Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS

ABSTRACT
Overall
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging as a major public health problem in North Carolina
(NC) and across the US. PFAS comprise a class of almost 5,000 known compounds. Their unique chemical
properties have been harnessed to make consumer and industrial products more water, stain, and grease
resistant; they are found in products as diverse as cosmetics and firefighting foams. Despite increasing
evidence that they are found ubiquitously in the environment, there is a paucity of knowledge about their
toxicity. For the few well-studied PFAS, associated health effects include cancer and toxicity to the liver, thyroid,
and immune system; but human exposure levels, mechanisms of action, bioaccumulation, or effective
remediation approaches remain unclear for the majority of PFAS. As a result of recent widespread detection in
the environment and increasing evidence of human exposure we propose to establish a Superfund Research
Program (SRP) Center for Environmental and Human Health Effects of PFAS. Several of these
compounds are included on the Substance Priority List of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry and are considered contaminants of emerging concern by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
The long-term objective of our Center is to advance understanding about PFAS 1) environmental and
human exposure in impacted areas, 2) toxicity and underlying mechanisms of thyroid and immune
function, 3) bioaccumulation potential, and 4) remediation. To meet our objective we will employ a highly
transdisciplinary approach that will integrate leaders in diverse fields (epidemiology, environmental science
and engineering, biology, toxicology, immunology, data science, and advanced analytics) across two major
NC Universities (NC State and East Carolina Universities); multiple levels of biological organization
(biomolecule, pathway, cell, model organisms (periphyton, mayflies, zebrafish, mouse), and human
populations); state-of-the-art analytical technologies; cutting-edge data science and management
approaches; a recognized track record in interdisciplinary, environmental health science training; and
well-established partnerships with government and community stakeholders. We aim to be a trusted
resource for SRP stakeholders and impacted communities and to catalyze discovery of information that leads
to prevention of PFAS exposure and protection of human health.