HJAR Sep/Oct 2023

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  SEP / OCT 2023 47 Jennifer Dillaha, MD Director Arkansas Department of Health of testing for PFAS in a larger, more diverse variety of food. The FDA is also using high resolution mass spectrometry to look for possibly unknown PFAS in food. According to the EPA, current research in- dicates that PFAS exposure may pose health risks. The EPA lists pregnant and lactating women at a possible higher risk of PFAS exposure as they drink more than average amounts of water a day. These women may have a higher risk of exposure due to PFAS found in drinking water. In addition, the agency points out that younger children who crawl on floors and frequently put objects in their mouths may be at risk of experiencing a higher rate of exposure to PFAS. In January 2023, the EPAproposed a rule preventing the starting or resuming of the use of 300 PFAS without a complete EPA review. In March, the agency proposed the first-ever national drinking water standard to limit six PFAS to reduce pollution. InApril, the EPAasked the public for its input on fu- ture hazardous substance designations of PFAS. In Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) began monitoring drink- ing water in January 2023. So far, only a few communities have been sampled, and of those, only one community has been found to have detectable levels of PFAs in drinking water, which are significantly below the lev- els of concern set by the EPA. Small ground water systems inArkansas will be monitored in two six-month periods. All other water systems will be monitored in four quar- terly periods. What steps can you take to reduce possible risks from PFAS? The EPA encourages people to contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Consumer Ombudsman for information on consumer products. When possible, you can choose to purchase products advertised as free of PFAS. I encourage you to learn more about PFAS as more information becomes available, and what products contain PFAS that you may wish to avoid. You can find more information about PFAS at the references provided. n REFERENCES EPA. “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substanc- es (PFAS).” Last updated March 14, 2023. https://www.epa.gov/pfas CDC, National Biomonitoring Program. “Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS).” Last reviewed May 2, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/ biomonitoring/PFAS_FactSheet.html CDC, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. “Per- and polyfluoroalkyl sub- stances (PFAS).” Last reviewed Sept. 15, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/pfas/default. html FDA. “Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).” Last updated May 31, 2023. https://www. fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/ and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas CDC, Agency for Toxic Substances and Dis- ease Registry. “What are the health ef- fects of PFAS?” Last reviewed Nov. 1, 2022. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/health-effects/ index.html#:~:text=1%20Most%20animal%20 studies%20have%20tested%20doses%20 of,delayed%20development%2C%20and%20 newborn%20deaths%20in%20lab%20animals have been in use for over 70 years. They have been used in food and drink contain- ers, cookware, cosmetics, adhesives, sham- poos and conditioners, lotions, soap, and water-repellant fabrics. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have been the two most commonly used PFAS, but use of both has recently been discontinued in the United States. Federal agencies and research scientists continue to study andmonitor the use of PFAS and the risks they may pose. Since 1999, Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention (CDC) has focused its research on 12 PFAS in the United States. CDC scientists have found four specific PFAS (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA) in nearly all blood serums of peo- ple tested. However, CDC says that the levels found may not cause adverse side effects, and the agency is still working to determine that. Other studies suggest that these chemicals do pose a health risk. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Dis- ease Registry (ATSDR) states that studies on lab animals have found that PFAS can damage the liver and the immune sys- tem and can cause low birth rates, birth defects, and delayed development. Since 2004, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted research on how PFAS ex- posure through skin absorption affects immune function and is developing ways to measure PFAS in the workplace. There is concern that specific professions face higher exposures to PFAS than others. For example, firefighters and industrial workers may be more seriously impacted by these chemicals. Since 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has worked to better understand PFAS found in food and is lead- ing the effort to develop validated methods