Emory Researchers to test NW Ga. residents for PFAS exposure
Researchers with Emory University are planning a pilot study to test Rome and Calhoun residents later this year to gauge exposure to the PFAS family of chemicals.
“We plan to test both human blood, and potentially environmental samples if time and costs permit, for PFAS in or around the Rome and Calhoun areas,” said Dr. Dana Barr, professor of environmental health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.
The pilot program, funded through Emory’s Human Exposome Research Center, called HERCULES, will be headed up by researchers Melanie Pearson, Noah Scovronick and Barr. The pilot is expected to begin in late summer or early fall.
The study, Barr said, is to gather information on exposure both prior to and after the completion of a new water filtration plant in Rome planned for Riverside Parkway.
“This is a small pilot study to provide information to the community on exposure only and to provide data for seeking a larger amount of funds for a more extensive evaluation of the population and water sources, particularly before and after creation of the new water treatment facility. This is not a health study, but rather focuses only on exposure to PFAS.”
That water facility would begin to utilize water intakes on the Oostanaula River again. The reverse osmosis system is designed to completely remove all other impurities from water removed from the river.
In 2016, after the city was alerted to the level of concentration of the family of chemicals in the Oostanaula, it switched to the Etowah River intake as well as instituting additional activated carbon filtration systems.
The issue, at least for Rome, is that carpet and flooring manufacturers had been introducing the chemicals into the waterways for decades prior to 2016. The textile manufacturers, alongside the City of Dalton and chemical companies, settled a lawsuit with the City of Rome for $184 million. The funds from that suit are primarily designated to construct the new water filtration plant.
As for Gordon County, the City of Calhoun now faces lawsuits over allegations that the city has dumped sludge containing the chemical onto land that then pollutes the Coosa River.
However, the issue remains that the PFAS family of chemicals, also known as forever chemicals, don’t break down readily in the environment or in the human body. The question remains how decades of exposure affect Rome and Calhoun residents.
An Atlanta News First article published late last year showed independently administered tests involving 11 Rome residents. Of those tested, most showed levels of PFAS in their blood higher than the national median.
While area residents have the potential to be exposed to the family of chemicals through drinking water or eating fish taken from local waterways, those aren’t the only potential sources of exposure, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
The chemicals are found in certain types of non-stick cookware, like Teflon, as well as grease resistant food packaging also contain the chemicals. Another method of transmission is also through use of paints or stain resistant treatments that contain the chemicals.
Some scientific studies suggest that certain PFAS may affect different systems in the body, according to
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research.
Emory has conducted health related studies regarding PFAS, including whether or not the chemicals are transported by mothers to children. At this time, scientists are still learning about the health effects of exposures to mixtures of PFAS.
However, the CDC indicated that research involving humans suggests that high levels of certain PFAS may lead to increased cholesterol levels, changes in liver enzymes, decreased vaccine response in children, increased risk of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, small decreases in infant birth weights and increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer.