Researchers to Identify 'Forever Chemicals' in Commonly Used Products
11/14/2024
By Karen Angelo
Workers in the construction trades use a variety of products such as paints, varnishes, adhesives and glues, all of which contain dangerous per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Known as “forever chemicals” for their propensity to persist in the environment and accumulate in the human body, PFAS are linked to adverse health effects such as kidney disease and a range of cancers.
The amount of PFAS exposure among construction workers is not yet known, but a new study aims to assess the extent and sources of PFAS exposure to inform safer industry practices.
Assoc. Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Dhimiter Bello and Public Health Research Assoc. Prof. Anila Bello, both of the Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences, have received a $600,000 grant from The Center for Construction Research and Training, which is funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The team will identify exposure levels among construction workers as well as products that contain the most toxic PFAS.
“This is the first study to systematically document PFAS exposures in the construction sector,” says Anila Bello. “We will perform a comprehensive assessment of PFAS present in workers, the sources of the exposure and how PFAS enter the body.”
The research team will measure PFAS in the blood, urine and stool of hundreds of construction workers. By pairing this information with the identification of PFAS in common construction products, the team will identify the most likely PFAS sources, as well as the workers most at risk.
“Our goal is to reduce and, when possible, eliminate PFAS exposures at the source and ultimately to minimize health risks among those who work in construction and allied trades,” says Dhimiter Bello. “This in turn is expected to reduce PFAS-related occupational diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular, liver and kidney diseases.”
In collaboration with the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) organization, the research team will recruit hundreds of workers to be tested. The blood results will show which PFAS stay in the body for long periods of time, the urine results will show if workers were recently exposed to PFAS, and the stool analysis will indicate whether PFAS were ingested. Each of these results will paint a picture of how much PFAS entered or left the body.
Added to products for their unique properties and strong chemical bonds, PFAS allow products to stick to surfaces, repel water and enhance adhesion. While these capabilities improve the performance of building materials, it’s these same properties that make the substances harmful to humans, soil and marine life. PFAS persist in the body and the environment, putting humans at risk for kidney and testicular cancers, thyroid function, higher blood lipids, Type 2 diabetes, immune system suppression and kidney and liver damage.
To understand the source of PFAS, the researchers will collect information from workers about their diets, their lifestyles and where they live. This survey data will help account for nonoccupational exposure, such as water sources and food contamination. Dhimiter Bello, who will test PFAS in more than 100 construction products, developed the analytical methods for quantifying PFAS in firefighting foams in a previous study. The results of that study are informing the transition to PFAS-free firefighting foams.
The research team will establish an advisory board that will include representatives from the union group, the construction industry, academia, NIOSH and the Center for Construction Research and Training. Once the research is completed, the team will develop guidelines for reducing PFAS exposure among workers.