where PFAS-contaminated biosolids are applied as fertilizer. Incomplete information about non-water exposure pathways leaves affected communities, many of whom are dependent on local agriculture and game for work and food, uncertain how to minimize exposure. PFAS-contaminated biosolids threaten the livelihoods and food sources of these agrarian communities, as plant and wildlife exposure to PFAS from biosolids makes selling and consuming local produce, animal products, or wild fish and game no longer safe. Maine has the unique capability to investigate these issues because of 2021 state legislation that mandated PFAS testing on land with prior or ongoing application of biosolids. One sentinel site, the town of Fairfield, was found to have PFAS up to the 1000’s mg/kg in soil and 30,000’s ng/L in drinking water from private wells—far above local and national health advisories (EPA’s drinking water advisory is 0.004 ng/L for PFOA). As of now, there are enough impacted individuals across central Maine [319 wells with PFAS above the Maine health advisory (sum of 6 legacy PFAS ≥ 20 ng/L)] to establish a cohort to guide other communities affected by biosolids across the US. In this study, our objective is to recruit 300 adults at risk of exposure to PFAS from biosolids to (1) quantify PFAS concentrations in serum, (2) evaluate water and non-water exposure pathways, and (3) characterize associations of PFAS with anxiety and perceptions of health risk and stigmatization. The time-sensitive R21 mechanism will allow us to obtain an immediate assessment of serum PFAS levels, which is critical because some affected individuals learned of the contamination and had a water filter installed up to 2 years ago. PFAS have long half-lives (3-8 years depending on the compound), and serum measures up to 2 years post-clean water will be consistent with other community contamination cohorts. To minimize recall bias, it is also imperative before more time elapses to assess water intake, other potential exposure pathways, and anxiety and perceptions of health risk/stigmatization before and after knowledge of the contamination. Our interdisciplinary team has expertise in environmental epidemiology, clinical care of patients with PFAS exposure, and social psychology. We will partner with the community through a community advisory board, context-rich report back of individual results, and presentation of aggregated study results at town hall meetings. We will be the first to our knowledge to establish a cohort with PFAS exposure from biosolids, and our results will help to generate exposure mitigation advice and interventions to build resilience among individuals living in communities impacted by PFAS-contaminated biosolids.