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1. Investigate how PFAS from discarded biodegradable products affect soil and water quality, and their potential bioaccumulation in wildlife.  

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1. Investigate how PFAS from discarded biodegradable products affect soil and water quality, and their potential bioaccumulation in wildlife.  

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PFAs are long lasting chemicals that break down very slowly over time. To make it even worse, PFAs are found in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. Not surprisingly, PFAs have diverse effects on the environment. For example, PFAs can move into deep soil layers and reach groundwater reserves, decreasing soil respiration. Many of the we drink or interact with contain PFAs, too. For example, at least 45% of the nation's tap water is estimated to have one or more types of PFAs. When drinking water with PFAs, there are multiple health consequences: low birth weights, developmental alterations, increased cancer risk, decreased vaccine effectiveness, developmental delays, and decreased vaccine effectiveness. Most of these effects of PFAs exposure on human health is based on studies of two chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). The worse part of PFAs is that PFAs accumulate in the body, particularly in our organs like the lung, liver, and kidney. Out of these organs, lungs were found to have higher concentrations of PFAs. Not only our bodies accumulate PFAs but also plants. The major pathway for accumulation of PFAs in agricultural crops is root uptake, which varies with plants, chemicals, and abiotic factors. Because PFAs can accumulate in our environment and bodies, we need to be cautious.

Sources:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article

https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/private-water

https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/tap-water-study-detects-pfas-forever-chemicals-across-us

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412013001220

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653520317793

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Question 1: Investigate how PFAS from discarded biodegradable products affect soil and water quality, and their potential bioaccumulation in wildlife.  

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Question 1: Investigate how PFAS from discarded biodegradable products affect soil and water quality, and their potential bioaccumulation in wildlife.  

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PFAS affects soil and water quality as a result of it's ability to enter the environment via various sources. This results in these chemicals being able to accumulate and contaminate in the soil and groundwater sources. PFAS have the ability to move through soil and reach the underground reservoirs which in turn causes it to contaminate the drinking water for many communities. This chemical is also able to contaminate large surface water source such as lakes and rivers via runoff from contaminated areas. The potential bioaccumulation in wildlife of PFAS depends on where animals live and how far they are from human populations. The main mechanisms of how these PFAS bioaccumulate in wildlife is primarily through ingestion of these contaminated food and water sources.

Sources: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/european-zero-pollution-dashboards/indicators/pfas-contamination-and-soil-remediation-signal

https://news.mongabay.com/2023/09/pfas-forever-chemicals-harming-wildlife-the-world-over-study/

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PFAS contamination and soil remediation (Signal)

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Key messages: Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) enter the environment via various sources and may accumulate in soil and groundwater; clean-up and remediation are costly , if at all possible. Around PFAS hotspots people are mainly exposed via contaminated drinking water and food. Additional hotspots are likely to be identified in the future. There is a need to improve soil contamination monitoring in the EU while stepping up remediation efforts.

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2. Analyze whether PFAS content hinders the decomposition process of biodegradable products, potentially leading to prolonged environmental persistence.

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2. Analyze whether PFAS content hinders the decomposition process of biodegradable products, potentially leading to prolonged environmental persistence.

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PFAS degradation via thermal and nonthermal treatment technologies were evaluated.

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Mechanisms that govern PFAS degradation and mineralization were reviewed.

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Challenges and research gaps for removing PFAS from the environment were discussed.

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Application of hybrid treatment systems was recommended.

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2. Analyze whether PFAS content hinders the decomposition process of biodegradable products, potentially leading to prolonged environmental persistence.

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2. Analyze whether PFAS content hinders the decomposition process of biodegradable products, potentially leading to prolonged environmental persistence.

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"In the new study... researchers from Canada, the U.S. and Switzerland tested 42 kinds of paper food packaging collected in Toronto between February and March 2020, including compostable paper bowls, sandwich and burger wrappers, popcorn serving bags, and bags for desserts such as doughnuts."

"The bag and bowl samples each contained five to 14 different PFAS."

"Sally Brown, a research associate professor at the University of Washington who studies the use of waste such as municipal compost as resources, confirmed that PFAS don't break down in the composting process."

Summary: PFA's in "biodegradable" products do not actually degrade, and thereby hinder the decomposition process.

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‘Forever chemicals’ are in takeout food containers. Should you worry? | CBC News

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If you bought a salad bowl for lunch in a compostable container, that greener choice may have come with a dash of “forever chemicals” called PFAS, a new study finds. Should you worry? Here’s a closer look.

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3. Assess the extent to which PFAS can migrate from products into beverages and food and the possible health implications of chronic exposure through this pathway.

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3. Assess the extent to which PFAS can migrate from products into beverages and food and the possible health implications of chronic exposure through this pathway.

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This migration depends on the facility of PFAS to be released by the material, on the food contact conditions such as temperature and exposure time, on the properties of the material in contact with food such as thickness, initial concentration, and diffusion coefficient, and on the interaction between the material and the compound, expressed as the coefficient of distribution between the material and the food

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Presence of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Food Contact Materials (FCM) and Its Migration to Food

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Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemical compounds widely used in different industry fields including food contact materials (FCM), providing resistance to fat and humidity, and non-stick properties. PFAS enter…

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3. Assess the extent to which PFAS can migrate from products into beverages and food and the possible health implications of chronic exposure through this pathway.

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3. Assess the extent to which PFAS can migrate from products into beverages and food and the possible health implications of chronic exposure through this pathway.

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"PFAS are known to be harmful to health: They can disrupt hormones, weaken bones and increase disease risk."

"Researchers studied two multiethnic groups of young adults, one a nationally representative sample and one primarily Hispanic. They found that greater consumption of tea, processed meats and food prepared outside the home was associated with increased levels of PFAS in the body over time."

"The findings also suggest that public monitoring of certain products, such as beverages, could help identify and eliminate sources of contamination.

But food packaging is more ubiquitous and may require a bolder approach."

Summary: The migration of PFA's from packaging into food and drinks and then into the body occurs on a large scale, and could lead to hormonal issues, weaker bones and immune issues.

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Longitudinal study links PFAS contamination with teas, processed meats and food packaging

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Related News USC Researchers Assess Impact of PFAS in Drinking Water Systems in Southern California June 28, 2023 USC launches liver disease study as part of $50.3 million “multi-omics” consortium […]

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4. Explore legislative approaches to limit or ban PFAS in food contact materials and the potential impact on public health and the environment.

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4. Explore legislative approaches to limit or ban PFAS in food contact materials and the potential impact on public health and the environment.

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California (January 1, 2023). California's law prohibiting any person from distributing, selling, or offering to sell any food packaging that contains PFAS (either intentionally added or at or above 100 parts per million (ppm)) takes effect. Washington (February 1, 2023).

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PFAS and Food Packaging: The State of Regulation

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In the absence of comprehensive federal legislation, states have started to regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food packaging. This Update provides an overview of the current regulatory landscape.

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5. Investigate how awareness of PFAS content influences consumer choices and trust in products marketed as sustainable or biodegradable.  

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5. Investigate how awareness of PFAS content influences consumer choices and trust in products marketed as sustainable or biodegradable.  

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Bio-based treatments are viewed as more environmentally friendly than PFAS.

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PFAS treatments are viewed as more durable, water/grease resistant than bio-based.

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Age positively impacts perceptions of bio-based treatments' practical use benefits.