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)

Embedded in our furniture and our clothing, our electronics and our food, our carpets and our walls, flame resistant chemicals are everywhere. One type, known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have taken a lot of the heat. Not only can they easily leach into the environment, these retardants are commonly inhaled and ingested, where they begin to build up in the body. More:

• House Dust Contains Potentially Harmful Flame Retardants Years After They Were Banned  –  Science alert
• Scientists find harmful chemicals in household dust  –  Phys.org
• An Alternatives Assessment for the Flame Retardant Decabromodiphenyl Ether (Report) –  US EPA
• Novel brominated flame retardants in house dust from Shanghai, China- levels, temporal variation, and human exposure (Research article)

It was the start of the 2016 growing season when the farmers were told their water was contaminated. Susan Gordon and her husband had run Venetucci Farm for ten years. It was there, against the backdrop of the majestic Rocky Mountains, they had raised their two children. “I was devastated,” says Gordon. More:

• Toxic synthetic 'forever chemicals' are in our water and on our plates  –  NOVA - PBS
• Alternatives to PFASs Perspectives on the Science (Editorial)

• How 20th-century synthetics altered the very fabric of us all  –  AEON
• Roy J. Plunkett - Discovery of Teflon  –  Science History Institute
• Internal documents show 3M hid PFAS dangers for decades  –  Detroit Free Press
• Investigations Underway at Wolverine World Wide  –  US EPA
• Wolverine World Wide Tannery - EPA in Michigan  –  US EPA

• Venetucci Farm suspends operations in wake of tainted Widefield water  –  Colorado Springs News
• Perfluorinated Compounds in the Widefield Aquifer  –  Colorado Department of Public Health
• Peterson AFB Is Drilling, Testing To Get A Handle On PFC Problems  –  CPR News
• What’s GenX still doing in the water downstream of a Chemours plant  –  C&EN

• Breastfeeding may expose infants to toxic chemicals  –  Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Firefighters Face New Possible Risk From Toxic PFAS: Their Gear  –  Bloomberg Law
• PFAS Chemicals: EDCs Contaminating Our Water and Food Supply  –  Endocrine Society
• Concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in human embryonic and fetal organs from first, second, and third trimester pregnancies (Research article)

• The C8 Health Project- Design, Methods, and Participants (Research article)
• Perfluorooctanoic Acid Exposure and Cancer Outcomes in a Contaminated Community- A Geographic Analysis (Research article)
• GenX and PFBS Draft Toxicity Assessments - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)  –  US EPA

• The 20-year legal battle with DuPont that started with one West Virginia farmer  –  Marketplace
• The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare  –  The New York Times
• Dark Waters Movie - Official Website - Trailers and Release Dates  –  Focus Features

• Managing PFAS in Maine (Report)  –  Maine PFAS
• PFAS Laws and Regulations  –  US EPA
• Europeans Aim to Phase Out Toxic PFAS Chemicals by 2030  –  The Intercept
• PFAS in food: EFSA assesses risks and sets tolerable intake  –  EFSA

• New York Moves on Some of Strictest PFAS Drinking Water Limits  –  Bloomberg Law
• State regulators issue new restrictions on ‘forever chemicals’  –  The Boston Globe
• New PFAS rules set to take effect Aug. 3, among nation's strictest  –  The Detroit News
• N.H. Approves Unprecedented Limits For PFAS Chemicals In Drinking Water  –  New Hampshire Public Radio
• N.J. gets strict on cancer-causing ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water  –  New Jersey
• Vermont Legislation Imposes Strict PFAS Limits  –  The National Law Review

The robot made its way 3,000 feet down to the bottom, beaming bright lights and a camera as it slowly skimmed the seafloor. At this depth and darkness, the uncharted topography felt as eerie as driving through a vast desert at night. More:

• How the waters off Catalina became a DDT dumping ground  –  Los Angeles Times
• The Mystery of the Vanishing DDT in the Ocean Near Los Angeles  –  Scientific American
• Ocean Dumping of Containerized DDT Waste Was a Sloppy Process (Research article)
• Newly Identified DDT-Related Compounds Accumulating in Southern California Bottlenose Dolphins (Research article)

