Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Multimedia Measurement of PFAS in the Residential Environment: Evaluating Human Exposure Pathways
EPA Grant Number: CR840428Title: Multimedia Measurement of PFAS in the Residential Environment: Evaluating Human Exposure Pathways
Investigators:
Institution:
EPA Project Officer:
Project Period: July 1, 2022 through May 9, 2025
Project Amount: $248,180
RFA: COLLECTION OF CONCORDANT MULTIMEDIA MEASUREMENTS TO EVALUATE PFAS HUMAN EXPOSURE PATHWAYS (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Urban Air Toxics , Endocrine Disruptors , Heavy Metal Contamination of Soil/Water , Drinking Water , Human Health , Air , PFAS Treatment , Environment
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
This project was initiated to address critical gaps in understanding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure by evaluating PFAS concentrations in the residential environment and estimating their contribution to overall human exposure. The study maintained the original specific aims: (1) to characterize PFAS in the residential environment and identify factors contributing to within-home variability, and (2) to assess the relative contributions of drinking water, diet, and the indoor environment to total PFAS exposure.
To achieve these aims, we partnered with the UCI PFAS Health Study, a CDC/ATSDR Multi-site Study cohort in Orange County, California. Early collaboration with other grantees ensured harmonization of questionnaire data, while ongoing engagement with EPA supported reproducibility and facilitated future data sharing. A Quality Assurance Project Plan was approved in September 2023, and detailed data collection protocols, quality control measures, and staff training tools were developed and implemented.
Despite initial delays related to human subjects’ regulatory approval and execution of a data transfer agreement, participant enrollment began in late 2023. By the time of project termination, 50 participants had been enrolled, with 42 completing two scheduled home visits. Environmental and biological samples—including indoor air, dust, silicone wristbands, and blood—were successfully collected. Indoor air analyses demonstrated frequent detection of PFAS precursors, with variability observed primarily between homes. Analyses of dust and wristband samples were underway at the time of termination, with preliminary findings suggesting limited discriminatory utility of wristband-based TOF measurements.
Although statistical analyses and manuscript preparation were in progress at project closure, significant progress was made toward the overarching objectives. The data generated, including longitudinal blood PFAS measurements and paired residential environmental samples, provide a valuable resource for advancing understanding of PFAS exposure pathways. While the project was terminated prior to completion of all planned analyses, the collected data remain positioned to inform future research, enhance exposure assessment methods, and contribute to the broader PFAS research agenda.
Supplemental Keywords:
PFAS; wristbands; exposure; air; dust; TOFProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.