Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are stable and complex chemicals and since the 1950’s have increasingly been used within everyday objects we regularly interact with such as our cookware and clothes. There are thousands different types of PFAS organic chemicals and their resistance to degradation and widespread commercial and industrial use, they are being found to accumulate not just within our environment but also the human body. Particular concerns around PFAS have arisen due to the high level of potential exposure. From ingesting PFAS contaminated food and water to breathing PFAS contaminated air, it’s gradual leaching in to our lives is a great cause of concern. It has also been linked to an increase in blood pressure, a wide range of cancers, developmental delay and disruption to our immune system. We are in need of understanding it’s long term adverse chronic health effects.
There is still much we do not know about PFAS, with critical questions that still need answering. Such as how can we accurately and efficiently measure and detect PFAS levels within the body and the environment? How much are people exposed to PFAS? How harmful are PFAS to not just people but the environment? And lastly how can we effectively manage and dispose of PFAS?
In this Research Topic, we want to highlight the detrimental effects that PFAS have had on our bodies and it’s links to our health. We would also like to cover, but are not limited to:
• Absorption and accumulation of PFAS within the body
• Exposure in development vs adulthood
• Acute vs Chronic exposure
• Immunological effects
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are stable and complex chemicals and since the 1950’s have increasingly been used within everyday objects we regularly interact with such as our cookware and clothes. There are thousands different types of PFAS organic chemicals and their resistance to degradation and widespread commercial and industrial use, they are being found to accumulate not just within our environment but also the human body. Particular concerns around PFAS have arisen due to the high level of potential exposure. From ingesting PFAS contaminated food and water to breathing PFAS contaminated air, it’s gradual leaching in to our lives is a great cause of concern. It has also been linked to an increase in blood pressure, a wide range of cancers, developmental delay and disruption to our immune system. We are in need of understanding it’s long term adverse chronic health effects.
There is still much we do not know about PFAS, with critical questions that still need answering. Such as how can we accurately and efficiently measure and detect PFAS levels within the body and the environment? How much are people exposed to PFAS? How harmful are PFAS to not just people but the environment? And lastly how can we effectively manage and dispose of PFAS?
In this Research Topic, we want to highlight the detrimental effects that PFAS have had on our bodies and it’s links to our health. We would also like to cover, but are not limited to:
• Absorption and accumulation of PFAS within the body
• Exposure in development vs adulthood
• Acute vs Chronic exposure
• Immunological effects
