A biomonitoring study has been launched to investigate the levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the UK population by analysing blood and urine samples. Announcing the study, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said it expects to publish early findings in 2027, which will help establish baseline levels of these ‘forever chemicals’ in the UK population.
PFAS are a family of around 15,000 synthetic chemicals that have been discovered to bioaccumulate in our waterways, wildlife and humans. The most studied of this family, PFOA and PFOS, have already been banned in the UK after being linked to serious health conditions and there are concerns about many others.
Blood and urine serum samples will initially be collected and analysed from the existing Health Survey England to better understand what substances may be present in the population and at what level. UKHSA will also analyse samples for levels of arsenic, bisphenols, lead, phthalates and flame retardants. The agency said that it’s working closely with international partners to monitor emerging evidence and strengthen understanding of potential risks.
What exactly are PFAS?
PFAS – also known as ‘forever chemicals’ – are a family of an estimated 15,000 synthetic chemicals that have been widely used in consumer products globally since the 1950s. They are a class of chemicals that contain at least one perfluorinated methyl (–CF3) or methylene (–CF2 –) group. They do not degrade easily in the environment because the carbon–fluorine bond is among the strongest in existence. The unique properties of these substances confer characteristics like repellence to oil, grease and water, as well as temperature resistance and friction reduction. This helps to create products that are non-stick and stain-resistant, for example.
However, PFAS are also highly mobile in the environment and they bioaccumulate, as well as biomagnify, up the food chain. PFOA and PFOS – the best studied of these substances – have been linked to serious health conditions like reproductive and developmental disorders, reduced immune function and certain types of cancer.
UKHSA director of radiation, chemicals, climate and environmental hazards, Edward Wynne-Evans said this work seeks to address the ‘important evidence gaps’ around what exposure levels mean for an individual’s long-term health. ‘The evidence available to date suggests that any health effects are likely to be limited,’ he notes. ‘The strongest evidence from across the globe currently relates to possible associations with raised cholesterol and potentially lower birth weight, but further work is required to better understand these findings and their significance.’
In September, the UN urged international bodies to phase-out and ban PFAS, calling them a threat to ‘many, if not all, human rights’.
The new study comes after a government report described the threat as ‘one of the most pressing chemical challenges of our time’ with recommendations to address the environmental, wildlife and health risks of PFAS. The chair of the UK government’s Environmental Audit Committee, Toby Perkins, said this marks ‘an important first step’ and highlighted the need to improve information available to the public ‘without causing disproportionate panic’.
Stephanie Metzger, sustainable chemicals policy advisor at the Royal Society of Chemistry, welcomed the announcement and said that it is important to establish a baseline and record where people may have higher exposure risk due to their occupation or living near a ‘PFAS hot spot’.
Metzger added that this isn’t a simple issue to solve so sharing data and coordinating across UK environmental agencies, regulators and government departments is ‘crucial’ to protect health. ‘Really understanding this data can help scientists and policymakers identify priority areas for intervention and remediation,’ she said. ‘Tracking PFAS blood levels over time can also help to indicate whether control measures, such as the way they are being regulated, are actually working.’
Alongside this work, the UK’s independent committee on toxicity is conducting a detailed review of the available evidence on PFAS and its health impacts. Currently there are no treatments available for high blood PFAS and while testing ‘can identify whether PFAS are present, there is currently insufficient evidence to determine what action should follow from a specific result’, Wynne-Evans explained. ‘For that reason, routine testing is not recommended at this time.’
This hasn’t stopped research teams across the world searching for treatments for acute PFAS exposure. The first clinical trial on US firefighters with high occupational PFAS exposure has enrolled its first participant this week. It will investigate whether a bacterium developed by Danish biotechnology firm Cambiotics can eliminate PFAS in the firefighters’ blood.