• Ocean Site Reportedly Used for Toxics Dump  –  Los Angeles Times
• Report Confirms Toxic Dumping - Hayden Decries Damage to Bay  –  Los Angeles Times
• DDT Ban Takes Effect  –  US EPA
• Consolidated DDT Hearings  –  US EPA
• Trial Over Huge Offshore Deposit of DDT Begins  –  Los Angeles Times
• EPA Takes Control of Coast DDT Site  –  Los Angeles Times

• Study finds DDT, breast cancer link  –  Los Angeles Times
• DDT Exposure in Utero and Breast Cancer (Research article)
• Global marine pollutants inhibit P-glycoprotein: Environmental levels, inhibitory effects, and cocrystal structure (Research article)

Pregnant women in the Nunavik region in northern Quebec are twice as exposed to certain chemicals produced far from home than a representative sample of other Canadian women of the same age group, according to a study led by a researcher from Université Laval. More:

• Pregnant Inuit women more exposed to 'the new PCBs' than other Canadians: study  –  Montreal Gazette
• Perfluoroalkyl acids in pregnant women from Nunavik (Quebec, Canada): Trends in exposure and associations with country foods consumption (Research article)

Researchers find people's exposure to PFAS and certain flame retardants could be significantly reduced by opting for healthier building materials and furniture. If you've been considering throwing out that old couch, now might be a good time. Dust in buildings with older furniture is more likely to contain a suite of compounds that impact our health. More:

• Dust from your old furniture likely contains harmful chemicals—but there’s a solution  –  EHN
• Impact of “healthier” materials interventions on dust concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and organophosphate esters (Research article)

Researchers are increasingly concerned about the presence of toxic industrial contaminants called PFAS in the Arctic. These can damage the immune system and may also make people more susceptible to the more severe effects of COVID-19. More:

• Concern mounts over impact of toxic “forever chemicals” in the Arctic  –  Nunatsiaq News
• Diabetes is a “time bomb” in the Arctic: expert  –  Nunatsiaq News
• What are the health effects of PFAS?  –  US ATSDR
• Endocrine disrupting chemicals and COVID-19 relationships: a computational systems biology approach. (Research article)
• Perfluoroalkyl acids in pregnant women from Nunavik (Quebec, Canada): Trends in exposure and associations with country foods consumption (Research article)

Today humans are exposed to thousands of man-made chemicals. Can we infer how cumulative exposures shape our health? I am an environmental toxicologist studying effects of man-made chemicals on our health. I decided to develop a computational approach to objectively compare sensitivity of all genes to all chemicals and identify the most vulnerable biological processes. More:

• Exposure to man-made chemicals influences genes controlling aging, immune system and metabolism  –  The Conversation
• Unbiased approach for the identification of molecular mechanisms sensitive to chemical exposures (Research article)

A total of about 400 different agricultural pesticides were used in the United States in 2017, the latest year data is available. More and more pesticides have been used because they “contribute to higher yields and improved product quality by controlling weeds, insects, nematodes, and plant pathogens,” according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More:

• GRAPHIC: The U.S. still uses many pesticides banned in other countries  –  Investigate Midwest
• PAN International Consolidated List of Banned Pesticides  –  PAN International

Chemicals are essential for the well-being, high living standards and comfort of modern society. They are used in many sectors, including health, energy, mobility and housing. However, most chemicals have hazardous properties which can harm the environment and human health. The European Commission published a chemicals strategy for sustainability on 14 October 2020. More:

• Chemicals strategy  –  European Commission
• Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability Towards a Toxic-Free Environment (PDF) –  European Commission

There are a range of harmful chemicals in everyday products, including in food, food packaging, clothes, furniture, cosmetics and cleaning products. A lot of these chemicals are not well regulated and are not listed on ingredients lists or labels, making it difficult for consumers to identify them. More:

• ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS How to reduce your exposure  –  CHEM Trust
• Avoiding harmul chemicals in baby products - Advice for parents  –  CHEM Trust