Elevated PFAS Levels Found in Firefighters and Healthcare Workers, Study Reveals

A recent study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology has shed light on the alarming levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present in the blood of firefighters and healthcare workers. The research, conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona Health Sciences, found that these frontline workers have higher concentrations of PFAS compared to other essential workers.

The study, which evaluated PFAS levels among a range of frontline workers in Arizona, revealed moderate elevations of certain PFAS among healthcare workers. Notably, they had higher odds of detecting specific types of PFAS (PFHpS and PFUnA) compared to individuals in other professions. Firefighters, on the other hand, had the highest concentrations of PFAS in their blood samples, specifically concentrations of PFHxS, Sm-PFOS, n-PFOS, and PFHpS.

“This study reinforces previous research showing elevated PFAS levels among firefighters and suggests that healthcare workers may have unique sources of PFAS exposure as well,” said senior author Kate Ellingson, PhD, an associate professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. “Our findings underscore the need to understand occupational exposure pathways for PFAS among different types of workers.”

The study used data collected from July 2020 through April 2023 through the Arizona Healthcare, Emergency Response, and Other Essential Worker Surveillance Study (AZ HEROES) at the U of A Health Sciences. The research team analyzed blood samples from over 1,960 participants, including 280 firefighters, 787 healthcare workers, and 734 other essential workers.

The results of this study highlight the importance of further examining specific exposure routes and health consequences for firefighters and healthcare workers. As Ellingson noted, “To date, PFAS exposure in healthcare settings has not been widely studied, and the potential sources of exposure remain unclear.”

Overall, the findings of this study emphasize the need for continued research into occupational exposure to PFAS and its associated health risks. By understanding these risks, we can work towards reducing them and protecting the health and well-being of frontline workers and communities worldwide.

The recent analysis of a fatal landslide that occurred on February 13th, 2024, at the Çöpler Gold Mine in Türkiye has revealed disturbing insights. The study, led by Pınar Büyükakpınar from the GFZ German Research Centre For Geosciences, used seismic and remote sensing data to analyze the disaster. What they found was alarming: the site of the landslide had been slowly moving for at least four years prior to the failure.

The Çöpler Gold Mine is one of the largest gold producers in Türkiye, accounting for 20% of total gold production in the country. The massive landslide buried nine miners, highlighting the need for urgent action. Processing of spaceborne radar data through the interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technique showed continuous slow deformation at the site over the past four years, at an average rate of 60 millimeters per year.

Furthermore, a cyanide leach pond on the site also exhibited an average deformation of 85 millimeters per year. This poses a significant risk, as our observations suggest an increasing likelihood that the pond could fail, potentially releasing toxic waste into the nearby Euphrates River. The researchers emphasized the need for seismic detection systems that go beyond earthquakes to include secondary hazards like landslides.

The mine sits in a tectonically active area near the North and East Anatolian faults, Büyükakpınar noted. This region has a robust seismic monitoring network due to its seismic history, which allowed for high-resolution recording of the landslide. The researchers analyzed data from seismic stations up to 400 kilometers away from the site, finding two distinct pulses 48 seconds apart indicating the source effect, corresponding to two mass sources.

Their analysis indicates that the landslide included a westward detachment of debris on a steep slope and north-northeast movement on a gentler slope. The data provided an excellent opportunity to test real-time landslide detection algorithms that have been developed for Alaskan landslides “in a very different tectonic setting,” Büyükakpınar noted.

The study also described a combination of conditions that could lead to landslides in mining regions, including the long-term slow deformation caused by mining itself, increased pore pressure in rock due to rainfall or snowmelt, and steep slopes. The conditions are even stronger in tectonically active areas, which further amplifies the likelihood of failure.

Büyükakpınar emphasized the importance of continuously monitoring slow movements and assessing the overall cumulative risk. She added that integrating infrastructure management with continuous monitoring, rapid response mechanisms, and cooperation between regulators and mine operators can avoid future disasters. The study’s findings suggest that seismic detection systems should go beyond earthquakes to include secondary hazards like landslides, and long-term monitoring is critical for disaster response and mitigation.

The connection between sulfur runoff from South Florida’s sugarcane fields and elevated mercury levels in the Everglades has been made clear by researchers from the University of California, Davis. Their study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that the sulfur applied to manage pH levels in these alkaline soils can trigger a chemical reaction that converts mercury into its toxic form, methylmercury.

The research team collected water and mosquito fish across wetlands fed by agricultural canals, documenting how sulfur runoff can dramatically increase methylmercury concentrations in fish. In some cases, this concentration is up to 10 million times greater than the levels found in the waters where these fish live, posing a significant risk to both human health and wildlife.

“Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that can cross the blood-brain barrier and even the placental barrier,” explained lead author Brett Poulin. “This makes it particularly problematic, as it can affect cognition, development, and other critical processes in humans.”

The Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted by the United Nations in 2013, aims to reduce mercury emissions worldwide. However, the process is slow and uncertain, and the US Environmental Protection Agency does not regulate sulfur like it does nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers.

Interestingly, reducing sulfur use in agriculture could quickly decrease mercury levels in fish, especially considering that over 60% of the Everglades have been found to contain sulfur contamination. Local management actions and sustainability initiatives can help minimize regional sulfur usage, which fuels the anaerobic bacteria and archaea responsible for converting mercury into methylmercury.

The study’s findings provide a clear call to action for local authorities to prioritize environmental sustainability and reduce sulfur use in agriculture. With the involvement of experts from the US Geological Survey, this research offers a tangible solution to mitigate the mercury crisis in the Everglades and protect both human health and wildlife.